Courtney Weber

The primary goal of my program is to develop improved berry varieties to better serve the needs of the New York industry. I'm integrating new technologies with traditional breeding practices to investigate the fundamentals of disease and insect resistance and fruit quality. Through collaborative projects with food scientists and human health specialists, we are identifying superior varieties containing beneficial phytochemicals. Cooperation with pathologists and entomologists are providing insights into important pest problems in New York to allow us to develop strategies for dealing with growers' problems. Increasing consumer demand for berries by developing new varieties that have enhanced health benefits combined with superior eating quality are as important as increasing yield and pest resistance. Improved strawberries and raspberries that consumers recognize as delicious, nutritious and attractive will keep New York growers competitive in the changing marketplace.