New Research Grant Takes Aim at Bacterial Leaf Spot in Lettuce
April 28, 2020 
Bacterial leaf spot symptoms have taken over this lettuce plant.
Photo by Nikol Havranek, UF/IFAS
USDA recently announced $9.5 million in funding to 11 collaborative, multistate projects that seek to boost the competitiveness of U.S. specialty crops. Among the projects, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) was awarded $850,816 to support research related to improvements in lettuce resistance to bacterial leaf spot, funded through the Specialty Crop Multi-State Program (SCMP).
The funding awarded to FDACS is in partnership with the University of Florida, Pennsylvania State University, and the USDA Agricultural Research Service. The research will study disease resistance and diversity to improve lettuce cultivars against bacterial leaf spot through breeding, genetics, and study of the bacterial leaf spot lettuce interaction.
The SCMP offers grants to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops by funding collaborative, multi-state projects that address the following regional or national level specialty crop issues: food safety, plant pests and disease, research, crop-specific projects addressing common issues, as well as marketing and promotion.
U.S. lettuce production is estimated at nearly $1.9 billion, making lettuce one of the leading vegetable crops in the nation.
“This funding is particularly important with Florida-grown lettuce facing losses up to 75% due to COVID-19,” says Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried. “We look forward to working with state and federal partners to eradicate pathogens and diseases that threaten our valued agriculture commodities.”
The full list of grant recipients and projects can be viewed here.
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