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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Hilo, Hawaii » Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center » Tropical Crop and Commodity Protection Research » Research » Research Project #429540

Research Project: Adding Value and Controlling Pests and Diseases of Papaya and Other Tropical Fruit

Location: Tropical Crop and Commodity Protection Research

Project Number: 2040-22430-026-013-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Sep 28, 2015
End Date: Sep 27, 2020

Objective:
Develop and evaluate non-toxic, preferably biologically-based, environmentally suitable technologies and processes for pest and disease control on papaya and other tropically-grown fruit. Evaluate existing, or breeding new fruit varieties for desirable fruit quality and shelf life and for a high degree of tolerance or resistance to diseases, such as Phytophthora. Develop novel approaches to improve the postharvest quality of tropical fruit. Identify uses for fruit waste to enhance the economic viability of tropical fruit production.

Approach:
A research team consisting of faculty and researchers from the University of Hawaii (UH) and the U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center (PBARC) with expertise in papaya and other fruit breeding, plant protection, crop genetics and postharvest physiology will develop an achievable and measurable action plan to accomplish the objectives identified above. The team shall share research responsibilities in papaya/fruit breeding, evaluating tolerance or resistance against diseases, studying factors affecting shipping quality and shelf life of papaya varieties evaluated or bred, and identifying value-added uses for fruit waste products. Documents SCA with U of HI.