Current Research Requirements
Table 1 lists the expenditure committed in each research area for the immediate future. It is not indicative of any future distribution of funds between research areas.
Table 1. Breakdown of expenditure (£) on Sugar Beet Research and Grower Support
| 2011/12 | 2012/13 | |
| Aphid monitoring. Insecticide resistance and stewardship. BCN monitoring. | 128,530 (7%) | 114,186 |
| Monitoring and control of yellows viruses. Genetics of resistance. Foliar fungicides. | 430,104 (23%) | 484,590 |
| Herbicide decision support and spot application methods. | 10,797 (<1%) | 81,566 |
| Recommended list variety trials. | 377,437 (20%) | - |
| Genetics of bolting and vernalisation. | 206,664 (11%) | 205,252 |
| Growth model review and update. | 47,398 (3%) | - |
| Minimising losses due to frost |
- | 50,506 |
| Impact of paper pulp application to land | 32,313 (<2%) | 32,313 |
| Evaluation of novel defoliators | 31,999 (<2%) | - |
| Grower support programme and IIRB. | 530,865 (28%) | 532,711 |
| Administration less income.** | 95,750 (5%) | 95,750 |
| TOTAL | 1,891,857(100%) | 1,596,874 |
**Limited income is expected from investments and antibody sales.
The BBRO maintains a continuous review of all its programmes to ensure that it addresses anticipated shorter and longer-term economic and environmental issues. Currently, the balance between its grower support (technology transfer) programme, its strategic and its shorter-term projects needs to reflect the competition from sugar produced outside the UK. Competition for the small amount of available funds remains fierce and new work must be targeted on key research areas.
In Table 1 the 2012/13 column mostly represents expenditure on projects continuing from 2011/12 and includes the costs of only two new projects to begin after April 2012; other new projects are expected to be commissioned. Some projects have been grouped for ease of presentation.
Work costing approximately £464k is scheduled to end in March 2012. This includes a substantial programme of field trials to produce the BBRO list of recommended varieties, an experiment to upgrade the growth model, the final year of defoliator evaluations and the end of a LINK project on insecticide resistance in virus-carrying aphids. It is likely therefore that there will be some restricted funding to support continued research in key areas, particularly variety evaluations. Contractors are encouraged also to seek additional funding from Government schemes and private industry provided that this does not compromise BBRO objectives or access to data. The BBRO will maintain its aim to move the emphasis of its programme towards reduction in the unit cost and improvement in the yield of the sugar beet crop although it is still recognised that due regard must be paid to the impact of beet production and processing on the environment including soils and water, biodiversity and carbon emissions. Proposers of new projects concerned with the improvement of sugar beet genotypes should have obtained an assured interest and financial contribution from seed houses or breeders. This is consistent with BBRO’s continuing policy for all new proposals to demonstrate an awareness of R&D elsewhere and to identify the deliverables and an agreed route through knowledge transfer to implementation. These and other requirements outlined above should be borne in mind by authors of proposals for new projects to begin in April 2012.
Proposals will be considered for new work on:
- A 4-year programme of field trials to evaluate and compare the performance of sugar beet varieties entered for National List trials from 2010/11 by plant breeders, and to produce the annual BBRO Recommended List of Sugar Beet Varieties: the final specification is now attached.
- Risk analysis to support strategies to address the development of resistance to fungicides and insecticides.
- Strategies for cropping on rhizomania-affected land.
- Innovative techniques to improve significantly the yield and cost-effectiveness of UK sugar beet production either through trials or desk studies on, for example:
- In-field variability in crop establishment including implications for X-beet
- In-ground storage and frost management
- Plant populations for maximum yield
- Optimisation of fungicide usage in relation to canopy management and harvest date.
Proposals addressing these priorities for research or desk studies should be submitted in the form of concept notes not exceeding two sides of A4 paper. Research proposals should indicate a clear route to exploitation within a well-defined time frame, and include realistic estimates of costs and benefits. Costs should not be inflated for later years. All collaborators should be specified. Concept notes concerned with the improvement of sugar beet genotypes should demonstrate a clear financial contribution from the seed/breeding industry. Authors, before drafting concept notes, may find it helpful to avoid duplication of past research by reviewing briefly the list of past projects funded by the BBRO.
Notification of an intention to submit concept notes, including a list of concept note titles, should be sent by 12 noon on Monday, 16th May 2011 to britishbeetresearchorg@gmail.com.
The deadline for receipt of electronic copies of concept notes is 9am on Thursday, 26th May 2011. An acknowledgement of receipt will be sent; hard copies of concept notes are NOT required.
Feedback will be provided by 30th June.
The deadline for variety trials proposals is 5pm on Friday, 15th July 2011. Please refer to a copy of the specification for email addresses to which the proposals should be sent. These proposals should be detailed and, unlike general concept notes, should not be limited to two sides of A4.
