As of now, Fruitconsult will be managing the (standard) care of the orchards of PPO (Applied Plant Research, part of Wageningen UR) in Randwijk. This not only makes this experimental site a good research location but also an innovative and practical fruit holding that matches the international top. Both partners expect that by this step the experimental farm of PPO will be regaining the demonstration function traditionally performed by the regional experimental stations.
Since 2005, PPO and the advisory organisation Fruitconsult are already collaborating in the Fruit Knowledge Centre, based on the site of PPO in Randwijk. This cooperation now leads to an orchard for research and for demonstration purposes.
Trials fields for stone fruit research were already planted last year by order of the Dutch Fruit Growers Organisation (NFO) and the Product Board for Horticulture (PT). Experiments will be set up in these fields upon consultation with the stone fruit sector. Consultations are currently being held with NFO and PT to investigate whether a similar setup would be possible for pome fruit.
The experimental farm will become more effective as learning site for knowledge brokers and the fruit sector. This will of course have no consequences for the confidentiality guaranteed to clients. One of the means to achieve this is separation of the standard care function (headed by Fruitconsult) and the experimental work by PPO.
The Fruit Knowledge Centre is a collaboration between DLV-Plant, INOVA Fruit BV, Pieter Vernooij Fruit, NFO, Product Board for Horticulture, Fruitconsult and two parts of Wageningen UR: Applied Plant Research (PPO) and Plant Research International (PRI).