Project Grant 20245130043144

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** ORGANIC AGRICULTURE PROVIDES A KEY PATH TOWARD SUSTAINABLE, ECOLOGICAL PRODUCTION OF DELICIOUS, NUTRITIOUS FOOD. CONSUMERS THAT PURCHASE ORGANIC VEGETABLES ARE OFTEN MOTIVATED BY THE DESIRE FOR NUTRITIOUS, FLAVORFUL, AND PESTICIDE-FREE FOOD FOR THEMSELVES, AS WELL AS BY THE ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY FARMING PRACTICES THAT THEIR FOOD DOLLARS SUPPORT.WE PRESENT AN EFFICIENT APPROACH TO DELIVER ON THESE EXPECTATIONS, USING WIDE, NATURAL, CROSS-POLLINATIONS BETWEEN VEGETABLE TYPES TO CREATE CULTIVARS DISTINCT FROM COMMODITY CROPS. BY DEFYING EXISTING MARKET CLASSES, BREEDING BECOMES FASTER AND EASIER, AND DOES NOT LIMIT GENETIC DIVERSITY. AS WE HAVE DEMONSTRATED PREVIOUSLY, WORKING WITH EARLY ADOPTERS LIKE CHEFS AND FOODIES PROVIDES A MARKETING PLATFORM TO INTRODUCE NOVEL CULTIVARS IN A WAY THAT SUBSEQUENTLY APPEALS TO MORE TRADITIONAL CONSUMERS. THE RESULT OF THIS APPROACH DELIVERS ON ORGANIC CONSUMER EXPECTATIONS IN AN ACCELERATED PIPELINE. WE CALL THIS NOVA: NEW APPROACHES FOR ORGANIC VEGETABLES.NOVA BRINGS TOGETHER A TEAM WITH EXPERTISE IN BREEDING, EXTENSION, SENSORY-CONSUMER PREFERENCE SCIENCE, CULINARY VEGETABLE PROMOTION AND MARKETING, ECONOMICS, NUTRITION, AND CLIMATE-ADAPTIVE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS. OUR INNOVATION TARGETS THREE COMMON CROP GROUPS GROWN BY MOST ORGANIC VEGETABLE FARMERS--BRASSICAS (KALE, COLLARDS, CABBAGE AND BROCCOLI) CUCURBITS (MELONS AND BITTER GOURD) AND PEPPERS. WE WILL DELIVER THESE NEW EXCITING CULTIVARS THROUGH A SYSTEMS APPROACH, WHERE WE ASSESS CROPS THROUGH OUR TEAM'S BROAD ARRAY OF DISCIPLINES. FOR A GREATER IMPACT BEYOND THESE THREE CROP TYPES, WE WILL DEVELOP, ANALYZE AND PUBLICIZE OUR APPROACH AS A MODEL FOR OTHERS TO FOLLOW IN OTHER CROPS.