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UK funding (£574,518): 16AGRITECHCAT5: Tools and Technology for Predicting Tomato Glasshouse Production Ukri1 Oct 2016 UK Research and Innovation, United Kingdom
Overview
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16AGRITECHCAT5: Tools and Technology for Predicting Tomato Glasshouse Production
| Abstract | UK sales of fresh tomatoes are valued at £625M with UK production providing £175M worth of these sales. Current estimations used to predict production are within 10% correct only 30% of the time. Over-estimation of production results in costly imports, whilst under-estimation incurs financial losses from the disposal of surplus fruit. There is considerable potential to reduce waste and financial losses, and increase the proportion of UK sales by improving the accuracy of weekly production forecasts. We will develop a glasshouse-based imaging system TomVision that is fully automated to predict future production. The proposed scientific and technological innovations represents leading edge applied science and engineering and have not been developed by others for glasshouse production. The consortium will: 1) develop TomVision, an imaging system to count fruit and determine their ripeness; 2) develop an automated platform for TomVision to image fruit in a glasshouse; 3) refine mathematical models to predict production based on the image data generated and future weather conditions (PredictTomPro); 4) test and run the system in UK and NL glasshouses prior to product launch. We will deliver a system that will lead to greater efficiency in the use of resources, improved productivity from waste reduction and improved grower margins from more accurate production forecasts. We anticipate UK revenue gains of £6M p. a. (£30K/ha) farm gate value by adoption of the outputs and further income to project partners by sales of TomVision and PredictTomPro (£1.3M/£11.7M/£26M UK/NL/W total sales for tomato production). The route to market will be via roll-out to other UK tomato growers and overseas partners in the first instance, then to other UK, EU and worldwide producers of tomato towards advancing sustainable intensification and delivering economic impact. The proposed project meets all the requirements of duration, project size, business involvement and RTO lead and funding balance for an Agri-Tech Catalyst Industrial Research Award. NIAB-EMR will be carrying out their research as a RTO requiring 100% FEC. |
| Category | Research Grant |
| Reference | BB/P004881/1 |
| Status | Closed |
| Funded period start | 01/10/2016 |
| Funded period end | 31/03/2019 |
| Funded value | £574,518.00 |
| Source | https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=BB%2FP004881%2F1 |
Participating Organisations
| National Institute of Agricultural Botany | |
| Innovate UK |
The filing refers to a past date, and does not necessarily reflect the current state. The current state is available on the following page: Niab, Cambridge.
