B-hive Innovations Teams Up with NPL to Pioneer Potato Bruising Reduction Project
- In the press
- Project Updates
B-hive Innovations, an agri-tech research and development company, has announced its collaboration with the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) on a joint programme aimed at reducing potato bruising.
The TuberTurgor project is our latest fresh-produce analysis initiative, which has been devised to help supply chains minimise waste. Bruising contributes to enormous losses in productivity and reputational damage for both growers and supermarkets. We are delighted to have secured funding that could help to retain a high overall quality of end produce, as growers face ongoing challenges to manage their crop.”
Dr Andrew Gill, General Manager at B-hive Innovations
The nine-month project has attracted funding from Innovate UK under the Analysis for Innovators (A4I) programme. It aims to investigate non-destructive methods of measuring turgor pressure in potatoes, with a view to understanding and reducing bruising and physical damage in tubers. Ultimately the project could allow potatoes to be categorised according to bruising risk so appropriate management actions can be taken.
TuberTurgor project lead at B-hive, Dr Barbara Correia, who is a UKRI Future Leaders Fellow, said, “Growers and supermarkets are increasingly impacted by potato bruising that is brought on by prolonged periods of drought from rising global temperatures. This can drastically increase susceptibility to bruising damage during handling, so there is a supply-chain need to investigate how this can be reduced through devising early, non-destructive detection measures.”
The project will test a series of prospective methods to measure turgor pressure using a range of techniques, including physical hardness measures, ultrasonic and spectroscopic testing, and high-resolution imaging.
“NPL has a long history in the development of measurement techniques, and we are excited to be able to apply our expertise to an issue that so directly influences agricultural productivity and the environment.”
Dr Tony Maxwell, technical lead at the National Physical Laboratory
Latest news
B-hive Innovations at the REAP Conference 2024: Driving Agri-Tech Innovation Forward
B-hive Innovations attended the REAP Conference 2024, joining agri-tech leaders to explore cutting-edge advancements in sustainable agriculture. The event provided valuable insights into AI integration, collaborative partnerships, and innovative technologies, aligning with B-hive’s mission to deliver impactful solutions for the agricultural industry. Key discussions and networking opportunities are set to drive forward projects like TuberNetZero and PHENO-TUB while opening doors for exciting collaborations.
Intelligence-Led Planning Key To Maximising Yield
AS INNOVATION in the agritech sector continues to move on at breakneck speed, the challenge for growers and farmers is often not that the technology to help them isn’t available, but that they can’t settle on an approach to take. Technology is developing at such a rapid rate that it is a challenge to stay ahead of the curve, with new technologies bringing in new approaches to planning, growing, and harvesting.
All You Need To Know About Wireworm
A wireworm infestation can devastate agricultural crops with potatoes being particularly at risk. Wireworm numbers have been increasing for years – join B-hive’s local expert, Rebekah Neill, to find out all about wireworms – what they are, why they are such a problem and our armoury of tools to combat them.