We are looking for commercial entities and individuals to sponsor Organic Kale Sensory & Consumer Research that is set to start August 2016.
The research proposes to integrate consumer feedback into the plant breeding process and on-farm trialing of new kale genotypes, to both develop a lexicon describing leafy kale types, based on the language of the consumer, and understand the relative importance of plant traits (e.g., color, leaf shape, leaf size, etc.) through the lens of the consumer. Ultimately, feedback generated from home-use tests and consumer focus groups will guide a robust plant-breeding program that serves producers, retailers, and consumers from the onset of plant development.
This is a part of the PhD thesis project that Hannah Swegarden, a PhD candidate in Department of Horticulture, is working on. Hannah’s plant breeding and field trials research proposal received the funding, but the sensory & consumer research portion of her proposal did not. To help Hannah with her project, Sensory Evaluation Center is working together with the Department of Horticulture and Cornell Institute for Food Systems/Industry Partnership Program to fund this research through the “grass roots” efforts.
For more information on how to contact the researchers and sponsor this research, please see below:
