Rachel Hultengren, graduate student in the program of Michael Mazourek, authored a recently released report on breeding, research, and education needs for organic vegetable growers in the Northeast. With fewer chemical inputs available, organic growers are heavily reliant on vegetables breeding to provide pest resistance and nutrient uptake. Many of the priorities identified by organic producers are also shared by conventional producers.
Highlights of the survey:
- Tomatoes ranked highest among critical crop types, followed by carrots, lettuce, potatoes, and kale
- In many cases, the top priority varieties among these crop types are not available as organic seed.
- Flavor and storability rank high among desired traits for new variety development and seed production
- Late blight and downy mildew were cited as the most serious diseases
- Flea beetle, cucumber beetle, and Colorado potato beetle were listed as the most serious pests
Survey respondents indicated use of both hybrid seed and open pollinated varieties.
The work supported by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Competitive Grant 2014-67013-22409