DLV Plant and PPO Fruit (Applied Plant Research) work together in the Knowledge and Information Centre Small Fruit (KICK). The first experiments were started this spring on a field of appr. 5 500 m2, which is based on the research station in Randwijk. KICK’s ambition is to develop into a central knowledge organisation for the (woody) small fruit sector with strong links with the sector itself and scientific research.
Demonstrations and experiments cover a large number of themes. Subjects in the first year are, e.g., regrowth of young plants, substrate choice container culture, blackberry gall mite control, branch mortality in red currants by Eutypa, and control of fruit rot and mildew in currants. And there will be various demonstration objects with organic cultivation methods of woody small fruit. Besides a rain cover construction and a closed tunnel, a container and recirculation field will be laid out as well, which enables collection of excess water for possible recirculation.
KICK will not only be conducting experiments on the new demonstration site in Randwijk but also ‘on location', while the knowledge centre will be the place for knowledge dissemination through courses and open days. KICK will officially be opened on 18 June. Visitors can then get full information about the set-up of the experiments and the very first results.