Sun World Table Grape Breeder, Dr. Michael Striem

With the 2003 season fast approaching, Sun World Table Grape Breeder, Dr. Michael Striem (pictured) has his hands full in preparation.  Michael oversees operations of the Sun World Table Grape Breeding Program in Bakersfield, CA., the largest of it's kind in the world.  "In the springtime I finalize the crossing program," said Striem, "It is one of the most exciting tasks for a breeder. In order to choose the right combination of parents for the next generation, I have to investigate my genetic collection for their potential contribution to their offspring".  Springtime is much more than a time for crossing plans though. "At this time pruning and training is done, and the first early vines start to push their buds," added Striem, "We also have some of our very early selections planted in the early-ripening Coachella Valley, where there is already several inches of shoot growth.  And with our Product Development Specialist, Guy McGhie, we are preparing many field experiments."

Striem, a native of Israel, is beginning his third season with Sun World Research and Development Department.  He has a Ph. D from Hebrew University in Jerusalem, working on molecular and biological aspects of seedlessness in grapes.  Michael did post-doctoral research at Cornell University Research Center in Geneva New York, where he worked on grape embryogenesis and biolistic transformation in grapes.  Before coming to Sun World, Michael worked with the Volcani Agricultural Research Center in Israel, where he was doing research on grapevine physiology related to irrigation, nutrition, and dormancy.  During his tenure at the Volcani Center, he also worked in the fields of almond, peach and apricot breeding, and started a molecular genetics program for grape breeding.  His past work in Israel included an appointment as Horticultural Supervisor and Extension Agent overseeing all plantations in the Southern Golan in Israel. 

Michael and his wife, Dalia live in Bakersfield with daughter, Effie. Their two other children are now working and attending college in Israel.

Contact Michael:  mstriem@sun-world.com

Sun World Seasonal Shots .

The Sun World Seasonal Shots section has resumed for the 2003 season.  Sun World R&D posts current-season photos and commentary on a weekly basis throughout the season. Members of the Sun World Fruit Alliance worldwide can check in periodically to see what is in the pipeline at Sun World R&D breeding programs.

Stone Fruit Pollinations Underway at Sun World R&D.

Bloom was early this year for stone fruit in Southern California and February has been a very busy month  of cross-pollinations at Sun World R&D in Bakersfield, California. "We started crosses this year in late January", said Terry Bacon, Sun World Stone Fruit Breeder, "and will continue throughout February and March". Cross-pollination is a very important part of the fruit breeding process but far from the beginning or the end of the process (see Fruit Breeding is a Game of Numbers). The fruit breeding process begins with careful analysis of the performance of many potential parent varieties.  "We are trying to combine the best traits of one fruit variety with the best of another, in the hope that at least one seedling of the resulting progeny is a winner," said Bacon (see Sun World Successes), "and fruit breeding is not for the impatient",  added Bacon,  "I don't see myself as a patient person, but after a few years, you learn to accept the timeline. We wont know whether we did a good job with the 2003 crosses until we've evaluate the seedlings during 2005 through 2007".

Sun World R&D has a veteran staff of field workers during the crossing season. "All of our permanent field staff have been with us over a decade", said Bacon. Two of the workers, Felice Martinez and Celerina Ponce (pictured) have been with Sun World R&D for 16 years. Their broad range of skill and experience are felt throughout the season however. "They do it all," noted Bacon, "from pollen collection to the very tricky table grape pollinations, to laboratory embryo rescue, and on and on.  We're blessed to have them".

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