Vegetable Grafting Training for Agricultural Professionals

Vegetable Grafting Training for Agricultural Professionals

Summary

Adjustment to the project was made as the SARE fund was not available until June, 2009. The scheduled first year workshop and field day were postponed to 2010 for a combined 2-day workshop and field day. Instead, 14 presentations on vegetable grafting were given to about 1,155 participants including 127 educators. Among the 1,155 participants, over 200 are socially disadvantaged farmers that include Amish and Mennonite, Asian and Hispanic. Two demonstration and training on vegetable (tomato) grafting techniques were organized by regional horticulture specialists, with the help of the program coordinator of this project, and reached to over 90 participating vegetable growers and master gardeners. The vegetable grafting technique was made aware to educators, farmers and master gardeners all over the state of Missouri. In 2009, At least twenty commercial vegetable growers tried the grafting technique for high tunnel or field tomato production.

Objectives/Performance Targets

Original objective of the project was to offer a one-day workshop on tomato grafting. Because of the delay in transferring funding from SARE, the adjusted new objective was to make the technique known to educators and vegetable producers.

Accomplishments/Milestones

Over 14 presentations on vegetable grafting were given to about 1,155 participants including 127 educators and over 200 socially disadvantaged farmers (Amish and Mennonite, Asian and Hispanic). Two demonstrations and trainings on tomato grafting were organized by regional horticulturists in Southwest Region (May, 2009) and Central Region (Oct. 2009) of Missouri and reached over 90 participating vegetable growers and master gardeners.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

The vegetable grafting technique was made aware to educators, farmers and master gardeners all over the state of Missouri. At least 20 commercial vegetable growers tried the grafting technique for high tunnel and/or field tomato production.

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