The California Celery Research Advisory Board, CCRAB, is a non-profit, industry directed organization, operating under the auspices of the California Marketing Act, which funds and directs public sector celery research. California celery growers produce over 85% of the nation’s celery, about 23,800 acres at a cost of about $95,000,000.
CCRAB was formed in 1976, by assent of a majority of celery producers, to fund Fusarium research. Fusarium is an uncontrollable soil borne fungus that stunts or kills susceptible celery if grown in infested soils. After three decades of concerted effort by University of California researchers, industry cooperators and CCRAB, celery seed and varieties with fusarium tolerant genes is now commercially available to celery growers. While CCRAB continues to fund fusarium research, more emphasis is now placed on other celery pests and diseases.
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