Progress 09/01/22 to 08/31/24
Outputs
Target Audience:Our grant project team included experts in grape breeding/genetics/pathology, production and extension, agricultural economics and marketing, and fruit quality with stakeholders including commercial grape breeders, grape growers, grape, juice and wine processors, grape and wine regional and national organizations, as well as consumers. Extension and outreach efforts were used to deliver both science-based and general knowledge through informal programs including the online survey (which had an educational component), presentations at conferences, and virtual project team meetings. Changes/Problems:We received a 1-year No Cost Extension for the planning grant to allow us to host the planning meeting/conference in early October 2023. The planning meeting was held in October because the harvest season for muscadine grapes is September to October in Arkansas which allowed us to provide a field tour of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Fruit Breeding Program. In addition, the No Cost Extension allowed us to continue efforts for the full pre-proposal/proposal and analyze and present the survey results at conferences. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?We hosted monthly project team meetings, two project team meetings with collaborators, stakeholders and invited speakers, and the North American Grape Breeders & Vitis-Muscadinia Alliance Conference. The invited speakers for the meetings provided updates on current activities relevant to the U.S. table grape industry, research and extension with Vitis x Muscadinia hybrids/seedless muscadines, and opportunities for Vitis and Muscadinia communities to advance known Muscadinia resistance. During the conference, background and updates on Vitis, Muscadinia, and Vitis × Muscadinia hybrids were presented. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Extension and outreach efforts were used to deliver both science-based and general knowledge through informal programs including the online survey (which had an educational component), presentations at conferences, and virtual project team meetings. The survey content was used for three oral presentations at regional and national conferences and resulted in one published abstract. Our project was also featured as Research Focus in the August 2023 newsletter of the National Grape Research Alliance. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The project team for this planning grant entitled "Through the Grapevine: Building Research and Extension Potential between Subgenera Vitis and Muscadinia for the U.S. Grape Industry" addressed the following objectives to 1) assess U.S. grape consumers to identify trends for new cultivars, 2) identify research and extension priorities for Vitis, Muscadinia, and Vitis × Muscadinia hybrids, and 3) develop objectives for a full SCRI SREP or CAP proposal integrating Vitis, Muscadinia, and Vitis × Muscadinia hybrids in the U.S. grape industry. For Objective 1, we surveyed of 950 U.S. consumers of fresh-market grapes to assess a need for improved fresh-market cultivars. This survey showed demand for both fresh-market bunch (V. vinifera) and muscadine grapes with preference for firm, green, and seedlessness and consumers ranking freshness, flavor, price, seed presence, and texture as the most important quality attributes. This survey data and results will be published in a scientific journal to identify and demonstrate market trends for grape cultivars. For Objective 2, we hosted monthly project team lead virtual meetings (4-6 attendees at each meeting), two project team meetings with collaborators, stakeholders and invited speakers (35 attendees at each meeting), and the North American Grape Breeders & Vitis-Muscadinia Alliance Conference on October 3-5, 2023 in Fayetteville, AR (83 attendees). During the conference, research and extension priorities were identified, as well as establishing the project team, co-investigators, and the stakeholders for another proposal. For Objective 3, the new project team met monthly to develop and submit a pre-proposal for a USDA NIFA Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) CAP project in December 2023. The team continued to meet monthly to develop the full proposal that was submitted in April 2024. We were awarded a USDA NIFA SCRI grant for our project entitled "Through the Grapevine: Developing Vitis x Muscadinia Wide Hybrids for Enhanced Disease Resistance and Quality" for $7,100,000 for four years (9/1/24-8/31/28) The new project has two Project Directors and 31 Co-Investigators 12 institutions supported by 14 advisory board members and 31 stakeholders. The planning grant allowed us to develop a transdisciplinary, multi-state research and extension project to address strategic priorities for Vitis, Muscadinia, and Vitis × Muscadinia hybrids to improve the resiliency of the grape industry by integrating grape genetics, breeding, pathology, quality, marketing and production.
Publications
|
Progress 09/01/22 to 08/31/23
Outputs
Target Audience:Our grant team includes experts in grape breeding/genetics, production and extension, agricultural economics and marketing, and fruit quality and postharvest storage with stakeholders including commericial grape breeders, grape growers, grape, juice and wine processors, grape and wine regional and national organizations as well as consumers. Changes/Problems:Submitted and received approval for 1 year No Cost Extension of the grant Project Team requested a NCE because we needed to host the planning meeting in October 2023, after the deadline. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Hosted two virtual meetings (February 7, 2023 and June 1, 2023) for project team plus project stakeholders and collaborators with invited speakers How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Launched a online survey for Fresh-market grapes to U.S. consumers, defining terms like muscadine and table grape and attributes important to those grapes Results of the survey were dissimnated during virtual sessions of project team, stakeholders and collaborators Press releases and emails were sent to communities of interest What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Host the North American Grape Breeders & Vitis-Muscadinia Alliance ConferenceOctober 3-5, 2023 in Fayetteville, AR. Conference planning took place February to September, 2023. Publish the resutls of the consumer survey "Consumer Preference for Bunch and Muscadine Grapes" in an economics journal Submit a preposal and full proposal for aUSDA-NIFA Specialty Crops Research Initiative (SCRI)? CAP project
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Held Project Team virtual meetings once per month Project Team (Threlfall, Worthington, Perkins-Veazie, Hoffmann, Knuth, and Fang) met monthly to discuss and achieve the objectives of the planning grant. We met October 19, November 1, and December 6 in 2022 and January 6, March 7, April 4, May 2, June 1, August 1 in 2023. Hosted two virtual meetings (February 7, 2023 and June 1, 2023) for project team plus project stakeholders and collaborators with invited speakers February 7, 2023 Project team plus project stakeholders and collaborators (about 35 attendees) Invited stakeholders and collaborators to attend this virtual meeting Our USDA/NIFA SCRI Planning grant "Through the Grapevine: Building Research and Extension Potential between Subgenera Vitis and Muscadinia for the U.S. Grape Industry" was funded and ranked outstanding. Please join us for this first virtual meeting with the project team, stakeholders and other collaborators on Tuesday, February 7 at 1-2 pm CST (Arkansas). Our project team is meeting each month to address the objectives of the project (consumer survey, a planning meeting, and a submission of a SCRI) and will host two virtual meetings with the project team, stakeholders and other collaborators. The agenda for the virtual meeting is listed below. Please feel free to forward this Zoom link to others that might be interested in this project. Agenda Introductions-Threlfall and Worthington Planning Grant Overview-Threlfall Guest Speakers on Current Activities Relevant to the U.S. table grape industry Peter Cousins, E&J Gallo, Breeding New Cultivars Matt Clark, University of MN, Vitis Gen Update Donnell Brown, NGRA, U.S. Research and Extension Activities Discuss Planning Grant Meeting September/October 2023 in Fayetteville, AR Wrap up ?June 1, 2023 Project team plus project stakeholders and collaborators (about 35 attendees) USDA/NIFA SCRI Planning grant "Through the Grapevine: Building Research and Extension Potential between Subgenera Vitis and Muscadinia for the U.S. Grape Industry" Agenda Introductions- Threlfall and Worthington (5 min) Conference Update- Threlfall and Worthington (5 min) North American Grape Breeders and Vitis-Muscadinia Alliance Conferences October 3-5, 2023 a the UA System Don Tyson Center for Agricultural Sciences, Fayetteville, AR (https://aaes.uada.edu/venue-rental/don-tyson-center-for-agricultural-sciences/) Tuesday, Oct. 3, 8:00 am-5:00 pm, North American Grape Breeders Meeting ($50) Wednesday, Oct. 4, 8:00 am-5:00 pm, Tour UA System Fruit Research Station and Arkansas Vineyards and Wineries ($100) Wednesday, Oct. 4, 5:00 pm-8:00 pm, Dinner with Arkansas Quality Wine Reception and Tasting ($50) Thursday, Oct. 5, 8:00 am-5:00 pm Vitis-Muscadinia Alliance Conference ($0) Conference registration and payment link https://uada.formstack.com/forms/grape_breeders_vitis_muscadinia_alliance_conference_2023 Update on Fresh-market Grape U.S. Consumer Survey - Knuth and Fang (5 min) 1,000 U.S. respondents Guest Speakers (5-10 min each) Felix Cooper, Gardens Alive! Opportunities for research and Extension with Vitis x Muscadinia hybrids and Seedless Muscadines Lance Cadle-Davidson/Surya Sapkota REE-ARS Opportunities for Vitis and Muscadinia Communities to Advance known Muscadinia resistance Focus Groups (15-20 min) Divide into groups (breeding, production, postharvest/quality, and economics/marketing) to get input on the future SCRI objectives Next Steps and Adjourn (5 min) Created, launched, and analyzed an online survey for Fresh-market Grape U.S. Consumer Survey in January to May 2023 Survey was set up with 24 choice sets: Bunch Grape, Muscadine Grape, or Neither 5 Price Levels: $2, $3, $4, $5, $6 Flavor: Strong or Mild Texture: Soft or Firm/Crisp Size: Small, Medium, or Large Seed Presence: None or Present Muscadine Grapes - $5.57 Firm Texture - $1.44 No Seeds Present - $3.59 No preference for size Pink/Red Color - -$0.94 Purple/Black Color - -$0.69 Submitted and received approval for 1 year No Cost Extension of the grant June 16, 2023 Project Team requested a NCE because we needed to host the planning meeting in October 2023, after the deadline. Awards Mgmt, USDA NIFA 6501 Beacon Rd., Kansas City, MO 64133 RE: Agreement 2022-51181-38326 Dear Awards Mgmt: Please be advised that the PI's request for a no-cost time extension on the above agreement has been approved. This is for the project entitled "Through the Grapevine: Building Research and Extension Potential between Subgenera Vitis and Muscadinia for the U.S. Grape Industry". We now show a period of performance from 9/1/2022 to 8/31/2024. Please notify the appropriate office that this time extension also applies to REEport # ARK02773. If you need any further information, please let me know. Thank you for your assistance with this project. Sincerely, Jean-Francois Meullenet, Assoc. VP for Research Planned the North American Grape Breeders & Vitis-Muscadinia Alliance Conference October 3-5, 2023 in Fayetteville, AR. Conference planning took place February to September, 2023. The conference will be hosted by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture (UA System) at the Don Tyson Center for Agricultural Sciences, 1371 W Altheimer Dr. Fayetteville, AR 72704. Join us for North American Grape Breeders & Vitis-Muscadinia Alliance Conference October 3-5, 2023 hosted by the UA System in Fayetteville, AR. Attendees can register for each of the events they want to attend. Tuesday, October 3, 8:00 am-5:00 pm, North American Grape Breeders Conference ($50) Wednesday, October 4, 8:00 am-5:00 pm, Tour UA System Fruit Research Station and Arkansas Vineyards and Wineries ($100) Wednesday, October 4, 5:00 pm-8:00 pm, Dinner with Arkansas Quality Wine Reception and Tasting ($50) Thursday, October 5, 8:00 am-5:00 pm Vitis-Muscadinia Alliance Conference ($0) Conference registration is open with a deadline of September 1, 2023. For Conference registration and payment please clink on the link or scan the QR code https://uada.formstack.com/forms/grape_breeders_vitis_muscadinia_alliance_conference_2023 Over 50 registered attendees to the Vitis Muscadinia Conference as August 31, 2023.
Publications
|