Key Takeaways
- The Crop Storage and Post-harvest Solutions (CSPS) facility at the James Hutton Institute officially opened in May.
- The facility, funded by the Scottish and UK Governments, will study the impact of temperature, gas composition, and humidity on stored crops.
- 5-20% of initial crop productions are lost due to poor storage, especially in developing countries.
- The facility uses advanced plant and data sciences to prolong the shelf life of produce and manage the disease.
- The research aims to support food security and sustainable crop supply amidst challenges like climate change.
New Crop Storage and Post-Harvest Solutions Facility Opens at the James Hutton Institute
The Crop Storage and Post-harvest Solutions (CSPS) facility, funded by the Scottish and UK Governments, officially opened its doors in May. Located at the James Hutton Institute, it will focus on improving the quality, nutritional value, and appearance of stored crops by examining the effects of temperature, gas composition, and humidity.
Addressing Crop Storage Challenges
Currently, 5-20% of initial crop production is lost due to insufficient or poor storage, a problem particularly acute in developing countries. The CSPS facility leverages world-leading plant and data sciences, along with advanced technological and digital innovations, to explore methods for prolonging the shelf life of produce. By inducing a ‘near-sleep state’ post-harvest, the facility aims to preserve the inherent qualities of crops and manage disease more effectively.
Professor Derek Stewart, Director of the Advanced Plant Growth Centre, which operates the CSPS, emphasized the urgency of their mission: “Time is not on our side. We have a growing global population that needs to be fed, and multi-billion-pound food and drink sectors that are based entirely around having access to a sufficient supply of good-quality crops. Climate change, which is affecting growing seasons, is impacting crop yields and quality, and leading to food shortages, is showing no signs of abating.”
Advanced Capabilities
The CSPS facility includes six chambers, each with a four-tonne capacity, enabling the development of crops with improved storage and supply chain characteristics as well as field resilience. Professor Stewart highlighted the importance of the facility’s research, stating, “Crop storage has to be a critical part of ensuring a sustainable supply of crops, and we need to get better at it and reduce waste. With the variety of scientific tools, we have at our disposal at the Hutton, we are able to address very specific concerns in highly controlled conditions. Our findings are more reliable, faster, and relevant than the traditional store-and-pray approach.”
Government Support and Future Impact
Jim Fairlie, Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity, attended the facility’s opening, who remarked, “I was delighted to see the new facility at JHI. The information gained from the storage unit will help us learn more about the impact of particular farming practices and the potential for extending the shelf life of harvests. Our food and drink producers are vital, and studying the effect of factors like humidity or temperature on our crops will help ensure that farms and businesses are supported and food security protected.”
The crop storage facility is part of a broader network of crop storage facilities delivered in partnership with the UK Agri-Tech Centre, ADAS, and the Natural Resources Institute (NRI) at the University of Greenwich. This collaboration aims to address global crop storage challenges, reduce waste, and ensure a sustainable supply of high-quality crops.
Professor Stewart expressed gratitude for the support, saying, “We are extremely grateful to the Scottish and UK Governments for funding this new facility which has the potential to make a difference on a worldwide scale.”
Image provided by Advanced Plant Growth Centre