August 14, 2025

Public Update on Research Progress with Sweet Basil to Strengthen Disease Resistance & Develop New Varieties Meeting Growers and Consumer Needs

 Rutgers University in concert with University of Massachusetts, University of Florida and Bar Ilan University have been working together on the USDA funded grant “Investigating the genetic basis of downy mildew and bacterial leaf spot resistance in basil (Ocimum spp.) using advanced genomic techniques”.
Our researcher and collaborators will be meeting Tuesday, August 26, 2025 on the Cook College Campus, School of Environmental & Biological Sciences, Rutgers University, in the Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health (IFNH) Building, Cook Campus Rm 101.
The meeting will begin at noon – and all are welcome to join:
12:45 pm – Introduction of the US Basil Consortium and Research Objectives
-Drs. Jim Simon, Andy Wyenandt, and Rob Mattera, Rutgers University
1:00 pm – 3:15 pm — Updates from each University Research Group
            1:00 pm – 1:30 pm – Bar Ilan University,  Drs. Yigal Cohen and Yariv Ben-Naem
            1:30 pm – 2:00 pm – UMass, Drs. Li-Jun Ma and Kelly Allen
            2:00 pm – 2:30 pm – Univ of Florida- Dr. German Sandoya
2:30 – 2:45 pm – Coffee Break
            2:45 pm – 3:15 pm – Rutgers: Drs. Rong Di and Mike Lawton
            3:15 pm – 3:45 pm – Rutgers: Dr. Jim Simon, Alex Barrett, Rob Mattera, Dr. Andy Wyenandt
3:45 pm – 4:30 pm – Industry & Public Stakeholder Inputs
4:30 pm – 4:45 pm – Closing Remarks
Let us know your coming so we can arrange parking passes for the parking lot directly across from the IFNH. Thank you!
If you are unable to join us in person on Tuesday, August 26, then join us on zoom:
Meeting ID: 930 2383 2394 Code: 985330
For those wishing to see many of our new basils, please join us for the Rutgers Open-House:
Wed, August 27- Rutgers Snyder Farm (140 Locust Grove Rd., Pittstown, NJ)
10:00 am – Arrival at Snyder with B.A.S.I.L. team members + industry partners
10:15 – 12:00 – Touring of the basil, catnip and hemp projects
12:00 – 12:45 – Lunch + debrief for Great Tomato Tasting
1:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Great Tomato Tasting Extension Day
To participate in this tour, please register at: https://snyderfarm.rutgers.edu/open-house/
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February 23, 2023

‘Fields of Devotion’ screening in New Brunswick, 2-4pm on March 3rd

Movie Poster
When climate change-induced diseases wipe out farmers’ fields, growers turn to scientists for help. Fields of Devotion, a 30-minute science-in-action film, follows the decade-long partnership between Rutgers plant biologists, the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES), and New Jersey small family farmers as they work together to develop resilient basil crops. A story of hard work, collaboration, and innovative solutions for a rapidly changing world, Fields of Devotion is told from the perspective of local farmers and plant biology graduate students who together help realize Rutgers’ land grant mission of community engagement and academic excellence.
This event is free but registration is requested to ensure seating.
Secure your seat for this exclusive free documentary screening, including a panel discussion and networking reception.

Please click here to RSVP today.

Event Time:  2:00pm – 4:00pm, Friday March 3, 2023
Event Location:
New Jersey Institute for Food, Nutrition, and Health
School of Environmental and Biological Sciences
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
61 Dudley Road
New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8520
IFNH, George H. Cook Campus
Agenda For March 3, 2023 Film Screening Event
  • Fields of Devotion film screening
  • A discussion with the film’s featured farmers and scientists
  • Networking reception for farmers, scientists, and students
Who Should Attend? This two-hour event will provide valuable information to farmers, scientists, and students working in the agricultural field.
Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
January 28, 2023

Fields of Devotion film screening at 2023 New Jersey Agricultural Convention & Trade Show at Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City, on Tuesday February 7th.

Movie poster for Fields of Devotion

Fields of Devotion (30 minutes) features New Jersey farmers and Rutgers scientists partnering to develop climate resilient and disease resistant food crops to empower growers.

Discussion with the featured farmers and scientists immediately following screening.

Watch the Fields of Devotion trailer by clicking here.

Event description: Small family farms in New Jersey are racing against climate change. Unpredictable weather and new diseases are threatening the very crops they depend upon.  Fields of Devotion follows the decade long partnership between Rutgers plant biologists, the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES), and New Jersey herb farmers who together developed lines of sweet basil resistant to downy mildew, a devastating disease destroying Ocimum species around the world.

Building upon more than a century of Rutgers’ support for New Jersey growers, Fields of Devotion is told from the perspective of the farmers and graduate science students who together help realize Rutgers land grant mission of community engagement and academic excellence.

For those attending the New Jersey Vegetable Growers Association (NJ-VGA) or the New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s (NJDA) 2023 Annual Meeting we cordially invite you to please join us this February 7th at 3:30 pm in Wildwood Rooms 8 and 9.

Contact: Andy Wyenandt, Extension Specialist in Vegetable Pathology, Rutgers University

email: wyenandt@njaes.rutgers.edu

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Organic Production, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , ,
August 24, 2022

REMINDER – Vegetable Research Plot Tour at RAREC Tonight

Wednesday, August 24, 2022, 4:30 pm (meet at the shelter near the parking lot)

Rutgers Agricultural Research & Extension Center

121 Northville Rd., Bridgeton, NJ (Upper Deerfield)

PESTICIDE CREDITS approved for this event:  

1A  (AGRICULTURAL PLANT)                     – 07
10  (DEMONSTRATION & RESEARCH)      – 07
PP2  (PRIVATE APPLICATOR CATEGORY)   – 07

4:30 – Welcome and Intros – Rick VanVranken, Atlantic County Agricultural Agent

5:00 –  8:30 pm Tour of research plots and discussions with Rutgers Extension Specialists

Thierry Besancon, PhD, Extension Weed Specialist for Specialty Crops

  • Cover-Crops for Row Middle Weed Management in Plasticulture Tomato.
  • Cover-Crops for Row Middle Weed Management in Plasticulture Cucumber.
  • Crop Safety of Delayed Preemergence Herbicide Application for Cole Crops (Broccoli and Cabbage)

Andy Wyenandt, PhD,  Specialist in Vegetable Pathology

  • Bacterial Leaf Spot Development in Pepper and Tomato in NJ
  • Copper Resistance Development in Bacterial Leaf Spot
  • Basil Downy Mildew Breeding Program Update
  • Bell and Non-bell Phytophthora Tolerance Trials

Joe Ingerson-Mahar, PhD, Vegetable IPM Coordinator

  • Comparing the response of corn earworm to GMO and non-GMO sweet corn varieties and the resistance to BT corn

 

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, pesticide credits, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,
August 15, 2022

2022 Annual Vegetable Twilight Meeting & Research Tour

Wednesday, August 24, 2022, 4:30 pm (meet at the shelter near the parking lot)

Rutgers Agricultural Research & Extension Center

121 Northville Rd., Bridgeton, NJ (Upper Deerfield)

PESTICIDE CREDITS approved for this event:  

1A  (AGRICULTURAL PLANT)                     – 07
10  (DEMONSTRATION & RESEARCH)      – 07
PP2  (PRIVATE APPLICATOR CATEGORY)   – 07

4:30 – Welcome and Intros – Rick VanVranken, Atlantic County Agricultural Agent

5:00 –  8:30 pm Tour of research plots and discussions with Rutgers Extension Specialists

Thierry Besancon, PhD, Extension Weed Specialist for Specialty Crops

  • Cover-Crops for Row Middle Weed Management in Plasticulture Tomato.
  • Cover-Crops for Row Middle Weed Management in Plasticulture Cucumber.
  • Crop Safety of Delayed Preemergence Herbicide Application for Cole Crops (Broccoli and Cabbage)

Andy Wyenandt, PhD,  Specialist in Vegetable Pathology

  • Bacterial Leaf Spot Development in Pepper and Tomato in NJ
  • Copper Resistance Development in Bacterial Leaf Spot
  • Basil Downy Mildew Breeding Program Update
  • Bell and Non-bell Phytophthora Tolerance Trials

Joe Ingerson-Mahar, PhD, Vegetable IPM Coordinator

  • Comparing the response of corn earworm to GMO and non-GMO sweet corn varieties and the resistance to BT corn

 

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, pesticide credits, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,
December 7, 2020

Sweet Basil Virtual Workshop This Thursday and Friday

Sweet basil infected with basil downy mildew.

Managing Basil Under Increasingly Challenging Conditions, a virtual workshop, will be held this Thursday, Dec. 10, and Friday, Dec. 11. Hosted by University of Massachusetts in collaboration with Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey and the University of Florida as part of our USDA/SCRI/NIFA supported Sweet Basil Research Initiative, with Drs. Jim Simon and Andy Wyenandt of Rutgers co-coordinating the educational program for growers, Extension workers, researchers and industry reps.

The virtual sessions will be on the Zoom platform. Links and other means of connecting will be shared in another post before the meeting begins after you register here <https://forms.gle/iofJ79idzyG3j48ZA>.

Click here to view the updated agenda. All meeting times are Eastern Standard Time running 9:00am to 5:15pm on Dec. 10, and 9:00am to 12:30pm on Dec. 11. Feel free to join in or leave at any time to learn about the topics that interest you.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,