Research Leader

Richard L. Fery

Richard.Fery@ars.usda.gov

Location Administrative Officer

Susan M. Hammontree

Sue.Hammontree@ars.usda.gov

Our mission is to improve genetic populations of vegetable crops that combine improved yield potentials, to provide favored quality characters with better resistances to pests (diseases, insects & nematodes), to develop knowledge on the etiology, ecology, epidemiology, & pathogenicity of plant pests (and to use this knowledge) as a basis for discovering new management systems to control pests. The project areas of the unit include: 1) screening and evaluating germplasm for its genetic value in breeding programs, 2) determining the heritability of important characters, 3) developing new and more efficient breeding procedures for manipulating desired genotypes in wide crosses and segregating populations, 4) identifying biochemical constituents associated with host-plant resistance and quality characteristics, 5) developing improved cultivars and breeding lines for public release, 6) studying the mechanism of resistance to pests, 7) biological control of insect and weeds with natural enemies, 8) effects of environmental stresses on host plant resistance, 9) allelopathic influences of vegetable crops on weeds, 10) obtaining data to support registration of minor use pesticides and herbicides on vegetable crops.