Niab has a wide-ranging research programme across the horticultural sector, including soft and top fruit crops as well as field vegetables.

Niab, at East Malling in Kent, is the UK centre for innovation and research on horticultural crops and plants and their interactions with the environment, with an international reputation for research on perennial fruit crops.

The research programme is based on genetics, genomics and breeding, pest and pathogen ecology and crop science and production systems. A new department has recently been established, concentrating on the transformation of crop production utilising machine learning (AI), data and clean growth. This will encompass preharvest interventions for shelf-life and quality, the development of nutritious and healthy food and helping industry to achieve net-zero emissions.