Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
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.
Animal Health Component
0%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
10%
Applied
75%
Developmental
15%
Goals / Objectives
Obj 1: Creation and Evaluation of New Vegetables.1a. Plant Breeding to Create New Vegetables. In the NOVA system, we will use existing cultivars from different market classes that have suites of traits, expeditiously combine them in one cross and select lines leading toward a distinctive, productive combination of traits. Co-PI Griffiths will target and combine distinct brassica market classes within leafy, cabbage and broccoli types. PD Mazourek will create cross combinations within diverse melon, gourd and pepper species.1b. On-Farm Evaluation of Breeding Materials. Sharing parental lines and breeding selections with collaborating farms provides a critical opportunity for feedback and engagement. Seed shared with research farms will be focused on quantitative data to inform the science of plant improvement in objectives climate forecasting (Obj 2), sensory analysis (Obj 4) and economic analysis (Obj 6). Seed shared with growers will allow more experiential engagement. Testing new materials on farms provides a forum for feedback on production and marketing that is essential for cultivar adoption. Participatory plant breeding elicits feedback on attributes growers wish were changed in future iterations. Rather than agronomic data from the farm, grower feedback data will inform Marketing (Obj 5) and Economics (Obj 6).Obj 2: Climate Smart Trials to Predict Future ProductivityThe goal of this objective is to identify and develop best management practices associated with climate change for new brassica, cucurbit and pepper crops compared with typical commodities. Thus, we will use crop modeling techniques to select smart climate genotypes according to regions within the U.S. Production based trials and annual regional trials duplicated in Auburn, AL (co-PI da Silva) will serve as the source for data collection on crop development (i.e., biomass accumulation, leaf area index, and yield), which will be used in the identification of smart climate genotypes using the SIMPLE model. The SIMPLE model is a simple dynamic crop model that simulates crop growth, development, and yield using daily time steps based on weather information (daily temperature, rainfall, and solar radiation). Consequently, it will allow the research team to utilize all field data to assess how varying weather conditions in different regions affect all the crops evaluated within organic production systems.Obj 3: Assessment of Nutrients, Aroma and Flavor Active Metabolites3a. Quantification of MetabolitesFood sensory quality reflects the food matrix factors of taste, aroma, and texture. These attributes are derived from food macro and micro molecules and their combinations resulting from processing (acidity, heat, air, and light). For this project, metabolites relevant to human nutrition, aroma and flavor metabolites will be quantified in Brassica, cucurbit and pepper crops. Our target metabolites include: aroma volatiles, bitter saponins, spicy glucosinolates and capsaicinoids, carotenoids and vitamin C.3b. Metabolite Levels Correlation with Sensory DataWe will explore correlations between extensive metabolite data generated in this objective with sensory data from Obj. 4 and climate smart trial conditions (Obj 2). This will contribute to a foundation for breeding for flavor through metabolite measurements, and eventual molecular marker predictions, which is more efficient than sensory panels, and more replicable than lone breeder tasting. Similarly, we can explore climate smart trial data impacts more deeply than agronomic impact and delve into quality impacts.Obj 4: Sensory Studies to Determine Consumer Preferences and their DriversOur testing design will incorporate both descriptive analyses of samples, to categorize their aroma, flavor and texture properties, and consumer analysis of the same samples to determine their sensory appeal. Following this, projective mapping of samples will combine these large data sets to determine the optimal sensory properties of each vegetable category for maximal consumer appeal.Obj 5 Marketing and Outreach for Rapid Adoption of New Vegetables5a. Regional Marketing TeamsIn order to support and drive these new vegetable markets, this project will create and build partnerships with regional farmers, distributors, retailers, farmers market organizations, value-added producers, restaurants and other stakeholders to communicate awareness and understanding. Marketing teams will be formed in three regions including the Pacific Northwest, Northeast, and Southeast.5b. Plug and Play Marketing ResourcesIn this project, we will create materials that farmers can use on social media, at farmers markets, in Exploration Boxes, in newsletters, etc. We will also work with wholesale distributors, i.e. Organically Grown Company, to develop materials for retailers and restaurant engagement. Content and materials may include: (1) Explanation of NOVA project and the resulting new vegetables; (2) History and background of parents and how they are being improved; (3) Explanation of breeding objectives and farmer needs; (4) Photos of parents, progeny and selections; (5) Video of breeder/grower/chef showing process and explaining why and the benefits; (6) Recipes (later developed by participating chefs); (7) Photos of dishes from recipes developed by collaborating culinary professionals. Everything will be available for free usage and promoted by project partners,5c. Consumer Engagement and Public Outreach EventsCo-PI Selman will incorporate NOVA into events such as the Sagra and Variety Showcase events she organizes and specifically organize restaurant popup dinners as well as garden transplant and exploration box distributions.5d. Social Media Campaign and Popular Culture MediaCo-PI Selman will conduct an instgram campaign and work with journalists to get project articles and recipes into popular media magazines, newspapers, and podcasts.Obj 6: Economic Analysis of NOVA Production Including Profitability, Marketing, and Consumer PreferencesTo address changes in production from NOVA crops we will a) assess the current and future benefits of reduced water needs and pest control measures and b) construct cost of production budgets to illustrate profitability. Additionally, it is necessary to develop an understanding of consumer preferences for these crops, including c) calculating their willingness-to-pay (WTP) and d) evaluating the impact of marketing methods.
Project Methods
Objectives and ApproachObj 1: Creation and Evaluation of New Vegetables.1a. Plant Breeding to Create New Vegetables. In the NOVA system, we will use existing cultivars from different market classes that have suites of traits, expeditiously combine them in one cross and select lines leading toward a distinctive, productive combination of traits. Co-PI Griffiths will target and combine distinct brassica market classes within leafy, cabbage and broccoli types. PD Mazourek will create cross combinations within diverse melon, gourd and pepper species.1b. On-Farm Evaluation of Breeding Materials. Sharing parental lines and breeding selections with collaborating farms provides a critical opportunity for feedback and engagement. Seed shared with research farms will be focused on quantitative data to inform the science of plant improvement in objectives climate forecasting (Obj 2), sensory analysis (Obj 4) and economic analysis (Obj 6). Seed shared with growers will allow more experiential engagement. Testing new materials on farms provides a forum for feedback on production and marketing that is essential for cultivar adoption. Participatory plant breeding elicits feedback on attributes growers wish were changed in future iterations. Rather than agronomic data from the farm, grower feedback data will inform Marketing (Obj 5) and Economics (Obj 6).Obj 2: Climate Smart Trials to Predict Future ProductivityThe goal of this objective is to identify and develop best management practices associated with climate change for new brassica, cucurbit and pepper crops compared with typical commodities. Thus, we will use crop modeling techniques to select smart climate genotypes according to regions within the U.S. Production based trials and annual regional trials duplicated in Auburn, AL (co-PI da Silva) will serve as the source for data collection on crop development (i.e., biomass accumulation, leaf area index, and yield), which will be used in the identification of smart climate genotypes using the SIMPLE model. The SIMPLE model is a simple dynamic crop model that simulates crop growth, development, and yield using daily time steps based on weather information (daily temperature, rainfall, and solar radiation). Consequently, it will allow the research team to utilize all field data to assess how varying weather conditions in different regions affect all the crops evaluated within organic production systems.Obj 3: Assessment of Nutrients, Aroma and Flavor Active Metabolites3a. Quantification of MetabolitesFood sensory quality reflects the food matrix factors of taste, aroma, and texture. These attributes are derived from food macro and micro molecules and their combinations resulting from processing (acidity, heat, air, and light). For this project, metabolites relevant to human nutrition, aroma and flavor metabolites will be quantified in Brassica, cucurbit and pepper crops. Our target metabolites include: aroma volatiles, bitter saponins, spicy glucosinolates and capsaicinoids, carotenoids and vitamin C.3b. Metabolite Levels Correlation with Sensory DataWe will explore correlations between extensive metabolite data generated in this objective with sensory data from Obj. 4 and climate smart trial conditions (Obj 2). This will contribute to a foundation for breeding for flavor through metabolite measurements, and eventual molecular marker predictions, which is more efficient than sensory panels, and more replicable than lone breeder tasting. Similarly, we can explore climate smart trial data impacts more deeply than agronomic impact and delve into quality impacts.Obj 4: Sensory Studies to Determine Consumer Preferences and their DriversOur testing design will incorporate both descriptive analyses of samples, to categorize their aroma, flavor and texture properties, and consumer analysis of the same samples to determine their sensory appeal. Following this, projective mapping of samples will combine these large data sets to determine the optimal sensory properties of each vegetable category for maximal consumer appeal.Obj 5 Marketing and Outreach for Rapid Adoption of New Vegetables5a. Regional Marketing TeamsIn order to support and drive these new vegetable markets, this project will create and build partnerships with regional farmers, distributors, retailers, farmers market organizations, value-added producers, restaurants and other stakeholders to communicate awareness and understanding. Marketing teams will be formed in three regions including the Pacific Northwest, Northeast, and Southeast.5b. Plug and Play Marketing ResourcesIn this project, we will create materials that farmers can use on social media, at farmers markets, in Exploration Boxes, in newsletters, etc. We will also work with wholesale distributors, i.e. Organically Grown Company, to develop materials for retailers and restaurant engagement. Content and materials may include: (1) Explanation of NOVA project and the resulting new vegetables; (2) History and background of parents and how they are being improved; (3) Explanation of breeding objectives and farmer needs; (4) Photos of parents, progeny and selections; (5) Video of breeder/grower/chef showing process and explaining why and the benefits; (6) Recipes (later developed by participating chefs); (7) Photos of dishes from recipes developed by collaborating culinary professionals. Everything will be available for free usage and promoted by project partners,5c. Consumer Engagement and Public Outreach EventsCo-PI Selman will incorporate NOVA into events such as the Sagra and Variety Showcase events she organizes and specifically organize restaurant popup dinners as well as garden transplant and exploration box distributions.5d. Social Media Campaign and Popular Culture MediaCo-PI Selman will conduct an instgram campaign and work with journalists to get project articles and recipes into popular media magazines, newspapers, and podcasts.Obj 6: Economic Analysis of NOVA Production Including Profitability, Marketing, and Consumer PreferencesTo address changes in production from NOVA crops we will a) assess the current and future benefits of reduced water needs and pest control measures and b) construct cost of production budgets to illustrate profitability. Additionally, it is necessary to develop an understanding of consumer preferences for these crops, including c) calculating their willingness-to-pay (WTP) and d) evaluating the impact of marketing methods.