The Invergowerie-based Scottish Crop Research Institute (SCRI) looks out onto the picturesque Sidlaw Hills and the Tay Estuary - a perfect setting to take stock of recent events.
It’s an exciting time to be working at SCRI, as Peter Gregory, chief executive and director will testify. Having recently taken on new soft fruit contracts and released new raspberry and blackcurrant varieties, the institute is seeking to boost its international connections.
“SCRI is almost unique in that it’s an institute that still produces crops,” Gregory says. “The commercially wholly-owned subsidiary of SCRI, Mylnefield Research Services (MRS), employs breeders and this enables the institute to deliver new varieties to commercial companies.”
The institute manages 490 licenses in 23 countries for a range of crops including soft fruit, potatoes, turnip and kale. Varieties bred at SCRI are being trialled all over the world including China, Cuba, Egypt and Australia.
SCRI hit the headlines in early July after economic analysts DTZ released a socio-economic impact assessment of the institute. According to the report, SCRI delivers at least £160 million - and possibly as much as £227m - of revenue to the annual economy.
“We genuinely didn’t know what the outcome of the report would be and we were delighted at the value they came up with,” Gregory tells Commercial Grower. “Just as important were the positive comments received from growers and marketers about SCRI’s fruit and potato varieties and the strong relationships we have with them.”
Given that there is very little public money devoted to breeding, the SCRI’s achievements are all the more impressive. SCRI receives funding from the Scottish Executive and the European Union as well as a range of commercial contracts.
The DTZ report highlights the importance of new varieties of blackcurrants and raspberries, says Gregory. “Our research means that new varieties can extend the season and provide new opportunities for growers and retailers,” he adds.
According to Gregory, 95 percent of blackcurrants grown in the UK are SCRI varieties. SCRI works closely with Ribena manufacturer GlaxoSmith Kline and two to three new blackcurrant varieties will be released later this year. “These new varieties are resistant to mites and have higher levels of vitamin C,” Gregory explains.
Furthermore, SCRI has recently entered into a new contract with a blackcurrant company and a sweet blackcurrant is being developed for the fresh fruit market.
SCRI is also well known for its raspberry activities. The institute breeds raspberries for a consortium of companies and in 2006, was responsible for releasing the first new raspberry variety for 10 years.
The Glen Doll is a late season variety, which according to SCRI, has superior flavour and shelf life and has in-built defence against aphids. The fruit arrived in shops this summer.
SCRI’s Glen Lyon variety may not have taken off in Scotland, but it’s performing well in Spain. According to reports, the variety accounts for more than 50 percent of the crop in Andalusia. MRS, which began collecting royalties for the production of Glen Lyon in 2006, says: “Spanish raspberry production complements that of the UK, providing fruit to the UK consumer out of season.”
SCRI has also enjoyed success with its Loch Lomond blackberry, which Gregory says is the leading international variety.
Attention is also being focused on the UK blueberry sector. The UK has produced blueberries for the past five to six years and the business is growing. Although critics say growing conditions fail to match those of other international countries, Gregory is optimistic about the opportunities closer to home.
He says: “Blueberries need acidic soil which is what we have in Scotland. If they can grow anywhere in the UK, it will be here.”
The man on the street is often surprised by how long it takes to develop new varieties, but the truth is there is no such thing as an overnight success. “If breeding is straightforward, varieties can be developed in eight to nine years but most take 10 years,” says Gregory.
“Others can take a lot longer. The cross for Glen Doll was made in 1990 and it was only released in 2006; therefore, it took 16 years from a cross to release.”
SCRI is also looking at the health benefits of soft fruit and has identified several compounds that are beneficial to consumer health. “Our research on human health and nutrition continues to expand with the finding that ellagitannins from berry extracts have significant anti-cancer effects and that raspberry extracts are effective against the initiation, growth and invasiveness of colon cancer cells,” says Gregory.
Potatoes also represent a major part of SCRI’s work. “SCRI has commercial relationships with each segment of the potato market, from crisp and chip manufacturers to producing new potatoes for salads,” Gregory says. “We have a huge research programme, certainly the biggest in the UK.”
Last October, the potato variety Mayan Gold was launched by SCRI’s partner Greenvale AP into two UK supermarkets. This was the first time a Solanum phujera was available to consumers.
As well as breeding new varieties, SCRI also devotes a considerable amount of research and testing to fighting diseases such as Late Blight and Black Leg.
According to Gregory, much progress has also been made in genetics and SCRI is hoping to secure funding for an international programme on gene sequencing this year.
Gregory says SCRI’s main objectives are to understand the genetic control of disease resistance and to make the most of existing resources that farmers have at their disposal. “This means growers won’t have to use so many pesticides and will be able to use water and fertilisers more effectively, therefore minimising the potential adverse effects on the environment,” he says.
“Disease resistance comes about through scientific knowledge - we know about genetics and are able to develop specific markers of disease which speeds up the process.”
SCRI may be based in Scotland but its efforts can be felt worldwide. The institute has established ventures with a number of companies around the world. It is currently working with a Danish drinks company in China, which has expressed a strong interest in using SCRI’s raspberry and blackcurrant varieties. If this comes to fruition, this will mark SCRI’s sixth foray into the mainland.
The company is also expanding its business into South America, and growers from around the continent, including Chile, Peru and Argentina have all expressed interest in the institute’s raspberries and blackcurrants.
“We are working on several promising new lines of blackberry, raspberry and blackcurrant varieties, and expect to be able to release these in the near future,” Gregory reveals.
One effective way SCRI is able to promote its work with its partners is through one-day events such as Fruit for the Future. This year’s soft fruit event took place on July 19 and participants were invited to join organised tours of the fruit trials and research plots. They were also given the opportunity to talk at length with the research staff and try new soft fruit varieties.
This year’s seminars were themed around ‘Fruit Quality - the Key to Health and Success’, and presentations covered the health attributes and ‘superfruits’.
August has been a busy time for SCRI as the institute hosted Potatoes in Practice (PIP) on August 9.
PIP is described as Britain’s premier field-based event dedicated to the potato industry, and offered a unique opportunity for farmers, advisers and other sources to view the latest government and industry-supported research.
SCRI also unveiled its new look website during August. “The website address stayed the same - www.scri.ac.uk - but our main aim is to make research more accessible to a wider audience,” says SCRI’s Lorraine Wakefield. “There’s more information about us, and it now be includes case studies and in-depth interviews.”
Enjoying strong links with the fresh produce industry, both at home and abroad, producers look set to benefit from SCRI’s activities for many years to come.
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