Out in Upper Deerfield Township in Cumberland County, surrounded by hundreds of acres of corn, are a few acres where Rutgers University researchers are growing the tomatoes of tomorrow… “We started breeding tomatoes that resist bruising,” said Jack Rabin, associate director of farm programs for Rutgers’ New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. “That’s where the train ran off the track. We were so good at what we were doing, we forgot that people wanted to have a sloppy, juicy thing that left juice running down their chin.” “If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that there’s no such thing as the perfect tomato, said Extension Specialist Tom Orton as he stood among rows of tomato plants at the station’s field.
Rutgers 250: NJAES All-Star Variety of the Month – ‘Triploid’ Oyster
The oyster breeding program at Rutgers University has conducted over a century of cutting-edge scientific research to overcome challenges to the industry from the devastating effects of over-fishing, diseases, and climate change. Professor Ximing Guo explains his research and vision. Throughout Rutgers’ yearlong celebration of its 250th anniversary (November 2015 to November 2016), NJAES each […]
Rutgers’ Nature Thru Nurture program brings STEM to life: BTN LiveBIG
It’s noon on a Tuesday in New Jersey. Students circle a pond inhabited by creatures big and small – some on four feet, others powered by tentacles or wings. This is Rutgers’ Nature Thru Nurture (NTN) program, where plants, animals, gardens and bugs are…
Horsemen urge voters to say ‘yes’ on casino referendum
The future of New Jersey’s equine industry may depend on voter’s response to a referendum on the November ballot expanding casino gambling beyond Atlantic City… Dr. Karyn Malinowski, the director of the Rutgers Equine Science Center (RESC), said that…
Using Gardens to Improve Community Health and Manage Stormwater Runoff
The Shiloh Community Garden in downtown New Brunswick has been the focal point of a unique health project that seeks to foster positive physical, emotional, and social health outcomes for an underserved city population: uninsured clients of Elijah’s Promise Soup Kitchen. These clients, who receive free primary care through the Promise Clinic, a volunteer clinic […]
Faculty Focus: Distinguished Prof. Bingru Huang Works on Improving Turfgrass Stress Tolerance for China’s Growing Industry
As China’s economy is growing and the population is increasing, China’s turfgrass industry is rapidly expanding due to the increasing needs for general landscaping and sports fields. The GDP of the turf-related industry in China is over 3 billion yuan and is expected to increase by 30–50 percent each year. One of the major issues […]
Reviving seeds of Campbell’s tomato legacy
Surveying the basket of tomatoes in the middle of a table at the Center for Environmental Transformation in Camden, a teenager wearing a Captain Planet T-shirt plucked a small round tomato out of the mix, a Campbell’s 146. “I like this one because it sounds like an experiment,” Dimitrius Eliza said. The tomato was an experiment of sorts, one of many tomatoes bred by the Campbell Soup Company in Camden soil…. The J.T.D. was later crossed with the Marglobe to create the Rutgers, which was introduced in 1934; as evidenced by the name, Rutgers University worked in conjunction with the company to develop new varieties. With the Rutgers, Sonke said, “The two primary characteristics they were breeding for was something that would ripen more uniformly…but the other thing they were looking for was disease resistance.”
Urban High School Students Dive Deep into Science at Rutgers University
Annual 4-H Summer Science Program was held July 11-15 on the Cook Campus Over sixty high school students from Elizabeth, Newark, New Brunswick, Passaic, Paterson, Trenton, Rahway and Atlantic City participated in hands-on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) activities alongside Rutgers faculty at the 8th annual 4-H Summer Science Program on the Rutgers-New Brunswick […]
Middlesex County set for 78th annual fair
One of Central Jersey’s largest events, the Middlesex County Fair, promises fun, farm and animal flair as the venture gets ready to start its 78th year in “business.”… Celebrating 250 years of Rutgers: The Middlesex County Fair is one of several county fairs celebrating Rutgers’ 250th anniversary with special interactive displays designed to bring attendees closer to the revolutionary history of its state university. For generations, Rutgers has been a vital partner in the Garden State’s county fair tradition through Rutgers Cooperative Extension and its 4-H Youth Development Program. To honor the milestone anniversary, all of the state’s county fairs will feature the theme, “Rutgers. Revolutionary for 250 Years.” Fairgoers will have the chance to be a part of history under a special tent that recreates the Nov. 10, 1766 signing of the charter that launched Queens College, the precursor to Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Interactive cut-out figures for photo opportunities and “Rutgers 250” plant breeding products are also new this year.
Rutgers turfgrasses prized at Baltusrol, PGA event site
When the world’s top male golfers gather at the legendary Baltusrol Golf Club this week, they will be playing on numerous turfgrasses developed by Rutgers University.
