Shaun Townsend

The Aroma Hop Breeding Program is tasked with developing new hop cultivars, adapted for Oregon growing conditions, with a focus on essential oil quality. This program interacts closely with Dr. Tom Shellhammer's program in the Food Science & Technology Department to characterize the chemical profile of breeding selections, evaluate new techniques for evaluating the brewing potential of experimental genotypes, and to explore the role agronomic management might play in essential oil quantity and quality. This program also works closely with Dr. John Henning, USDA-ARS Hop Geneticist, to identify and adapt new molecular biology technologies to hop breeding. 'STRATA' hop is the first release from the program, and other new aroma hop cultivars that appeal to the craft beer industry will be available for Oregon hop growers in the future.