Key Takeaways:
- NIAB has appointed Katia Kouloumprouka Zacharaki as the Total Controlled Environment Agriculture (TCEA) Soft Fruit Specialist.
- Katia will be based at NIAB’s horticultural research site in East Malling, Kent.
- The role involves leading NIAB’s research to improve production efficiency and fruit quality in TCEA soft fruit growing systems.
- Katia brings extensive experience in TCEA from both the UK and southern Europe.
- She will also contribute to a £1.8M Defra Farming Innovation Programme project on TCEA systems for strawberry propagation.
NIAB Appoints New Total Controlled Environment Agriculture (TCEA) Soft Fruit Specialist
NIAB has appointed Aikaterini (Katia) Kouloumprouka Zacharaki as a Total Controlled Environment Agriculture (TCEA) Soft Fruit Specialist. Katia will be stationed at NIAB’s horticultural research site in East Malling, Kent.
Role and Research Objectives
The use of TCEA is growing both as a research tool and as a platform for crop production. NIAB’s research program aims to enhance production efficiency and fruit quality in TCEA soft fruit growing systems. Additionally, the program explores how conventional glasshouse and polytunnel growing systems can benefit from these advancements.
Katia, who possesses a wealth of experience in the TCEA sector across the UK and southern Europe, will spearhead NIAB’s innovative research. Her work will integrate a detailed scientific understanding of plant/environment interactions with cutting-edge precision growing technologies and methods.
Leadership and Project Involvement
Dr. Mark Else, NIAB’s Head of Crop Science & Production Systems, commented on Katia’s appointment, saying, “Katia will lead NIAB’s contribution to our £1.8M Defra Farming Innovation Programme project, which aims to determine the potential of utilizing TCEA systems to improve the quality and consistency of strawberry propagules.”
He further elaborated on the scope of the research, noting, “There is also great scope to improve water and nutrient use efficiencies in TCEA soft fruit systems and to adjust the growing environment to optimize fruit quality via improved photosynthetic efficiency, and so Katia’s appointment is very timely.”
Katia’s Background and Additional Roles
In addition to her new role at NIAB, Katia is pursuing a PhD in soft fruit vertical farming at Harper Adams University. She is also the communications director for UK Urban Agriculture Technologies and is an independent consultant. Katia’s broad expertise and multifaceted involvement in the sector are expected to benefit NIAB’s research and development efforts in TCEA significantly.