Southern U.S. agricultural researchers are improving agriculture one crop at a time. From rice and peanuts to soybeans and strawberries, plant breeders from land-grant universities across the southern U.S. are finding ways to bring new plant varieties to market to help farmers feed their communities and the world with nutritious and cost-efficient crops.
University of Florida
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences plant breeders developed a white strawberry that smells a little like a pineapple. It is expected to be the first white strawberry to go to market in the U.S. It is white inside and out with a slight pink blush on the skin and red seeds. The flavor is not that of a typical strawberry; it’s sweet with a pineapple-like aroma.
Louisiana State University AgCenter
As more Gulf Coast consumers learn of the potential benefits of locally grown high-protein, low-glycemic index rice (making it ideal for people with diabetes and other health concerns that might prevent them from eating conventional rice), researchers at the LSU AgCenter’s H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station are expanding efforts to develop cultivars with even greater nutritional advantages. Two scientists — molecular geneticist Herry Utomo, the F. Avalon Daggett endowed professor, and the late Ida Wenefrida, — spent seven years developing the special rice cultivar released under the variety moniker, Frontière. Now, using traditional mutational rice breeding techniques, researchers hope to further improve protein content, yield output and market diversity. Until now, the ubiquitous grain crop typically contained 6-7% protein. Frontière contains 10.6% and researchers are aiming to reach 12% protein, which would mark a 100% protein increase over traditional cultivars. https://www.lsuagcenter.com/articles/page1655824159150
We can’t help it. When we go to the grocery store, we always take a bee line to the produce section to check out the sweet potatoes. Chances are someone is there picking up a couple of roots for dinner. Consumption has more than doubled and then some in a few short years. One constant with the sweet potato breeding program is the demand for varieties with superior yield and quality. Sweet potatoes are an expensive crop to produce. However, they are a profitable crop when environmental and pest management issues cooperate. Sweet potato producers face many challenges in any given year, and a high yielding, consistent variety is a baseline necessity to remain competitive in the marketplace. https://www.lsuagcenter.com/profiles/lbenedict/articles/page1622494015085 North Carolina State University
Craft beer is booming in North Carolina with over 350 breweries making new, interesting flavors that include grain, yeast, water and hops, vine-grown cones that give beer its bitterness and citrus, piney, herbal or earthy aromas.
North Carolina State University researchers are working to discover which hop varieties grow best in North Carolina.
Source: morningagclips.com
Photo Credit: pexels-Greta Hoffman
Categories: Missouri, Crops, Fruits and Vegetables