Jennifer Johnson-Cicalese

Philip E. Marucci Center for Blueberry and Cranberry Research Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey 125a Lake Oswego Chatsworth, NJ 08019 609-726-1590 Fax: 609-726-1593 jenjc@aesop.rutgers.edu

Research Interests:

Jennifer's focus for the cranberry breeding program has been on improving fruit yield, berry color and plant vigor. Considerable effort is now being placed on improving resistance to fruit rot, a serious disease in cranberries; developing a sweeter, less acidic cranberry; and on evaluating the levels of potentially beneficial flavonoids in our cranberry breeding material. In 2006, Jennifer assisted with patent applications and the release of three new cranberry varieties.

With the blueberry breeding program, the emphasis is on developing varieties with machine harvestable fruit, and varieties that expand the blueberry season, while maintaining delicious flavor and high yield.  An additional objective that is of particular interest to Jennifer is the development of a blueberry with resistance to blueberry aphid, an important virus vector.