Progress 09/01/14 to 08/31/15
Outputs
Target Audience:Growers and other industry members (e.g. field reps, chemical/fertilizer company reps, processing/packing plant reps), scientist peers, consumers Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?(Strik) graduate student attended and presented at International Society for horticultural science meeting (Zhao) Postdoctoral research associate and graduate students are trained in the skills of analyzing bioactive compounds and developing new value-added applications of berry fruit extracts and berry fruit processing byproducts. (Perkins-Veazie, Fernandez) Postharvest evaluations and compositional analysis provided learning skills for undergraduate and graduate students.Further, application of high performance liquid chromatography provided an expansion of methodologies to discern among cultivars and effects.The graduate student further developed translational skills in health bioactives by learning to culture macrophage cells and test for anti-inflammatory effects.Another graduate student utilized the blackberry material to advance her training in molecular fingerprints of caneberries and to train an undergraduate student in the basics of molecular biology. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?(Strik and Bryla) Results were presented at regional and national conferences, workshops, and field days (as described in Other Products) (Zhao) Results were submitted to publish in peer-reviewed journal and presented at food science professional conferences and workshops. (Perkins-Veazie and Fernandez) Results of postharvest studies were presented at 2015 international meeting (Rubus and Ribies Symposium) as described in Other Products. Results were published in a peer reviewed journal. (Rejesus) The manuscript written on the potential economic impact of a blackberry food safety event has been presented at the 2014 Agricultural and Applied Economics Association (AAEA) annual meetings July 27-29, 2014 and it has been submitted to an academic journal - J. of Ag. and Applied Economics. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
1. Evaluate organic production systems (Strik) Treatment effects on biomass, carbon, and nutrient content, accumulation, and loss were assessed in a mature organic trailing blackberry production system that was machine-harvested for the processed market during this period. Treatments included two irrigation options (no irrigation after harvest and continuous summer irrigation), three weed management strategies (weed mat, hand-weeded, and nonweeded), and two primocane training times (August and February) in two cultivars (Black Diamond and Marion). Weed management strategy affected many nutrients in the soil, leaves, and fruit. Often, use of weed mat led to the highest concentrations. Withholding irrigation postharvest had limited effects on plant nutrient concentrations. Depending on the treatment, the total aboveground biomass gain over the course of the season was 5.0 to 6.5 t/ha per year, while C stock of the planting was an estimated 0.4 to 1.1 t/ha in late winter. No weed control reduced aboveground biomass, the content of nutrients in the primocanes, floricanes, and fruit, and the annual gain of nutrients, whereas use of weed mat resulted in the most biomass and nutrient content. Nutrient losses were often higher than what was applied through fertilization, especially for N, K, and B, which would eventually lead to depletion of those nutrients in the planting. (Bryla) Ion-exchange resin membranes were installed in the planting in 2014 to evaluate the effects of weed mat on soil nutrient availability during fertigation in the spring. Black weed mat increased soil temperature by up to 3-5 oC relative to hand weeding, and increased the availability of soil NO3-N, K, and Mg by up to 187%, 25%, and 21%, respectively, and soil B, Cu, Fe, and Mn by up to 75%, 200%, 46%, and 89%, respectively. However, weed mat reduced the availability of soil Ca by 17% and soil S by 45%. Profile wall root mapping was conducted at the end of the study and revealed that the root system of both cultivars was distributed only 0.6-m deep with postharvest irrigation and up to 1.7-m deep without it. 'Black Diamond' produced fewer roots than 'Marion' but maintained a higher water status without irrigation by producing a deeper root system and extracting more water from deeper depths. (Fernandez) An organic blackberry trial was established at the center for environmental farm stewardship (CEFS) in Goldsboro NC. This trial includes 7 cultivars in 30 foot non replicated rows and is being used for workshops (including a pruning workshop and an organic/conventional caneberry basics workshop). Interns utilize the trial through the year to monitor pests (SWD mostly), to learn pruning and training, and to harvest the fruit. (Perkins-Veazie) Two manuscripts were submitted for publication that summarize the results of storage trials with organically grown blackberries. The three organically produced blackberry cultivars Natchez, Ouachita, and Navaho were found to have excellent storage, with about 80% of shiny black ripeness fruit marketable after 14 days. However, storage for 2 days following low temperature storage reduced marketable fruit by 20 to 30%. A comparison of phenolic profiles before and after storage indicate that the genetic siblings Ouachita and Navaho had similar profiles while Natchez differed. Cyanidin 3-glucoside was the predominant anthocyanin (88-95%) before and after storage, indicating that these blackberry cultivars could be material useful in bioactive trials where natural food sources of individual predominant anthocyanins are compared for effectiveness. Storage increased the total amount of monomeric anthocyanins, primarily of cyanidin 3-glucoside. Hydroxybenzoic acid and flavanols increased consistently after fruit storage in shiny black fruit while flavonols increased in dull black fruit. No correlations were found among phenolic compounds and subjective ratings of stored fruit. (Rysin) Interactive organic blackberry enterprise production budgets for fresh market have been developed for North Carolina and Oregon. An interactive organic blackberry enterprise budget for processing in Oregon is on the final stages of development, as well as associated economic analysis of different weed treatment options. 2. Evaluation of production systems on shelf-life and antioxidants (Zhao) Individual anthocyanins in the berry extracts were analyzed using HPLC. Study demonstrated that different extraction conditions are necessary for anthocyanin rich fruits with different anthocyanin profiles and ultrasound is an effective assistance for the extraction of polyphenols and anthocyanins. Feasibility of using chitosan-cellulose nanoparticles to encapsulate anthocyanin extracts for improving storability was studied. It was found that anthocyanins from berry fruit extract can be stabilized through nano-encapsulation for various applications. Bioactive compounds in berry fruit pomace (byproduct from berry fruit juice processing) were also quantified, and it was found that berry fruit pomace are rich in polyphenolics and dietary fiber, and can be utilized as functional food ingredients for value-added food applications. 4. Assess potential liability costs (Rejesus) Developed an ex ante, partial equilibrium supply/demand model as the framework for quantifying the demand impact of a blackberry food safety event. An economic welfare model for assessment of the demand impact of a blackberry food safety event has been built. A manuscript on the likely economic impact of a food safety event has been written and submitted to the J. of Ag. and Applied Economics (Title: "Demand and Welfare Impacts of a Potential Food Safety Event in the Blackberry Industry"). This manuscript has also been presented at the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association (AAEA) annual meetings.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
[Abstract] Wang, WJ, Jung, JY, Tomasino, E., Zhao, Y. 2015. Investigation of Optimal Extraction Conditions for Anthocyanins and Polyphenols from Different Anthocyanin Rich Fruits. 2015 Institute of Food Technologist Annual Conference, Chicago, July, 2015.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
[Abstract] Kim, MJ, Perkins-Veazie, P., Fernandez, G. 2015. Antioxidant Capacity and Total Phenolic and Monomeric Anthocyanin Content of Organically Grown Fresh Market Blackberries ISHS Rubus & Ribes Symposium, North Carolina June 22-25, 2015
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Kim, MJ, Perkins-Veazie, P, Ma, G, Fernandez, G. 2015. Shelf Life and Changes in Phenolic Compounds of Organically Grown Blackberries during Refrigerated Storage. Postharvest Biology and Technology (In press).
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Kim, MJ, Perkins-Veazie, P, Fernandez, G. 2015. Antioxidant Capacity and Total Phenolic and Monomeric Anthocyanin Content of Organically Grown Fresh Market Blackberries. Acta Horticulturae (In press).
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Rysin, O. and G. Fernandez. June 2015. NC Organic blackberry production budget. http://rubus.ces.ncsu.edu/spotlight/new-budget-tool-for-organic-blackberry-production/
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Rysin, O., G. Fernandez, B.C. Strik. 2015. Economic Analysis of Organic Blackberry Production for Fresh Market in North Carolina and Oregon. http://oregonstate.edu/dept/NWREC/programs/berry-crops
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Submitted
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Rysin, O., G. Fernandez, B.C. Strik. 2015. Economic Analysis of Organic Blackberry Production for Fresh Market in North Carolina and Oregon. HortTechnology Submitted July, 2015.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Submitted
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Rejesus, R.M., C.D. Safley, and B.C. Strik. Demand and Welfare Impacts of a Potential Food Safety Event in the Blackberry Industry. J. of Ag. and Applied Econ. (Submitted Sept 2015)
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Dixon, E. 2015. Dept. of Horticulture, Oregon State University. Weed management, training, and irrigation practices for organic production of trailing blackberry: Plant growth, yield, and nutrients. Oct. 15, 2015
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Moo Jun Kim, PhD. December, 2014. Dept. Horticulture, North Carolina State University
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Kim, M.J. 2014. Organically grown blackberries: Storage life, phenolic composition, and anti-inflammatory activity. Ph.D. thesis. North Carolina State University
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Wenjie Wang. Investigation of Optimal Extraction Conditions for Polyphenols and Anthocyanins from Different Anthocyanin Rich Fruit and Development of Encapsulation Strategies for Stabilizing Anthocyanin Extracts. M.S. thesis, Oregon State University
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Submitted
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Dixon, E.K., B.C. Strik, and D.R. Bryla. 2015. Weed management, training, and irrigation practices for organic production of trailing blackberry: III. Accumulation and loss of biomass, carbon, and nutrients in above-ground plants HortScience (submitted)
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Submitted
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Dixon, E.K., B.C. Strik, and D.R. Bryla. 2015. Weed management, training, and irrigation practices for organic production of trailing blackberry: II. Soil and above-ground plant nutrient concentrations. HortScience (submitted)
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Dixon, E.K., B.C. Strik, L.R. Valenzuela-Estrada, and D.R. Bryla. 2015. Weed management, training, and irrigation practices for organic production of trailing blackberry: I. Mature plant growth and fruit production. HortScience 50:1165-1177
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Strik, B.C. and D.R. Bryla. 2015. Uptake and partitioning of nutrients in blackberry and raspberry and evaluating plant nutrient status for accurate assessment of fertilizer requirements. HortTechnology25:452-459.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Fernandez-Salvador, J., B.C. Strik, and D.R. Bryla. 2015. Response of blackberry cultivars to fertilizer source during establishment in an organic fresh market production system. HortTechnology 25:277-292.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Fernandez-Salvador, J., B.C. Strik, Y. Zhao, and C.E. Finn. 2015. Trailing blackberry genotypes differ in yield and post-harvest fruit quality during establishment in an organic production system. HortScience 50:240-246.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Fernandez-Salvador, J., B.C. Strik, and D.R. Bryla. 2015. Liquid corn and fish fertilizers are good options for fertigation in blackberry cultivars grown in an organic production system. HortScience 50:225-233.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Dixon, E.K. and B.C. Strik. 2015. Weed control increases growth, cumulative yield, and economic returns of machine-harvested organic trailing blackberry. Acta Hort. (in press).
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Strik, B.C., A. Vance, and D. Bryla. 2015. Organic production systems research in blueberry and blackberry A review of industry-driven studies. Acta Hort. (in press).
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Under Review
Year Published:
2015
Citation:
Wang, WJ, Jung, JY, Tomasino, E., Zhao, Y. 2015. Investigation of Optimal Extraction Conditions for Anthocyanins and Polyphenols from Different Anthocyanin Rich Fruits. Food Chemistry. Under review.
|
Progress 09/01/10 to 08/31/15
Outputs
Target Audience:growers and other industry members (e.g. field reps, chemical/fertilizer company reps, processing/packing plant reps), scientist peers, consumers Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Graduate students and postdoctoral research associate were trained in the skills of analyzing bioactive compounds, fruit physicochemical and sensory qualities, developed knowledge on organic production and its effect on fruit quality and postharvest storage life, and on organic production management methods. Graduate student training in various microbiological techniques was an important outcome as well as presenting the results at the National meeting of the Institute of Food Technologists. They were also trained in professional presentation skills by presenting research results in professional conferences. Undergraduate students gained skills in organic production systems and data collection. Postharvest evaluations and compositional analysis provided learning skills for undergraduate and graduate students.Further, application of high performance liquid chromatography provided an expansion of methodologies to discern among cultivars and effects.The graduate student further developed translational skills in health bioactives by learning to culture macrophage cells and test for anti-inflammatory effects.Another graduate student utilized the blackberry material to advance her training in molecular fingerprints of caneberries and to train an undergraduate student in the basics of molecular biology. Undergraduates were trained on organic aspects of blackberry production in a field trial. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results were presented at regional and national conferences, workshops, and field days (as described in Other Products) An organic production demonstration trial was established at a NCDA Research station. Each year, 1-2 workshops were held at this station to demonstrate organic production practices. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
(Strik) A trailing blackberry planting was established at OSU's NWREC to evaluate cultivar, weed management practices, deficit irrigation, and training time on growth, yield, fruit quality, and nutrient and carbon allocation. The planting was managed for a machine-harvested, processed fruit market from 2010-15 and was certified organic. Weed management affected growth and yield in all years. Plants in plots that were hand-hoed and those with weed mat as a mulch in the row produced 50% more primocanes than in non-weeded plots, but above-ground biomass was highest in weed mat. Weed mat led to 25% and 100% greater cumulative yield than hand-weeded and non-weeded, respectively. Hand-weeding and weed mat increased net returns by 40% and 71% compared to non-weeded, respectively. Yields in the weed mat treatment were similar to what would be expected in conventional production. Weed management strategy affected many nutrients in the soil, leaves, and fruit with weed mat often having the highest concentrations. Total aboveground biomass gain was 5.0 to 6.5 t/ha/year, while C stock was 0.4 to 1.1 t/ha in late winter. Nutrient losses were often higher than what was applied through fertilization, especially for N, K, and B, which would eventually lead to depletion of those nutrients in the planting. Black Diamond had higher yield than Marion during establishment but there was no difference in the mature planting. Black Diamond was more susceptible to infestation with raspberry crown borer. Primocane training time did not affect yield of Black Diamond while in Marion, greater winter injury occurred in Aug.-trained plants than in Feb.-training. There was no impact of withholding irrigation after fruit harvest on yield, saving about 1 million L/ha of water over the 2 years. It also resulted in less freeze damage in Marion during a cold winter. In a grower collaborator study, fertilizer source (liquid fish and molasses blend; soy meal; and processed poultry litter) had no effect on yield and fruit quality. (Bryla) Liquid fertilizers (fish emulsion and corn steep liquor) were easily applied by fertigation and resulted in only a minimal amount of emitter plugging. Most soil nutrients were concentrated within 6 in of the emitters following fertigation, particularly NO3-N, which was also greater under weed mat than with hand weeding in the spring. Other nutrients were also more available during fertigation with weed mat, including soil K, Mg, B, Cu, Fe, and Mn (but soil Ca and S were less available). Black Diamond produced fewer roots than Marion but maintained a higher water status without irrigation by producing a deeper root system. (Fernandez) An organic blackberry trial was established at the CEFS in Goldsboro NC, including 7 cultivars and is being used for workshops and interns to monitor pests and to learn pruning and training. (Rysin) Interactive organic blackberry enterprise production budgets for fresh market were developed for NC and OR. (Zhao) Plants fertilized with fish emulsion and soymeal had the highest levels of antioxidants in late-harvest and early- and mid-harvests, respectively, with little effect of processed poultry litter. For both cultivars, relative levels of antioxidants TMA and TPC in fruit increased the greatest during storage for fish emulsion harvested early in the season and poultry litter in the late harvest. Effects on antioxidant capacity (DPPH, ORAC, FRAP) depended mainly on cultivar. Glucose and fructose comprised the largest fractions of total sugars in fruit and sucrose levels comprised only a minor fraction (0-3%). Early harvest fruits tended to have slightly higher levels of fructose than glucose, a trend which was reversed in the middle and late harvests. Soymeal fertilized berries had the highest total sugar content in the early and middle harvests, while processed poultry litter berries had the highest contents in the late harvest. There was an effect of year but not fertilizer source on fruit TA, decay, leakage, or weight loss during storage. The interaction between fertilizer source, growing climate and/or plant maturity should be investigated in the future.An experienced panel found that the flavor intensity of Black Diamond appeared to be inversely related to phenolic and anthocyanin content, with weed mat resulting in the highest values. Different extraction conditions are necessary for anthocyanin rich fruits and ultrasound is an effective assistance for the extraction of polyphenols and anthocyanins. Anthocyanins from berry fruit extract can be stabilized through nano-encapsulation for various applications. (Perkins-Veazie) Organic Natchez, Ouachita, and Navaho fruit had excellent storage, with about 80% of shiny black stage marketable after 14 d. However, storage for 2 d following low temperature storage reduced marketable fruit by 20 to 30%.Cultivar and temperature strongly influence storage quality, as found in conventional production. A comparison of phenolic profiles before and after storage indicate that the siblings Ouachita and Navaho had similar profiles while Natchez differed. Cyanidin 3-glucoside was the predominant anthocyanin (88-95%); these cultivars could be useful in bioactive trials where natural food sources of individual predominant anthocyanins are compared for effectiveness. Storage increased the total amount of monomeric anthocyanins, primarily cyanidin 3-glucoside, as measured by HPLC. Hydroxybenzoic acid and flavanols increased consistently after fruit storage in shiny black fruit while flavonols increased in dull black fruit. No correlations were found amongphenolic compounds and subjective ratings of stored fruit.Use of total anthocyanin, total phenolic, and FRAP tests yielded less specific information and in some cases indicated no differences among treatments that were found significant using HPLC tests.Thus total assays of phenolics and pigments should be considered a first step in analysis but be followed up with more targeted chemical assays. At the cellular level, Natchez and Ouachita extracts were used to determine effectiveness in blocking macrophage cell inflammation.Both extracts were found to suppress the inflammation markers PGE2 and Cox-2 expression and reduced nitric oxide production, showing specific anti-inflammatory action of organically produced blackberry. (Daeschel) The potential for pathogenic bacteria to survive in Black Diamond and Marion juice and wine were evaluated to understand their importance in post-processing contamination. Juices and wines were inoculated with Salmonella enterica or E. coli O157:H7.Results indicated that processed fruit did not support the survival of either pathogen for a period longer than 108 h in juice or 40 min in wine. Blackberries are not an ideal environment for food borne pathogens. However, these microorganisms may be able to survive depending on the type of product and how it is stored. Constituents of blackberries may provide bactericidal activity, with organic acids appearing to have the greatest effect. (Massel) Bacterium and yeast were isolated and sequenced from 'Natchez', 'Navaho' and 'Ouachita' berries. Many of the bacteria were opportunistic pathogens. A small number were pathogenic, these included Shigella spp.(causes diarrhea), Aspergillus fumigatus (causes respiratory difficulties), and Klebsiella ozaenae (respiratory difficulties). There were no large differences among the different cultivars. In 2013, the night before berries were collected, it rained 3 in. A comparison of previously picked, and post rain harvested fruit showed the bacterial load was lowered in the berries collected after the rain. Sequencing was done to identify the species isolated, none of which were pathogenic. (Rejesus) Developed an ex ante, partial equilibrium supply/demand model as the framework for quantifying the demand impact of a blackberry food safety event and built an economic welfare model.
Publications
|
Progress 09/01/13 to 08/31/14
Outputs
Target Audience: growers and other industry members (e.g. field reps, chemical/fertilizer company reps, processing/packing plant reps), scientist peers, consumers Changes/Problems: (Strik) Project end date extension was approved in order to be able to complete the project's objectives (delayed due to planting establishment and sabbaticals or absences of one or more principal investigators). (Zhao) RE: Sensory analysis- In the original project narrative, one of the state objectives was "Compare the effect of machine vs. hand harvesting on the sensory quality of processed organic blackberry fruit using a trained sensory panel." This objective has been altered due to practical considerations to "Compare the effect of different agricultural practices on the sensory quality of processed organic blackberry fruit using an experienced sensory panel." Reasons for this change include the extreme financial cost of using a trained panel, and the fact that berries destined for the processed market are almost exclusively machine harvested, making a comparison less than useful for practical purposes. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? (Bryla) Successful Grant Writing Basics Workshop, College of Agricultural Sciences, Sponsor Research Programs, Oregon State University, fall term 2014. Attended by Luis Valenzuela. (Perkins-Veazie) Postharvest evaluations and compositional analysis provided learning skills for undergraduate and graduate students. Further, application of high performance liquid chromatography provided an expansion of methodologies to discern among cultivars and effects. The graduate student further developed translational skills in health bioactives by learning to culture macrophage cells and test for anti-inflammatory effects. (Zhao) Postdoctoral research associate and graduate student are trained in the skills of analyzing bioactive compounds and sugar profile using both chemical assays and HPLC method and sensory evaluation using experienced panel. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? (Strik and Bryla) Results were presented at regional and national conferences, workshops, and field days (as described in Other Products) (Zhao) Results were published in peer-reviewed journal and presented at food science workshops. (Perkins-Veazie) Results of postharvest studies were presented at 2014 regional, national and international meetings as described in Other Products. (Rejesus) The manuscript written on the potential economic impact of a blackberry food safety event has been presented at the 2014 Agricultural and Applied Economics Association (AAEA) annual meetings July 27-29, 2014. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? (Strik and Bryla) Finish data collection on nutrient allocation in the various organic production systems and present findings (Zhao) Continue the research in optimizing extraction conditions for anthocyanins from berry fruit and developing strategies to improve storability of the extracts. (Perkins-Veazie) Studies on anti inflammation effects of blackberry extracts will be published. A publication on the storage and composition of organically grown blackberries has been submitted to a peer reviewed journal. (ReJesus) Submit the manuscript "Demand and Welfare Impacts of a Potential Food Safety Event in the Blackberry Industry" to a peer-reviewed journal. (Sydorovych) Collect data and develop an economic enterprise budget for fresh and processed blackberry grown in Oregon.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
1. Evaluate organic production systems (Strik) Collected a fourth year of data on the impact of weed management and cultivar on plant growth and production in organic blackberry, machine-harvested for processing. 'Marion' produced 30% greater floricane biomass, on average, than 'Black Diamond', but had 27% lower cumulative yield over the three seasons (2012-14). 'Marion' fruit had less weight and percent water content, but higher percent soluble solids than fruit of 'Black Diamond'. Plants growing in hand-weeded and weed mat plots produced 50% more primocanes than those in non-weeded plots, but the resulting floricane biomass was 50% higher in weed mat plots than either hand-weeded or non-weeded plots. Weed mat plots thus produced 36.1 t/ha of total cumulative yield, 25% and 100% greater than the hand-weeded and non-weeded plots, respectively. Weed control (either with hand-weeding or weed mat) increased average berry weight and decreased percent soluble solids compared to the non-weeded plots. Weed mat required a high initial investment to install, but only 16 h/ha to maintain over the study period. The non-weeded and hand-weeded treatments required 25 and 215 h/ha of labor, respectively, to mow tall weeds prior to harvest or hand hoe. Total cumulative costs, including materials and installation (weed mat) over the 5 years were $3,302/ha for weed mat, $3,231/ha for hand-weeded, and $370/ha for non-weeded. Despite the relatively low cost of the non-weeded management strategy, low yield significantly reduced the net returns (gross fruit sales - weed management costs) of this production system. The hand-weeded and weed mat management strategies increased net returns by 40% and 71% compared to non-weeded, respectively. Weed mat had a cumulative net return 22% greater than that of the hand-weeded. Most primocane leaf nutrient concentrations were within the range recommended for blackberry. Weeds reduced nutrient accumulation in the primocanes in both cultivars. Total nutrient content declined from June to August in the floricanes, primarily through fruit removal at harvest and senescence of the floricanes after harvest. Evaluations of the effect of post-harvest irrigation and training time continued in 2014. Two processing cultivars and two fresh market cultivars were studied at a grower collaborator site. There was little impact of fertilizer source on yield or fruit quality over the two-year study. (Bryla) Corn steep liquor and fish emulsion were easily applied by fertigation (injection) through the drip system and, after 3 years, resulted in only a minimal amount of emitter plugging. Most soil nutrients were concentrated within 6 inches of the drip emitters following fertigation, particularly nitrate-nitrogen, which was also greater under weed mat than with hand weeding in the spring. Turning off irrigation after harvest had no effect on yield in either cultivar but reduced water use by 67,000 gallons/acre. (Fernandez) An organic blackberry trial was established at the center for environmental farm stewardship (CEFS) in Goldsboro NC. This has 7 cultivars in 30 foot non replicated rows. It is being used for workshops and for interns to monitor pests (primarily spotted wing Drosophila) and for pruning, training, and fruit harvest. We will be holding a workshop there in March. It is also used for interns through the year to monitor pests (SWD mostly), prune and training and they harvest the fruit. 2. Evaluation of production systems on shelf-life and antioxidants (Zhao) Sensory analysis on flavor intensity of six different descriptors by an experienced panel was performed on 'Black Diamond' berries harvested during the 2013 season. The effect of three different weed management strategies, non-weeding, hand weeding, and weed mat, were examined. Weed management showed a marked effect on flavor intensity. The intensity of sensory attributes for 'Black Diamond' appear to possibly be inversely related to phenolic and anthocyanin content, with the weed mat management strategy resulting in the highest values for virtually all sensory attributes. Extraction conditions to obtain maximal amount of anthocyanins from berry fruits were studied. Using 60% methanol at 50 oC and 70% methanol for 20 min were identified as the optimal extraction conditions when using conventional extraction and ultrasound assisted extraction method, respectively, suggesting that ultrasound is an effective assistance for extracting high amount and more stable anthocyanins with mild temperature. (Perkins-Veazie) As the three organically produced blackberry cultivars 'Natchez', 'Ouachita', and 'Navaho' were found to have excellent storage, 'Natchez' and 'Ouachita' extracts were used to determine effectiveness in blocking macrophage cell inflammation. Chronic inflammation often precedes cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Both blackberry extracts were found to suppress the inflammation markers PGE2 and Cox-2 expression and reduced nitric oxide production. These markers of inflammation. 4. Assess potential liability costs (ReJesus) Developed an ex ante, partial equilibrium supply/demand model as the framework for quantifying the demand impact of a blackberry food safety event. An economic welfare model for assessment of the demand impact of a blackberry food safety event has been built. A manuscript on the likely economic impact of a food safety event has been written (Demand and Welfare Impacts of a Potential Food Safety Event in the Blackberry Industry).
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Harkins, R.H., B.C. Strik, and D.R. Bryla. 2014. Weed management practices for organic production of trailing blackberry: II. Accumulation and loss of biomass and nutrients. HortScience 49:35-43.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Strik, B., D. Bryla, L. Valenzuela, A.J. Vance, and E. Dixon. 2014. Impact of weed management and irrigation on Marion and Black Diamond. Oregon Berry Commission News, Spring, 2014.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
[Abstract] Fernandez-Salvador, Strik, Bryla 2014. Response of blackberry cultivars to fertilizer source in an organic fresh market production system. HortScience
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Cavender, G, Liu, M., Hobbs, D., Balz, F., Strik, B., Zhao, Y. 2014. Effects of Different Organic Weed Management Strategies on the Physicochemical, Sensory, and Antioxidant Properties of Machine-Harvested Blackberry Fruits. J. Food Sci. 79(10), S2107S2116.
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Kim, M.J. 2014. Organically grown blackberries: Storage life, phenolic composition, and anti-inflammatory activity. Ph.D. thesis. North Carolina State University.
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Fernandez-Salvador, J. 2014. Nutrient Management of Blackberry Cultivars Grown in Organic Production Systems. M.S. Thesis, Dept. Horticulture, Oregon State University.
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Moo Jun Kim, PhD. 2014. Dept. Horticulture, North Carolina State University
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Liu, M. 2014. Effect of Organic Production System and Harvest Date on the Quality of Blackberry Fruit for Fresh and Processed Markets. M.S. thesis, Oregon State University.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
[Abstract] Kim, MJ, Perkins-Veazie, P., Fernandez, G. 2014. Flavonoid profile and storage life of organically grown blackberry fruit. HortScience
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
[Abstract] Kim, MJ, Perkins-Veazie, P., Fernandez, G. 2014. Anthocyanin profile of organically grown blackberries. HortScience
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Progress 09/01/12 to 08/31/13
Outputs
Target Audience: growers and other industry members (e.g. field reps, chemical/fertilizer company reps, processing/packing plant reps), scientist peers, consumers Changes/Problems: (Strik) Project end date extension was approved in order to be able to complete the project’s objectives (delayed due to planting establishment and sabbaticals or absences of one or more principal investigators). (Zhao) RE: Sensory analysis- In the original project narrative, one of the state objectives was “Compare the effect of machine vs. hand harvesting on the sensory quality of processed organic blackberry fruit using a trained sensory panel.” This objective has been altered due to practical considerations to “Compare the effect of different agricultural practices on the sensory quality of processed organic blackberry fruit using an experienced sensory panel.” Reasons for this change include the extreme financial cost of using a trained panel, and the fact that berries destined for the processed market are almost exclusively machine harvested, making a comparison less than useful for practical purposes. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? (Bryla) Postdoctoral Scholar Higher Education Teaching Preparation Workshop, Office of Postdoctoral Programs, Oregon State University, winter term 2013. Attended by Luis Valenzuela. (Perkins-Veazie) Postharvest evaluations and compositional analysis provided learning skills for undergraduate and graduate students. Further, application of high performance liquid chromatography provided an expansion of methodologies to discern among cultivars and effects. The graduate student How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? (Strik and Bryla) Results were presented at regional conferences, workshops, and field days (as described in Other Products) (Zhao) Presented the results at the annual conference of the Institute of Food Technologies, (Perkins-Veazie) Results of postharvest studies were presented at 2013 regional, national and international meetings as described in Other Products. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? (Strik and Bryla) Continue research in certified organic trial (machine-harvested blackberries for processing) on the impact of weed management, irrigation, and training time of two cultivars on plant growth, nutrient allocation, yield, fruit quality, root growth, and plant and soil water status. (Zhao) Use an experienced sensory panel to assess the impact of organic production system on the sensory quality of processed blackberry fruit. (Perkins-Veazie) Studies on anti inflammation effects of blackberry extracts will be wrapped up and published. A publication on the storage and composition of organically grown blackberries is underway for submission to a peer reviewed journal. (ReJesus) Work on the potential liability cost and demand impact of a food safety event in blackberry is on-going. (Sydorovych) Collect data and develop an economic enterprise budget for fresh and processed blackberry grown in Oregon.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
1. Evaluate organic production systems (Strik) Collected a third year of data on the impact of weed management and cultivar on plant growth and production in organic blackberry, machine-harvested for processing. Hand removal of weeds in “weed-free” treatment required 38 and 90 h/ha in 2011 and 2012, respectively, compared to 1 h/ha in the weed mat. In 2011, plants in hand-weeded and weed mat plots produced nearly twice the primocanes as in non-weeded plots. Hence, when fruit were produced on floricanes the next year (2012) weed control increased yield by 67% with hand-weeding and 100% with weed mat. ‘Black Diamond’ and weed control also produced larger berries with a greater water content but a lower Brix. So far, weed mat was best suited to organic production of blackberries. After only one season of fruit production, the yield benefit of weed mat provided enough profit to warrant its use over no weeding or hand weeding. Most primocane leaf nutrient concentrations were within the range recommended for blackberry. Weeds reduced nutrient accumulation in the primocanes in both cultivars. Total nutrient content declined from June to August in the floricanes, primarily through fruit removal at harvest and senescence of the floricanes after harvest. Evaluations of the effect of post-harvest irrigation and training time continued in 2013. Two processing cultivars and two fresh market cultivars were studied at a grower collaborator site. There was little impact of fertilizer source on yield or fruit quality over the two-year study. (Bryla) Soil water content declined as expected with no post-harvest irrigation, but the treatment resulted in only a 13% reduction in plant water potential compared to continued irrigation after harvest in both cultivars. Observations with minirhizotrons indicated that fine roots were evenly distributed throughout the top 2 m of the soil profile but that post-harvest irrigation resulted in more roots than no post-harvest irrigation. It is not clear yet whether no watering after harvest is a viable option for reducing irrigation water use in blackberry. 2. Evaluation of production systems on shelf-life and antioxidants (Zhao) In general, plants fertilized with Fish emulsion blend had the highest levels of antioxidants during the late harvest, while those fertilized by soymeal had the highest levels during the early and mid-harvests. Processed poultry litter fertilizer had the least effect on harvest-time antioxidant levels. For both cultivars, relative levels of TMA and TPC increased the most during berry storage for fish emulsion in the early season, while poultry litter showed similar trends in the late harvest. Antioxidant capacity (DPPH, ORAC, FRAP) depended on cultivar, with the early/middle Triple Crown fruit fertilized with fish emulsion having the highest levels during storage, while the late-harvested fruit fertilized with poultry litter performed the best. The relative antioxidant capacity was highest in Obsidian fertilized with poultry litter during storage. Glucose and fructose comprised the largest fractions of total sugars and sucrose only a minor fraction (0-3%) in all harvests. Early harvested fruits tended to have slightly higher levels of fructose than glucose, the opposite of mid- and late harvests. Soymeal fertilized berries had the highest total sugar content in the early and mid- harvests, while poultry fertilized berries had the highest on late harvests. Mid- and late harvested berries tended to have sucrose level decline during storage, compared to little change in early harvested fruit. Fertilizer source had little effect on the TA, Decay Ratio, Leakage ratio and weight loss of berries during storage, 2012-13. In 2012, soymeal increased decay rates, while in 2013 decay rate only differed in mid- and late-harvested fruit with varying fertilizer and cultivar effects. This difference between harvest years suggests that there is a heretofore unknown interaction between fertilizer source, growing climate and/or plant maturity, which should be investigated in some future study. (Perkins-Veazie) The three cultivars (Natchez, Navaho, Ouachita) had similar responses to storage in both 2010 and 2011. All were highly acceptable after 2 weeks storage at 1 C and about 30-40% of fruit were unmarketable after 2 days storage at room temperature. These fruit were then utilized for studies of composition by high performance liquid chromatography. Fruit composition of fresh blackberries before and after storage. The cultivars exhibited high soluble solids content and relatively low TA after storage. Such changes are in line with other blackberries produced in areas where night temperatures during ripening routinely exceed 25 C. The primary anthocyanin found in the three cultivars was cyanidin-3-glucoside, accounting for 85-95% of all anthocyanin. Procyanidin and chlorogenic acid were the primary flavonoids found. 3. Food safety issues (Daeschel) Aerobic plate counts for ‘Obsidian’ and ‘Triple Crown’ ranged from 3.52-4.62 log CFU/g of berry with later harvests tending to have higher values. ‘Triple Crown’ mid-late harvest samples were higher than the early harvest samples. Yeasts and molds ranged from 3.01-4.73 log CFU/g of berry with later harvests having higher values. Coliforms were detected in ‘Obsidian’ mid-harvest and ‘Triple Crown’ early-harvest samples at 2.10 and 1.40 log CFU/g of berry, respectively. Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella spp. were not detected using rapid detection methods in evaluated ‘Marion’ and ‘Black Diamond’ samples. Escherichia coli O157:H7 was not detectable in fresh or frozen inoculated samples. Salmonella Typhimurium was detected in 2 frozen samples with 2.95 and 3.21 log reductions. Listeria monocytogenes was only detected in frozen samples and experienced log reductions ≥ 2.42. Staphylococcus aureus was detectable on every fresh and frozen berry inoculated with log reductions ranging from 0.67 to 3.48. The greatest reductions occurred in fresh samples. Growth of intentionally added microorganisms was not observed in any juice or wine samples. Maximum observed survival times in juices ranged from 12 h for L. monocytogenes to 108 h for Salmonella Typhimurium. Maximum survival times in wines were 40 m for both E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium, and 80 m for both L. monocytogenes and S. aureus. Adding ethanol to juice samples to equal that of their counterpart wines decreased survival time for all microorganisms evaluated by several hours. Increasing the pH of wines by approx.. one unit increased survival time from minutes to hours, and in some cases, days. Conclusions and key outcomes: The overall results suggest that blackberries are not an ideal environment for E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella Typhimurium, L. monocytogenes, and S. aureus to grow. However, these microorganisms may be able to survive depending on the type of blackberry product and its subsequent storage. Many constituents of blackberries may offer bactericidal activity, with organic acids appearing to have the greatest effect. Blackberries may be viewed as a low risk food in terms as a source of bacterial foodborne illness. However, food safety programs need to be in place for blackberry producers/processors to prevent any unforeseen microbial food contamination 4. Assess potential liability costs (ReJesus) Developed an ex ante, partial equilibrium supply/demand model as the framework for quantifying the demand impact of a blackberry food safety event. A preliminary model for assessment of liability cost and demand impact of a blackberry food safety event has been built.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Harkins, R.H., B.C. Strik, and D.R. Bryla. 2013. Weed management practices for organic production of trailing blackberry: I. Plant growth and early fruit production. HortScience 48:1139-1144.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Harkins, R.H., B.C. Strik, and D.R. Bryla. 2013. Weed management practices for organic production of trailing blackberry: II. Accumulation and loss of biomass and nutrients. HortScience (in press).
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2012
Citation:
Strik, B.C. and C.E. Finn. 2012. Blackberry production systems a worldwide perspective. Acta Hort. 946:341-347
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Harkins, R., B. Strik, and D. Bryla. 2013. Production Systems for Organic Blackberries for Processing Impact of Cultivar and Weed Management. Proc. North American Berry Conference, Jan. 27-30, 2013. Portland, OR (on web and disk).
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Fernandez-Salvador, J., B. Strik, and D. Bryla. 2013. Impact of Organic Fertilizer Source on the Yield and Quality of Blackberry Cultivars Results from a Grower-Cooperator Trial. Proc. North American Berry Conference, Jan. 27-30, 2013. Portland, OR (on web and disk).
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Harkins, R. 2013. Weed, water, and nutrient management practices for organic blackberry during establishment. M.S. thesis, Oregon State University
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Melissa M. Sales, An. 2013. M.S. Thesis, Oregon State University. Evaluation of Blackberry Harvest Sanitation and the Ability of Foodborne pathogens to survive in Blackberry Products
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
[Abstr]. Flavonoid profile and storage life of organically grown blackberry fruit. Kim, MJ, Perkins-Veazie, P., Fernandez, G. HortScience
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
[Abstr] Anthocyanin profile of organically grown blackberries
Kim, MJ, Perkins-Veazie, P., Fernandez, G. HortScience
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Progress 09/01/11 to 08/31/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: 1. Evaluate organic production systems For processed machine-harvest markets, Marion (M) and Black Diamond (BD) and 3 weed management treatments were compared. In 2011, weed presence reduced primocane number and leaf N, P, and K in both cvs. In 2012, weedy plots yielded half that of the weed mat; bare soil yielded less than weed mat. Plants in weedy plots had smaller fruit with less percent moisture and higher Brix. Nutrient loss in the harvested fruit was from 13-25, 3-5, 13-25, and 1-3 kg/ha of N, P, K, and Ca, respectively. Yield of BD was 20% greater than for M. At pruning, 32 and 41 kg N/ha were removed for BD and M, respectively. Plants are irrigated by drip and fertigated with fish emulsion. There is no evidence to date that fish emulsion is plugging the emitters. Postharvest irrigation increased water use by 42 percent in 2012 but had little effect on plant water potential. BD depleted soil water more quickly than M and required more irrigation. At a grower-cooperator site, fertilizer source had no effect on the yield, berry weight, or firmness of 4 fresh market cvs in 2011. Data was collected for a second year. 2. Evaluate any fruit contaminants in OR, aerobic microorganisms on handpicked fruit increased with harvest date. No increase in microorganisms was found on machines after harvest. In NC, enterobacters and several plant pathogens were identified on handpicked fruit, none dangerous to humans. 4. Develop post-harvest handling for food safety and fruit quality Qualities of handpicked Obsidian (O) and Triple Crown (TC), and machine-harvested M and BD were studied. Fruit moisture content of O and TC was greater than for M and BD. No color change occurred during storage. O and TC fruit reached 50 percent decay (at 4C) after 6 and 10 d storage, respectively. The potential for pathogenic bacteria to survive in blackberry juice and wine were evaluated. BD and M were pureed and pressed. Pasteurized juice and wine (4.2-5 percent alcohol) were inoculated with Salmonella enterica or E. coli O157:H7, but did not support the survival of either pathogen. 5.Impact of production systems on healthful properties of fruit Natchez, Ouachita, and Navaho blackberries harvested weekly from an organic grower in NC were stored at 1C for 14 d, followed by 2 d at 20C. Navaho berries were firmest and had the least mold or leak after storage. Ouachita was close to Navaho in quality while Natchez was least firm. Total FRAP, phenolic, and anthocyanin were highest in Natchez and lowest in Ouachita. Fruit picked slightly less ripe was higher in total anthocyanin, phenolics, and FRAP than riper fruit. Cyanidin-3-glucoside was the primary anthocyanin followed by cyanidin-3-rutinoside. After 15 day storage, the amount of cyandin-3-glucoside in berries increased by 30-60 percent. 6. Develop economic enterprise budgets A model was developed for organic blackberry production in NC with investment and sensitivity analysis. 7. Develop an economic model to assess potential liability costs We continue to streamline an ex ante, partial equilibrium supply/demand model as the framework for quantifying the demand impact of a blackberry food safety event. PARTICIPANTS: Bernadine C. Strik, Professor of Horticulture, Oregon State University David Bryla, Research Horticulturist, USDA-ARS, HCRL, Corvallis Yanyun Zhao, Professor, Dept. Food Science and Technology, OSU Mark Daeschel, Professor, Dept. Food Science and Technology, OSU Penelope Perkins-Veazie, Professor, Dept. Horticultural Science, NCSU Trevor Phister, Assistant Professor, Dept of Food Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences, NCSU Charles Safley, Professor, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, NCSU Roderick Rejesus, Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, NCSU Gina Fernandez, Professor, Horticultural Science Dept., NCSU Emily Vollmer, Research Assistant, Dept. Horticulture, OSU Gil Buller, Senior Research Assistant, NWREC, OSU Luis Valenzuela, post-doctoral associate, USDA-ARS, HCRL and Dept. Hort., OSU George Cavender, post-doctoral associate, Dept. Food Sci., OSU Vaughn Walton, Extension Entomologist, Assistant Professor, Dept. Horticulture, OSU Chad Finn, Research Geneticist, USDA-ARS, HCRL, Corvallis John McQueen, Faculty Research Assistant, eOrganic, Dept. Horticulture, OSU Olha Sydorovych, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, NCSU Eric Pond, Riverbend Farms, Jefferson, Ore. Tom Avinelis, Chief Executive Officer, Homegrown Organic Farms, Cal. Derek Peacock, Hurst's Berry Farms, Ore. Josh Beam, SunnyRidge Farms, Fla. Anthony Boutard, Ayers Creek Farm, Ore. John Vollmer, Vollmer Farms, Bunn, NC Joe Bennett, Small Planet Foods, Wash. Partner organizations: North American Raspberry and Blackberry Association Oregon Raspberry and Blackberry Commission Northwest Center for Small Fruits Research USDA-ARS, HCRU, Corvallis Growers in Oregon, North Carolina, Georgia TARGET AUDIENCES: Commercial berry crop growers Organic growers Crop consultants Academic peers PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
The following questions were listed as research outcome goals; this study is relatively new to have many measurable outcomes: 1. What is the most effective way to control weeds and is weed control critical Results to date indicate that weeds compete with trailing blackberry reducing primocane growth, tissue nutrient concentration, floricane biomass, yield, berry weight, and fruit nutrient concentration. For maximum production, weed control is important. Weed mat shows promise for economical weed management. 2. Is organic production for processed markets sustainable with machine harvest We have one year of yield data. Yield of the best treatments (bare and weed mat) were very similar to expectations for conventional systems. We need more years to assess sustainability. 3. Can adequate fertility be maintained with only organic inputs Fertility with fertigation of fish emulsion maintained adequate tissue nutrients and growth in 2011-12. However, primocane growth was reduced in all treatments in 2012. We need to assess whether this is related to fertility or the relatively high yield in 2012 suppressing growth. 4. What microorganisms may be found on hand or machine-harvested fruit and are they a food safety risk Numbers of microorganisms associated with fresh blackberries increased over the growing season but no evidence of potential contamination by pathogens was observed. 5. What is impact of cultivar, harvest date and post-harvest handling (refrigeration storage and freeze-processing and storage) on fruit nutritional properties Changes in fruit indicate that active biosynthesis and turnover of anthocyanins are dependent on field and storage temperature and cultivar and ripeness 6. Do cultivars differ in suitability for organic production It is too early to tell. 7. Are the organic production systems sustainable in the long term It is too early to tell. 8. Can blackberries be grown economically using the recommended sustainable organic production systems Work is ongoing in OR. In NC, a publication was developed on the costs of organic blackberry production in NC. Results were presented to growers and are available on-line in a format that will allow growers to make changes based on their specific circumstances. 9. What would be the potential liability cost and demand impact of a food safety event Work in progress. We have given the following presentations to date: field days (7); grower meetings (2); scientific meetings (7); workshops (2). We developed an eOrganic community of practice related to this project
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 09/01/10 to 08/31/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Research: 1. Evaluate organic production systems. Treatments being evaluated for processing: cvs. Marion and Black Diamond; with or without post-harvest irrigation; weed mat, hand-hoed, and non-weeded; and training in Aug. or Feb. The planting was established in May, 2010. Irrigation was with a single line of drip (1 gph at 24 in.) and fertigation with emulsified fish. By late summer, weed mat required 30% more irrigation than hand-weeded or not weeded plots. To date, we have no evidence that fish fertilizer plugged emitters. 2. Evaluate any fruit contaminants. Hand-picked Obsidian and Triple Crown fruit showed a one log increase in aerobic microorganisms with harvest date. No increase was observed for yeasts and molds and all coliform data were reported as <10 CFU/ml. Environmental samples were taken at 8 locations from a mechanical harvester, before (cleaned) and after 48h (uncleaned) harvest; there appeared to be no increase of microorganisms on harvester surfaces present post-harvest. 4. Develop post-harvest handling for food safety and fruit quality. Obsidian and Triple Crown were hand harvested from a grower site and evaluated during postharvest refrigerated storage at 2C and 85%RH. Fruit pH, TA, Brix, color, texture, weight loss, decay rate, and leakage were monitored and total phenolics and antioxidant activity extracted. 5. Impact of cultivar and production systems on healthful properties of fruit. Natchez, Ouachita, and Navaho blackberries harvested weekly from an organic grower in NC were stored at 1C for 14 d, followed by 2 d at 20C. Navaho berries were firmest and had the least mold or leak after storage. Ouachita was close to Navaho in quality while Natchez was least firm and had the most leaky berries. When berries were held 2 d at 20C, the percent moldy or leaky berries increased 30% in Navaho and Ouachita, and 50% in Natchez. Total FRAP, phenolic, and anthocyanin contents were highest in Natchez and lowest in Ouachita. Fruit picked slightly less ripe was higher in total anthocyanin, phenolics, and FRAP than riper fruit for all cultivars. Extension: 1. Develop economic enterprise budgets. A model was developed for organic blackberry production in NC. An investment and sensitivity analysis were included to help estimate the potential economic feasibility and profitability of the enterprise. The results will be presented to growers and will be available on-line in a format that will allow growers to make changes based on their specific circumstances. 2. Develop an economic model to assess potential liability costs. We began developing an ex ante, partial equilibrium supply/demand model as the framework for quantifying the demand impact of a blackberry food safety event. We have started collecting available production, price, and consumption data from USDA NASS and other sources to operationalize and implement this analysis. 3. Produce workshops, publications and web-based tools. We have given the following presentations: field days (2); grower meetings (2); scientific meetings (2). This project was highlighted at Caneberry Field Day at the NWREC. 4. eOrganic. We developed an eOrganic community of practice related to this project PARTICIPANTS: Bernadine C. Strik, Professor of Horticulture, Oregon State University David Bryla, Research Horticulturist, USDA-ARS, HCRL, Corvallis Yanyun Zhao, Professor, Dept. Food Science and Technology, OSU Mark Daeschel, Professor, Dept. Food Science and Technology, OSU Penelope Perkins-Veazie, Professor, Dept. Horticultural Science, NCSU Trevor Phister, Assistant Professor, Dept of Food Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences, NCSU Charles Safley, Professor, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, NCSU Roderick Rejesus, Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, NCSU Gina Fernandez, Professor, Horticultural Science Dept., NCSU Emily Vollmer, Research Assistant, Dept. Horticulture, OSU Gil Buller, Senior Research Assistant, NWREC, OSU Luis Valenzuela, post-doctoral associate, USDA-ARS, HCRL and Dept. Hort., OSU Vaughn Walton, Extension Entomologist, Assistant Professor, Dept. Horticulture, OSU Diane Kaufman, Assoc. Professor, NWREC, OSU Chad Finn, Research Geneticist, USDA-ARS, HCRL, Corvallis John McQueen, Faculty Research Assistant, eOrganic, Dept. Horticulture, OSU Olha Sydorovych, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, NCSU Eric Pond, Riverbend Farms, Jefferson, Ore. Tom Avinelis, Chief Executive Officer, Homegrown Organic Farms, Cal. Derek Peacock, Hurst's Berry Farms, Ore. Josh Beam, SunnyRidge Farms, Fla. Anthony Boutard, Ayers Creek Farm, Ore. John Vollmer, Vollmer Farms, Bunn, NC Joe Bennett, Small Planet Foods, Wash. Partner organizations: North American Raspberry and Blackberry Association Oregon Raspberry and Blackberry Commission Northwest Center for Small Fruits Research USDA-ARS, HCRL, Corvallis Growers in Oregon, North Carolina, Georgia TARGET AUDIENCES: Commercial berry crop growers, Organic growers, Crop consultants, Academic peers PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
The following questions were listed as research outcome goals; however this study is too new to have any measurable outcomes: 1. What is the most effective way to control weeds and is weed control critical 2. Is organic production for processed markets sustainable with machine harvest 3. Can adequate fertility be maintained with only organic inputs 4. What microorganisms may be found on hand or machine-harvested fruit and are they a food safety risk Numbers of microorganisms associated with fresh blackberries increased over the growing season but no evidence of potential contamination by pathogens was observed. 5. What is impact of cultivar, harvest date and post-harvest handling on fruit nutritional properties 6. Do cultivars differ in suitability for organic production 7. Are the organic production systems sustainable in the long term 8. Can blackberries be grown economically using the recommended sustainable organic production systems 9. What would be the potential liability cost and demand impact of a food safety event
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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