Project Number: 6235-41000-006-19
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Apr 01, 2006
End Date: Mar 31, 2009

Objective:
The objective of the ARS-NMSU Mechanization of the Chile Industry project will be to expand upon the work accomplished in the first project. The primary emphasis will be to accelerate the mechanization of the chile production, harvesting, and processing system. Due to the increase foreign competition, the research and development of this technology is critical to this region's chile industry.

Approach:
Crop production systems that are currently under development with ARS participation will be expanded upon. The interdisciplinary research team will include engineers, agronomists, and economists. The project will concentrate on: 1) varietal evaluation and development specifically for machine harvest, 2) improved machine harvest and processing technologies, and 3) economic optimization of chile pepper production as part of the total crop production and rotation system.