American research aiming to breed alternaria and drought resistant carrot

Published 2024년 9월 8일

Tridge summary

A grant of $500,000 from the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research, along with an additional $500,000 from leading horticulture companies, has been awarded to the University of California, Davis to develop a drought-resistant and alternaria leaf blight-resistant carrot. The research, led by Dr Allen Van Deynze and Dr Phil Simon, will use the genetic diversity of wild carrots to breed new varieties with these traits. The project aims to provide improved carrot varieties to growers, reducing yield and economic loss from drought and disease, and ensuring a stable supply of carrots for consumers.

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Original content

THE hunt is on to breed a more drought resistant carrot which is also resistant to alternaria leaf blight. The secret to the approach might be in the genetic diversity of wild carrots. While some cultivated carrots are partially resistant to alternaria, they still require frequent fungicide applications to fully protect crops from this disease. A lack of water access and diseases such as alternaria leaf blight can reduce yield by 40-60 per cent. The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) has provided a $500,000 grant to the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) to breed a better carrot. Some of the global horticulture industry's big players are partnering with the project, providing matching funds for a total investment of $1 million. Participating partners including Bayer, Bejo, Enza Zaden, Rijk Zwaan, Takii Seed and Vilmorin Mikado. FFAR scientific program director Dr Kathy Munkvold said carrots provided a great source of essential nutrients like beta carotene, ...

Source: Farmweekly