A very limited program was initiated in 1996 at the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, Cook College, Rutgers University to develop population improvement programs, plant breeding technologies, and improved varieties of a number of underutilized perennial plants for food, bioenergy, timber, soil improvement and environmental enhancement.  This followed a very successful program to develop advanced breeding programs to improve a number of perennial grass species for turf, soil improvement, and environmental enhancement.  Varieties developed in this turfgrass program are widely used throughout USA, Canada, Western Europe, and Eastern Asia.  Many genetic improvement programs throughout the world are using plant breeding technologies and germplasm from the turf program.

The original board members of IPPFBE (left to right: Clarence Funk, Carol Petersen, Reed Funk, Tim Ford, and Tom Molnar)

The program to improve perennial plants for food and bioenergy continues to grow at Rutgers University.  It was also expanded to a cooperative program located in northern Utah and southern Idaho in 1999.  This area has very different climates and soils than New Jersey and is quite similar to much of central Asia, which is the area of origin or genetic diversity of many species of interest to the program.  They include Persian (English) walnuts, apricots, almonds, apples, pistachios, and many range grasses and forbs.  Rutgers and Utah State University have developed and continue to expand cooperative programs with institutions in central Asia of special value to the agriculture of the Intermountain Region of the USA. 

Exciting progress is being made in the genetic improvement of underutilized perennial crop plants for improved nutrition, ample amounts of bioenergy, environmental enhancement, timber, and soil improvement.  Valuable new sources of germplasm are being assembled, and very promising plants are being identified in field, laboratory, and greenhouse trials.  These include attractive plants with many ornamental characteristics; precocious black walnuts, Persian (English) walnuts, and hazelnuts producing nuts within two or three seasons after direct seeding in the field; genetic resistance to many diseases and insect pests; greater winter-hardiness; later bud break to escape spring frosts and the walnut blight disease; dramatic increases in nut size and kernel fill; better flavor; greater biomass production; etc.  Three recent papers on germplasm resources have been published as feature articles in Hort Science, one a cover article.  Other articles and research proposals addressing critical issues of food security, agricultural sustainability, bioenergy, and global warming are being prepared.  These programs could be of significant importance to the nursery industry in the USA, agricultural and environmental research and practice throughout the world, human health and nutrition, energy independence, and global prosperity.