Citrus research lab established at Fresno State

FRESNO

A $200,000 gift from Paramount Citrus of Delano will establish the Advanced Teaching and Research Field Laboratory for Citriculture at California State University, Fresno, the university announced Friday.

The donation of cash and in-kind services over five years will help diversify the citrus varieties on the University Farm Laboratory, says Todd Einhorn, a professor in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology’s Department of Plant Science.

The gift also awards a one-year, $12,000 competitive undergraduate student fellowship each of the next five years that will offer hands-on learning in citriculture. Funds also were set aside to purchase books and supplies for students enrolled in this fall’s citriculture course in the Horticulture Department.

“The gift represents a progressive, new model for supporting educational programs,” says Mr. Einhorn.

Paramount is a major citrus grower, packer and shipper, which owns and farms approximately 20,000 acres (bearing and in development) of Clementine mandarins, navel and Valencia oranges, lemons and other citrus varieties in the Central Valley and Ventura County. The company farms another 10,000 acres of citrus, nuts and other permanent crops through its S&J Farm Management subsidiary.

Charles Boyer, dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, says the program will enhance the University Farm laboratory by selecting and planting highly marketable citrus cultivars. Twelve acres of the 16-acre citrus portion of the farm will be replanted utilizing several rootstock cultivar combinations to address teaching and research initiatives.

“Educational and research plantings will be at current industry-standard planting densities, giving our students direct opportunities to learn current California citrus production practices,” Mr. Einhorn says.

The gift also supports developing and installing a highly efficient irrigation system for the University Farm Laboratory’s citrus acreage.

Source: http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=7137