The four-year research program called TuberSense has been awarded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) nearly GBP675,000. The project aims to detect diseases and defects in potato crops, using volatile biomarkers and innovative gas sensors to reduce food waste across the supply chain and increase food safety.
Dr. Barbara dos Santos Correia’s project recently granted with Future Leaders Fellowship will help to establish a framework for crop disease prevention and precision detection from farm to fork.
According to a Fresh Produce Journal article, Dr. Correia said that she is delighted to have secured the UKRI funding with B-hive’s support. She added that this funding would support their latest research project, which could transform the agri-food industry.
“We’re incredibly eager to commence our research activities with our project partners – Branston Limited, UWE Bristol, Warwick University, and the James Hutton Institute. Our TuberSense project will help to identify emerging climate-driven and disruptive diseases that affect potato farming and storage across the UK and create innovative decision support tools based on volatile sensing,” Correia mentioned.
The Future Leaders Fellowship is a highly competitive and flexible scheme that supports ambitious and challenging research and innovation and provides training and career development, to maximize the leadership potential of talented early career researchers.
B-hive Innovations is an Agri-tech R&D business based in Lincoln. B-hive develops innovative technologies for the fresh produce industry to increase marketable yield, better crop utilization, adding new value, and reducing food waste in the supply chain.
To read more about a similar project, click here: https://www.potatobusiness.com/pb-special-feature/detecting-tuber-disease-through-volatile-organic-compounds/
