The James Hutton Institute Scientific Services, the Institute’s commercial arm, has established a new five-year global raspberry breeding consortium spanning to 2029.
Building on essential research from its predecessor, the new Raspberry Breeding Consortium brings together a diverse network of partners to pool expertise, knowledge, and access to advanced technology, addressing the evolving needs of the industry.
With current members spanning the globe — including Australia, The Netherlands, the U.S., Spain, and the UK — the consortium is actively inviting additional organizations to join forces, share resources, and collaborate in developing innovative, targeted, and improved raspberry varieties.
“Raspberry economics, production methods, and rate of consumption have all undergone significant changes in recent years,” Dr Jonathan Snape, Head of James Hutton Limited (currently rebranding to James Hutton Institute Scientific Services), said in a press release.
“Meeting the modern-day challenges presented by climate change, labour costs and Brexit has undoubtedly influenced which raspberry traits are in the highest demand and we need to respond to this demand if we are to have a sustainable raspberry industry in the future.
“Hosting the consortium allows us at the Hutton to share our 70 years of experience and research in raspberry breeding with our partners to drive innovation.”
As the market continues to evolve, there is a growing demand for raspberry varieties that offer a balance of productivity, picking efficiency, pest and disease resistance, good flavor, and extended shelf life. To meet these needs, growers require resilient crops backed by swift, innovative research delivering cost-effective and sustainable solutions.
The James Hutton Institute is home to one of Europe’s largest and most diverse collections of historic, novel, hybrid, and commercial raspberry breeding resources. Leveraging this wealth of knowledge and cutting-edge technologies, the consortium will partner with international experts to identify and replicate desirable genetic traits, driving the development of superior raspberry varieties.
As the industry grows and develops, so does the opportunity for businesses to be at the forefront of the consortium’s drive for innovation. To discuss participation, potential members are encouraged to contact Jamie.Smith@Huttonltd.com
