VFIC - SCRI

This project will coordinate efforts of 13 research labs in nine states to develop, test, and commercialize new vegetable and fruit cultivars that benefit consumers, and local and national economies. We will use genomics and field performance data to integrate genetic and environmental components of yield, marketable and nutritional quality, as well as health promoting bioactive components. A national survey by our group, involving 43 stakeholders, served as the basis for our project objectives. Three of the legislatively mandated focus areas (1, 3&4) with nine crops will be addressed in three phases (1) breeding, genetics and genomics (melons, tomato, citrus, peach), (2) crop management and reducing carbon foot print (asparagus, artichokes, lettuce) as well as enhancing health promoting properties (melons, tomato, asparagus, artichokes, lettuce, citrus, peach, pepper, carrot), and (3) postharvest and processing (citrus, carrot) as well as quality, flavor analysis and consumer assessment (melons, carrot, pepper) and evaluation of the impact of the project. These specialty crops have great potential to enhance consumer health/nutrition and revitalize numerous horticulture economic sectors. These three phases will be coordinated with two stakeholder engagement conferences to assess progress, elicit feedback, and evaluate priorities and objectives based on the input from clientele. Other outreach activities will include internships for undergraduate students with industry partners, ‘retailer-produce for health’ dialogues tailored towards producer managers, as well as consumer friendly short-courses focused towards master-gardeners and extension agents. To inform consumers about enhanced quality, flavor and health benefits of the new cultivars, scientifically authenticated fact-sheets will be developed and communicated through a dynamic web site as well as other outreach efforts explained in the proposal.

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