East Malling Research Station

NIAB EMR is a horticultural and agricultural research institute at East Malling, Kent in England, with a specialism in fruit and clonally propagated crop production.[1][2][3][4][5][6] In 2016, the institute became part of the NIAB Group.

NIAB EMR
AbbreviationNIAB EMR
Formation1913
TypeResearch institute
Legal statusPrivate company (09894859) and registered charity (1165055)
PurposeHorticulture research in the UK
HeadquartersEast Malling
Location
Coordinates51°17′26″N 0°26′02″E / 51.2906°N 0.4339°E / 51.2906; 0.4339
Region served
global
Membership
Horticultural scientists
Managing Director
Professor Mario Caccamo
Parent organization
NIAB
Staff
100
Websitewww.emr.ac.uk

History edit

 
Telamon apple, cross-sectioned, NFC description: Raised in 1976 at East Malling Research Station, East Malling, Kent. Introduced in 1989. Fruits are sweet, crisp and juicy

A research station was established on the East Malling site in 1913 on the impetus of local fruit growers. The original buildings are still in use today. Some of the finest and most important research on perennial crops has been conducted on the site, resulting in East Malling’s worldwide reputation. Some of the more well-known developments have been achieved in the areas of plant raising, fruit plant culture (especially the development of rootstocks), fruit breeding, ornamental breeding, fruit storage and the biology and control of pests and diseases.[7][8][9]

From 1990 a division of Horticulture Research International (HRI) was on the site. HRI closed in 2009.[10]

In 2016, East Malling Research became part of the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB) group.

Apple rootstocks edit

In 1912, Ronald Hatton initiated the work of classification, testing and standardisation of apple tree rootstocks. With the help of Dr Wellington, Hatton sorted out the incorrect naming and mixtures then widespread in apple rootstocks distributed throughout Europe. These verified and distinct apple rootstocks are called the "Malling series". The most widespread used was the M9 rootstock.

Structure edit

It is situated east of East Malling, and north of the Maidstone East Line. The western half of the site is in East Malling and Larkfield and the eastern half is in Ditton. It is just south of the A20, and between junctions 4 and 5 of the M20 motorway.

Function edit

Today the Research Centre continues its horticultural work and has a business enterprise centre occupied by leading local businesses. The conference centre[11] trades as East Malling Ltd, being incorporated on 17 February 2004.

 
View from the east

References edit

  1. ^ "East Malling Research Station". Nature. 141 (3581): 1090–1091. 1938. Bibcode:1938Natur.141T1090.. doi:10.1038/1411090d0. ISSN 0028-0836.
  2. ^ "East Malling Research Station". Journal of the Institute of Brewing. 28 (8): 571–573. 1922. doi:10.1002/j.2050-0416.1922.tb06563.x. ISSN 0046-9750.
  3. ^ Tubbs, F. R. (1951). "East Malling Research Station". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 139 (894). London: Royal Society: 1–18. Bibcode:1951RSPSB.139....1T. doi:10.1098/rspb.1951.0043. S2CID 202574917.
  4. ^ Tubbs, F. R. (1951). "East Malling Research Station". Proceedings of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences. 210 (1100): 1–18. Bibcode:1951RSPSA.210....1T. doi:10.1098/rspa.1951.0226. ISSN 1364-5021. S2CID 187511636.
  5. ^ Grainger, John (1955). "East Malling Research Station: Report for 1954". Nature. 176 (4496): 1254–1255. Bibcode:1955Natur.176.1254G. doi:10.1038/1761254a0. ISSN 0028-0836.
  6. ^ "East Malling Research Station". Nature. 182 (4634): 499. 1958. Bibcode:1958Natur.182S.499.. doi:10.1038/182499c0. ISSN 0028-0836.
  7. ^ Apples: British to the Core - BBC4 June 2011
  8. ^ Pest control in August 2009 on YouTube
  9. ^ Malaria prevention in August 2009 on YouTube by Artemisia annua
  10. ^ "Units and Institutes of the Agricultural Research Council". Archived from the original on 12 June 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2016.
  11. ^ East Malling Conference Centre

External links edit

  Media related to East Malling Research Station at Wikimedia Commons