The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) have awarded US $1.7 million to study the novel use of light to suppress a broad group of plant pathogens affecting sustainable production of organically grown crops. Professor Mark Rea, Director of the Lighting Research Center (LRC) at Rensselaer will work with principal investigator David Gadoury of Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences on the USDA-NIFA funded project, along with two research groups in Norway, the Norwegian University of Life Sciences and the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research.

A juicy looking red tomato.The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) have awarded US $1.7 million to study the impact of visible light and UVB on supressing pathogen growth in organically grown crops. (Photo courtesy of Lighting Research Insitute at Rensselaer)

The research team will develop and test an apparatus for the optimal use of UV-B and visible light to suppress powdery mildews in a variety of production systems, and generally, to advance the fundamental understanding of how light affects pathogen development and disease severity in plants. The team will provide outreach and education, with a focus on improving knowledge of the role of light in disease management, and to assist stakeholders in selecting the best lighting technologies for sustainable production of their specific operations.

On Monday, USDA-NIFA announced $50 million in grants funded through the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI), which is made available through the 2014 Farm Bill.  This program develops and disseminates science-based tools to address the needs of specific crops across the entire spectrum of specialty crops production, from researching plant genetics to developing new production innovations and developing methods to respond to food safety hazards. NIFA invests in and advances agricultural research, education, and extension and seeks to make transformative discoveries that solve societal challenges.