1.  Introduction

The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) is a non-departmental Government body, funded by levy income from farmers, growers and others in the supply chain, and managed as an independent organisation (independent of both commercial industry and of Government). The role of the AHDB is to help improve the efficiency and competitiveness of various agriculture sectors within the UK. Our purpose is to help our farmers, growers and industry to succeed in a rapidly changing world.

As AHDB is funded in this manner, value for money is paramount, we welcome suppliers who can offer innovative and cost-efficient solutions to meet our needs, whilst also offering superlative service that will enable us to create a world-class food and farming industry. Solutions should look to help us not only reduce costs but increase business flexibility, lift productivity, bring people together to collaborate, innovate and drive change throughout.

Further information about AHDB can be found here: https://ahdb.org.uk/

2.  Background

The 2023 Recommended List review and recent AHDB levy payer research question submissions have highlighted demand for improved guidance on growing variety blends. Research has demonstrated that variety blends can result in yield increases of up to 15% in barley, reduced input requirements by limiting disease spread, and improved yield and quality stability. Various genetic and ecological interactions underpin these benefits, with resistant plants acting as barriers, non-virulent pathogens triggering resistance pathways, and competition for host tissue reducing disease severity. Yield increases in blends often exceed those expected from reduced disease pressure alone, with competition and yield compensation also contributing. The ability to mitigate both biotic and abiotic stresses gives variety blends greater yield stability compared to single varieties. 

The AHDB variety blend tool for winter wheat utilises agronomic data from the Recommended List and pedigree information to show two metrics for each blend.  The first metric is based on values associated with selected agronomically important characteristics, with a higher score indicating more beneficial traits, and the second metric is a proxy score for genetic diversity. Growers can use these metrics to select three-way or four-way blends. The tool uses the principle that the greater the parental diversity, the closer the score is to 1 and therefore the better the mixture. However, while combining some different agronomic characteristics has been shown to be beneficial, this principle has not been validated for genotype-relatedness per se.

AHDB therefore plans to commission a project to run over three cropping years to determine if this principle works in practise, or whether the focus should be on the complementarity of traits of each variety in the blend.

3.  Related information

AHDB variety blend tool for winter wheat - https://ahdb.org.uk/variety-blend-tool-for-winter-wheat.

4.  Purpose of the tender

This document is an invitation to propose research suited to validating the existing AHDB wheat variety blend tool with a focus on wheat blends for milling quality, through a number of on-farm trials as outlined in sections 5 and 6. Submissions should be based on the information contained within this document and in the format outlined in section 8.  Deadlines are contained in section 9.

5.  Tender objectives

The research will need to:

• Test the AHDB winter wheat variety blends tool for choosing blends through field trials starting in 2025.
• Determine the suitability of blends for producing milling quality grain through field trials starting in 2025.
• Engage levy payers, including processors, in project outcomes.

6.  Scope and Approach

• Establish and contribute to a project steering group, alongside in-kind contributors and AHDB.
• Focus trials work on hard wheat varieties suited to milling (UKFM Group 1 and 2).
• Use the AHDB variety blends tool to determine the composition of each variety blend tested ensuring evaluation of blend performance in relation to parental diversity scores as well as the practical impact of growing blends on key performance characteristics, for example uniformity of ripening date and height within the blended crop.
• Drill and establish a minimum of 3 winter wheat trials each year with each trial including at least 5 different variety blends and their separate component varieties grown as monocultures in locations suited to growing milling wheat.
• Evaluate the capacity of the blends tested to improve disease control by using a reduced fungicide programme for at least one trial each year.
• Assess and compare the performance of both the blends and their respective component varieties for key agronomic characteristics including, but not limited to, key growth stages, disease levels, height and yield.
• Assess the varietal blends for key quality characteristics and suitability for milling. Quality and baking tests will be provided by Whitworth Bros as an in-kind contribution. The applicant will be required to sample the plots.
• Assess grain for levels of contamination from fusarium toxins, for example DON, ZON and T2 + HT2, and cereal ergot sclerotia, detailing proposed methods of testing.
• In liaison with AHDB, engage levy payers with the outcomes of this research that clearly recognise the support of levy funding to a wide levy payer audience, including through AHDB events such as Monitor Farm meetings and the Agronomy Conference, and through short videos and blogs.
• Deliver raw, analysed and interpreted data.

Annual and final project reports will be required to present analysis and interpretation of data. Templates for these reports can be found here: https://ahdb.org.uk/ahdb-cereals-oilseeds-research-report-templates. A short levy payer focused summary will also be required at the end of the project.

7.  Project Duration, Budget, and Collaboration

AHDB has set aside a maximum budget of £225,000 inclusive of VAT for 48 months, commencing with sufficient time for trials to be established in Autumn 2025.  The earliest date of commencement for work funded as a result of this call will be 1 July 2025.

AHDB reserves the right not to proceed with any application

Research Partnership Approach

Joint proposals from two or more contractors are acceptable and encouraged where there is added value. AHDB may, if it is deemed desirable, request applicants to form a consortium to work together. There should be one organisation designated as the lead organisation for the Research Partnership which is responsible for project management and delivery. The group size should be manageable. Prospective partnerships can comprise both research institutes and industrial partners, be multi-disciplinary, and draw on a range of research experience for a number of crops. Therefore, the group does not necessarily need to have a history of working together previously. Further, priority will be given to the applicants with in-kind and or cash funding from the industry.

8.  Completion and submission of the application form

Applicants should complete the  AHDB Research and KE Application Form - Full Proposal Large, referring to the guidance notes  to aid completion.  Completed application forms should be submitted to research@ahdb.org.uk no later than midday on 15 May 2025. Applications will be assessed according to the scoring criteria detailed in section 12, and not the criteria included in the research proposal form.

Proposals should clearly convey the added value component, breaking down the associated costs for this element.

An evaluation panel will assess submissions in line with the scoring criteria and weightings in section 12 to decide the best outcome for these services.

On submitting a proposal, please ensure you have read and accepted our terms and conditions, these are available on our website under the “Standard agreements” heading. Any organisation receiving funding from AHDB shall comply with the terms and conditions specified in the Research Funding Agreement. AHDB will not be held responsible for any expenses or losses incurred by applicants in the preparation of an application(s).

9.  Proposed timings for application and project delivery

10.     Tender submissions

Quotes must be received no later than 12:00 noon on 15/05/2025

Submission instructions

Electronically:

Submissions will remain unopened until after the closing date and time has passed.

11.     Questions and Answers

If you have specific questions relating to this call, please email research@ahdb.org.uk. All Questions & Answers will be published.  The deadline for submitting questions is 24 April 2025.

As part of the open tender process, AHDB cannot discuss specific programme details prior to proposal submission. 

12.     Assessment of Proposals

All submitted proposals will be reviewed by research representatives within AHDB, and the respective Research and Knowledge Exchange Committees. If required, external peer reviewers may be sought. The selection will be an open and fair competition according to AHDB’s procurement policy, which complies with EU state aid rules.