CSREES to Fund Specialty Crops

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) has allotted more than $9.4 million for research, education and extension in the genomics of sunflower, black cherry, peach, strawberry, apple, lettuce, potato and tomato to eight universities. The grantees are University of Arizona, University of California-Davis, University of Georgia, Michigan State University, University of New Hampshire, Pennsylvania State University, Virginia Tech, and Washington State University.

"These grants will create new knowledge, information, genomic resources and seeds that may improve fruit quality, yield, drought tolerance and disease resistance in specialty crops," said Gale Buchanan, USDA chief scientist and undersecretary for Research, Education and Economics. "This research is also expected to create new educational, training and extension avenues for students and the public in the area of fruit and vegetable crop sciences." The specialty crop industry is valued at more than $49 billion and thus a major contributor to the U.S. economy.

For more information visit http://www.csrees.usda.gov/newsroom/news/2008news/09161_specialty_crop_nri.html