Plant Variety Improvement for Organic Agriculture Workshop

Date: 
Tue, 08/20/2013 - 08:00 - Wed, 08/21/2013 - 17:00

Join John Navazio of Organic Seed Alliance, Michael Glos and Michael Mazourek of Cornell University Department of Plant Breeding, the Northern Organic Vegetable Improvement Collaborative project, and Jack Algiere of Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture at this two-day workshop on the fundamentals of organic vegetable breeding for on-farm practices. Participants can expect to learn fundamental skills to develop and adapt vegetable varieties for their organic farm conditions.

Subjects will be presented both in the classroom and in the field through hands-on activities. These include: biology of seed production, seed harvesting and cleaning, choosing appropriate see crops for your system and climate, maintaining the genetic integrity of varieties with appropriate population sizes and isolation distances, conducting variety trials, and basic on-farm breeding techniques such as mass selection and progeny testing. Prior experience in basic seed growing is recommended.

Registration cost for the two-day event is $75.00 and includes breakfast, lunch, and beverages for both days. Workshop times are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. both days. Register online at http://www.stonebarnscenter.org/products/gfi-plant-variety-improvement-for-organic-ag.html. For additional information contact Michael Glos at mag22@cornell.edu or 607-227-7793.