Location: Vegetable Crops Research
2023 Annual Report
Objectives
Objective 1: Characterize important genetic traits, developmental and biochemical pathways, and metabolic processes in cranberry including the regulation of cranberry fruit quality, yield, and abiotic stress tolerance.
Goal 1.A: Characterization of cranberry phenological traits using imaging technologies and understanding genetic, environmental, and management interactions on traits that influence yield and fruit quality.
Goal 1.B: Discover genes and metabolites underlying the physiological responses of cranberry to abiotic stresses (cold, flood, soil pH and heat) that influence yield through metabolic and transcriptome profiling.
Goal 1.C: Soil and plant microbial dynamics associated with vine performance, fruit yield and quality for nutrient management and long-term sustainability.
Objective 2: Breed improved germplasm and cultivars for cranberry production in the United States with an emphasis on superior fruit quality traits.
Goal 2.A: Use next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies to produce a cranberry pan-genome and use the resultant data to create a genotyping platform based on annotated genes.
Goal 2.B: Identify cranberry genes and quantitative trait loci (QTL) that explain horticulturally important trait differences among genotypes.
Goal 2.C: Horticulturally, phenotypically, and genetically characterize a cranberry diversity and breeding collection in terms of horticulturally important traits.
Goal 2.D: Perform controlled crosses to improve yield and quality based on molecular and phenotypic data of a cranberry diversity and breeding collection.
Objective 3: Deploy and adapt integrated pest management approaches in new cultivars for sustainable, profitable cranberry production systems with an emphasis on bio-insecticides and pheromone-based mating disruption.
Goal 3.A: Design novel methods for the mass-production and deployment of two highly virulent nematode species that represent a new bio-insecticide for US cranberries.
Goal 3.B: Determine ideal pheromone carrier types and deployment rates for the suppression of two major insect pests of US cranberries.
Goal 3.C: Create new on-farm bee nesting structures that can be adapted to current farming practices while providing local nesting sites for a diversity of native bee fauna.
Approach
This project will address three major issues for cranberry growers. Objective 1: Biotic stress and physiology of traits. An image phenotyping system and machine algorithms (ML) will be developed to produce trait data for tracking cranberry phenology and physiological responses. Traits will be collected in different environments and under different management practices. Additionally, fundamental mechanisms underlying cranberry physiological responses to abiotic stresses (cold, flood, soil pH, and heat) using metabolic and transcriptome profiling will be identified. Tests will include response to soil pH, cold, heat, flood, and anoxia stress. Additionally, soil microbial dynamics will be identified influencing cranberry performance and physiology, fruit yield and quality, and nutrient management and long-term sustainability. Mycorrhizae and bacteria specific to cranberry will be identified and sequenced from wild and commercial cranberries, culturing conditions will be identified, and tests will be conducted of the associated organisms for improved cranberry physiological responses. Objective 2: Genetic mapping and genomic selection. We will use next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies to mine a cranberry pan-genome and use the resultant data to create a genotyping platform based on annotated genes. Based on the developed molecular resources, cranberry genes and quantitative trait loci (QTL) that explain yield and quality differences among genotypes will be identified. A cranberry diversity and breeding collection will be characterized horticulturally, phenotypically, and genetically. Based on the molecular and phenotypic data of the cranberry diversity and breeding collection, controlled crosses to improve yield and quality will be performed and the new breeding cycle will be established in testing plots. Objective 3: Arthropod management. This project will deploy and adapt integrated pest management approaches in new cultivars for sustainable, profitable cranberry production systems with an emphasis on bio-insecticides and pheromone-based mating disruption. We will create and deploy such integrated pest management tools while protecting pollinators. Novel methods will be designed for the mass-production and deployment of two highly virulent nematode species that represent a new bio-insecticide for U.S. cranberries. A reliable mass-propagation system specific to each nematode species will be developed along with application timing and rate information for each pest target and storage of the bio-insecticide. Additionally, this project will determine ideal pheromone carrier types and deployment rates for the suppression of three major worm insect pests of U.S. cranberries. Deployment of new pheromone carrier for control of these worms will be tested in whole-farm operations. Multi-year evidence of significant mating disruption of all three pest species will be tested. Finally, this project will create new on-farm bee nesting structures that can be adapted to current farming practices while providing local nesting sites for a diversity of native bee fauna.
Progress Report
This is the first report for this new project which just began in March 2023 and continues research from the previous project, 5090-21220-004-000D, “Cranberry Genetics and Insect Management”, Please see the report for the previous project for additional information. There are no milestones for this project this year.
Accomplishments
