POTATO RESEARCH at Cambridge University Farms has a new purpose built £1.16m agronomy centre.

“The new facilities were essential to sustain the future of the research facility,” says CUF‘s director Eric Allen.

British Potato Council‘s Mike Storey says they are particularly welcome at a time when research is being cut and there is a national shortage of facilities.

“It provides a place where disciplines cross over from very applied work, giving practical solutions to more strategic research.”

BPC funding for CUF research projects is around £240,000, including about £50,000 into how to get the best use from Erwinia diagnostic kits.

“General disease diagnostics and the application of them in practice is one research goal for CUF,” says senior scientist David Firman.

Other areas of research include projects on bruising, seed physiology, desiccants, fertiliser and seed treatments from Syngenta and Bayer CropScience, he adds.

Main funding is from Syngenta, Cambridge University Potato Growers Research Association (CUPGRA), and Frito-Lay, the parent company of Walkers Crisps.

The building replaces the previous facilities built in 1941.

“The rest of the funding is an advance from the university, which has to be repaid over a 10-year period,” says Mr Allen.

As well as providing facilities for CUF scientific staff, and four members of Frito-Lay‘s best practice staff, the building has laboratories and meeting rooms.

Grading and potato storage areas are separate.