NIAB and the Henry Doubleday Research Association have been funded by Defra to extend organic vegetable and potato trials across the country.

The move spells good news for organic crop producers involved in regional research to improve harvest reliability and meet the production demands of major retailers.

Defra will fund NIAB and HDRA to help growers try out a wide range of varieties on their home soil and to monitor the results for yield quality, as well as for pest and disease infection.

Participating growers will then host open days for other local growers as an effective method of spreading both the knowledge and the acreage of organic vegetables and potatoes.

The move will enable more growers to access information on organic seed approved under EU legislation. Under an EU Directive, all organically-grown crops should come from approved organic seed varieties.

Five grower groups across the country are currently being sourced. Initially, they will be trialing a wide range of outdoor organic lettuces and spring and autumn varieties of cabbage.

NIAB and HDRA will distribute the seed, compile research results and train operatives to collate data in each of the locations selected by the Soil Association. The data will be available to all growers on the website of the Centre for Organic Seed Information.

Defra has funded organic variety trials for the last 14 years and recently funded the launch of the COSI website, which provides performance data on organic seed and publishes trial results, as well as offering a forum for organic news and legislative developments.

To supplement information to growers, NIAB also produces a handbook on organic varieties of vegetables and potatoes. The current edition is being updated and will be available in early February.