The US table grape industry will benefit from a USDA grant to fund research into a post-harvest treatment for invasive pests.
The Californian Table Grape Commission will receive US$363,500 from the USDA to help fund a three-year project on invasive pests, such as spotted wing drosophila, European grapevine moth and brown marmorated stink bug.
The grant will be used to develop post-harvest treatments that could help keep markets open in the event an invasive pest jeopardises California table grape shipments.
“Invasive species have the potential to completely disrupt the marketing of affected products,” said California Table Grape Commission president Kathleen Nave in a media release. “An invasive pest find can affect domestic shipments as quickly as it disrupts exports,” she added. “Table grapes are a US$1.3bn FOB industry in California with shipments to over 60 countries worldwide. In a 100m box industry, it is vital to keep all markets open.”
According to viticulture research director for the commission Dr Franka Gabler, the grant project will identify post-harvest treatments that do not compromise table grape quality and are compatible with standard industry practices and do not require significant investment to adapt existing infrastructure, thus helping to ensure the sustainability of table grape farms in California.
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