ASHS 2025 Conference

Pollination is a prerequisite for optimizing both yield and fruit quality within commercial highbush blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) production systems. Although many insects can pollinate blueberry flowers, the honey bee (Apis mellifera) provides most of the pollination services within commercial settings due to the large number of foraging individuals within a single colony. Despite this, insufficient pollination frequently limits growers from achieving their full yield potential, and research-based recommendations to inform pollination strategies are lacking. The objective of this presentation is to summarize how the cross-disciplinary and multi-institutional Blueberry Pollination Project has addressed some of these barriers by investigating best practices to achieve optimal honey bee-mediated pollination and formulate decision-aid tools. Key findings that will be highlighted include the role of cross-pollination for optimizing yields in northern and southern highbush blueberry cultivars, the effects of hive placement on flower visitation and overall crop pollination, effects of changing stocking density and colony placement on farm income, and how landscape density and colony population size are more influential in determining flower visitation and pollination outcomes than traditional stocking density recommendations. Decision-aid tools that predict bloom phenology for the timely arrival and departure of honey bee colonies will also be introduced alongside other project resources available on our website (https://blueberrypollination.org/).

Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum interspecific hybrids) production in many regions of the world requires significant investments, including the use of soil amendments like pine bark. Prior research has identified V. arboreum as a potential rootstock which may reduce the need for costly soil inputs for growing southern highbush blueberries (SHB). Furthermore, use of V. arboreum as a blueberry rootstock may improve drought tolerance, increase plant longevity, confer tolerance to bacterial leaf scorch (Xylella fastidiosa), and make mechanical harvesting more feasible. However, V. arboreum propagation and grafting can be challenging. Thus, there is a critical need to develop nursery practices for the production of grafted blueberry liners. Preliminary observations suggest that interspecific hybrids of SHB × V. arboreum may have desirable rootstock characteristics like greater rooting success and wider scion compatibility than V. arboreum. This study aimed to identify optimal grafting practices by evaluating the effects of different grafting timings on subsequent plant development of SHB grafted onto SHB × V. arboreum hybrids and V. arboreum rootstocks. ‘Sentinel’ and ‘Albus’ SHB scion cultivars were grafted onto V. arboreum and hybrid rootstocks at four times in the year: February, March, September, and November. Scion takes and growth were evaluated. Grafting success and subsequent plant development were assessed using a bud development scale. Results showed that grafting in the spring improved scion development compared to fall grafting. Additionally, hybrid rootstocks exhibited greater compatibility with SHB scions than V. arboreum. The findings from this project will contribute to the optimization of nursery practices for producing grafted SHB nursery plants efficiently which is necessary for adoption of rootstock use in commercial blueberry production.

Blueberry fruit are rich in antioxidants and have become popular due to their numerous health benefits. In many fruits, a significant metabolic shift in carbon metabolism during fruit ripening leads to an increase in sugars, decrease in acids and accumulation of anthocyanins. The alterations in metabolic programs during fruit ripening in blueberry remain uncharacterized. Further, the role of ethylene in metabolic reprograming during blueberry ripening has not been studied. We quantified sugars, acids, anthocyanins and determined the expression of genes related to their metabolism. This study revealed that sucrose import into the fruit continues throughout ripening, with a corresponding increase in glucose and fructose. The transcript abundance of SUCROSE SYNTHASE and NEUTRAL INVERTASE was detected, suggesting sucrose catabolism in the cytosol. The high transcript abundance of VACUOLAR INVERTASE suggested that this gene plays a predominant role in sequestration of glucose and fructose in the vacuole. Malate and quinate were the major acids that displayed a decrease in concentration during ripening. The expression of MALATE DEHYDROGENASE and high transcript abundance of PHOSPHOENOLPYRUVATE CARBOXYKINASE suggested conversion of malate to phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) during ripening. One of the potential fates of PEP, the generation of shikimate for anthocyanin production, was supported by the upregulation of multiple anthocyanin biosynthesis genes. Further, applications of ethephon and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid, suggested that ethylene transiently stimulates sugar, acid and anthocyanin metabolism. This indicated ethylene is important for ripening initiation in blueberry. Overall, this study provided insights into metabolic programs, and the role of ethylene during blueberry ripening.

Conventional breeding of woody fruit crops through hybridization is more time-consuming, labor-intensive, and costly than breeding annual plants, primarily due to their prolonged juvenile phase before flowering. Over the past two decades, significant efforts have been made to accelerate woody plant breeding, also known as as FasTrack breeding, by shortening juvenility using cutting-edge technologies. One key strategy involves genetic engineering of flowering pathway genes, particularly members of the phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein (PEBP) family, such as FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) and TERMINAL FLOWER 1 (TFL1). Constitutive expression of FT or knockout/knockdown of TFL1 has proven effective in inducing early flowering. These approaches have successfully enabled FasTrack breeding in blueberry (Vaccinium cormbosum) and plum (Prunus domestica). In this presentation, I will share our success in blueberry FasTrack breeding and discuss recent progress in applying this strategy to grapevine (Vitis vinifera). More recently, we have developed FasTrack breeding blueberry (Vaccinium cormbosum) and made significant progress in applying this strategy to grapevine (Vitis vinifera) though FT overexpression and TFL1 gene editing.

Maypop (Passiflora incarnata) is a perennial vine native to North America, valued for its tropical fruit flavor, adaptability, and resilience to cold and drought. Unlike Passiflora edulis (Passion fruit), which thrives only in tropical and subtropical climates, Maypop has potential as a high-value fruit crop for temperate regions. In addition to its edible fruit, its leaves and flowers have medicinal applications, and its seed oil is rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, making it valuable for cosmetic and therapeutic use. This study evaluated the performance of two Maypop cultivars, ‘PinkPop’ and ‘SnowPop,’ in a field trial at Kentucky State University’s Harold R. Benson Research Farm. A randomized complete block design was used to assess plant growth, fruit yield, fruit quality, and seed characteristics in 2024. Fruits from a wild relative were also analyzed for comparison. Preliminary results showed no significant difference in plant height (~86 cm) and stem diameter (~5.5 mm) between cultivars in June. ‘SnowPop’ produced more fruits and had higher yield than ‘PinkPop,’ though the difference was not statistically significant. However, ‘PinkPop’ produced significantly heavier fruits (30.8 g) compared to ‘SnowPop’ (26.09 g), while both had a similar average fruit diameter (~36 mm). The wild relative produced comparatively larger fruits (45.92 g, 55.67 mm diameter). Soluble solids content was comparable between ‘PinkPop’ (13.6° Brix) and ‘SnowPop’ (12.9° Brix), whereas the wild relative had significantly lower Brix (6.6°). Seed analysis indicated that ‘PinkPop’ had more and heavier seeds per fruit, contributing to a higher edible pulp content, while ‘SnowPop’ had fewer seeds, making it potentially more desirable for fresh consumption and processing. Overall, both cultivars demonstrated strong potential for commercial cultivation in Kentucky, and their traits, along with those of the wild relative, highlight opportunities for breeding programs to develop improved Maypop cultivars with enhanced fruit quality.

Blueberries (Vaccinium spp.) are small fruit crops native to North America but grown commercially in several countries worldwide. Blueberries are highly vulnerable to changing climatic conditions and prolonged heat waves. High temperatures pose a significant challenge for developing strategies for enhancing crop resilience and food security. As blueberry is a recently domesticated crop, the availability of genomic resources is minimal for accelerating climate-resilient blueberry breeding programs, especially for heat stress tolerance. Previously, we identified several single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with heat-tolerant traits in blueberries. In this study, we developed 96 Kompetitive Allele-Specific PCR (KASP) marker assays and 10 Cleaved Amplified Polymorphic Sequences (CAPS) markers for heat tolerance-associated SNPs. KASP assays were screened on 384 plants comprising diploid and tetraploid intercross derivatives, cultivars, and wild germplasm. We found a high level of heterozygosity for these markers. A principal component analysis of the genotype data differentiated wild accessions and hybrids, whereas tetraploid derivatives and cultivars formed a single cluster. A diverse panel of 42 accessions was evaluated under controlled high-temperature conditions (40 °C for 4 days) in a separate study. Physiological responses to heat stress were quantified by measuring leaf malondialdehyde (MDA) content (an indicator of oxidative membrane damage) and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters to assess photosystem II efficiency. Cultivars varied in stress response: heat-tolerant genotypes accumulated significantly less MDA and sustained higher photochemical efficiency than sensitive ones. Five CAPS markers showed substantial allele-associated differences in MDA levels, effectively distinguishing tolerant vs. sensitive groups. Cluster analysis based on the CAPS genotypes further separated cultivars according to genetic background (highbush vs. rabbiteye), revealing the known heat-resilient cultivars (often with wild Vaccinium ancestry) grouped together. These findings highlight robust marker–trait associations between SNP-derived CAPS markers and heat-tolerance indicators. Upon further validation in diverse germplasm, the newly developed markers will facilitate breeding heat-tolerant blueberry cultivars.

Muscadine grape seeds are a rich source of polyphenols with known health benefits, yet the specific compounds responsible for their anticancer effects remain poorly understood. This study investigates the cytotoxic potential of muscadine seed metabolites against African American triple-negative breast cancer using an integrated OMICS approach combining genomics, metabolomics, cytotoxicity assays, HPLC, gene expression profiling, molecular modeling, and statistical analysis. Among 1,781 metabolites identified by LC/MS-MS, we identified three compounds that exhibited the strongest anticancer activity by targeting Eph receptor signaling, cell proliferation, and inducing apoptosis. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of muscadine seed phytochemicals and support their development as functional food components or leads for targeted cancer therapies.

Pierce’s Disease (PD) is a major disease of grapevines in the southeast US caused by the xylem dwelling bacteria Xylella fastidiosa subsp. fastidiosa (Xf). XylPhi-PD is a bacteriophage product recently registered for PD management in grapevines in Georgia. In 2023 and 2024, ‘Vidal blanc’ hybrid winegrape vines with a history of PD were either ‘treated’ at the maximum label rate or ’untreated’ in a commercial vineyard in Lumpkin Co. GA. Disease was rated visually by two raters in September shortly after harvest. A subsample (n=80) was assessed by AmplifyRP XRT to confirm visual assessment. Overall, there was a reduced disease incidence and severity in the treated vines for both years (chi-sq p

The High-Resolution (HiRes) Vineyard Nutrient Management Project is developing precision agriculture tools for vineyard nutrition monitoring and refining current guidelines for all grape markets (wine, table, raisin, and juice) in the United States (US). In 2021, an industry survey was conducted, and data was received from commercial grape growers in 25 states. These results provided a nutrient management baseline: growers use annual vine tissue testing and periodic soil testing by manually collecting vine tissues (petioles and leaf blades) and/or soil and sending them to labs for analysis. There is low adoption of precision agriculture methods in farming, and the reasons cited were perceived high costs and technical complexity. In 2025, focus groups were conducted to gather data on how growers prioritize nutrient management, methods used for monitoring, and openness to adopting new vineyard nutrition sensor technologies. Focus groups were conducted across grape-producing states representing eastern and western US regions. These were semi-structured discussions using a uniform questionnaire. Each meeting consisted of 5-10 participants, including vineyard managers, vineyard or winery owners, and other industry stakeholders. Discussions focused on grower decision-making processes, valuation of nutrient management, and strategies for integrating precision agriculture technology. Results show that growers highly value vineyard nutrition for maintaining vine health and crop balance, as found in the 2021 survey. Participants emphasized challenges in field sampling efficiency, consistency, cost, and uncertainty in interpreting results for management plans. Participants had ongoing concerns about input costs and the practical limitations of current equipment for variable-rate applications, particularly for micronutrients. Although growers indicated low use of precision agriculture methods in 2021, focus group results show strong interest in new tools. However, these tools need to be affordable, user-friendly, allow for in-house data, and provide actionable recommendations tailored to specific vine phenology and regional soil variability. A growing interest in regenerative and organic approaches emerged as a significant management theme across regions. These findings are forming the project’s outreach to deliver comprehensive educational resources and user-friendly sensor technologies to enhance grower vineyard nutrient monitoring practices.

Grape (Vitis spp) has four ICE genes encoding proteins with possible functions as transcription factors in an ICE-CBF cold acclimation pathway. Using an Agrobacterium-mediated transactivation system, it was determined that Vitis riparia ICE activates the VrCBF4 promoter after a 4-day incubation period at 22 C when effector and reporter bacteria were at an OD600 of at least 0.25 and 0.5, respectively. All four grape ICE proteins activated VrCBF4 and VrCBF6 promoters. These promoters were used as reporter because both these CBF genes are abundantly expressed in overwintering mature grape buds and therefore thought to be important for freezing tolerance in grape. VrCBF4 was activated most by VrICE2 and VrICE3 whereas VrCBF6 was activated most by VrICE1 and VrICE4. An additional 2 hours of cold treatment increased activation by only the ICE proteins, VrICE2 and VrICE3 that contain a sumoylation site. This supports the notion that low temperature stabilizes VrICE2 and VrICE3 protein by sumoylation. Using a 5’ deletion series of the VrCBF4 promoter it was found that the -281 to -342 bp region contains sequence sufficient for activation by the VrICE proteins or stomatal protein VrFAMA(L). Analyses with a wild type or mutated MYC2g element plus min35S promoter showed that VrICE2, VrICE3 and FAMA(L) activated via this element. The higher activation by combinations of VrICE and VrFAMA(L) suggests that they interact with each other to direct VrCBF4 activation which showed possible overlap between stomatal development and cold acclimation pathways.

High tunnel hydroponic systems are increasingly adopted to extend the growing season and improve fruit quality in red raspberry (Rubus idaeus) production. While nutrient management guidelines exist for northern climates, they are often not suited to Lower Midwestern systems especially those using soilless substrates such as coconut coir. In these cooler climates, nitrogen uptake is limited by low root zone temperatures and reduced microbial activity, often resulting in unchecked vegetative growth that shades developing fruit and reduces yield and quality. In contrast, warmer Lower Midwestern high tunnels promote faster nitrogen uptake due to elevated root temperatures and increased plant metabolic rates. While this enhances nutrient absorption, it also encourages overly vigorous vegetative growth when fertility is not carefully managed, limiting light penetration and shifting resources away from fruit development. These challenges highlight the need for region specific nitrogen thresholds that optimize fruit yield without promoting excessive shoot growth. Without region-specific fertility strategies, nutrient applications often exceed crop demand, reducing efficiency and productivity. This project aims to develop optimized nutrient management strategies tailored to soilless raspberry production in Lower Midwestern high tunnels. A completely randomized split-plot experiment was conducted in a high tunnel located in southern Illinois. Three nitrogen fertigation rates (low, medium, high) were assigned to main plots, and five foliar nutrient treatments to split plots. Raspberries were grown in coconut coir, and each of the 15 treatment combinations was replicated four times (n = 60 plots), with five plants per plot and two fruiting canes per plant. Measured variables included shoot length, leaf number, total fruit yield, average berry weight, and foliar nutrient concentrations. These metrics were used to evaluate treatment effects on nutrient efficiency and overall plant performance. Results showed a 222.5% increase in potential fruit yield between the lowest and highest producing plots per 9 × 27-meter-high tunnels. However, this yield gain was accompanied by a 5.9% decrease in average berry size, indicating a trade-off in which higher yields are associated with smaller berries, while lower yields produce larger fruit. This research provides practical, science-based fertility recommendations to growers for improvement of fruit quality and yield, reduced fertilizer waste, and enhanced sustainability and profitability of raspberry production in Lower Midwestern high tunnels.

Pairwise is pioneering the application of CRISPR technology in food and agriculture. Our company brings together leaders in agriculture, technology, and consumer foods to harness the transformative potential of novel genomics technologies to create innovative new products. We are working to develop new varieties of crops, and to partner with organizations that seek to deliver innovation across the plant-based economy. At Pairwise, we have established robust and reproducible product development pipelines in multiple crops that rapidly propel research from proof-of-concept to product development. We have recovered and characterized edited events in tetraploid blackberry (Rubus subg. Rubus) to improve architecture and agronomic traits. In this presentation, we will share insights and progress on the recovery of edited blackberry plants with desired trait phenotypes.

Consumer expectations for grapes often center around their visual appeal, taste, and mouthfeel. For instance, the satisfying crunch of a crisp green grape is highly desirable. Similarly, grocery stores maintain strict standards for freshness to ensure marketability. However, these expectations are predominantly based on the vinifera grape, setting a benchmark that muscadines—though beloved in the Southeastern United States—struggle to meet. Muscadine grapes differ significantly from table grapes, leading to challenges in consumer acceptance and retail adoption. Thin-skinned and firm-fleshed berries are selected in our breeding program to make muscadines more palatable to a wider audience and more appealing to retailers, but could potentially reduce shelf life by increasing transpiration rates. Given these concerns, our study examined a range of attributes related to berry texture and their effects on storage ability. Thirty muscadine genotypes were evaluated over a month-long storage period in which attributes such as firmness, skin thickness, and flesh texture were measured. Our findings indicate that berry firmness decreases during storage relative to initial firmness. However, berries ranking firmer at harvest remained firmer after storage compared to softer genotypes. Importantly, our breeding efforts to enhance texture showed minimal impact on storage ability. These results suggest that selecting for vinifera-like texture traits in muscadines can improve consumer and retailer acceptance without significantly compromising shelf life, offering promising implications for expanding muscadine markets nationwide.

The muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia Michx.) is a native fruit crop of the Southeastern U.S., known for its resiliency, high nutritional value, and relatively low input cost in comparison to bunch grapes. Muscadine grape breeding efforts aim to answer production challenges by developing new germplasm with superior traits such as cultivars with large berry size, increased yield, and improved fruit quality attributes. This study aimed to evaluate the overall performance of the University of Arkansas breeding program advanced selections ‘AM-70’, ‘AM-195’, ‘AM-26’ and ‘AM-77’ and the University of Georgia bred selections ‘Ga. 10-1-222’, ‘Ga. 13-4-2’, ‘Ga. 6-1-269’ and ‘Ga. 10-1-294’ in Alabama conditions. Plants of ‘RubyCrisp’ were included for comparison. The experimental vines were planted at the Chilton Research and Extension Center (USDA hardiness zone 8A), Clanton, AL, in 2021. A RCB design with four single plant replications was utilized. Harvesting season spanned from Aug. 9 to Sept. 18, 2024. Fruit of ‘Ga. 10-1-222’, ‘Ga. 13-4-2’, ‘Ga. 6-1-269’, ‘Ga. 10-1-294’, ‘AM-70’, ‘AM-26’and ‘AM-77’ ripened early whereas ‘AM-195’ had a mid-season ripening and ‘RubyCrisp’ matured late in the season. Results suggest ‘Ga. 10-1-294’, was the highest yielding selection, with a total yield of 27.7 kg/vine, compared to the standard cultivar ‘RubyCrisp’, which yielded 24.3 kg/vine. However, no significant difference in total yield among the tested selections was found. The berries of ‘Ga. 6-1-269’ had the largest individual berry weight of 11.9 g, followed by cultivar ‘RubyCrisp’ (11.5 g). ‘AM-195’ berries were the firmest and it was found that the selections differ in flesh firmness. While ‘RubyCrisp’ produced the highest percent berries with wet stem scar (27.6%), ‘AM-26’ had the highest percent berries with dry stem scar (92.9%). ‘AM-70’ berries were the sweetest (17.10 Brix), followed by ‘AM-195’ (15.20 Brix). The TSS:TA ratio varied between 16.7 and 41.0 and was highest for ‘AM-70’. The important fruit productivity and fruit quality parameters evaluated in this study can inform breeders on selection of superior cultivars of muscadine grapes.

Blackberry (Rubus spp.) growers in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) regularly experience freeze damage, which limits yields and on-farm revenues. Freeze mitigation using wind machines, in-field heaters, and overhead sprinkler irrigation is costly and may not be economical. Sprayable biostimulants, in contrast, are potentially more affordable and readily adaptable as they can be applied using equipment readily available on most farms. However, the efficacy of biostimulants at mitigating freeze damage is largely unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a glycine betaine-based biostimulant on the freezing damage of ‘Victoria’ floral buds. The biostimulant (FRUIT ARMORTM) was applied four days before a freezing event at its highest label rate (4.5 kg/ha) to three consecutive rows in different areas of a commercial farm in Skagit County, Washington. The foliar application was compared to an untreated control. Floricanes from both treatments were collected two days after a second frost and scored for damage by quantifying the presence or absence of damage to primary floral buds from a total of 720 treated and 720 untreated buds. A mixed-effect logistic regression model was used to analyze the data and account for cane and location variability, as well as estimate the expected probability of damage to the floral buds. The foliar application of glycine betaine increased freezing tolerance and reduced the expected probability of damage in the buds by 5.5%. Furthermore, the odds of bud damage in the control were 1.42 higher compared to treated buds. Results indicate that glycine betaine promotes freeze tolerance and may be a cost-effective strategy for blackberry growers to reduce freeze damage. Further research should be done to evaluate other biostimulant active ingredients as well as the optimal timing of biostimulant application and cost-benefits relative to other freeze mitigation practices.

Research on nitrogen (N) allocation and accumulation in blackberries has primarily focused on floricane-fruiting varieties. However, there is a gap in existing literature on primocane-fruiting blackberry N allocation due to how relatively new primocane-fruiting blackberries are to the commercial industry. The objectives of this study were to investigate how fertilizer N is partitioned among plant parts in ‘Prime-Ark Traveler®’ and quantify the percent N recovery by the plant. In 2023, 15N labeled ammonium-nitrate was applied at a rate of 134.4 kg N/ha to a planting of ‘Prime-Ark Traveler®’ blackberries at the University of Arkansas Fruit Research Station in Clarksville, AR. Plants were fertilized via drip-irrigation over fifteen weeks. In 2023, plant biomass samples were collected in triplicate at four physiological stages: (1) small green floricane fruit, (2) peak-floricane harvest, (3) peak-primocane harvest, and (4) after floricane senescence. This paper focuses on results of leaf, cane, and crown 15N content. Due to senescence, floricanes were not collected at stage 4. Plant parts were separated by cane type before being dried and analyzed to determine mass fertilizer-N recovery (MFNR) and fertilizer recovery efficiency (FRE). MFNR represents the uptake of 15N fertilizer by individual plant organs (g/plant organ) at a given stage. FRE was calculated as a percent of 15N fertilizer in the plant (MFNR) out of total applied (g), with total FRE determined by averaging the FRE of plants at stage 4 and accounting for removed tissues such as fruit and floricanes. Primocane leaf MFNR was highest at stage 3 (1.84 g) and significantly different than stages 1 and 2. Physiological stage did not impact floricane leaf MFNR. Primocane cane MFNR was highest in at stage 3 (0.78 g) and was significantly different than stages 1 and 2. Floricane cane MFNR was highest at stage 1 (0.50 g) and was significantly different than all other stages. No significant differences were observed for MFNR in crowns across physiological stage. The finding that floricane 15N decreased over the season while primocane 15N increased are consistent with current literature on floricane fruiting types of blackberry which indicate that fertilizer applied in-season is generally allocated toward the primocane, however some N uptake in-season by the floricane does occur. Total plant FRE at stage 3 was 21.23%. High soil N levels at the trial site may have diluted uptake of applied 15N. These preliminary results represent the initial year findings of a multi-year trial.

This poster presents findings from NE-SARE Professional Development Program, which provided critical training in raspberry nutrition management to 87 participants across seven workshops in 2024. The focus was on Floricane and Primocane raspberries grown under high tunnel systems, targeting small-scale and underserved growers in Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia. Participants learned advanced fertilization techniques, including injector use, dose calculations, and liquid versus granular fertilizer applications. Hardwood cuttings valued at $5,000 were distributed for vegetative propagation—transforming waste material into economic assets for 25 farmers. The workshops also introduced split-dose fertilization and nutrient timing, equipping participants to enhance productivity and reduce environmental impact. Demographically, the training reached a diverse audience, with 66.7% of surveyed participants identifying as Black and 44.4% as Black female farmers. Pre-training surveys revealed significant knowledge gaps—88.9% rated their understanding of fertilization topics as 1 out of 5. Post-training responses showed marked improvements in technical skills, confidence, and intent to implement sustainable practices. All participants planned to adopt at least one technique such as split-dose fertilization or injector-based nutrient delivery. The project not only advanced skill development but also inspired proactive change in raspberry cultivation, promoting equity and sustainability in Mid-Atlantic agriculture.

In Texas, and across the country increased use of auxin like herbicides (ALH) have led to a significant rise in instances of off target injury, either through direct spray drift or volatilization. Commonly used in row crop production for control of broadleaf weeds, ALH have the ability to travel several miles under optimal environmental conditions, increasing the chance for off target exposure. Through the increased adoption of ALH resistant row crops, incidents of drift damage have only increased. Currently growers, both grape and non-grape, have no practical solutions for protecting their crops. The solution currently is using passive mitigation, through the use of buffer zones or avoiding planting near areas of row crop production, with either is not always being feasible. Grapes are especially sensitive to AHLH, with visible injury occurring at even 1/100th of the labeled application rate. In Texas over 40% of growers in the High Plains and West Texas have reported injury in vines from ALH. As grape production continues to increase in Texas there is a need for a viable and cost-effective solution for the prevention of ALH damage. This study is investigating the novel use of a class of small molecules, a single candidate used in this preliminary experiment, that share a similar mode of action. These molecules compete for the binding site of the TIR1/AFB protein found in plants, to inhibit the binding of ALH. If successful, these small molecules could prevent the auxin-signaling pathway from being activated by ALH. This compound was tested in-vitro conditions using rates well above drift incidents. If effective these molecules represent the first steps in developing active mitigation strategies for the prevention of off target ALH incidents. While this study is being conducted with grapevines, should it show promise, tests could be expanded to other horticultural crops in preventing ALH damage.