The Soft Fruit Technology Group Expands

The Soft Fruit Technology Group (SFTG) at the University of Reading plans to expand its activities in supporting the production of UK soft fruits. The SFTG was formed in 1997, and over recent years key technical development projects have included a chilling unit model for Elsanta, double cropping of primocane raspberries, the use of spectral filters in raspberries, the effects of low winter chilling on blackcurrant, cropping systems for Junebearing and everbearing strawberries, and many more.

The core fundesr of the SFTG are Well-Pict European Ltd, Farm Advisory Services Team Ltd, and now Hargreaves Plants Ltd. hargreaces are the latest full time core funder, and provide the expertise of a major UK fruit plant propagator. Further, the SFTG is under new management. In April 2004 Dr Alexandra Wagstaffe took over Dr james Carew's role within the School of Plant Sciences and the SFTG, following his departure to industry. Annually, the group agrees plans to investigate areas of mutual interest which will, subsequently, bring advantages to fruit producers.

The SFTG develops close links between the University of Reading and industry. At its core lies the aim to enable under-graduate and post graduate students to liaise with the industry. This summer, two Masters students are conducting vital experiments on the Junebearing strawberry "Elsanta" within the SFTG. A further example of these links is teh recruitment of Wai-Lon Pang by Hargreaves Plants Ltd, who graduated with an MSc in Horticulture from Reading in 2003. Wai Lon is working with Hargreaves on the improvement of soft fruit varieties.

Two exciting new projects are currently being finalised, which will develop previous SFTG work on special filters in raspberries and strawberries. These projects will make detailed analyses of the potential of plastics (spectral filters) for the control and manipulation of strawberry growth and development. A PhD student and a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow will make use of the University of Reading's new Bio-Centre with state of the art equipment for biochemical analysis.

Further information on the SFTG can be found on the research page of the School of Plant sciences website at www.plantsci.rdg.ac.uk

The first SFTG student sponsorship.
Increasing research activities activities and the support of the core funders (Well-Pict European Ltd, Farm Advisory Services Team Ltd, Hargreaves Plants Ltd) have allowed the SFTG to introduce a student sponsorship scheme.

Jonathan Zwinkels, a BSc Horticulture student in his second year was chosen by the SFTG, based on his enthusiasm for the Horticulture industry and his strong academic record. Coming from a background in the lettuce production industry, sponsorship will encourage Jonathan's interest to extend to all aspects of soft fruit production. During his industry experience he will put some of his research to test by investigations into practical aspects of strawberry nutrition. It is also anticipated that he will gain work experience with one or moreof the core industry funders. In his final year at the University of Reading, for his dissertation, Jonathan will conduct an experiment on a soft fruit crop of relevance to his degree and to the objectives of the SFTG.

Summer 2004