2025 WBC Request For Proposals_Amended.docx

*AMENDED - As of December 2, 2024*

2025 Request for Proposals And Blueberry Research Review

Research proposals for 2025 are now being accepted. Proposals will be evaluated based on the listed priorities. Proposals for issues other than those listed as priorities are eligible for funding. The Washington Blueberry Commission research committee (committee) will hold a virtual meeting on December 17, 2024 where all researchers who submitted a proposal will present to the committee. The reviewers will then rank proposals as they are presented. The ranking will be submitted to the procurement coordinator who will then proceed through the standard notification process. Researchers may also be requested to give a presentation at the Washington Small Fruit Conference in 2025.

A copy of the Request for Proposal and examples of successful proposals are available on the WBC web site at https://wablueberries.com. Anyone needing assistance in preparing proposals is encouraged to contact the Procurement Coordinator, Megan Finkenbinder at mfinkenbinder@agr.wa.gov. It is recommended that requests for assistance occur in advance of the proposal deadline. Indirect and overhead costs are not allowed. Project requests are limited to a maximum of five pages. Include the mailing, email addresses and phone number for the principal investigator and any co-principal investigators.

Researchers accepting funds from the Washington Blueberry Commission are required to make a presentation scheduled by the Commission on the results of their work at a grower meeting and/or at an annual berry research review meeting.

The Commission will accept a limited number of multiyear proposals for up to three years. If a proposal is accepted for a multiyear grant, the researcher would expect to be funded for the full term of the research project assuming adequate progress is made, and adequate research funding is available from the Commission. The Commission cannot legally make formal assurances of funding for more than a year at a time. However, the Commission has reasonable confidence that it will have adequate research funds for the foreseeable future and there is a high likelihood that multiyear proposals would be funded assuming the aforementioned criteria are met.

Proposals are due December 11, 2024 to mfinkenbinder@agr.wa.gov.

Washington Blueberry Research Priorities (24 priorities ranked in descending order of importance)

*new products for SWD control that come with the appropriate MRLs

· Harmonization of MRLs with our export partners, particularly for SWD.

· Disease pests including alternaria, anthracnose, botrytis, mummy berry and root diseases such as armalaria; incorporating resistance management strategies into disease control programs, of particular importance is monitoring FRAC Group 3 fungicides for resistance to mummy berry and for high through put methods for monitoring fungicide resistance to botrytis

· Development of new non copper alternatives for control of bacterial blight.

· Methods to improve pollination and fruit set including the impact of weather conditions on pollination and investigate management practices leading up to harvest that will improve fruit quality including factors increasing fruit set.

· Understand factors and develop practices that will improve bud set.

· Organic production and pest management systems including development of new SWD and mummy berry controls and development of resistance management strategies.

· Management of viruses and their vectors.

· Frost protection/cold hardiness and critical temperatures.

· Arthropod pests including gall midge, winter moth, root weevil, aphids, brown marmorated stink bug, armyworm, leafrollers, mites and cherry fruitworm. This is priority is a high priority for the West Side and is of low importance to the East Side. Japanese beetle.

· Irrigation management.

· Weed management (organic and conventional).

· Food safety including development of kill steps for fresh and processed blueberries, including water quality.

· Development of machine harvested fresh market production system.

· Bird management.

· Factors that improve fruit quality such as firmness and fruit size.

· Plant breeding and variety trials in Washington including methods such as physical coverings, chemicals or cultural changes to manipulate harvest intervals to fit market needs.

· Pesticide registration - proposals would be accepted for registration related to identified industry priorities.

· Fertility management, including timing, placement and efficiency.

· Pruning, including mechanization and training, including workshops.

· Management of rodents and deer, particularly quantifying amount of damage caused by rodents.

· Site prep including soil pH, soil amendments and fumigation.

· “Draper Drop”

· Research on nematodes including development of economic thresholds and development of in season control for nematodes.

Washington Blueberry Commission Research Proposal Format

Title:

Year Initiated ______ Current Year _____ Terminating Year __ ___

Principal Investigator:

Include the mailing, email addresses and phone number for the principal investigator and any co-principal investigators.

Justification and Background: (Issue you plan to address)

Relationship to WBC Research Priority(s):

Objectives:

Procedures: (Anticipated length of project, what will be done and when; number procedures to address objectives)

Describe how this research will benefit Washington blueberry growers:

References (if applicable):

Budget:

Make sure to include a note if you are requesting multi-year funding. The WBC can only commit to funding projects for one year at a time.

1/Type of Personnel,___% FTE.

2/ 3/ 4/ Benefits _____%

Researchers should report on all funding (cash or in kind) that has been secured that could support this project or for which funding has been sought.

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