Congratulations Ann Lichens-Park
Congratulations to National Program Leader Ann Lichens-Park for being inducted as a Fellow in the American Phytopathological Society in honor of her contributions to the science of plant pathology.
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New Software Allows Plant Breeders to Select Best Traits
Broccoli is in the eye of the beholder. A head of broccoli that might appeal to one person – perhaps because of its deep green color – may leave another cold, due to an asymmetrical shape or too-large buds. Cornell University researchers participating in the Eastern Broccoli Project, which aims to produce broccoli varieties suited to grow on the East Coast, have devised a statistical method to standardize evaluations of broccoli. Their work will make plant breeding decisions more consistent and efficient. Read the full Seed World article.
The project was funded by NIFA’s Food and Agriculture Specialty Crop Research Initiative.
Thomas Björkman, professor of horticulture at Cornell University. Photo courtesy of Cornell University.
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Groundbreaking Prairie View A&M University’s New Meat Lab
Prairie View A&M University’s College of Agriculture and Human Sciences faculty, students, alumni, and staff gathered at the Governor Bill and Vara Daniel Farm and Ranch to break ground on what will soon become Prairie View A&M University’s Meat Lab.
The Meat Lab will be an inclusive learning environment with spaces designed to give students access to the food processing sequence from harvest to retail sales. The building will house classrooms, administrative offices, a dry lab, and multiple processing rooms for cutting, freezing, and packaging.
NIFA funded the construction of this $6 million facility. Construction should be complete by June 2020 and operational by the Fall 2020 semester. Read the full Prairie View A&M University article.
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NIFA Invests $4.2 Million to Advance Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology for Agricultural and Food Systems
NIFA recently awarded 12 research grants under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Nanotechnology for Agricultural and Food Systems program to support nanotechnology-based solutions that improve food production, nutrition, sustainable agriculture, and food safety. Nanotechnology is the science of studying and producing materials and devices of nanometer size--about the size of one hundred-thousandth of the thickness of a sheet of newspaper.
Specialty Crop Research Initiative
Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) address the critical needs of the specialty crop industry by awarding grants to support research and extension that address key challenges of national, regional, and multi-state importance in sustaining all components of food and agriculture, including conventional and organic food production systems. For more information read the SCRI request for applications.
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