Archived Funding Opportunities for the Western IPM Center
California Tomato Commission Seeks Grant Proposals
Contents:
Request for Proposals
Research Priorities for Year 2002
Suggested Format
California Tomato Commission
1625 East Shaw Avenue, Suite 106
Fresno, CA 93710
Request for Proposals
| Date: | October 1, 2001 |
| To: | Fresh market tomato researchers |
| From: | John LeBoeuf |
| Subject: | Request For Proposals - Year 2002 Research |
The California Tomato Commission is sending out this request for research proposals (RFP) for the 2002 fiscal year which begins March 1, 2002.
The Commission requests that proposals be submitted no later than Friday, November 16, 2001. Please provide an electronic copy of the proposal in either WordPerfect or MS Word format (No MAC) to me at: jbleboeuf@aol.com. In addition, please forward two copies of the proposal to the Commission and one copy to Dr. Don Nevins, Department of Vegetable Crops, University of California, Davis.
The Commission will consider only those proposals that fall within the guidelines of the RFP. Researchers may be asked to present their proposals to the Commission at the Board of Directors annual meeting on January 10, 2002 in San Francisco. Researchers will be notified of the exact time and location of the meeting when the Commission confirms receipt of their proposal.
For further information on the Commission's RFP process, please contact John LeBoeuf, the CTC Research Coordinator, at (559) 289-7450 or Ed Beckman, President of the Commission, at (559) 230-0116.
Fresh Market Tomatoes in
California
Research Priorities for Year 2002
Integrated Pest Management
(IPM) — Insects
Efficacy trials of new chemical compounds that would be adapted into IPM
programs for fresh market tomatoes are needed. Priority should be given
to evaluate chemicals which would offer alternatives to organo-phosphate,
carbamate, and pyrethroid materials and which offer reduced pre-harvest
intervals. Special emphasis on insect growth regulators such as Knack
(Pyriproxyfen by Valent USA Corporation) to control whiteflies (especially
greenhouse) is strongly encouraged. Emphasis on testing rates of materials
that cover the expected federal and state label rates are also highly
encouraged to provide insight into the effective use of new products which
may become replacements in the near future. Outreach efforts to showcase
trials to Pest Control Advisers (PCAs) and tomato growers are also requested
to provide guidance to expected users of new materials. Researchers should
also consider including acceptable materials for organic production.
Effective control of stink bug with consideration to IPM strategies that include monitoring of pest movement into tomato production fields, evaluation of pheromone traps, and other practices that offer both effective and economically advantageous options to growers are again being requested. Priority regions targeted for the research should ideally be in the mature green tomato production areas in and around Merced County and the tomato area near Oceanside, CA. Research conducted in other tomato production areas will of course be considered.
Effective control of thrips with additional consideration to strategies related to the transmission of tomato spotted wilt virus are needed. Control methods should be designed to be allowable under guidelines of the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA). Priority region targeted for the research should be in the vine ripe tomato production areas in San Diego and Orange Counties. Special attention should be given to the development of a comprehensive pest control program for these areas. Outreach efforts are highly encouraged.
Projects aimed at effective management of greenhouse whitefly, aphids, beet armyworm and other Noctuid moth pests such as western yellow striped armyworm, and other pests such as leafminer and tomato pinworm are needed. Consideration should be made for controls that include IPM strategies for growers throughout California including options for organic producers.
Plant Disease Management
Research on powdery mildew management will be considered a priority. Field trials to determine efficacy of new chemical compounds for fresh market tomatoes are requested. Prior research has shown that greenhouse trials involving mildew were difficult in maintaining adequate pathogen viability, therefore, field trials are requested. Priority should be given to evaluate chemicals which would offer new alternatives for help in managing disease resistance. Emphasis on testing rates of materials that cover the expected federal and state label rates are highly encouraged to provide insight into the effective use of new products which may become available in the near future. Outreach efforts to showcase trials to PCAs and tomato growers are also encouraged to provide guidance to expected users of these new materials.
Effective control of late blight with a strategic plan to address disease problems in greenhouse, transplant, and field production operations also is regarded as a priority. Efficacy trials of fungicides for late blight control will also be considered with emphasis on rates of materials used. Outreach efforts to showcase trials are encouraged.
Proposals are requested for research into the cause of noninfectious diseases and fruit disorders such as fruit pox, gold fleck, gold speck, waxy blister, and other fruit blemishes. Research geared toward studies of possible relationships of thrips and fruit disorders is encouraged.
Research aimed at determining any relationship between Verticillium wilt and the severity of greenhouse whitefly transmitted viruses is encouraged.
Research involving alternatives to methyl bromide will be considered.
Projects geared toward management of bacterial diseases, such as canker, with strategies that offer pathogen identification, monitoring procedures, and control practices will be considered. Outreach efforts aimed at grower education with new and emerging controls are encouraged to allow successful adoption into production practices.
Tomato Quality
Development of fresh market lines for mature green and vine ripe tomato producers, with emphasis on improved flavor, color, and firmness characteristics remains a priority.
Development of technology, such as infra-red sensors, to identify maturity in tomatoes harvested at stage 1--mature green and able to separate immature green tomatoes out is encouraged. New technologies need to be viable from the standpoint of being both economically and easily adapted into operations where fruit is sorted into maturity classes in a nondestructive manner.
Development of improved post harvest practices to control pathogens and reduce decay in all types of tomato production in the state is needed.
Development of post harvest and shipping strategies to improve tomato quality for product destined for export markets such as Canada, Japan, South America, and Europe is also needed.
Seed Development — Breeding and Genetics for Disease Control
Research on genetic breeding efforts for tomato seed lines resistant to powdery mildew will be considered.
Development of fresh market tomato lines with resistance to late blight remains a top priority for the industry.
Development of wild tomato species traits for improved pest resistance will be considered.
Research on resistance and management to whiteflies and plant diseases such as Tomato Infectious Chlorosis Virus (TIC) and Tomato Chlorosis Virus (TOC) is a priority.
Regionalized Pest Management
Tomato growers in the state have expressed interest in the development of pro-active research efforts, on a regional scale, to focus on crop management strategies aimed at improving yield and overall fruit quality while also improving grower returns. Projects aimed at reducing inputs, enhancing soil qualities and characteristics, improving grower returns, and controlling major and minor pests will be considered. Projects should focus on soil and water management, insect and pathogen control, and should include components for the evaluation of reduced risk from pesticide use. Regional projects should provide for an interaction between researchers, growers, their Pest Control Advisers, and farm advisers. Projects should offer grower education through demonstration and communication efforts.
Notes:
Researchers will provide the Commission with a mid-season written
update due on August 15 and a final written report due December
1 for all work undertaken on behalf of the Commission. In addition,
the Research Coordinator may request an informal update on progress at
various times through the year.
Researchers are requested to address their project presentations and proposals in layman's terms as much as possible.
California Tomato Commission
Research Project Proposal — Suggested Format
Project Title:
Project Leader: Include name, address, phone and fax numbers, and email address of Principal investigator as well as the affiliation.
Cooperating Personnel: Include name, address, phone and fax numbers, and email address of all Cooperating Personnel as well as their affiliation.
Location of Work:
Budget Total:
Project Year: March 1, 2002 to February 28, 2003.
Anticipated Duration of Project:
Statement of the Problem and its Significance:
Objectives: Please identify specific objectives in concise terms and describe expected benefits to the industry.
Plans and Procedures: Please keep material in lay terms whenever possible.
Expected Time Line: Identify any key time frames involved.
Budget Justification: Please identify need for personnel and supplies or expenses. Identify costs and any matching funds or other sources of revenue including any other proposals submitted to other groups for funding.
Detailed Budget:
References: Not necessary
Signatures:
Note to Researchers:
Please number pages of proposal starting on page two and keep total
proposal to no more than eight pages. Thank you.
