Fosters.com reports on plum production research

Fosters.com published a University of Maine news release about researchers who are working to bring locally grown plums to farm stands around the state. The two-year project — funded by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry — is identifying suitable plum varieties for Maine’s climate that would help diversify the state’s apple farms. The project is a joint collaboration between Angela Myracle, a phytochemist and nutritional biochemist at UMaine, and Renae Moran, a tree fruit specialist with the UMaine Cooperative Extension. The team is assessing locally grown plum varieties by evaluating crop yields, fruit quality, consumer acceptance and production costs.