Promoting Apple Production Research
November 11, 2010 As I travel across America’s apple country, I am continually impressed by the amount of research that is necessary to maintain successful apple production. While participating in several field study tours organized by the International Fruit Tree Association (IFTA) over the past year, I (along with other apple leaders) witnessed first-hand the high degree of detail that is invested in analyzing soil, rootstock, pest control, genetic modification, and other aspects of production from seed to harvest.
Apple producers and processors are integral to America’s specialty crop industry, contributing significantly to our national economy and supplying food products critical to a healthy diet. Research and Extension activities supported by USDA provide apples, and other specialty crops, with a competitive edge in the global marketplace by enabling introduction of new cultivars, implementation of safer pest management strategies, development of more sustainable production practices, and science-based improvement of food safety.
In the last Farm Bill, USApple worked with other specialty crop organizations to develop industry-specific initiatives strategically targeting research and Extension needs. Two of the most important initiatives affecting apple production research in the U.S. are the National Apple Rootstock Breeding Program and the Specialty Crop Research Initiative.
National Apple Rootstock Breeding Program
Based in Geneva, NY, this USDA-Agricultural Research Service (ARS) program seeks to identify ideal methods to enhance propagation, evaluation, and commercialization of new rootstock selections. This is critical, since most U.S. apple growers are presently using variations of rootstocks developed in the early 1900s. But with increased investment in research in recent years, nearly a dozen new rootstock selections from the program are close to full release. These new rootstock selections carry such critical traits as pest and disease resistance, increased productivity, stress tolerance, and adaptation to local growing conditions.
Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI)
The SCRI was established through the 2008 Farm Bill to solve critical industry issues through research and Extension activities. SCRI research grants assist scientists, growers, processors, and marketers to meet the need for quality, reduced costs, efficiency, and expanded market opportunities for the specialty crop industry. SCRI gives priority to projects that are multistate, multi-institutional or trans-disciplinary; and include explicit mechanisms to communicate results to producers and the public.
Research Is Fundamental
Apple and other specialty crop growers that I have met through USApple, IFTA, and other agricultural organizations agree that there is a critical need for a partnership of public and private investment in research to increase productivity and profitability, as well as to develop technology that applies industry wide. As debate about the next Farm Bill gets under way, USApple will advocate full funding for specialty crop research programs to help the U.S. apple industry improve its genetic and technological edge, both so essential to maintaining a competitive position in the global marketplace.
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