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A.D. WEBSTER
Europe
A.D. WEBSTER
What is EUFRIN?
EUFRIN, ('The European Fruit Institutes Network'), is an organisation
of Research Institutes and University Departments that specialise
in Research, Development and Extension on Temperate Fruit crops
and which are based within the countries of the European Union
and Switzerland. It was set up and held its first meeting in Bonn
in 1993.
Membership of and Participants in EUFRIN
The Board of EUFRIN consists of two voluntary representatives from each member country and, in addition, the chairpersons of each of its Working Groups (see later).
Since its establishment in 1993, when the original member nations were Germany, France, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Belgium, Denmark, Greece and Italy, five more countries have joined EUFRIN; these are Austria, Spain, Portugal, Norway and Sweden.
EUFRIN will consider requests for membership from any country eligible for participation in COST Actions. This includes Croatia, Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Turkey.
The EUFRIN Board meets annually in one of the participating countries. Members of the Board commit themselves to discuss fruit research within the European context and to disseminate the goals and ideas generated by the EUFRIN Board to odisseminate the goals and ideas generated by the EUFRIN Board to other researchers and interested parties in their respective countries. All expenditure associated with attending EUFRIN meetings or conducting EUFRIN business are paid for by the members' Institutes or Universities.'
The Board elects, on a three-year rotation, a Chairperson, a Secretary and an Organising Support Member. These three act as the coordinating nucleus of the Board. Currently this nucleus comprises:
The Purpose of EUFRIN and its Objectives
The purpose of EUFRIN is:
a - to enhance and facilitate coordinated research, development
and technology transfer, focused on aiding sustainable production
of quality fruit,
b - to establish and improve cooperation between those involved
in fruit R&D within Europe,
c - to create a philosophy of fruit production through research
EUFRIN embraces research and development on all temperate tree
and small (soft) fruit species. This includes apples, pears, quinces,
cherries, plums (prunes), apricots, peaches, nectarines, strawberries,
raspberries, blackcurrants, red currants, gooseberries and other
similar crops grown in the regions of Europe experiencing temperate
climatic conditions.
1. Regular exchange of information on fruit research, development
and commerce between members of the Board and organisation
The Working Groups
The Working Groups in EUFRIN were set up to exchange and discuss
information on joint (collaborative) research, development and
technology transfer projects. In many cases this has been followed
by joint bids to the EU for funding.
Membership of the EUFRIN Working Groups is open to anyone with
a research or development interest and/or active involvement in
the topic, who is bment interest and/or active involvement in
the topic, who is based within a participating or other European
country. Members may be scientists at R&D Institutes or University
Departments, extension specialists, or those involved in the commercial
aspects of fruit production.
Chairpersons of Working Groups are responsible for contacting
all researchers within each participating country, who may have
an interest in any joint European initiative.
The following Working Groups have been set up:
1. Fruit Quality: This group focuses on activities associated
with assessment of fruit quality parameters, and the prevention
and control of post-harvest diseases and storage disorders.
2. Water and Soil Management: This group focuses on all aspects
of water and soil management associated with fruit production
3. Control of Growth and Cropping: This group focuses on understanding
and using all possible methods for control of growth and cropping
in fruit plants.. It is currently divided into two sub groups,
one on Rootstocks and the other on Flower and Fruit Thinning
4. Soft Berry Fruits, especially strawberries and raspberrie
4. Soft Berry Fruits, especially strawberries and raspberries.
5.Biotechnology and Genetic Improvement (including conventional
and novel methods of breeding).
6. Evaluation of Scion Cultivars. Multi site trialing of new scions
and clones.
7. Carbon economy of fruit crops: Photosysnthesis, respiration
and light interception studies
8. Spraying Techniques:
9. Optimising Harvesting Dates:
10. Fruit cracking of sweet cherry
These Working Groups have collaborated to submit a number of proposals
for EU funding, mainly under the Framework III and IV programmes
(FAIR).
The Future
At the most recent EUFRIN Board meeting it was decided that, in
future the activities of the group should focus on:
© WCHR
2. Preparation and submission of joint bids to the EU or other
similar agencies for funding of R&D (e.g.. Framework, COST
and Interreg Programme). This is aided by the organisation of
occasional workshops at Board meetings which are aimed at familiarising
participants with the changing requirements for successful funding
bids to the EU.
3. Exchange of scientists and information
4. Conducting surveys on the changing priorities in fruit R&D
within the participating countries.
5. Initiatives in teaching pomology and plant physiology in relation
to fruit crops.
6. Support for advisory services
7. Technology transfer through lecture programmes and joint publications
Coordinator: Ing. J.M. Jourdain (France).
Not really working at this time
Coordinator: Dr.. P. Braun (Germany).
Coordinators: Rootstocks : Dr A.D. Webster (UK) and Dr.. A.
Blanco (Spain)
Thinning: Dr. S.J. Wertheim (Netherlands)
Coordinators: Dr. P. Roudeillarc (France), Dr. P.. Boxus (Belgium)
and Dr. D. Simpson (UK)
Coordinators: Professor S. Sansavini (Italy) and Dr. Y. Lespinasse
(France).
Coordinators: Ing. J-M. Jourdain and Dr. Y. Lespinasse (N.B.
replacing Dr J. Grauslund following his retirement).
Coordinator: Dr. L. Corelli (Italy).
Coordinator: Dr. B. Heijne (Netherlands).
Coordinator: Dr. A de Jager (Netherlands)
Coordinators: Dr. Ole Callesen and Dr. Lars Sekse