Disorders in fruits and vegetables

Research in a UGA horticulture laboratory investigates mechanisms that regulate ripening and postharvest storage in blueberries. Understanding factors that regulate ripening and storage in blueberries will help to develop strategies to aid in uniform ripening, improved postharvest management and extending blueberry shelf-life. In vegetable crops, research is geared towards using molecular and physiological tools to understand incidence of blossom end rot in bell peppers. The eventual goal of this project is to develop management strategies that can be used by growers to mitigate this disorder.