USA - UF/IFAS awarded $850K USDA grant to study disease resistance in lettuce

22.05.2020 201 views
Lettuce is one of the top ten vegetables cultivated in the United States and for good reason. Romaine, iceberg, leaf and butterhead types of lettuce are staples in refrigerators around the world. But the crop has experienced devastation nationwide with the emergence of the deadly Bacterial Leaf Spot (BLS), a disease caused by a pathogen known as Xanthomonas campestris pv. vitians (Xcv). This unpredictable disease can cause severe economic losses devastated entire harvests. Currently, there is no meaningful control method. University of Florida scientists at Everglades Research and Education Center in Belle Glade, along with other land grant universities and federal agencies, have been at the forefront of research since the disease emerged. Focus has been on studying BLS and how it destroys lettuce. Now an $850,816 grant will fund the continuation of research led by UF/IFAS scientists in a multistate endeavor with Pennsylvania State University and USDA-ARS. The grant, managed by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Service through the Specialty Crop Multi State Program of the USDA-AMS to UF/IFAS, is designated for the study of disease resistance in lettuce, to boost cultivar variations that are BLS-resistant through breeding and genetics, and to research BLS-lettuce interaction. Germán V. Sandoya-Miranda, assistant professor of lettuce breeding and genetics at Everglades Research and Education Center, overseeing the project as principal investigator, has been researching BLS since 2016.  Sandoya is joined by UF’s Calvin Odero, UF/IFAS associate professor of agronomy specializing in weed science as co-lead, UF/IFAS Extension Palm Beach staff, Pennsylvania State University’s Carolee Bull, a professor and department head of Department of Plant Pathology, Maria Gorgo-Gourovitch, an Extension educator and Plant Pathology affiliate instructor at Pennsylvania State University, and lettuce plant breeder and geneticist Ivan Simko of the USDA-ARS in California. The United States is the second-largest producer of lettuce in the world. Harvested on more than 342,965 acres across the nation, it represents a $2 billion industry mostly situated in California, Arizona, and Florida, according to the 2017 USDA Census Data. Lettuce is also an important component of sales for small diversified farms in the Mid-Atlantic and everywhere else nationally. In Florida, more than 9,300 acres harvest lettuce throughout the state between September and May, with a majority of the production occurring in the Everglades Agricultural Area located just below Lake Okeechobee in Palm Beach County. Another objective in the research will examine the potential of weeds as a secondary cause of the disease in Florida. Gorgo-Gourovitch will also ensure that knowledge from this project is disseminated as bilingual extension products in keeping with Penn State’s Latinx Agriculture initiatives. USDA-ARS will be involved in identifying resistance genes in cultivated and wild accessions of lettuce and introduce these genes into the breeding program. Source - https://www.freshplaza.com
28.03.2024

Canada - How Sask.'s new budget does and doesn't address climate change

The world is facing record heat from human-caused climate change brought on by carbon dioxide and methane emissions, but the words "climate change" don't appear once in Saskatchewan's newly released 75-page 2024-25 budget.

28.03.2024

Kenya - How crop insurance is transforming agriculture

Kenyan farmers continue to face challenges due to unpredictable weather conditions. As a result, they are turning to insurance coverage for their crops and livestock. Insurance experts have reported that most farmers who are insuring their crops are smallholders who rely on rain-fed agriculture and use low-technology farming methods.

28.03.2024

USA - How spring temperature fluctuations, early blooms are impacting Centre County fruit farmers

Plenty of people in Centre County got outside to enjoy temperatures in the 60s and 70s earlier this month, but spring weather fluctuations continue to cause concern for local fruit farmers.

28.03.2024

USA - Farmers use helicopters to warm crops amid spring freezes

An early spring this year means more work for farmers as early blooms face freezing temperatures. Les Dozier's Sta-N-Step Farms has served Northwest Arkansas since 1989. His farm is one of many facing freezing temperatures that could ruin crops.

28.03.2024

Ireland - Potato will be scarce by June, farmers praying for rain to stop

Farmers have to "watch, hope and pray" for a "sweet spot" of dry weather in the coming weeks or many will have to debate whether to plant at all this year. As continuous rainfall adds to already saturated ground, many big and small potato farmers are warning that the Irish favourite variety of Rooster may be in scarce supply by June.

28.03.2024

USA - Several metro Atlanta counties declared natural disaster zones after severe drought

More than 30 Georgia counties — including 10 in metro Atlanta — have been designated “primary natural disaster areas” by the United States Department of Agriculture, the agency announced Thursday.

27.03.2024

Turkey - Climate change may affect grape cultivation

A recent study has highlighted the impact of the climate crisis on viticulture in Turkey, predicting that the expected rise in temperatures and reduced rainfall could shift the suitability of vineyard regions for grape production over the next three decades.

27.03.2024

Crop crisis reveals El Niño’s toll on Southern Africa

New findings from the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (Enso) reference group highlight the significant impact of the 2023/24 El Niño event on various aspects of climate and agriculture in Southern Africa.

istanbul escort şişli escort tbilisi escort şişli escort şişli escort maslak escort istanbul escort beşiktaş escort taksim escort izmir escort ümraniye escort mecidiyeköy escort şişli escort taksim escort ümraniye escort kartal escort şirinevler escort maltepe escort istanbul escort ümraniye escort kadıköy escort vip escort mersin escort istanbul escorts ataköy escort avcılar escort beylikdüzü escort okmeydanı escort şişli escort tuzla escort işitme cihazı sex shop sex shop sex shop sex shop sex shop sex shop sex shop sex shop