Welcome to VacCAP

Webinar: Willingness to Pay for Blueberries: Sensory Attributes, Fruit Quality Traits, and Consumers’ Characteristics

2024-09-03

September 16, 2024 (12:00 pm CDT, 1:00 pm EST) | Zoom | Speaker: Dr. Elizabeth Canales, Mississippi State UniversityRegister hereUnderstanding consumers’ preferences for fruit quality attributes is key to informing breeding efforts, meeting consumer…

Team Spotlight: Dr. Jenyne Loarca

2023-12-11

In our Team Spotlight Series, we want to introduce you to the team members who help make VacCAP possible through their passion and hard work. In this segment, get to know Dr. Jenyne Loarca, a Principal Investigator (AFRI NIFA Postdoctoral Fellowship) at…

Identification of Molecular and Genetic Markers Associated With Resistance to Anthracnose Fruit Rot

2023-12-11

Image of a blueberry fruit exhibiting symptoms and signs of anthracnose fruit rot in the field. Photo by Timothy Miles Anthracnose fruit rot is among the most destructive and widespread fruit disease of blueberries across the United States, impacting…

Mitigating Cranberry Fruit Rot Through Breeding for Resistance

2023-12-11

Cranberries with low wax (above; note the shiny fruit surface) and high wax (below). Photos by Lindsay Erndwein Fresh ripe cranberries add a bright festive touch to holiday meals. Cranberries are also used to make sweetened dried cranberries (SDCs),…

The CRISPR Question: Would Consumers Accept CRISPR Cranberries with Reduced Added Sugar?

2023-12-11

CRISPR is a powerful gene editing tool, but how do consumers view this technology if it were to deliver cranberry products with less added sugar and improved flavor? Would they “buy into” CRISPR cranberries?These are just some of the questions that Dr.…