Advanced Plant Growth Centre, where potato innovations will be developed, officially opened by Scotland’s Secretary of State and First Minister
UK Secretary of State for Scotland, Ian Murray MP, and First Minister of Scotland, John Swinney MSP, have officially opened the Crop Innovation Centre (CIC) at The James Hutton Institute in Invergowrie, where work to future-proof future potato crop production will be carried out.
The CIC is home to the Advanced Plant Growth Centre (APGC), which was created in partnership with the University of Dundee Plants Sciences Division. The 8000 sq mtr building also houses the International Barley Hub (IBH).
It was funded as part of a £62m investment through the Tay Cities Region Deal (TCRD) by the UK and Scottish Governments, which also facilitated the construction of the Mylnefield Farm building and the IBH Field Centre on The James Hutton Institute’s Invergowrie campus.
New innovations will be developed in the field, farm and lab to make potato crops more resilient.
One such project being undertaken at the APGC is the TuberGene research project that has been funded as part of UKRI’s National Engineering Biology Programme and aims to harness the power of gene editing to address pressing challenges and secure a sustainable future for the potato industry. This is a partnership with Lincoln-based R&D company B-Hive Innovations and supplier Branston Ltd.
Chief Executive of The James Hutton Institute, Professor Colin Campbell, said: “We received funding for the Crop Innovation Centre in 2020, and the project is underpinned by decades of research at The James Hutton Institute along with partners.
“It cements the reputation of Scotland and the UK as global leaders in research and innovation. It was a pleasure to welcome the First Minister and UK Secretary of State to Scotland today to officially name the facility, and we’re grateful for all of the support we have received to make this ambition a reality.”
The APGC seeks to address global food, non-food and pharmaceutical crops. It is made up of five facilities: A molecular phenotyping centre (to study the characteristics of crops at a molecular level, such as their DNA, proteins and taste and aroma molecules); a high throughput phenotyping platform (which allows the collection and analysis of data in large quantities); a vertical growth tower; a post-harvest storage facility; and next-generation controlled environments with the ability to replicate current, and predicted future, global crop production conditions.
It will utilise facilities like indoor vertical farms, which use LED lights to mimic optimised outdoor conditions, accelerating the breeding and growing of climate-resilient and low-input crops.
UK Secretary of State for Scotland, Ian Murray, said: “The Advanced Plant Growth Centre will revolutionise crop production to address critical food security issues.”
The 8000 sq mtr building will be powered by a high-performance data “computer farm”, which is one of the largest in the UK, and will also house a phenotyping centre, due to open in Spring 2025.
Over the next 10 years, the centre is projected to contribute to collaborative industry projects.