CALIFORNIA SUGARBEET INDUSTRY RESEARCH COMMITTEE

REQUEST FOR 2002 GRANT PROPOSALS

DUE: DECEMBER 20, 2001

OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM: The California sugarbeet industry provides support for research focused on the needs of the industry in California. Funds come from an assessment based on sugarbeet production paid by both growers and processors. Proposals are reviewed for technical and scientific merit by a research advisory committee consisting of university and USDA scientists. Awards are made by a joint grower-processor review committee meeting subsequently in conjunction with the sugarbeet industry's annual review of funded research. Most projects are one year in duration and awards have been made in the range of $2,000 to $30,000 in the past. Awards are provided through the California Beet Growers Association and are handled as unrestricted gifts, so proposed budgets should not include overhead charges.

FORMAT: Proposals should be concise (one to four pages long) and include:

1. an introduction (justification),

2. objectives,

3. plans and procedures (methods), and

4. budget.

Plans and procedures should clearly describe the methods to be used (including background on any unusual or uncommon methods), and clearly define experimental design. A timetable or anticipated chronology for the work may be helpful. FIf the proposal is a request for renewal of an existing project or if funds have been granted for a different project(s) in the previous year, a project report should accompany the proposal. Successful applicants also will be requested to report their results in January at the annual sugarbeet research review.

INDUSTRY RESEARCH PRIORITIES: In 2001, sugarbeet production in northern California ceased. Applied research should focus on the San Joaquin and Imperial Valleys. There are several important problems affecting sugarbeet production in these areas of California that the industry regards as high priorities for research, but proposals do not need to be limited only to these priorities. The industry’s research priorities include:

1. Beet army worm and leafhopper control

2. The improvement of stand establishment

3. Curly top management

4. Sugarbeet root quality, particularly increased sugar percent

5. Virus diseases, including rhizomania, the yellowing viruses, and curly top

6. Sugarbeet cyst nematode and root knot nematode, especially in the IV.

7. Improved economic efficiency

A variety of creative approaches is encouraged.

Because funds are limited, the industry would like to encourage researchers to seek matching funds to supplement industry support. To facilitate review and evaluation, one copy of each proposal should be sent separately to both Ben Goodwin and Stephen Kaffka by December 20, 2001.

Ben Goodwin California Beet Growers Association Two West Swain Road Stockton, CA 95207-4395 TEL: (209)-477-5596 FAX: (209)-477-1610 E-MAIL: cbga@cwnet.com

Stephen Kaffka Department of Agronomy & Range Science University of California Davis, CA 95616-8515 TEL: (530)-752-8108 FAX: (530)-752-4361 E-MAIL: srkaffka@ucdavis.edu

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