# Event Details - **Event Name**: Niab Soft Fruit Day - **Event Start and End Date**: Wed, 03 Dec, 2025 at 09:00 am – Wed, 03 Dec, 2025 at 04:15 pm - **Event Description**: Technical Webinar on Soft Fruit ResearchAbout this EventWednesday 3 December 2025 9.00am – 4.15pmThis year’s annual soft fruit day will be presented by Niab as a hybrid event with spaces for up to 60 people to attend in person and an opportunity for others to view on-line through live streaming. Sessions will include the latest developments in pest management in soft fruit crops, new Growing Kent & Medway funded research to improve post-harvest quality, and research to support the improvement of resource use efficiency in the soft fruit sector. A final session will be dedicated to presenting and discussing progress in the soft fruit genetic improvement network (SF GIN).The programme09:00 Arrive and coffee09:25 Welcome and introduction09:30 Growing Kent & Medway support for the horticulture, food and drink sector (Simon Barnes, Niab)Session 1: New developments in pest management and soft fruit storage09:45 Tackling the ever increasing threat of the large raspberry aphid (Francis Wamonje, Niab)10:00 Deploying hoverflies for aphid control in soft fruit (Sarah Arnold, Niab)10:15 Modern technology for thrips identification (Francis Wamonje, Niab)10:30 A new delivery system for predatory mites release in strawberry (Damian Flynn, Saga Robotics)10:45 Optimising the timing of predatory mite release in strawberry (Adam Walker, Niab)11:00 Break11:15 Parasitoids for SWD control (Michelle Fountain, Niab)11:30 Brown marmorated stink bug surveillance in 2024 and 2025 (Francis Wamonje, Niab)11:45 The impact of landscape diversity on pest control and pollination (Michelle Fountain, Niab)12:00 Improving the post-harvest storage of soft fruit (Richard Colgan, University of Greenwich)12:15 Lunch breakSession 2: Improving resource use efficiency in soft fruit13:00 Managing activity of pollinators in protected cropping systems (Sarah Arnold, Niab)13:15 Coir recycling – an opportunity to reduce our carbon footprint (Mat Papp-Rupar, Niab)13:30 Maximising strawberry yield potential using vertical farming (Katia Zacharaki, Niab)13:45 Matching nitrogen supply to demand in strawberry (Mark Else, Niab)14:00 BreakSession 3: Soft fruit genetics to support commercial breeding programmes14:15 Introducing The Soft Fruit Genetic Improvement Network – GIN (Xiangming Xu, Niab)14:25 Industry perspectives (and needs) for pre-breeding genetics in soft fruit (Lucy Wilkins, Angus Soft Fruits)14:40 Understanding water use efficiency in strawberry (Graham Dow, Niab)14:55 Understanding nitrogen use efficiency in blueberry (Susan McCallum, the James Hutton Institute)15:10 Resistance to large raspberry aphid (Andrew Gladman, ADAS and Feli Fernandez, Niab)15:25 Genetics of resistance to powdery mildew in strawberry (Samantha Lynn, CTP Student)15:40 Industry engagement (Rob Hancock, the James Hutton Institute)15:55 Discussion (Xiangming Xu)16:15 Close - **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/west-malling/niab-soft-fruit-day/100001836967572459 - **Event Categories**: workshops, virtual, webinar - **Interested Audience**: - total_interested_count: 0 ## Ticket Details - **Ticket Price Range**: min: 0, max: 0, currency: GBP ## Event venue details - **city**: West Malling - **state**: EN - **country**: United Kingdom - **location**: The Orchards Events Venue - **lat**: 51.2853736 - **long**: 0.4528371 - **full address**: The Orchards Events Venue, New Road, West Malling, United Kingdom ## Event gallery - **Alt text**: Niab Soft Fruit Day - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events7/banners/e84def7154c71d5bbaca2937d197667bc1bfebe3de368e61eb29f9cb87d397bc-rimg-w1200-h900-dcecf1f1-gmir.jpg?v=1761980537 ## FAQs - **Q**: When and where is Niab Soft Fruit Day being held? - **A:** Niab Soft Fruit Day takes place on Wed, 03 Dec, 2025 at 09:00 am to Wed, 03 Dec, 2025 at 04:15 pm at The Orchards Events Venue, New Road, West Malling, United Kingdom. - **Q**: Who is organizing Niab Soft Fruit Day? - **A:** Niab Soft Fruit Day is organized by NIAB. - **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me? - **A:** Niab Soft Fruit Day is ideal for curious learners, students, and skill-builders looking to gain hands-on knowledge and practical expertise in a focused, interactive setting. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in West Malling, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. 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