OSA is a partner in the Tomato Organic Management and Improvement (TOMI) project, a multi-state breeding initiative focused on developing disease-resistant tomatoes that have exceptional flavor. Partners include Purdue University, North Carolina State University, University of Wisconsin – Madison, Oregon State University, and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. Variety trials and taste tests are conducted in states where there’s late blight disease pressure — Oregon, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Indiana — and OSA produces seed from the breeding lines in our Washington greenhouse.
TOMI highlights the value of national collaborations where researchers representing different regions work to achieve a shared goal. The benefits include having data from variety trials in multiple states and coordinating breeding activities to maximize time, resources, and expertise. This project is made possible through support from the USDA’s Organic Research and Extension Initiative (OREI).
