Sponsor Agency: NW Pear Bureau
Dhingra*, A.; Evans, K.; Sablani, S.; Zhang, Q.; Ross, C.
This projects uses a systems approach to establishing a pear-specific knowledge base. In the past, 
recommendations for improving pear production, processing, and packaging have heavily relied on systems established for apples. However, pears are not apples and there is an urgent need to re-evaluate our approach to how to develop pear-specific solutions for production, post-harvest, and processing stages. We plan to utilize this project as a platform to successfully compete for a federal USDA-SCRI grant. The specific objectives of this proposal include: to evaluate and devise efficient orchard systems that are amenable to mechanized pruning and harvest using labor assist platforms; to assess the effectiveness of vigor-retarding chemicals like Apogee and Treehold by understanding the underlying gene function; to test the role of cuticle as it relates to fruit quality using microscopy; and to evaluate alternative fruit sanitization platforms like UV or gamma rays in lab settings.
If you would like more information about this topic or other developments in agriculture, contact Dr. Qin Zhang