Innovative saffron project secures Innovate UK ADOPT funding to tackle crop disease

A new UK horticulture innovation project, SAFECORM: Saffron Fungal Evaluation & Corm Rot Management, has secured funding through an Innovate UK ADOPT grant to address one of the most significant challenges facing saffron production, devastating fungal diseases that can cause severe crop losses.

Led by Plant Research Ltd. in collaboration with the University of Warwick and Farm Urban Ltd., the project will trial a novel, two-stage approach combining early disease detection with sustainable biological control methods. The Greenhouse Innovation Consortium (GIC) is acting as a facilitating partner, supporting knowledge exchange, stakeholder engagement, and ensuring the project’s outcomes are translated effectively into practice across the wider horticulture sector.

The project will develop a rapid, non-destructive method to detect infected saffron corms using gas-sensing technology, alongside testing environmentally responsible biofungicides and biocides to suppress disease in both field and controlled-environment systems. Together, these innovations aim to reduce crop losses, improve productivity, and strengthen resilience in high-value UK horticulture.

Dr Peter Gould, lead applicant and Director of Plant Research Ltd., said: “Saffron is a high-value crop with huge potential for UK agriculture, but corm rot has been a major barrier to scaling production. This project brings together cutting-edge detection technology with practical, sustainable disease management approaches. By identifying infection early and preventing its spread, we can transform how growers manage risk and unlock the full potential of saffron and other bulb crops.”

Beyond saffron, the project’s findings are expected to benefit a wide range of horticultural systems, including other bulb crops and indoor farming operations, supporting more sustainable and resilient food production across the UK.