The first annual report for SCEPTRE, a major Horticulture LINK project sponsored by Defra, went live on the HDC website on the 12th February 2012. The report highlights the work done and identifies potential prospects for improved weed, pest and disease control in many edible horticultural crops.
The aim of this wide-ranging four year project is to identify effective materials with the potential to fill the gaps in crop protection across all edible horticultural crops through a series of coordinated and focussed experiments. Ultimately our efforts will lead to effective integrated pest, disease and weed management programmes which are compliant with the new Sustainable Use Directive. The work involves significant effort to evaluate potential crop protection options, including conventional pesticides, biopesticides and alternative or cultural methods of crop protection.
This multi-partner project is being managed and co-ordinated by ADAS Principal Research Scientist Tim O’Neill on behalf of the HDC and the SCEPTRE steering group. The group comprises industry representatives and researchers from 24 organisations, spanning the supply chain from product development through to growers, marketing groups and retailers.
“Collaboration is essential to maximise new developments in crop protection and their potential benefits to growers. It is very rewarding to see the wide range of UK experts focussing their knowledge and enthusiasm to achieve the same end point. This makes it a pleasure to co-ordinate the project” says Tim O’Neill.
As well as managing the project ADAS is one of the key scientific deliverers into the vegetable disease and fruit weed control work. During the first year ADAS has screened 19 conventional fungicides and 17 alternative products in two large brassica trials, as well as 11 new herbicides in a series of trials for fruit crops including experimental work with an electronic weeder!
Across the wider consortium in the first year 21 experiments were completed, in which 76 chemicals, 57 biopesticides and 23 plant-based extracts were screened against pest, disease and weed problems identified as high priority targets. An extensive list of new products/actives with good potential have been identified for further trialling or approval in field vegetables, soft fruit, protected edibles and top fruit.
Over the next three years further research by ADAS and the SCEPTRE consortium will critically evaluate weed, pest and disease problems in field vegetables, soft fruit, top fruit and protected edibles.
For more information please contact Tim O’Neill, SCEPTRE Project Co-ordinator on 01954 267666 or tim.o’neill@adas.co.uk or visit the HDC SCEPTRE site at: http://www.hdc.org.uk/sceptre/.