Progress 07/19/04 to 09/30/06
Outputs
Progress Report 4d Progress report. This report serves to document research conducted under a non-funded cooperative project between ARS and Mr. Les Fowler (Cooperator), a local small farmer, to measure yield and juice quality of three muscadine grape cultivars: Darlene, Ison, and Pam. Additional details of research can be found in the report for the parent project 6227-21660-002-00D Agroforestry Practices and Systems for Family Farms. The Cooperator was interested in learning how to manage and produce muscadine grapes using this ARS grape resource. The three muscadine cultivars were planted in a replicated design in 1997, and managed by the Cooperator for yield and juice quality from 2000 to 2005 using standard practices. Darlene and Pam produced bronze-colored grapes, while Ison produced purple-colored grapes. Pam and Ison had twice the average annual grape yield as Darlene, and Pam had nearly twice the annual grape yield per tree as Darlene. However, yield was
highly variable between plots of the same variety within and between years, which reduced the power of the statistical tests to detect yield differences between cultivars. This was attributed to inconsistent pruning and harvest efficiency because the Cooperator used volunteer help. Statistical differences were detected for some other yield and juice quality traits which were evidently less affected by management and harvest inconsistencies as yield. Ison and Pam each produced nearly three times the number of grapes per vine as Darlene. Grape volume and mass of Darlene and Pam were about 50% greater than those of Ison. Similarly, juice of Darlene and Pam had more soluble solids and less acid (thus 'sweeter') than Ison. We concluded that Ison and Pam generally produced a better grape crop than Darlene, and Darlene had sweeter juice than Ison. This study should help producers decide which of these three muscadine cultivars to grow in Arkansas and the mid- South region of the United
States.
Impacts
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Progress 10/01/04 to 09/30/05
Outputs
4d Progress report. This report serves to document research conducted under a non-funded cooperative agreement between ARS and Les Fowler. Additional details of research can be found in the report for the parent project 6227-21660-002- 00D, Agroforestry Practices and Systems for Family Farms. This research relates to the parent project's research plan; Objective 1, Optimize complementary interactions among over-and understory components; Subobjective 1.1, Determine the growth potential of tree species and selections. This agreement is with a local farmer who maintains muscadine trees on Center property. Trees have been harvested for four years, FY2000 to FY2004. Four-year averages indicate that the three (3) cultivars do not differ statistically in yield per tree (7 lb per tree for Darlene to 18 lb per tree for Pam), perhaps because harvest varies from year-to-year depending on the labor available to pick the crop. Variety Ison produces more numerous, but smaller
fruit that ripens about 10 days earlier than the other 2 cultivars. Juice from Ison fruit is less sweet and has lower pH than those of the other cultivars.
Impacts
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