Dear Colleagues,
The California Cherry Board (CCB) is soliciting proposals for research found to be of highest priority by the industry. The CCB – a marketing order operating under sanction of the State of California – was established by California sweet cherry growers and packers/shippers to – in addition to other industry efforts – fund research found to be of greatest likelihood to significantly benefit the production and post-harvest handling practices of sweet cherry in California.
For the 2021-22 fiscal year (FY), the California sweet cherry industry identified the following production-related challenges of greatest priority for addressment through intentionally designed research:
- Spotted wing drosophila (SWD): an investigation of control strategies for SWD that will not result in residues on the sweet cherry fruit; an evaluation of the temporal protections offered by chemistries used in industry standard SWD control protocols, and the development of more efficient use of said products to benefit the efficiency of standard control protocols; prevalence and distribution of resistant wild-type SWD
- Cherry buckskin disease or western x-disease: a survey of the prevalence of cherry buckskin or western x-disease; investigate alternatives to pyrethroids for control of the vector (leafhopper species); the relative susceptibility or symptomatic display of modern sweet cherry rootstocks to cherry buckskin or western x-disease infection
- Nursery material improvement program: an investigation into the viability of a program purposed with improving the cleanliness of sweet cherry rootstock propagated in California
- Other production: an evaluation of the economics of sweet cherry production in California; orchard systems design; improved harvest efficiency (ie. mechanized harvest/assist); etc.
The following post-harvest-related challenges are of the greatest priority for addressment through intentionally designed research:
- Post-harvest insect disinfestation: alternatives to methyl bromide as a fumigant for post-harvest disinfestation of sweet cherry intended for export markets
- Sweet cherry varietal identification: a cost-effective bioassay that would permit the identification of a sweet cherry variety using fruit tissue samples
Pre-proposals are due by September 25th. To apply, please send any pre-proposal grant application to Tyler Rood, California Cherry Board, 1521 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, or by email to tyler@agamsi.com.
- FY 2020-21 CCB Pre-Proposal Grant Template FY 2020-21 CCB Pre-Proposal Grant Template
- FY 2020-21 California Cherry Board (CCB) Request for Proposals (RFP) FY 2020-21 California Cherry Board (CCB) Request for Proposals (RFP)
Pre-proposals will be distributed to Research Committee (RC) and Research Advisory Committee (RAC) members for review. RC members may meet with investigators to align project objectives with desires of industry and/or provide other industry feedback and support. RAC members will choose three proposals that are most relevant to their field of study or they feel most confident reviewing. Invited pre-proposal applicants must submit a full proposal by October 19, 2020.
To inquire any industry-specific information when developing a pre-proposal and/or full proposal in alignment with the research priorities discussed below, please contact Tyler Rood at tyler@aamsi.com.
Thank you.
Kathleen Nolan, Director, ANR Office of Contracts & Grants (OCG)