New California Citrus Breeding Program on the Grow With Funding
Presidents of California Citrus Mutual (CCM) and Citrus Research Board (CRB) recently issued statements applauding Congressional leaders for recently approving additional funds for the new citrus breeding program in Parlier, CA. Congress is allocating an additional $500,000 in federal funding on top of the $1 million granted last year to expand the program into California. The program will now receive $1.5 million in federal funds on an annual basis along with the $500,000 that CRB provides the program with annually.
“CRB was instrumental in developing the concept for the California based program and was also involved in efforts to establish the nationwide program while CCM advocated to secure funding,” says CRB President Marcy Martin. “Our two organizations working together on behalf of the industry has been instrumental in getting this program off the ground.”
The California citrus breeding program will focus on fresh market citrus. Funding will go toward research and development of high-quality, superior citrus selections well suited to California growing regions, changing climatic pressures, consumer taste preferences, and resistance to pest and diseases, such as huanglongbing (HLB).
The California program is an expansion of the existing national USDA Agricultural Research Service citrus breeding program located in Fort Pierce, FL, which is focused primarily on varieties that are optimized for Florida growing conditions.
For more, continue reading at cacitrusmutual.com.
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