Article from
VSCNews, Vegetable and Specialty Crop News
Scientists Developing Recipe for Growing Vanilla in South Florida
Alan Chambers with vanilla plants at the Tropical Research and Education Center
(UF/IFAS) —
A tablespoon of vanilla goes a long way. As a key spice in baking, the
intoxicating aromatic bean that reminds folks of delicious holiday
desserts has a variety of uses throughout the year.
As a bean,
it is used to flavor foods and products from cakes to candles. As an
extract, it is a basic ingredient in flavoring food, hot and cold
beverages, even pharmaceutical medications. The extract provides
benefits in cosmetics for its antioxidant properties, and in perfume
and traditional craft markets for its scent.
New developments in
genetic research, conducted by University of Florida scientists in
Homestead, will give South Florida growers an opportunity to experiment
with a large variety of vanilla bean species as early as February 2020.
If all goes as planned, growers could find themselves starting a niche
market that has been dominated by the Republic of Madagascar at a steep
price.
“We have generated a vanilla genome and diversity study
looking at over 100 vanilla types. We currently have a collection
of over 200 vanilla types from this preliminary research,” said Alan
Chambers, an assistant professor of horticultural sciences at the
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
(UF/IFAS) Tropical Research and Education Center.
Vanilla seed capsules are commonly referred to as beans. The major commercial species is V. planifolia, with V. x tahitensis cultivated to a lesser extent. These are cultivated at a hefty price from the island country.
Having
one of the largest recorded collections in the world at the UF/IFAS
Tropical Research and Education Center has its benefits. During this
phase of the research, it gives Chambers’ team including other faculty
at the center and growers a variety of beans from within the
collection to choose from. Each species has been studied for its
individual genetic composition, said Chambers.
“We are working
on characterizing each of the vanilla species and that takes time, but
it goes hand in hand with providing growers with the ability to choose
what is right for them and their preferences in the taste and aroma,”
said Chambers. “We hope to go from the ‘one vanilla fits all’ model to
offering specialty, niche, and, ultimately, exciting options for
discerning growers and foodies.”
Having this volume in a
collection offers a large selection of vanilla tastes and aromatic
variations at various points of the scale from subtle to potent. In
turn, it opens doors to new uses giving way to a new agricultural crop
that could fuel the Sunshine State’s economic engine, said Chambers.
“For
those interested in baking, we are working with natural vanilla
extracts from five different types of vanilla,” added Chambers.
These include the commercial types of V. planifolia, which is the typical extract purchased at a store. Then there is V. x tahitensis which is similar to V. planifolia
but with anise flavor notes. Chambers explained the later has an
essence that reminds him of eggnog or pizzelle type cookies. The V. pompona
is a related species grown commercially on a limited scale in South
America. Researchers are also looking at hybrids with native species,
some of which have marshmallow flavor notes.
The vanilla growing
at the center produced its first flowers and beans this year. Chambers
anticipates more flowering and beans during the first and second
quarter of 2020 allowing for the opportunity to work with growers who
are interested in starting a vanillery.
In Chambers’ most recent
publication with his team, Pamela Moon, Vovener de Verlands Edmond and
Elias Bassil, Vanilla Cultivation in Southern Florida is designed as a
guide to local growers who wish to indulge in starting a vanillery as a
secondary crop on their farms.
Currently, the United States is
the largest importer of vanilla beans from Madagascar that are further
processed into vanilla extract. As a bean, it is the second most
expensive and is the world’s most popular flavor.
In Madagascar,
where over 80 percent of vanilla is produced, the flowers require
pollination by hand. The pods need several months to cure after
harvesting that results in a process that is time-consuming and
labor-intensive. Then there is vanilla bean theft and extreme weather
conditions in Madagascar that also drive the price up for other
countries who rely on the supply chain. Vanilla is native to Mexico,
but deforestation there has greatly reduced its natural habitat. For
these and other factors, vanilla is an expensive commodity – possibly
until now.
“Southern Florida’s hot, humid climate is suitable
for vanilla cultivation,” said Chambers. “We look forward to the next
phase of the research and working with growers at the start of 2020.
|
|