AS the global population grows so inevitably does the need for food. Business editor Laura Knowlson visits a horticultural research centre in North Yorkshire to find out more about the latest efficiencies in crop production.

AS ONE of the country's most rural counties North Yorkshire's horticultural industry is big business. But as farms continue to pass down the generations, the business of farming is changing dramatically.

As science and technology develops, traditional farming methods are being turned on their head in a bid to create greater efficiencies, improve quality, and ultimately ramp up production to meet demand from a growing population.

At the centre of local, national and international research is Stockbridge Technology Centre, an independent, not for profit organisation that is wholly owned by the UK horticultural industry and is a centre of excellence in technology transfer to agriculture and horticulture.

Its scientists and researchers conduct commercial work and applied research and development, environmental sustainability and education programmes from its 200 acre site just outside Cawood.

The Stockbridge Technology Centre (STC) was launched in April 2001 to ensure continued technological developments for the horticultural industry. This grower-led initiative has created an independent horticultural centre of excellence supported by both the production and supply sectors of the industry.

The combination of facilities at the site is unique within the UK. There are more than 70ha of irrigated land capable of growing most horticultural and arable crops.

The protected crops unit consists of more than 40 modern glasshouses suitable for both small-scale studies and commercial demonstration trials, while laboratories and culture rooms allow indigenous pests and diseases to be produced for controlled release in glasshouse and field experiments.

The Stockbridge site, formerly a MAFF, then DEFRA horticultural research and development station, has a long tradition of growing horticultural crops, especially vegetable and salad crops, since the 1950s, and it has a long association with the Humberside Protected crop industry.

Significant investment over the past 15 years has enabled the site to retain credibility with glasshouse growers. Stockbridge has traditionally been involved in developing blueprints for commercial production of tomatoes, cucumbers and chilli peppers. Pioneering work was undertaken to identify optimal temperature and carbon dioxide enrichment regimes to enable UK growers to maximise yield and quality.

The site is also well known for its involvement with rhubarb production and was involved in a range of trials in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. A high proportion of the UK’s specialist growers of rhubarb are located within 20 miles of Stockbridge. Many of the varieties were selected at Stockbridge including Stockbridge Arrow, Stockbridge Bingo and Stockbridge Guardsman.

Current research includes the effects of different LED lights on long season crops such as tomato.

Having already led the way with its innovative closed multi-tier LED4CROPS facility as a route to closed environment or urban farming, the new glasshouse facility uses both top and inter-light LEDS in combination with high pressure sodium lighting together with specially treated diffuse glass.

As innovative growers start to adopt LED lighting technology, the facility at STC provides valuable information comparing the effects of four different light regimes in the crop. Treatments include traditional sodium lighting, LED lights both within and above the crop and diffuse glass in one compartment of the glasshouse. This specially treated glass scatters light to potentially provide better growing conditions.

Nigel Bartle, a director of Stockbridge Technology Centre Research Foundation, said: "Traditionally grown from March to November, meaning the UK has to import 80 per cent of its tomatoes.

"We are looking at can we grow them economically and sustainably in the UK all year round?

"Plants only need red and blue light to grow, so we look at giving the type of energy and light the plant needs, rather than wasting energy creating white light.

"When we import the tomatoes they're on the road for ten days. Tomatoes are perishable, and the important thing that determines flavour is freshness.

"This is the first year we have done these comparisons, learning about the differences produced with varying methods.

"It's not just about the volume that we are producing its evidence based on can we produce things that are fresher with longer shelf life and better flavour. They are the next stages we will be looking at. There's a great opportunity here with this model to see if we can get the UK growing all year round."

As well as its comercial services, which include pesticide evaluation and see production, and its applied research, STC runs a comprehensive education programme.

One of its projects has this month won the Inspiring Educator award at the 2015 Bayer/FACE (Farming And Countryside Education) awards for an innovative project designed to connect children with the food on their plates.

Led by Mark Thompson from Video Edge in Market Weighton, and the Stockbridge Technology Centre Research Foundation, the ‘Discovering Science on the Farm' project brought together farmers, schools, parents and educational stakeholders to spread the knowledge and experience of farming and food.

STC's chief executive Graham Ward said: "It's great that our work in educating children and teachers has been recognised with this accolade. "Agriculture is a fantastic vehicle to bring all areas of the curriculum alive, not just food production."