The Coastal Research and Education Center (CREC), located in the most active vegetable production area in South Carolina, has served for many years to enhance the industry's growth. The CREC's responsibilities include research to increase production and handling technology for the vegetable industry in the coastal area and dissemination of information through extension activities. In cooperation with the Clemson University Extension Service, local problem solving and grower educational programs are receiving major emphasis. With the population increasing in the U.S. and more rapidly in the "Sunbelt", the South Carolina vegetable industry can capture a greater share of the market by utilizing innovative production and postharvest methodology and effective pest management systems that include biological control and pest resistant plants. The CREC also provides instruction and practical experience to graduate students in all areas of vegetable sciences and coordinates its programs with those of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Vegetable Laboratory.

To address the needs for horticultural information and guidance of the urban population in the Charleston peninsular city and suburbs, a special area was established to demonstrate cultivation of ornamentals, vegetables, and more recently, small fruit and medicinal plants.
 

The primary mission of the Coastal Research and Education Center is to develop efficient and economical systems for vegetable production in South Carolina. A primary goal is to become a center of excellence for vegetable research. The team that focuses its efforts on accomplishing this goal consists of a horticulturist, a postharvest physiologist, a plant pathologist, two entomologists and an extension horticulturist.
 

After the demise of the Sea Island cotton industry, vegetable "truck" farming was viewed as an alternative agricultural enterprise for Low Country farms. The Agricultural Society of South Carolina, strongly encouraged establishment of an experiment station located in Charleston. In 1932, the Agricultural Society purchased a tract of land five miles south of Charleston on U.S. 17 and shortly afterwards, the land was deeded to the state for use by Clemson College. A small building (the present main building) was built and included laboratories (pathology, horticulture, and entomology). Research began immediately on solving problems affecting the production of beans, corn, melons, and cabbage. The station soils are highly suitable for scientific research on vegetables in South Carolina. Dissemination of information and introduction of new varieties have contributed greatly to the expansion of the industry and to the income of Low Country growers. The South Carolina Truck Experiment Station was renamed the Coastal Research and Education Center in the Mid-1980's.
 

The CREC in its 75-year life span has developed many significant vegetable varieties that today remain standards in commercial production and in breeding programs. Also, the CREC was instrumental in developing production practices and guidelines specific to this area that were nonexistent before.

The first multiple disease resistant vegetable varieties were developed at the CREC. Numerous slice cucumber varieties, such as 'Ashley' and 'Polaris' and pickling cucumbers such as 'Chipper', 'Galaxy ', and 'Sumter', were developed with multiple disease resistance. At one point, 80% and 50% of the world and U.S. slicer cucumber production, respectively, were varieties originated from CREC breeding programs. 'Marion' tomato is one of the last open pollinated varieties to be developed before the advent of jointless, hybrid varieties with multiple disease resistance and displaying heat tolerance. Other contributions included 'Marketmore' cucumber, 'Blondie' and 'Burgundy' okra, 'Parris Island' lettuce, 'Cherokee' wax beans, 'Ranger' squash and several downy mildew resistant cabbage breeding lines, such as 'Carolina Seven'.

Origination of new varieties was only part of the CREC's role. Cultural practices research contributed significant innovations to improve the efficiency of commercial production. Guidelines for producing fresh market tomatoes using mulch, stakes, and pruning were developed at the CREC and are still in use today throughout the Southeast. Postharvest programs solved problems associated with high decay rates in fresh market tomatoes through water quality management. This approach has been successfully applied to other fruits and vegetables. When foodborne illnesses (salmonellosis) was linked to South Carolina tomatoes, a Hazard Analysis Critical Points program was developed and implemented. This has served as a model for the fresh fruit and vegetable handlers throughout South Carolina. A management system for the diamondback moth of cole crops has been developed and is currently being implemented in the state. A method has been worked out at CREC whereby the disease, gummy stem blight, (Didymella bryoniae), can be detected on the cotyledons of cucurbits. The primers will be licensed to a commercial company to develop an assay for D. bryoniae-infected seed. Resistance to the fungicide benomyl by the gummy stem blight fungus, D. bryoniae, was first discovered by scientists at CREC. These techniques are being used in several other states to survey for benomyl-resistance. In addition, methods have been developed for forcing asparagus to produce "off season". This allows farmers to capture the lucrative market during summer months. CREC scientists, in cooperation with those from the U.S. Vegetable Laboratory, determined that broccoli can be grown through the summer and still produce marketable florets. This greatly extends the broccoli season and makes growing broccoli more profitable for growers. Many of the disease and insect control, herbicide, and fertilizer recommendations for vegetable production in South Carolina were developed by CREC scientists as well as various rotation schemes for alternating vegetable crops with agronomic crops.