DEVELOPING NEW AND EMERGING HORTICULTURAL CROPS AND IMPROVING ORGANIC AND SUSTAINABLE VEGETABLE PRODUCTION

The goal of this program is to increase diversity, sustainability, and profitability of agriculture in North Carolina and the Southeastern U.S. through development of new and emerging crops, organic agriculture, and sustainable vegetable production systems.Objectives:Develop economically viable commercial production systems for emerging crops that growers are producing in the Southeast, including hemp, medicinal herbs, and European black truffles.Breed and evaluate hop cultivars for the Southeastern United States.Improve aspects of organic vegetable crop production by testing breeding lines, cultivars, new products, and cultural practices.Improve sustainability of conventional commercial vegetable production systems by testing breeding lines, cultivars, new products, and cultural practices.