description
- Developing new crop varieties requires controlled pollination between parent plants with the desired characteristics. A good way of controlling this process is to carry it out within an isolated environment using a pollination control bag (PCB). These bags need to allow light penetration, control humidity and allow air circulation whilst preventing other pollen from entering the bag. Although, current PCBs conventionally made from a paper-based material are relatively cheap, they are single use and have a tendency to rip easily and are prone to slug infestation, which means that the environment is no longer sufficiently isolated to ensure a controlled cross pollination. Superior materials for PCBs that overcome these challenges are therefore required. The project will investigate the technical and commercial feasibility of developing an innovative pollination control bag to improve crop breeding programmes used for three important agricultural crops: sugar beet, wheat and Miscanthus. A range of materials (woven and nonwoven), fibre technologies and techniques will be investigated and trialled with academic and commercial breeders with the aim of developing the next generation of pollination control bags to improve breeding outcomes, reduce losses caused by poor temperature and humidity control within the bag, and increase seed yield.