California Fruit and Vegetable

Category: Economics

  • Mission Produce™ Appoints New President & Chief Operating Officer

    Mission Produce, Inc. (“Mission” or “the Company”), a world leader in sourcing, producing, and distributing fresh Hass avocados, today announced the appointment of John Pawlowski to President and Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective April 1, 2024. Steve Barnard will continue to serve as Mission Produce’s Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors.

    Pawlowski is a highly accomplished executive leader joining Mission with more than 25 years in the global food and foodservice industry, specializing in business development, system optimization and executive team management. Pawlowski has a proven track record of leading international market growth strategies in large global organizations such as J.M. Smucker, where he progressed over more than 16 years in a variety of leadership positions, culminating with a post as Vice President of International, driving logistical efficiencies, market access and strategic partnerships. Most recently, he served as the President and COO of Lipari Foods, a leading independent distributor, where he was responsible for leading M&A and organic growth, expanding the company’s national distribution and designing operational strategy. Pawlowski leverages his international expertise in process improvement, logistics and organizational design to build results-driven teams that demonstrate growth.

    “John is an exceptional leader who brings a passion for innovation that strongly aligns with the long-term goals of Mission Produce as a market leader,” said Steve Barnard, Chief Executive Officer. “With his comprehensive background in the international food industry and impressive track record of driving businesses to new heights, I believe his skillset will greatly contribute to our continued growth as we work to enhance our operating strategies to maximize shareholder value.”

    “I am thrilled to join Mission Produce as a global leader with a strategic vision to drive avocado consumption across the globe,” said Pawlowski. “With Mission’s unparalleled positioning, advanced global infrastructure and world-class team, there are endless opportunities to leverage the Company’s assets for accelerated growth. I look forward to applying my expertise in market access and operational design to help optimize Mission’s operations and deliver value for its customers, shareholders and other stakeholders.”

    Pawlowski holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Kent State University and a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Miami University.

    About Mission Produce, Inc.:
    Mission Produce is a global leader in the worldwide avocado business with additional offerings in mangos and blueberries. Since 1983, Mission Produce has been sourcing, producing and distributing fresh Hass avocados, and currently services retail, wholesale and foodservice customers in over 25 countries. The vertically integrated Company owns and operates four state-of-the-art packing facilities in key growing locations globally, including California, Mexico and Peru and has additional sourcing capabilities in Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Brazil, Ecuador, South Africa and more, which allow the company to provide a year-round supply of premium fruit. Mission’s global distribution network includes strategically positioned forward distribution centers across key markets throughout North America, China, Europe, and the UK, offering value-added services such as ripening, bagging, custom packing and logistical management. For more information, please visit www.missionproduce.com.

  • UCCE Tulare County Assists Pathologists in Survey for Decay Fungus in Prunes

    Recently, extensive wood decay-related limb breakages have been reported in commercial prune orchards in the Sacramento Valley, adversely affecting fruit production and limiting the value of salable firewood upon orchard removal. Several fungal genera such as Phellinus, Rhodoformes, Schizophyllum, Sterum, Trametes, Ceriporia, and Perenoporia have been recognized for wood-decaying activity on California prunes.  Phellinus pomaceus has been the primary organism associated with prune decay symptoms in the Sacramento Valley; however, it is yet unknown whether P. pomaceus is present in southern San Joaquin Valley prune orchards.

    Figure 1: Symptoms of advanced Phellinus pomaceus infection, showing white rot internal decay of heartwood. Scale bars 10 cm.

    Phellinus pomaceus, specific to prunes and other plums, is one of the commonly reported wood-decaying fungi that attack the heartwood (non-functional xylem) of mature trees (Figure 1). It tends to attack the trunk and large-diameter branches, often resulting in broken limbs and the loss of fruit-bearing scaffolds. In fact, older trees are more likely to contain infection by the fungus, and frequent pruning of large branches may increase the probability of infection due to exposure of the internal heartwood. The fungus can be identified based on its fruiting bodies that emerge as conks or shelf-like brackets that are usually hard, woody, and hoof-shaped (Figure 2). Under the right conditions, these fruiting bodies are often perennial and may exhibit a darkened upper surface after several years of development.

    UCCE Tulare County assisted UC Davis researchers from the Department of Plant Pathology in surveying Tulare County prune orchards for presence of P. pomaceus. Laurel Hoffman, a PhD student working under Dave Rizzo, Professor of Plant Pathology, visited our local UCCE Tulare County office, coordinating with Elizabeth Fichtner, UCCE farm advisor, to visit and survey prune orchards for the pathogen. With the assistance of Walter Martinez, Tulare County Ag Technician, and Santosh Bhandari, Assistant Specialist, six local ‘French’ prune orchards were surveyed with data collected on tree canopy status and presence or absence of fruiting bodies associated with decay fungi. Surveyed orchards were all over 15 years old and were in varying states of overall productivity. Samples from putative decay fungi were collected and brought back to UC Davis for genetic sequencing to identify the specimens. A preliminary observation based on the initial survey suggests that the prevalence of putative decay fungi in prune orchards is lower in the southern San Joaquin Valley than in the Sacramento Valley. The presence of P. pomaceus in the southern San Joaquin Valley has not yet been confirmed.

    To date, there are no control measures for management of P. pomaceus. Chemical control strategies are not available for management of this disease. Removal of fruiting bodies may limit sporulation, thus having the potential to slow disease transmission. However, the value of this technique is limited by the ability to remove conks prior to sporulation and conks may be difficult to see, particularly after leaf out. Additionally, if the pathogen is present at a high level in (or near) affected orchards, the removal of conks may not significantly influence the total load of spores at a site. Fruiting body removal would not affect the health of infected trees because they are already colonized by the fungus.

    Most of California’s prunes are sold in the dried fruit market; however, a few orchards are reserved for fresh prune production. After the economic lifespan of prune orchards, trees are removed, generating wood that can either be sold as firewood, or reintroduced to the soil through whole orchard recycling.  Infection with decay fungi such as P. pomaceous may adversely affect fruit production, limit the lifespan of infected trees, and reduce the economic longevity of orchards. — By Santosh Bhandari, Laurel Hoffman & Elizabeth Fichtner, UC Cooperative Extension

  • UCCE South Sacramento Valley Prune Meeting, Feb. 27

    The UC Cooperative extension is pleased to invite growers and other folks from the California prune industry to come and attend the annual South Sacramento Valley Prune Meeting on February 27, 2024 from 8 a.m. to noon at the Sutter County Ag Dept. Meeting Room (142 Garden Hwy, Yuba City, CA). Topics will include: an IPM review, new approaches to prune thinning, prune grower regulatory update, managing fleabane and other problem weeds in prune orchards, how to utilize the weekly ET report for better irrigation, potassium and prune nutrition/fertility, and a California Prune Board Update.  The meeting will conclude with lunch generously sponsored by the California Prune Board.  The event is free to attend, but please RSVP for lunch HERE, and see the full agenda HERE. Continuing Education Credits have been requested.  Contact Franz Niederholzer at fjniederholzer@ucdavis.edu for more information.

  • ACTIVATE24: Valued Agriculture Workforce Development Conference Returns to Monterey

    Over 500 agricultural safety and HR professionals, farm managers and supervisors, labor contractors and farm owners will be converging on the Hyatt Regency in Monterey, CA, February 20-22, 2024, for ACTIVATE24, hosted by AgSafe.

    “ACTIVATE24 is a one-of-a-kind, annual conference, focused on the industry’s most vital resource, its people. With more than 50 sessions being offered in English and Spanish, this two-day conference will cover a wide range of critical topics from the fundamentals of health and safety — such as mental workplace health and compliance planning — to regulatory compliance, workforce development and pesticide handling,” Theresa Kiehn, AgSafe President and CEO. “Special emphasis is given to providing practical information, solutions, resources and professional development for agricultural supervisors, safety and human resources professionals and executives alike. The value for attendees is significant.”

    AgSafe, a non-profit membership organization, is the leader in educational training for the agricultural community. AgSafe’s focus is to provide practical education, with a “boots on the ground” approach, teaching both the “why” and “how” to protect workers in the field, as well as packing, processing and food manufacturing facilities.

    ACTIVATE24 kicks off on the morning of February 20 with the popular Pre-Conference Golf Scramble at the historic Old Del Monte Golf Course. In addition to the main conference program, which was developed with input from industry professionals, supplemental seminars are offered to Train-the-Trainers in Tractor Safety and Pesticide Handling. Premium tracks are also available for California Human Resources Certificate Program, California Agricultural Safety Certificate Program and Supervisor Advancement Seminar.  FLC Continuing Education is also available.

    Marshal Sewell, who grew up on a fifth-generation fruit and vegetable farm and is founder of Mind Your Melon (https://mindyourmelon.org/), will be providing keynote remarks on the stressors in agricultural communities and on Inspiring Healthier Minds Through Proactive Lifestyles.

    Tina Huff, PhD, SHRM-SCP will be presenting the Plenary Session to help every employee be successful at work – helping companies reach and exceed their goals. She is a former Chief People Officer / Vice President of Human Resources with over 30 years of experience across multiple industries including agriculture, contact centers, food processing, hospitality, manufacturing, and retail/grocery.

    Winners of the annual AllWays Safe Agricultural Safety Awards will also be unveiled at ACTIVATE24. A collaboration between AgSafe and the Almond Board of California, this award is designed to honor businesses and individuals that have committed themselves towards ensuring the safety and health of their workers. Awards will be presented in the categories of lifetime achievement, outstanding company,  safety professional and operations/production supervisor.

    As in past years, ACTIVATE24 is expected to sell out, yet AgSafe has just announced an extension of the discounted registration deadline, which is now available until February 13. For details and registration information, visit https://agsafe.org/activate24/.

    About AgSafe

    AgSafe, a 501(C)3 non-profit organization, is the educational leader Since 1991 AgSafe has trained over 100,000 employers, supervisors and farm workers in the most critical issues impacting worker safety, human resources and pesticide safety. AgSafe employs a “boots on the ground” approach to these topics, teaching both the “why” and “how” to protect workers in the field, as well as packing, processing and food manufacturing facilities. For more information, visit https://agsafe.org/.

  • California Growers Celebrate Legislative Win Supporting Groundwater Recharge

    Last Fall, Governor Newsom signed SB 659, The California Water Supply Solutions Act of 2023, sponsored by the California Association of Winegrape Growers and the Regional Water Authority in Sacramento.  But what does this mean for California farmers implementing groundwater recharge practices in the coming months?  Watch this video with Michael Miiller from the California Association of Winegrape Growers to find out.

  • Meet Taco Tuesday’s New Neighbor: “Mushroom Monday”

    Mushrooms are having a moment. Whole Foods and Fresh Thyme Markets placed them in their 2024 trend forecasts. Home cooks are embracing mushrooms’ versatility. Chefs are increasingly adding them to their menus. Sales are up 20% over 10 years. They are part of fashion, functional foods and pop culture.

    According to the nation’s mushroom producers, it’s time to give this moment a name. In fact, it deserves its own day of the week: Mushroom Monday. Created by the Mushroom Council® and launching in March across multiple channels, Mushroom Monday will ultimately feature:

    • Chefs and restaurants nationwide spotlighting their mushroom-centric dishes for Mushroom Monday.
    • Dietitians and health influencers encouraging using fresh mushrooms each Monday for a healthy start to the work week.
    • Grocery stores offering specials and inspiration to help shoppers make more mindful meal choices.
    • Home cooks centering their Monday night meal planning on mushrooms.

    Mushroom Monday on Menus

    To promote Mushroom Monday, the Mushroom Council will focus heavily on foodservice. Starting in March, restaurants will be encouraged to participate by sharing their featured mushroom menu item(s) on the Mushroom Council’s website.

    Once added, restaurants will be able to access the Mushroom Council’s foodservice operator program kit that will include free downloadable assets, including:

    • Mushroom Monday logo artwork for use on operator menus, ads/promotions, social posts, etc.
    • Point of sale signage
    • Press release templates for self promotion

    Throughout the year, the Mushroom Council will be raising public awareness about Mushroom Monday and participating restaurants via:

    • An online directory of participating restaurants
    • Social media promotions
    • Influencer collaborations
    • Online advertising
    • Media events and outreach

    Mushroom Monday at Retail and in Home Kitchens

    Concurrent with the foodservice activities, the Mushroom Council will also be promoting Mushroom Monday for retailers and their shoppers, including:

    • Overall branding
    • A new hub at MushroomCouncil.com for consumers to find recipe inspiration for celebrating Mushroom Mondays in their home kitchens
    • Education guides and tool kits for supermarket dietitians
    • Influencer collaborations
    • Social media and digital ads.
    • Ongoing media outreach.
    • Mushroom producers and brands collaborating on retail campaigns.

    “Meals continue to be home-centric and consumers are tired of figuring out what’s for dinner,” said Anne-Marie Roerink, president of 210 Analytics, LLC. “Mushrooms have been trending for years and are now a key part not just of the culinary but the cultural zeitgeist. What a great initiative to help restaurants and grocers give shape to and seize this phenomenon with a year-round campaign that helps consumers solve the meal puzzle.”

    “The best part?” Roerink added. “Chefs don’t have to create a new dish, and retailers don’t have to dramatically change their offerings to be a part of Mushroom Monday. They just need to amplify what they already are offering under the all-new Mushroom Monday banner. Spanning across the produce, meat, deli, frozen and grocery aisles, the opportunities to merchandise against Mushroom Monday are as versatile as the product itself.”

    Foodservice operators, retailers and dietitians wanting an early jump on Mushroom Monday can also contact the Mushroom Council for more information at MushroomMonday@MushroomCouncil.org.

    About the Mushroom Council:

    The Mushroom Council is composed of fresh market producers and importers who average more than 500,000 pounds of mushrooms produced or imported annually. The mushroom program is authorized by the Mushroom Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act of 1990 and is administered by the Mushroom Council under the supervision of the Agricultural Marketing Service. Research and promotion programs help to expand, maintain and develop markets for individual agricultural commodities in the United States and abroad. These industry self-help programs are requested and funded by the industry groups that they serve. For more information, visit mushroomcouncil.com.

  • California Olive Oil Council to Host First In-Person Annual Meeting Since 2019

    The California Olive Oil Council (COOC) prepares for its first in-person Annual Member Meeting since 2019. The meeting will occur March 15 – 17, 2024, in Monterey, California. The two-day event will feature presentations from leaders in the industry and industry affiliates as they discuss critical regulatory and research updates, recent marketing efforts, and the momentum of California’s extra virgin olive oil landscape. The event will create a space for industry members to discuss current best practices and opportunities for every level in the production process. The California Olive Oil Council will also announce the Gold and Silver medalists of the annual COOC Olive Oil Competition.

    The California Olive Oil Council warmly invites all members to attend this event and extends the invitation to anyone interested in the California Olive Oil industry. For pricing and reservation details, please visit the registration link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cooc-annual-member-meeting-tickets-808228020767. Please register for the event and reserve accommodations on or before Wednesday, February 7, 2024, for early-bird rates. Tickets are priced at $600 per ticket, which includes admission to all panels, seminars, and events offered, and $300 for every additional ticket purchased.

    The California Olive Oil Council is a trade association dedicated to promoting certified California extra virgin olive oil through education, outreach, and communication. The COOC is committed to upholding the highest standards within the olive oil industry through its Seal Certification Program.

  • Growers Encouraged to Attend February California Avocado Commission Board Meeting

    The California Avocado Commission will host its next Board meeting on February 22 from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. in Ventura County. The meeting will provide California avocado growers with the opportunity to engage with CAC staff and Board, and receive updates on Commission operations, including marketing and industry activities. Growers can attend the meeting in person at the United Water Conservation District, 1701 North Lombard Street, Suite 200, Oxnard, CA. Growers also have the option of attending the meeting virtually.

    The agenda will be posted on CAC’s grower website 10 days prior to the meeting at the following link: https://www.californiaavocadogrowers.com/commission/meeting-agendas-minutes.

    The California Avocado Commission’s Board of Directors also currently has a Handler Member and Handler Alternate Member seat available. Appointees will fill the vacant seats for the remainder of their unexpired terms: October 31, 2024 for the Member seat and October 31, 2025 for the Alternate Member.

    Interested parties should complete the candidate form available in the right-hand navigation and return it to the Commission by February 15. The form may be faxed to 949.208.3503, emailed to aaymami@avocado.org or mailed to 12 Mauchly, Suite L, Irvine, CA 92618-6305.

    To be eligible, candidates must:

    • Certify they have a financial interest in handling avocados for market via ownership, employment or membership in a legal entity engaged in the handling of avocados; and handles no less than 1% of the total industry volume of avocados in the preceding marketing year
    • Demonstrate direct involvement in the selling, marketing, distributing, receiving, grading, packing, canning, extracting, preserving, grinding, crushing or changing the form of California avocados to prepare them for market
    • Have ultimate control over handling California avocados and liability for reporting and payment of CAC assessments

    The vacancies will be filled by majority vote of the CAC Board during a meeting held on February 22.

  • Growing Chickpeas in Amended Moondust

    A love for space exploration led Jessica Atkin, a Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences graduate student in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, to produce the first-ever moondust-grown chickpeas.

    Using simulated moondust, because there’s not enough lunar regolith on Earth for experimentation, Atkin and her colleagues grew chickpeas to seed in mixtures of up to 75% moondust — a groundbreaking endeavor in several aspects.

    As a result of her study, future moon-bound astronauts may have the opportunity to substitute a portion of their prepackaged foods with protein derived from crops grown on the lunar surface.

    “The Moon doesn’t have soil like Earth does,” Atkin said. “On Earth, the soil has organic material filled with nutrients and microorganisms, which support plant growth. Those are missing on the moon. This adds to other challenges, such as reduced gravity, radiation and toxic elements.”

    To help address some of those challenges, Atkin has been developing a soil amendment to improve the structure and nutrient composition of lunar dust, making it suitable for growing crops.

    Atkin collaborated on the project with Sara Oliveira Santos, a doctoral candidate at Brown University, who contributed expertise in addressing hydrological issues arising from the small particle size of the moondust.

    Moondust research

    Atkin has been working on this research under the guidance of her advisors, Terry Gentry, Ph.D., soil and water microbiologist in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, and Betsy Pierson, Ph.D., an expert in plant-microbe interactions in the Department of Horticultural Sciences. Also contributing to the research is George Vandemark, Ph.D., a U.S. Department of Agriculture legume breeder and faculty member at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington.

    Varying degrees of chlorophyll can be seen in the chickpea moondust study at five weeks. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Jessica Atkins)

    Using soil regeneration mechanisms from Earth, Atkin leveraged the interaction between beneficial soil fungi and vermicompost, or worm manure, to create a fertile moondust. These amendments help sequester toxic contaminants from the dust, change the soil structure for better hydraulic properties, and increase plant tolerance to stressors and toxins.

    Three primary actions help fungi address elemental contamination. First, toxins are sequestered and bound in the soil mixture, making them less available for plant uptake. This prevents contaminants from being taken up by plant roots. If some toxin gets by, the fungus traps it in its own biomass and that of the plant root, limiting the amount of toxins taken into the vegetation and seeds.

    Vermicompost is used to provide nutrients and change the physical properties of the lunar dust composition. Atkin said red wiggler worms can be taken to the moon, where they can decompose biowaste such as clothing, hygiene items and food scraps created by astronauts.

    Atkin said she chose chickpeas because they are legumes that form beneficial relationships with fungi.

    “They are a great protein source and use less water and nitrogen than other food crops,” she said. “We used a desi chickpea variety to deal with the space limitations inside a habitat.”

    Using these techniques, Atkin successfully grew chickpeas to seed in up to 75% lunar regolith simulant, a documented first. However, she noted a caveat: although chickpeas typically take about 100 days to produce on Earth, in lunar mixtures, they required 120 days to mature, and all plants showed symptoms of stress.

    Sustainability in space

    Atkin said she will continue studying the multigenerational effects and believes that once the soil matrix is transformed, it could lead to the ability to grow other crops.

    While Atkin said there are many variables, this could be a solution for long-term waste reduction, and sustainability of lunar travel and exploration.

    “The novelty about using vermiculture is that it can all be done in space, whether in a space station or on the moon, reducing the need for resupply missions,” she said. — By Kay Ledbetter, Texas A&M AgriLife

  • $5.2 Million Grant for Short-Day Onion Improvement

    Texas A&M AgriLife Research received more than $5.2 million in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture for a project to address multiple aspects of the southern U.S. onion harvest system, serving more than just Texas, but also short-day onion growing areas such as California, New Mexico and Georgia.

    Subas Malla, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Research associate professor at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Uvalde, will serve as director for a short-day onion project. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Paul Schattenberg)

    The director for the “Ensuring Future Economic Viability of U.S. Short-Day Onion Production Through Mechanical Harvesting” project will be Subas Malla, Ph.D. Malla is an AgriLife Research associate professor of vegetable breeding at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Uvalde.

    The Texas A&M AgriLife team is comprised of Stephen Searcy, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus and former head of the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Bryan-College Station; Juan  Anciso, Ph.D., professor and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service vegetable specialist, Weslaco; Francisco Abello, Ph.D., assistant professor and AgriLife Extension economist – management, Vernon; and Larry Stein, Ph.D., professor, Regents Fellow and associate head of the Department of Horticultural Sciences, Uvalde. The University of California, the University of Georgia and New Mexico State University will also partner on the project.

    Searcy will serve as co-director and lead the project’s agricultural engineering research. Anciso and Abello will lead the AgriLife Extension and economic analysis components, respectively.

    “The goal of this proposal is to improve profitability and ultimately market share for short-day onions by mechanizing short-day onion harvesting,” Malla said. “We intend to do this through development and selection of cultivars, optimization of production practices, improved harvest systems, and communication of the associated socioeconomic benefits to growers and packers.”

    Short-day Onions Long on Production Challenges

    The majority of onions grown across the southern region of the U.S. are short-day onions. Short-day onions require about 10-12 hours of daylight to produce bulbs, while long-day onions require 14-16 hours.

    In 2023, the fresh market onion industry grew a total of 75,460 tons across 7,158 acres in 35 South Texas counties. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Laura McKenzie)

    According to South Texas Growers Inc., a wholesale nursery, in 2023, the state’s fresh market onion industry — sweet, yellow, red and white onions combined — grew a total of 75,460 tons across 7,158 acres in the 35 South Texas counties. The average farm-gate value of those onions is around $39 million. 

    Short-day onions are a high-value vegetable crop in many southern U.S. states, including Texas, but their biology and structure present some difficulties, especially during harvest.

    Onion harvesters developed for long-day onions in northern states have been tested with short-day onions, Searcy said, but growers judged the results to be less than satisfactory.

    “Dry matter content in the short-day sweet onion is low but the water content is high,” Malla said. “Due to the high water content in the bulb, there is a greater likelihood of bruise damage since the bulbs can’t withstand a higher-pressure impact when harvested. That is why short-day onions have traditionally been harvested by hand.”

    In efforts to use mechanized harvesting, too many bulbs were damaged to be acceptable for the fresh market, he said.

    “However, these past attempts were limited to substituting the mechanical harvester for manual labor and did not involve a whole-system approach.”

    The new project aimed at mechanizing harvest will involve the whole system and include short-day onion areas in Georgia, Texas, New Mexico and California to represent a full range of growing conditions.

    “Limited availability and increasing cost of labor has resulted in decreased U.S. short-day onion production and a lack of competitiveness with foreign sources,” Malla said. “A viable mechanized harvest system is a high priority for growers and the industry.”

    Building a Better Short-Day Onion Harvest System

    Malla said the project will address the many facets of developing a successful harvest system. These include:

    –  Identifying cultivars and production practices suitable for mechanical harvesting.

    –  Modifying the harvest system to minimize the potential damage to onion bulbs.

    –  Evaluating the influence of mechanical harvest on profitability and risk faced by onion growers.

    –  Communicating the benefits and drawbacks of adopting mechanical harvesting to growers.

    Malla said the adoption of any advances by growers will rely on partnerships with equipment manufacturers, seed companies and technology providers. A stakeholder advisory panel and scientific advisers will participate in the project’s proposed research and outreach activities.

    “We are already in the process of evaluating diverse Texas A&M onion germplasm to understand the genetic mechanism of host resistance against diseases and insects,” Malla said. “We are working with the Texas A&M Vegetable and Fruit Improvement Center to test bulb quality and storability in onions. We are also testing Texas A&M onion germplasm in a way that will help shorten the cultivar development cycle.”

    To his knowledge, Malla said, this project is one of the broadest and most comprehensive ever undertaken to address the many challenges to short-day onion production.

    “Our ultimate goal is identifying the best cultivars and improving the short-day onion harvest system in a way that provides better results and better profitability for the producer,” he said.