By Jamie Martin
Arkansas researchers are moving forward with new fruit research thanks to funding from the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. The Arkansas Department of Agriculture selected six innovative projects totaling $336,560, highlighting the state’s commitment to advancing specialty crop production.
Among them is a project led by Aaron Cato and Amanda McWhirt to manage Neopestalotiopsis, a strawberry disease that has reduced yields by up to 20%. Their integrated pest management approach aims to develop disease-resistant varieties and new fungicide strategies suited for Arkansas growers.
Ryan Dickson is exploring the use of annual blackberry systems, growing primocane varieties in containers with soilless substrates. This research could provide off-season harvests, improved fruit quality, and reduced disease pressure, benefiting local producers.
Meanwhile, Renee Threlfall and McWhirt are focusing on muscadine grapes, conducting pest-management studies and testing 15 hybrid cultivars for commercial potential. Threlfall said muscadines could become “one of Arkansas’s most distinctive and sustainable crops.”
The grants will not only enhance fruit production but also foster outreach programs, helping farmers statewide access new technologies, resources, and best practices for a stronger specialty crop sector.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-d-keine
Categories: National