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AHDB invites applications for funding to research optimum storage of long-cane raspberries

Research or advisory organisations are being invited to tender for funding to identify optimum chilling and duration of cold storage of long-cane raspberry cultivars.

CHAP partner AHDB has been part-funding the UK raspberry breeding programme at the James Hutton Institute for more than 15 years.

During that time, several promising new selections of summer fruiting raspberries have been developed, but no guidance is given as to the optimum growing systems for the new breeds. Growers tend to use the systems that suit existing cultivars which may not suit the new ones.

A  high proportion of summer fruiting raspberry cultivars are now produced as ‘long canes’. Plant raisers and growers would find it useful to know the optimum chilling requirement and duration of cold-storage required for each cultivar to achieve maximum bud break and full yield potential with optimum fruit size and quality.

AHDB is therefore inviting research or advisory organisations to tender for funding to identify optimum chilling and duration of cold storage for the most promising selections likely to be released to the industry from the UK raspberry breeding programme and any other relevant programmes that UK growers are making use of. For more details go to AHDB Research Call

Initially, the funding would be for one year from autumn 2020 to spring and early summer 2021.

A maximum budget of £25,000 has been allocated for this project, which has a duration of one year starting on 1st October 2020 and finishing on 30th September 2021.

Applicants should complete the AHDB Research and KE Application Form – Full Proposal Large. Completed forms must be emailed to research@ahdb.org.uk no later than 12 noon on Wednesday 1st July 2020.

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