Welcome to SPCL

The mission of the Sustainable Perennial Crops Laboratory is to improve production systems in sustainable ways for tropical perennial crops such as cacao and coffee. These crops have a significant impact on national and global economies and the environment. Specific goals include: 1) the evaluation of new biological control organisms for control of frosty pod rot and witches’ broom diseases of cacao; 2) development and evaluation of better management practices to improve sustainable cacao production; 3) rationalization and evaluation of cacao germplasm in genebank collections to improve the utilization and efficiency of cacao breeding programs; and 4) evaluation of new biological control organisms and application mechanisms to control coffee berry borer pests. Our ultimate goal is to provide producers with scientifically-based, sustainable methods that increase production while securing the quality and safety of these commodities to USA markets. These goals will ultimately benefit the USA through market stability and increased demand for USA grown agricultural commodities and by ensuring a safe and stable food supply for all consumers.

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