Progress 07/01/12 to 06/30/16
Outputs
Target Audience:This research will be of interest to community supported agriculture (CSA) growers and those who grow for farmers market distribution Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?During the years 2012-2015, students at Rutgers student farm were introduced to goldenberries. They learned how new crops were evaluated and how superior germplasm is identified. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
By completion of this project, 22 different genetic variants from around the worldwere collected and evaluated for quality and growth attributes. One productive, large-fruited, flavorful genotype was identified as particularly acceptable for commercial production.
Publications
|
Progress 10/01/14 to 09/30/15
Outputs
Target Audience:CSA and farmers market growers. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?A survey was sent to 1500+ small scale growers in the northeast region inviting them to participate in a region-wide evaluation of goldenberry / ground cherry germplasm. 180 farmers have agreed to participate in the project. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?A full scale regional evaluation of goldenberry is planned pending support from the NESARE Research and Education program, to which an invited proposal was submitted in October 2015.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Two goldenberry lines were identified that are producing fruit that would be acceptable in CSA and Farmers market environments.
Publications
|
Progress 10/01/13 to 09/30/14
Outputs
Target Audience:
Nothing Reported
Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Evaluate ALL germplasm and correctly identify species.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Species of the following Physalis were identified utilizing standard taxonomical keys: Physalis peruviana, Giant; Physalis peruviana, 114; Physalis peruviana, Yellow Husk, TL7-20, Physalis peruviana, Cape Gooseberry, TL11-20; Physalis pubescens, Yantar; Physalis pubescens, Pineapple; Physalis pubescens, Goldie; Physalis pruinosa, Aunt Molly's; Physalis pruinosa, 185; Physalis pruinosa, Cossacks Pineapple. Selections were found to be grossly misidentified. Research to further clarify their identity will be conducted in 2015.
Publications
|
Progress 10/01/12 to 09/30/13
Outputs
Target Audience: Consumers of fresh produce. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? The project provided training for 9 undergraduate students in the appropriate methodology for conducting organoleptic evaluations with untrained testers. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? A manuscript for publication in HortTechnology is in preparation. A taste test comparison of P. peruviana to P. pruinosa will be conducted this season. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Evaluate P. pruinosa and P. peruviana for consumer preference. In addition, an evaluation of 3 training systems for P. peruviana will be conducted.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Shareholders of The Student Sustainable Farm at Rutgers CSA evaluated three P. pruinosa cultivars (‘Aunt Molly’s’ (Seed Savers Exchange, Decorah, Iowa), ‘Goldie’ (Johnny’s Selected Seeds, Winslow, Maine) and ‘Ground Cherry’ (Solana Seeds, Quebec, Canada) that were grown at the farm on plastic-mulched, drip- irrigated beds. Abscissed fruit were collected and used in the evaluation. Fruit were prepared for testing by removing the protective calyx (husk) from the fruit and discarding any green, immature fruit that had prematurely abscissed. Testers evaluated all three samples in random order for quality attributes (overall appearance, sweetness, acidity, flavor, texture, juiciness and skin texture) using scales that ranged from less desirable characteristics at each end of the scale to a mid-range optimum. After rating each sample for the seven quality attributes, an overall rating of not acceptable (1), acceptable (2) or wonderful, give me more (3) was made. Each tester was also given two sets of two randomly chosen fruit samples and asked to indicate their preference within each set. Appropriate statistical analyses of quality evaluations and cultivar preference were performed. Eighty one shareholders participated in the evaluation, 35% were male and 65% were female. Twenty percent of the testers were between the ages of 19 and 30, 44 % were between 31 and 50 and 36 % were 51 years or older. Ten percent of the testers indicated that they normally did not eat fruit on a regular basis, 36% ate an average of 1 serving of fruit each day, 27% ate 2 servings each day and 27% ate 3 or more servings each day. Favorite fruits in order of decreasing preference were berries (such as strawberries, blueberries and raspberries), apples, bananas, grapes, oranges and pears. Half of the testers had heard of groundcherries before exposure to them during our evaluation of them. After tasting groundcherries, 65% of the shareholders indicated that they would purchase them if available. Forty-two percent indicated that they would pay $3 (US) for a half pint container (assuming red raspberries were $4 per half pint) while 24% indicated that they would pay $4 or $5 for a half pint and 34% would pay $1 or $2 dollars per half pint. Eighty percent said that they would like them in their share. Sixty percent wanted them in one or two shares a summer, 37% wanted them frequently while 3% never wanted them. Seventy-nine percent of the testers liked them, 20% indicated that they were ‘ok’ and 1% did not like them at all. Consumers show no preference for cultivars within Physalis pruinosa. These results indicate that cultivar selection of P. pruinosamay not be important with respect to consumer acceptance and preference. Cultivars may be selected based on horticultural traits that promote productivity, as the cultivars tested had similar quality attributes. A non-scientific evaluation of P. pruinosa with P. peruviana revealed that the latter may be more desireable from a quality standpoint as it has a 'fruitier' flavor profile than P. pruinosa. Consumer acceptance of this novel fruit indicates work should continue to make it a vaiable option for growers in the Eastern US.
Publications
|
Progress 10/01/11 to 09/30/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: I have identified a line of Physalis that is worthy of commercial production. Development of a production system will commence Spring 2013. PARTICIPANTS: Not relevant to this project. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Isolation of a few lines of Physalyis is important to focus production system development.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
|
Progress 10/01/07 to 09/30/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: A double blind taste testing of three ground cherry cultivars was conducted with members of the Student Sustainable Farm at Rutgers CSA. The taste test was conducted in a manner which will allow publication of results in HortTechnology later this year. Shareholders indicated that they would like to have ground cherries included in future shares. PARTICIPANTS: Not relevant to this project. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
The taste testing described in the previous section provided clear evidence that ground cherry production should be pursued.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
|
Progress 01/01/10 to 12/31/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Raspberries were included in shares this year. The selection of novel annual fruits to incorporate into a CSA has been narrowed down to Ground cherries (Physalis pruinosa), Goldenberry, Cape Gooseberry (Physalis peruviana), garden huckleberry (Solanum nigrum), and Sunberry / Wonderberry (Solanum burbankii). PARTICIPANTS: Not relevant to this project. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
The quality of CSA shares was increased with the inclusion of raspberries. Student volunteers from many disciplines were able to participate in fruit production techniques.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
|
Progress 01/01/09 to 12/31/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Raspberries were part of the CSA share on two dates and an option on two other dates. The selection of novel annual fruits to incorporate into a CSA has been narrowed down considerably as Jaltomato, chinese lanterns miltomato loco and miltomato vallisto were unacceptable for human consumption. Ground cherries (Physalis pruinosa), Goldenberry, Cape Gooseberry (Physalis peruviana), greenberry (Solanum opacum), garden huckleberry (Solanum nigrum), Sunberry / Wonderberry (Solanum burbankii) and pepinos (Pepino dulce) desrve further attention, as these produced fruit of acceptable quality. PARTICIPANTS: 9 student interns were exposed to fruit production techniques. TARGET AUDIENCES: CSA shareholders received higher quality shares via the inclusion of fruit. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
The quality of CSA shares was increased with the inclusion of raspberries. By utilizing primocane fruiting cultivars, student volunteers from many disciplines were able to participate in production of higher quality shares. No special training was needed.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
|
Progress 01/01/08 to 12/31/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: A replicated planting of primocane fruiting blackberries, Prime Jim and Prime Jan was established in 2008 at the Cook Student Organic Farm CSA, a direct market 4-acre CSA farm located on Ryders Lane in East Brunswick, New Jersey. The planting is in a split-plot design with cultivar as the main plot. Main plots are replicated 3 times. The sub-plot treatments will be pruning/training treatment and will be applied in 2009. A replicated planting of the primocane fruiting red raspberries, Himbo, Autumn Britten, Joan J, and Caroline was established in 2008. The experimental design is a Randomized Complete Block, 20 plant plots in a single row, 24 inch in-row spacing, raised bed, 4 replications. An initial evaluation of several annually fruiting species that may lend themselves well to incorporation into a CSA as fruit crops was performed in 2008. The crops evaluated were ground cherries (Physalis pruinosa), chinese lantern (Physalis alkekengi var. franchetii), Goldenberry, Cape Gooseberry (Physalis peruviana), garden huckleberry (Solanum nigrum), jaltomato (Jaltomata procumbens), and Sunberry / Wonderberry (Solanum burbankii). PARTICIPANTS: Not relevant to this project. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Initial cropping of primocane fruiting blackberries and red raspberries was very light in this year of planting, however, we were able to offer Prime Jim and Prime Jan blackberries from our off-farm site (Cream Ridge)to our shareholders. Each shareholder received 1/2 pint of fruit. The response was excellent in that shareholders indicated that the inclusion of fruit in their share was wonderful. In addition, ground cherries also received excellent reviews.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
|
|