May 8, 2018

North American Strawberry Symposium, NASGA event set

The 9th North American Strawberry Symposium (NASS), a meeting of strawberry growers, researchers, and other industry members from around the globe, will be held in conjunction with the annual NASGA conference, Feb. 3-6, 2019 in Orlando, Florida. Florida is the U.S. leader in winter strawberry production and features a strong partnership between Florida strawberry producers and the University of Florida. This partnership is reflective of the purpose of this conference, which brings together growers and scientists from around the globe to spur innovation.

The symposium will include two and a half days of workshops, reception, research presentations, marketing presentations, poster sessions and an award luncheon, and will be followed by a post-conference tour on Feb. 6. The tour will feature a 600-acre strawberry farm, a robotic harvester demonstration, and field research at the University of Florida Gulf Coast Research and Education Center. The Program Committee is committed to making this a world-class research symposium for growers and scientists, and we look forward to seeing you in Orlando at the peak of the strawberry season. 

Subject areas for oral and poster presentations include: Global and North American Overviews, Breeding, Genetics, Molecular Biology, Disease & Pest Management, Propagation & Nursery Management, Cultural Practices, Precision Agriculture, Plant Nutrition and Water Management, Plant Physiology, Economics of Production Practices, Post-Harvest Quality Management, and Food Safety. Highlights will include emerging technologies like precision agriculture, automation, and robotics. Proceedings articles from the presenters are strongly encouraged. To help us plan the program, please submit presentation titles as soon as possible and before 28 September 2018, indicating whether your presentation will be oral or a poster, to [email protected]

Workshop topics under consideration include: Methyl Bromide Alternatives, Production Management/Plant Physiology, Nursery Developments, Novel Weed Management Approaches, Entomology, Strawberry Breeding Tools and Tips, and Getting Started with Automation/Precision Agriculture, and special NIFA-funded projects.

Look for a mail-in registration form and more program details (abstract deadlines, keynote speakers, etc.) and opportunities for industry, organization and agency sponsorship on the NASGA website:  http://www.nasga.org/ in July 2018.  On-line registration will become available in September. Please spread the word to fellow researchers and strawberry growers.

Program committee:
Kim Lewers, (Chair), Research Geneticist (Plants), USDA-ARS, Beltsville, Maryland, [email protected]

Kevin Schooley, NASGA Executive Director, Kemptville, Ontario, Canada, [email protected]

Pam Fisher, Fisher Berry Crop Consulting, Ontario, Canada, [email protected]

Tom Heeman, Heeman’s, Thorndale, Ontario, Canada  [email protected]

Kenneth Parker, Executive Director, Florida Strawberry Growers Association, [email protected]

Natalia Peres, Plant Pathology, University of Florida, [email protected]

Vance Whitaker, Strawberry Breeding, University of Florida, [email protected]

Shinsuke Agehara, Plant Physiology, University of Florida, [email protected]

Jenn Haverstock, Small Fruit Specialist, Perennia, Nova Scotia, CA [email protected]

Amanda McWhirt, Fruit and Vegetable Extension Specialist, University of Arkansas,  [email protected]