Scientists at the James Hutton Institute have outlined plans for a Potato Innovation and Translation Hub as a centre of excellence to translate innovation and research into solutions for the potato industry.
As Michael Barker reports for Fresh Produce Journal, the Hub was unveiled at Potatoes in Practice 2021 yesterday. It was explained that the hub is seen as a collaborative partnership of researchers, knowledge brokers and commercial companies, acting as a hub for research and translation of innovation to accelerate the adoption of new research products across the potato value chain.
Professor Lesley Torrance, executive director of science at the institute, said plans had been considered for some time because of the importance of the crop in Scotland and globally, as the world’s third most important staple food crop.
The new hub will be based in Scotland but would have relevance and impact across all nations of the UK and beyond, Torrance said, providing multiple benefits for the potato industry. The next steps for the Potato Innovation and Translation Hub include consultations with industry.
