Progress 07/01/15 to 06/30/20
Outputs
Target Audience:The primary target audience is berry crop producers in Pennsylvania and nearby states. Work conducted as part of this project has benefitted growers of various sizes, many of whom have small diversified operations with less than an acre of berry crops, but also those with large farms growing several hundred acres of horticultural crops of which 25 to 30 acres are planted to berry crops. Many of the smaller growers belong to Plain Sect communities. For many of the larger growers, vegetables, tree fruit, or other agricultural commodities make up the bulk of their production, but because berry crops are high value and attractive to consumers, they serve to further diversify operations and add income. Growers benefitting from the work also vary in experience level. The majority of the growers served are established producers, but because berry crops are of high value and can result in significant income from a small area of land, work conducted under this project also has been of interest to beginning and urban growers with limited land access. Besides those who are interested in the information produced for their own agricultural operations, findings from this project were shared with a wide group of individuals including Master Gardeners, homeowners who are interested in learning about where their food comes from or in growing their own, and members of the general public who wanted to learn about how berries are grown. Undergraduate and graduate students and classes and high school groups took advantage of numerous opportunities to tour the research projects being conducted, and to learn about efforts to improve production while maintaining a safe food supply. Finally, K-12 teachers who were interested in incorporating topics related to agricultural production into their curriculum were reached during "Ag in the Classroom" experiences in which they learned about advances in berry production methods and techniques that were developed as part of this project. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Results from this project have been included in professional development opportunities for extension educators and faculty, fellow researchers, graduate students, and K-12 teachers. In 2016, 28 teachers from kindergarten through twelfth grade learned about the work conducted on high tunnel production and how it relates to various subjects they teach ranging from art to physics through an "Ag in the Classroom" learning opportunity offered by the Pennsylvania Educator's Ag Institute. In 2017, results of high tunnel research were presented to 35 graduate students and faculty at Utah State University as part of a departmental seminar series. In 2018, "Plastic Film Light-Transmitting Characteristics as Related to Berry Crop Production" was presented as an invited presentation in the Amer. Soc. for Hort. Sci. workshop "Microclimate Modification Effects on Fruit Physiology and Production,"which was attended by approximately 60 research and extension professionals. Also in 2017, project personnel hosted the annual meeting of the NCCC-212 Small Fruit and Viticulture Research and Coordinating Committee. This meeting was attended by researchers and extension personnel from 14 U.S. states and threeCanadian provinces. Attendees visited the high tunnel research facility used for this project to see and learn about the research conducted. In 2018, findings were presented to fellow department faculty and graduate students as part of Penn State's Department of Plant Science seminar series in two different seminars. In 2018, two presentations on high tunnel raspberry and strawberry research were given to approximately 55 attendees at the Great Lake Fruit Workers conference. This meeting was attended by research and extension personnel working with fruit crops from multiple states in the northeastern U.S. as well as Canada. In 2019, an invited talk discussing results was presented to approximately 30 photobiologists attending an N8 Agrifood Workshop at Lancaster University, Lancaster, U.K. (via Zoom). In 2019, "Reduction in Incidence of Certain Common Pests and Diseases in Berry Crops with Changes in Plastic Cover Type and Modifications to Cultural Practices" was given as an invited presentation as part of the Amer. Soc. for Hort. Science workshop "Multiregional Assessment of Opportunities and Challenges of High Tunnel Crop Production Systems" at their annual meeting. Also in 2019, the results of this project were presented to 29 extension educators and fourinterns during an in-depth training for extension educators on high tunnel production and soilless systems. Throughout the project, county-based extension personnel and specialists from other states have learned about our research while attending talks presented at grower meetings held in Pennsylvania, other states, and in Canada where results were presented. In 2016 and 2019, 55 Master Gardeners attended evening tours of the high tunnel research facility to learn about high tunnel berry production. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Over the fiveyears of the project, 40 talks related to the project were given to over 2700 growers at local, state-wide, or regional meetings in 9 states (PA, NY, NJ, DE, NH, CT, MI, ND, UT) plus British Columbia. From 2016 to 2019, a total of nearly 450 growers and other interested individuals have attended one of sixtwo-hour tours of the high tunnel facilities as part of Penn State's Ag Progress Days event. The background for doing the research and results were presented, and attendees had opportunities to ask questions and have discussions. Ten project-related articles have been published in newsletters produced by Penn State Extension, NRCS, and the North American Raspberry-Blackberry Association. In 2016, 30 individuals including PA Farm Bureau board members and their guests learned about the work during one of two site visits. In 2015, 2017 and 2019 students enrolled in Penn State's Small Fruit Production class (HORT 431) visited the facility to learn about berry crop production in high and low tunnels and strawberry plants were used for a class research project. In 2018 and 2019, 25 high school students that are part of the Pennsylvania School for Excellence in the Agricultural Sciences visited the high tunnel research facility to learn about the research taking place. In 2018, a group of about 20 students and their instructors from an agricultural university in Switzerland visited the high tunnel research facility to learn about the project. In 2019, a group of Millenium Scholars toured the high tunnel research facility and learned about the work being done. Each year from 2015 through 2019, 20 to 25 students have visited the high tunnel project as part of a freshman seminar class in Plant Science. In each of these instances the attendees learned about the research and current results of the work. A horticulture graduate student performed her research in the high tunnels to investigate the impact of plastics on Japanese beetle and spotted wing drosophila populations. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Goal 1: Many different plastic films are available to growers at various prices, and are frequently marketed as having beneficial effects due to their light-transmitting characteristics. However, few data are available to verify manufacturer or sales claims, or to establish whether different plastic films result in differences in yield or pest problems. We characterized the light-transmitting characteristics of 50 different plastic films on the market and several experimental ones, and chose 5 that varied widely in transmission levels of ultraviolet (UV), visible (PAR), and infrared (IR) ranges of 700 to 1000 nm (Demchak). These films were compared in replicated experiments involving high tunnels and low tunnels. High tunnel experiments were conducted from 2015 through 2019 on day-neutral strawberries, and from 2016 through 2019 on primocane-fruiting raspberries (Marini and Demchak). Low tunnel experiments were conducted on day-neutral strawberries in 2016 and 2017. The light environment and air and soil temperatures were monitored to better understand crop responses (Demchak). To test plastic coverings while eliminating the influence of different soil nutrient levels and pH levels among tunnels, we evaluated soilless media types for day-neutral strawberry production and developed a containerized production system that was relatively simple and grower-friendly but also produced high yields - more than double the yield per plant that would be typical in this location. Some growers in PA and NY have already adopted this production system and reported that they were satisfied with the payback and will continue its use (Demchak). We also used the same system for raspberry production for the same reasons (Marini and Demchak). The system produced high yields very quickly, reaching yields between 3 and 4 pounds of fruit per raspberry plant the year after planting, and 4 to 6 pounds the following year, depending on tunnel cover treatment and variety. For comparison, at this location in open-field production these varieties would only be expected to achieve yields of 1 to 1.5 pounds of fruit per plant in the third year after establishment. There were some unexpected results regarding which plastic film coverings resulted in the highest yields, given previously accepted principles about the tunnel environment and berry plant requirements. We found that plastic covering did affect raspberry yields, with one film resulting in yields 17 to 26% higher than another across years. The covering inducing the highest raspberry yields was the least expensive of those tested and was equally durable. This was a film produced in the U.S. that transmitted high levels of visible light (PAR) but did not block infrared radiation, so daytime air temperatures in the tunnels covered with it often were much higher than those considered optimal for raspberry growth. One reason why this did not cause reduced yields may be that at cooler times of the year, lack of heat could have been the factor most limiting plant growth. Thus, enhanced heat accumulation under this film during cool periods would have resulted in more plant growth then. Perhaps the benefits of warmer temperatures in the spring under this film outweighed the negative effects of any heat buildup in the tunnels during the summer, as tunnels could be fully vented then to let much of the heat escape. Interestingly, the plastic that was associated with lower yields transmitted lower PAR levels and was also the most expensive to obtain. We found that by blocking UV light, Japanese beetle presence could be greatly reduced without pesticide use. Japanese beetles can decimate raspberry foliage and fruit unless insecticides are used, which can be a constraint for organic producers. We also found that spotted wing drosophila (SWD) larval numbers in raspberry fruit could be reduced by harvesting thoroughly and more frequently than usual, a practice which is easier to implement in high tunnels where inclement weather doesn't impact harvest schedules. In addition, baited spheres treated with an insecticide (in cooperation with T. Leskey from the USDA Appalachian Fruit Research Station) could reduce SWD numbers further, thus reducing this invasive insect's impact on production without applying pesticides to the crop itself (Marini and Demchak). Plastic film coverings had much less effect on strawberry yield in high tunnels and low tunnels than on raspberry yield, so growers in our area may be able to choose a covering for this crop mainly based on price. Marketable yields were greatly increased in both high and low tunnel systems compared to having no cover, but especially when the containerized system was used. Fruit anthracnose, a major strawberry disease, was essentially nonexistent in high tunnel production, and was greatly reduced under low tunnels compared to uncovered production. Within the high tunnel microenvironment, different plastics affected temperature extremes in different ways. The plastic covering that tended to produce the lowest yields also produced the lowest maximum temperatures in high tunnels during the day as well as the highest minimum temperatures at night. This plastic blocked some of the PAR and IR wavelengths from entering the tunnel during the day and presumably also IR wavelengths from leaving the tunnels at night. Goal 2: Growth and yield of two primocane-fruiting cultivars, Polka and Josephine, was compared in high tunnels (Marini and Demchak). Both cultivars performed very well, but 'Polka' produced higher yields while 'Josephine' produced larger berries with a stronger flavor. 'Albion,''San Andreas,''Cabrillo,'and 'Sweet Ann' strawberries were compared in high tunnels and outside, and 'Cabrillo' produced the highest yields but had significant fruit anthracnose susceptibility when not under cover. 'Albion' yields were moderate but it had the best overall quality. 'San Andreas' and 'Sweet Ann' yields were low, but theyproduced the largest berries (Demchak). A matted-row system experiment with 16 cultivars or advanced selections of June-bearing strawberries with 4replications was established(Demchak). We collected data on yield and disease and insect susceptibilities.Significant shortcomings were noted for some of the cultivars and advanced selections, with the result being that no cultivars outperformed our current standard varieties overall and thus have not been recommended to growers. 'Malwina' was very late, however, and thus had potential for extending the short-day cultivar production season in summer (Marini and Demchak). Ten blueberry cultivars (Bonus, Nelson, Legacy, Liberty, Chandler, Huron, Reka, Draper, Northland, and Superior) were planted in 2015 in a randomized complete block design with 5replications. 'Superior' was the most attractive to Japanese beetles, while 'Reka' suffered significant bird predation(Marini and Demchak). Goal 3: A blueberry experiment with 'Patriot' was established in 2015 to answer growers' recurring questions of whether the sawdust type (hardwood or softwood) recommended for blueberry plant establishment matters. Treatments compared type of organic matter incorporated in the planting hole (peat moss, softwood sawdust, hardwood sawdust, and wool) and organic materials used as a mulch (softwood sawdust, hardwood sawdust, and wool) in certain combinations. Plants receiving peat moss in the planting hole with softwood sawdust as a mulch grew noticeably faster right after planting. However, over time, other treatments caught up to the point where it appears that any organic matter source is acceptable except for the wool treatment. It is possiblethat the peat moss/softwood sawdust combination would still be preferred as growers are keen to obtain high yields as early as possible after plant establishment(Marini and Demchak).
Publications
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Progress 10/01/18 to 09/30/19
Outputs
Target Audience:Target Audience The target audience for this project is mainly large and small-scale producers with varying levels of experience in producing berry crops. Most are current growers, but producers who are just considering producing berry crops also benefit from information gained from this project, as they can make better decisions about how to proceed with their operations. Individuals who may only own or have access to small plots of land are likely to benefit to a similar extent as larger producers, as berry crops are high value and intensively grown, and thus a significant income can be obtained from a small area of land. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Two presentations on high tunnel raspberry and strawberry research were given to approximately 55 attendees at the Great Lake Fruit Workers conference, a meeting attended by research and extension personnel working with fruit crops from states in the northeastern U.S. The invited presentation "Reduction in Incidence of Certain Common Pests and Diseases in Berry Crops with Changes in Plastic Cover Type and Modifications to Cultural Practices" was given on July 25, 2019 as part of the Amer. Soc. for Hort. Science workshop "Multiregional Assessment of Opportunities and Challenges of High Tunnel Crop Production Systems" at the association's annual meeting. In addition, a workshop in part related to this project was held as a portion of an in-depth training for extension educators on high tunnel and soilless systems with 29 extension educators and 4 interns present. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?As in each of the previous years, six tours of the high tunnel research and extension facility were offered with over 100 individuals attending. Eight presentations on the research, in addition to the ones listed in the section above, were given to approximate 560 attendees at grower meetings in 4 states. In addition, a group of Millenium Scholars toured the high tunnel research facility and learned about the work being done, as did a group of students from the Pennsylvania School for Excellence in the Agricultural Sciences. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?A major activity for the remainder of this project is to continue to analyze data that was collected during the duration of the project, incorporate the knowledge gained into extension publications so that growers can benefit from the work, and write and submit scientific journal articles so that others conducting research in these areas can build on the work. Findings will continue to be discussed at grower meetings.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Related to objective 1 (tunnel production of raspberries and strawberries under different types of plastics), a better understanding of the reasons for improved yields in high tunnels as reported in previous years was developed, as was a better understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of various practices used for overwintering containerized raspberries. Also, a better characterization of the light environment in tunnels was developed. Conclusions were based on data collection on air and soil temperatures in tunnels throughout the entire year, and from collecting data on light levels in the tunnels across the spectrum through the UV, visible, and near-IR ranges. While this work was conducted to primarily benefit growers of berry crops, knowledge gained will likely have value to growers of other crops as well. Some of the key findings resulting from the work was that while the root systems of raspberries grown in pots are damaged at low temperatures, they are able to tolerate much colder temperatures than had been reported in scientific literature. Reasons for this tolerance are still somewhat unclear, as temperature fluctuations were also much greater than raspberry root systems were previously thought to tolerate. It's possible that this could have been because the cultivars grown were more tolerant than those previously tested, or perhaps there is a tolerance conferred by having increased stores of carbohydrates in tunnel production, as insufficient stores of carbohydrates are frequently associated with increased winter injury. A second key finding was that light levels in high tunnels during the wintertime, even without the addition of row cover over plants to protect them, are decreased to a greater extent than was previously thought. This could have important implications for growers who use high tunnels for production of crops during the wintertime. A third key finding was that plastics had large effects on not only average air and soil temperatures, but also the extremes experienced in the tunnels. Interestingly, but perhaps not surprisingly, the plastic that resulted in the coolest high temperature extremes during the day also had the warmest low temperature extremes during the night. This was somewhat unexpected if one assumed that heat buildup during the day would be a precursor to warm temperatures overnight; however, since the plastic that caused this effect blocked some visible light (PAR) and infra-red wavelengths entering the tunnel during the day, it is also reasonable to expect that this plastic similarly blocked infrared wavelengths leaving the tunnel during the night. Related to objective 2 (cultivar evaluation), in a blueberry variety trial, a fine netting was used for spotted wing drosophila exclusion in the field, and this worked well for this purpose as well as excluding Japanese beetles and birds. 'Superior', which had been heavily damaged by Japanese beetles in previous years, thus escaped damage this year, and yields of 'Reka', which had been decreased by birds last year, were improved. Overall, there was a tendency for fruit to drop from the plants, which resulted in questions regarding whether there might have been insufficient pollination occurring. To evaluate this, data were also collected on seed set and seed size in each variety. Overall, 'Liberty' was still a heavy yielder of fruit, and 'Chandler' produced extremely large berries. 'Superior' and 'Northland' were preferred for flavor. In an evaluation of day-neutral strawberry varieties in containerized high tunnel production, 'Cabrillo' was the heaviest producer, but was also very susceptible to fruit anthracnose. 'Albion' was preferred for quality and flavor, and was intermediate in yields, while 'Sweet Ann' and 'San Andreas' produced the largest berries. Related to objective 3 (evaluation of planting hole amendments and mulches for blueberry production), plant size was still numerically the largest for plants that received peat moss in the planting hole, but those receiving either hardwood or softwood sawdust in the planting hole appear to be catching up in growth, and were not smaller statistically.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Conner, D.S. and K. Demchak. 2018. Farmer Perceptions of Tunnels for Berry Production: Management and Marketing Implication. HortTechnology 28(6):706-710.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Cramer, M.E., K. Demchak, R. Marini, and T. Leskey. 2019. UV-Blocking High Tunnel Plastics Reduce Japanese Beetle (Popillia japonica) in Red Raspberry. HortScience 54(5):903-909.
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Progress 10/01/17 to 09/30/18
Outputs
Target Audience:The primary target audience of this project continues to be growers who produce berry crops as part of their farming operations and those who are beginning berry production to further diversify crop production. A significant portion of this group belongs to Plain Sect communities. Additionally, this project is serving beginning growers who are just thinking about getting into berry production. Berry crops are intensively-produced and are high-value, and thus are valuable to those with limited land access, since significant income can be derived from a small area of land. Other target audiences served have been Master Gardeners, the general public, and undergraduate and graduate students. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?An invited presentation "Plastic Film Light-Transmitting Characteristics as Related to Berry Crop Production", given in the American Society for Horticultural Science workshop "Microclimate Modification Effects on Fruit Physiology and Production", was attended by approximately 60 research and extension professionals. Project personnel hosted the 2017 meeting of the NCCC-212 Small Fruit and Viticulture Research and Coordinating Committee, which was attended by researchers and extension personnel from 14 U.S. states and 3 Canadian provinces. During this meeting, attendees visited and learned about the research conducted as part of this project. Findings were also presented during Penn State's Dept. of Plant Science seminar series, attended by faculty and graduate students. County-based extension personnel and specialists from other states have attended talks given about the work conducted at grower meetings held in Pennsylvania, other states, and in Canada. Finally, approximately 40 professionals involved in riparian buffer establishment or restoration have learned about berry crop establishment for wildlife habitat and landowner use. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?As in the previous year, six tours of Penn State's high tunnel research and extension facility were offered during Penn State's Ag Progress Days, with each tour lasting 2 hours. Despite rainy weather during this year's events, 95 growers, future growers, or homeowners attended the tours. Over 800 growers attended one of eight invited presentations given in 4 states and one Canadian province (BC) that discussed this project. Approximately 25 undergraduate students learned about the work as part of a Penn State freshman seminar class. A group of about 40 Master gardeners visited the high tunnel research for an evening workshop to learn about plastics in agriculture and recycling efforts. A group of about 30 high school students that are part of the Pennsylvania School for Excellence in the Agricultural Sciences visited the high tunnel research facility to learn about the research taking place. One undergraduate completed work related to the project as part of an independent research study, and a group of about 20 students and their instructors from an agricultural university in Switzerland also visited. One graduate student completed field work related to the high tunnel project. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Experiments in high tunnels that have already been established will be completed, and an emphasis will be placed on data entry and analyses and publication of results in scientific publications, train-the-trainer activities, and outreach. Some smaller experiments will be undertaken to answer questions on various aspects of the work that arose during the course of the current experiments. One area in which grower interest has been especially strong has been that of containerized production, which was used in experiments conducted in high tunnels as part of this project. Some additional work will be done to investigate ways to maximize strawberry yields in containers without compromising quality or pest management.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
With increasing variability in weather, and continuing introduction of new invasive pests, growers face additional hurdles in the production of many crops, including berries. Through this project's work and its findings, growers will be able to better use protected culture to manage environmental challenges. This production method provides a significant degree of control over increasingly challenging environmental conditions such as excessive rainfall and fluctuating temperatures. This will decrease the likelihood of crop losses while improving berry yields and quality. Further, by utilizing certain types of plastic films compared to others on tunnels, growers will be able to increase yields while also reducing costs. Lastly, growers will be better able to reduce damage from two invasive pests (Japanese beetle and spotted wing drosophila) with cultural controls while decreasing the need for pesticide spray use. Because of this work, growers will also have access to better recommendations on which cultivars may perform well in their location, and on what levels of disease and insect resistance (or susceptibilities) these cultivars have, increasing chances that they will be able to grow these crops successfully. In addition, improved recommendations on blueberry cultural methods should enable growers to more successfully establish blueberry plantings on soils which are not of the types traditionally used for blueberry production and on which blueberries often otherwise grow poorly. Enabling growers to produce this crop successfully provides them with additional income and allows them to further diversify crops grown, thus decreasing risk. Related to meeting objective 1 (evaluation of plastics with different light transmittance characteristics for high and and low tunnel production of raspberries and strawberries ) experiments were continued that had been established as previously reported. In 2015, the tunnels had been covered with five different plastic films and starting in 2016, the raspberry cultivars Polka and Josephine, and the strawberry cultivar Albion were grown in each tunnel in grow-bags. Plants were harvested 3 times per week from May through mid-November, and data were collected on yield, berry size, berry color and soluble solids. Data on Japanese beetle populations and spotted wing drosophila incidence were collected, as well as data on leaf temperatures and UV, visible, and IR light transmittance through the plastics and into the tunnels. A low tunnel experiment using these same plastics, plus two additional ones and open-field treatments, was continued into November of 2017, with data collected on yield, proportion of marketable fruit, fruit size, runner production, and causes of unmarketable fruit. Data collected during 2017 were analyzed. Plastic film types were found to affect temperature, crop yield, insect presence, and disease incidence differently. All plastic film types continued to reduce Japanese beetle populations, with results from 2016, 2017, and 2018 being quite similar. All plastics resulted in greatly increased yields compared to uncovered production, with yields varying as much as 21% between different types of plastics for raspberries. In general, the plastic film that resulted in the warmest temperatures in the tunnels performed best. Since raspberry and strawberry typically grow best under cool or moderate temperatures, these results were not entirely expected, as tunnel air temperatures during the growing season often exceeded those documented as optimum for growth. It's possible that the benefits of warmer temperatures in cool seasons may have outweighed the negative effects of hot temperatures during warm periods, or that warmer soil temperatures in the pots may have been a main driver of root growth and overall yield. It's also possible that ample moisture and decreased wind in the tunnels allowed plants to tolerate temperatures thought of as warmer than optimum. In addition, in order to improve spotted wing drosophila management, a study on shortening harvest interval and the use of an attracticidal spheres, in cooperation with personnel from the USDA Appalachian Fruit Research Station (T. Leskey) were tested, both of which resulted in decreased fruit infestation. Related to meeting objective 2 (evaluating new cultivars) the comparison of performance of the 2 raspberry cultivars Polka and Josephine in high tunnels continues, as does evaluation of the blueberry cultivars Bonus, Nelson, Legacy, Liberty, Chandler, Huron, Reka, Draper, Northland, and Superior. 'Polka' raspberry continues to out-yield 'Josephine'. 'Huron' and 'Liberty' are among the most productive blueberry cultivars tested, and 'Chandler', 'Bonus', and 'Draper' have produced fruit with exceptional size. 'Superior' proved to be the most attractive blueberry cultivar to Japanese beetle, while bird depredation was most problematic on 'Reka'. For objective 3 (evaluating amendments and mulches for blueberry production) an experiment was continued comparing effects of incorporating peat moss, wool, or hardwood or softwood sawdust into the planting hole when planting blueberries, in combination with mulch as wool, or hardwood or softwood sawdust. To date, best growth has been obtained when peat moss was the amendment added to the planting hole in combination with softwood sawdust as the mulch. However, either hardwood or softwood mulch were preferable to wool as a mulch, presumably because the wool, once decomposed, provided little benefit to soil structure or to water holding capacity.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Orde, K., B. Sideman, M. Pritts, and K. Demchak. 2018. Low Tunnel Strawberry Production Guide. University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension Publication. 25 pp.
https://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/Resource007429_Rep10703.pdf
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
High Tunnel Raspberries and Blackberries. 2017. M. Pritts, L. McDermott, K. Demchak, E. Hanson, C. Weber, A.J. Both, G. Loeb, and C. Heidenreich. Cornell Cooperative Extension Publication. 53 pp. Online at www.hort.cornell.edu/fruit/pdfs/high-tunnel-brambles.pdf
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Progress 10/01/16 to 09/30/17
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience is similar to the one from previous reporting period, being primarily growers of berry crops in Pennsylvania and surrounding states, or growers in other states who can use similar production methods. However, students and the general public were also reached with the goal of increasing understanding of efforts being made to increase berry production while providing a safe food supply. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?County-based extension educators visited the above experiments either as part of groups or individually to learn about the work being conducted. In addition, county-based extension personnel and specialists from other states have attended talks given about the work conducted and growing techniques used at numerous grower meetings held in Pennsylvania and six other states. In addition, approximately 35 graduate students and facility attended an invited department seminar at Utah State Univ. on the topic of the high tunnel research being conducted at Penn State. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Six tours of Penn State's high tunnel research and extension facility are offered to the general public during the three days of Penn State's Ag Progress Days, with each tour lasting 2 hours. During the tour, the reasons for the research and the findings are presented, and there are many opportunities to ask questions and have open discussions. 132 individuals, about half of whom were growers based on a show of hands, attended one of these tours. Over 750 growers attended one of fifteen invited presentations given in 7 states that discussed the results of work conducted as part of this project. Approximately 22 students learned about the work as part of a Penn State freshman seminar class and 18 students from an undergraduate class on small fruit production have used the field research trials for various lab session projects. Four undergraduate students in an ecology class have chosen to conduct a related project of their own on pollinator behavior at the high tunnel facility after hearing about the work being conducted there. One undergraduate conducted an independent research study on plastic effects on Japanese beetles. Two invited articles related to the work being conducted were written for NRCS and NARBA (N. American Raspberry-Blackberry Assoc.) as well as two for Penn State grower newsletters. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?All of the above experiments will be continued and data will continue to be collected on yields and pest complexes. A coordinated trial on best practices for low tunnel production will be undertaken with cooperators in other states. Data will continue to be analyzed. Newsletter articles and presentations will continue to be presented, with several invitations to present information on the topics during the upcoming year having been received.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Opportunities for growers in the mid-Atlantic region to sell to local customers are increasing. Growers sell through various farmers markets from Spring through Fall or sometimes year-round, establish CSAs, and sometimes work with nearby grocery stores or chains to market their produce. While markets are strong, the number of production risks which growers face is large and continuing to increase. One major risk is invasive pests - from established ones such as Japanese beetles to newer ones such as spotted wing drosophila, an invasive fruit fly that lays eggs in ripening fruit. Other production risks include native insect pests, fruit loss caused by poor weather conditions, increased disease pressure that affects both fruit quality and plant survival, and winter injury caused by low or fluctuating temperatures. This project intends to mitigate some of these risks that berry growers experience by determining: 1) how growers will be able to best utilize protected culture (high tunnels and low tunnels) which can protect crops from insect pests, diseases, and poor weather conditions, 2) which cultivars should be recommended for growers based on the cultivar's ability to produce high yields while also being resistant to insects and diseases, and 3) what production methods should be recommended to successfully establish blueberry plants in the field, as the number of growers interested in growing this berry crop has increased greatly. Towards meeting objective 1, experiments were continued in both single-bay high tunnels and low tunnels. Tunnels had been covered previously with 5 plastic films chosen for their spectral transmittance characteristics (i.e., how well they transmit various wavelengths of light) applied in a randomized complete block design with 3 replications - a replication being a complete set of treatments, repeated 3 times in this case to allow statistical analyses to be performed. These plastic films, because of differences in how they transmit visible and invisible wavelengths of light, have the potential to affect temperature, crop yield, insect presence, and disease incidence differently. Mini-computers programmed to record air temperature, relative humidity, and soil temperature were deployed in the high tunnels. In 2017, outdoor raspberry plants were moved into uncovered tunnels to serve as a control in each of 3 replications so that the effect of the plastics could be compared to what growth would have been like without the plastics. The raspberry cultivars 'Polka' and 'Josephine' continued to be grown in each tunnel in grow-bags as well as 'Albion' strawberry plants. Plants were harvested 3 times per week, with harvest typically taking place from late May through Fall, with data collected on marketable yield, unmarketable yield and berry size for both raspberries and strawberries. Data on Japanese beetle populations and spotted wing drosophila incidence were collected for raspberries, and causes of unmarketable fruit (fruit anthracnose, gray mold, tarnished plant bug injury, etc.) were collected for strawberries. A similar experiment, but with 4 replications, that had been established under low tunnels in 2016 was harvested for its spring crop. A new low tunnel experiment using these same plastics, plus two additional ones and open-field treatments, was established in May of 2017 to repeat the previous year's trial for comparison. Data were collected on yield, proportion of marketable fruit, fruit size, runner production, and on causes of unmarketable fruit. Data collected during the previous growing season of 2016 was analyzed during the winter of 2016-17. Findings from high tunnel experiments were that all plastic film types reduced Japanese beetle populations, with some reducing severity of feeding damage more than others. It is too early to evaluate the effects on high tunnel plastics on raspberry yields as yields would largely have been determined by the previous year's growth conditions in the nursery. Strawberry yields were more than doubled under all high tunnel plastics compared to outdoors, with some plastics resulting in 10% greater yield than others. Spotted wing drosophila numbers were reduced by all plastics as well. Low tunnels increased total yields of strawberries by 21 to 40% over open-field production. However, because fruit quality was affected in addition to yields, differences in marketable yields were greater, with marketable yields being essentially doubled by low tunnel use - ranging from increases of 84 to 116% depending on plastic type used - compared to the open-field control. However, it should be pointed out that this was under pesticide-free production. Differences in marketable yields would have likely been less if pesticides had been used as fewer berries would have been lost to insects or disease when tunnels weren't present. Regardless, the potential for protected culture to increase yields, protect crops from insects and disease, and decrease the need for pesticide use is significant, and selection of the correct type of plastic film has potential to make the benefits of protected culture even greater. To meet objective 2, the comparison of performance of the 2 raspberry cultivars ('Polka' and 'Josephine') in high tunnels continues. 'Polka' has an earlier harvest season and higher yield potential, but greater susceptibility to insect pests. Five plants each of ten cultivars of blueberries ('Bonus', 'Nelson', 'Legacy', 'Liberty', 'Chandler', 'Huron', 'Reka', 'Draper', 'Northland', and 'Superior') continued to be grown, with data collected on plant size and blossom production. Blossoms were removed as the plants are still too young to be allowed to produce fruit, which could stunt their long-term vigor. 'Superior' produced the greatest number of blossoms indicating high yield potential, while 'Legacy' and 'Nelson' produced the fewest. 'Northland' and 'Liberty' plants were the largest. Data from a completed strawberry trial of 16 strawberry varieties in the plasticulture system and matted-row system were analyzed. To meet objective 3, an experiment was continued comparing effects of incorporating peat moss, wool, or hardwood or softwood sawdust into the planting hole when planting blueberries, in combination with mulch as wood, or hardwood or softwood sawdust. Sawdust was not aged. Data were collected on plant size and blossom production, as in the blueberry variety trial above. Plants were not allowed to fruit, as plants in this trial are also still too young for fruit production. Plants receiving peat moss incorporated into the planting hole grew the most, while plants receiving hardwood (oak) sawdust grew the least. Softwood (pine) sawdust resulted in better plant growth when incorporated at planting than hardwood sawdust. Type of sawdust used as mulch had less effect than type of organic matter incorporated into the planting hole.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Joshi, N. K., B. Butler, K. Demchak, and D. Biddinger. 2017. Seasonal occurrence of spotted wing drosophila in various small fruits and berries in Pennsylvania and Maryland. J. Appl. Ent. 141:156-160.
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Progress 10/01/15 to 09/30/16
Outputs
Target Audience:Information about new production systems and cultivar performance generated from this project has reached growers, Master Gardeners, students, and the general public. In addition, K-12 teachers learned about various aspects of the work as part of an "Ag in the Classroom" experience to assist in relating various subjects, in particular physics, biology and current events, to topics such as food production, food security, and climate change. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?28 teachers from kindergarten through 12th grade were able to learn about the work and how it relates to various subjects they teach through an Ag in the Classroom learning opportunity offered by the Pennsylvania Educator's Agriculture Institute. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Information generated from this project has reached growers at large through 5 newsletter articles. 111 growers attended one of 6 2-hour tours of the high tunnel facilities during Penn State's Ag Progress Days, and 30 individuals including PA Farm Bureau board members and their guests learned about the work during one of two visits. Over 350 growers attended one of five presentations given in 3 states that discussed the results of work conducted as part of this project. Approximately 20 students learned about the work as part of a freshman seminar class. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Experiments established on raspberries and/or strawberries under high and low tunnels will be maintained and data will continue to be collected on the microenvironment, plant growth, and disease, insect, and mite incidence. The experiment on blueberry establishment and mulch will be continued, with information collected on plant yield and fruit quality where applicable, and plant growth. Data will be analyzed. Additional video and powerpoint presentations that extend information will be developed, and newsletter articles and presentations will continue to be presented.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Last year, 5 plastic film coverings based on their spectral transmittance characteristics were chosen and used to cover single-bay high tunnels in a randomized complete block design with 3 replications. In the fall of 2015, an experiment was established evaluating two different fertilization regimes (fertilizer incorporated into media or as constant-feed fertigation) and 4 types of media (coir, 2:1:1 peat:coir:perlite, 2:1 peat:perlite, or Metromix 360) within each of the above 15 high tunnels. The purpose was to determine the optimum regime for growing strawberries in a soilless system. Data were collected on air and soil temperature, plant size, root growth, and vegetative growth. In the spring of 2016, plantings of 2 cultivars of raspberries and one cultivar of strawberries were established using the media and fertilization regime that produced the best growth last year (2:1 peat:perlite with constant-feed fertilization) under all 15 high tunnels plus outdoors. Data were collected on Japanese beetle, two-spotted spider mite, and spotted wing drosophila incidence, potato leafhopper injury, yield, proportion of marketable fruit, and for strawberries only, runner production. A similar experiment, but with 4 replications, was conducted under low tunnels using the same plastic films plus open-field conditions on raised beds with one cultivar of strawberries. Beds were mulched with white plastic, black plastic, or no plastic mulch. Data were collected on potato leafhopper injury, yield, proportion of marketable fruit, and runner production. From a trial of 16 different cultivars of matted-row strawberries that was held over for a second harvest year, data were collected on harvest season, yield, berry size, and proportion of the berry harvest that was of marketable quality. Data were collected on vegetative characteristics including runner production and bed fill, susceptibility to the diseases leaf scorch and common leaf spot, incidence of plant decline due to root rot, and susceptibility to potato leafhopper feeding injury. Overall, several cultivars were identified that have potential for high yields, or disease resistance. However, some cultivars were identified to have significant susceptibility to particular diseases. Growers are being informed of these characteristics through newsletter articles, grower conferences, and extension publications so they can make sound decisions regarding cultivar selection. In an experiment on blueberries that evaluates effects of different types of organic matter incorporated at planting (peat, softwood sawdust, hardwood sawdust and wool) and used as mulch (softwood sawdust, hardwood sawdust, and wool), data were collected on vegetative/reproductive characteristics and plant nutrient concentrations. In a blueberry cultivar trial that compares 10 cultivars in a randomized complete block design with five replications, data were collected on vegetative/reproductive characteristics and plant nutrient concentrations.
Publications
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Some of the work conducted is reported on the web site www.tunnelberries.org hosted and maintained by Michigan State University.
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Progress 07/01/15 to 09/30/15
Outputs
Target Audience:Information generated from this new project has reached growers, Master Gardeners and students. 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?Information generated from this new project has reached growers at large through a newsletter article, 19 growers who visited our research plots during an open house, 9 Master Gardeners who visited during an evening workshop and approximately 20 students who visited as part of a freshman seminar class. In each of these instances the attendees learned about research and early results of the work. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?New experiments will be established on raspberries and strawberries under high tunnels, and data on the microenvironment, plant growth, and disease, insect, and mite incidence will be collected. Strawberry and blueberry cultivar experiments will be continued, as will the experiment on blueberry establishment and mulch, with information collected on plant yield and fruit quality where applicable and plant growth. Data will be analyzed. Plans are underway for development of video and powerpoint presentations to extend information produced to the target audience.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Because this is a new project, work is still in early stages. An improved high tunnel end wall design was developed and is being utilized on fifteen tunnels at Penn State's High Tunnel Research facility. Fifty different high tunnel plastics from various manufacturers were evaluated for their spectral characteristics and from these, five were chosen with desired characteristics that will allow us to investigate effects of certain wavelengths on plant growth and pest complexes. These plastics were then installed on high tunnels in an experiment in a randomized complete block design with three replications. This sets the stage for high tunnel experiments that will conducted in upcoming years. From a trial of 16 different cultivars of matted-row strawberries, data was collected on harvest season, yield, berry size, and proportion of the berry harvest that was of market quality. Data was collected on vegetative characteristics including runner production and bed fill, susceptibility to the diseases leaf scorch and common leaf spot, incidence of plant decline due to root rot, and susceptibility to potato leafhopper feeding injury. An experiment was established that evaluates effects of different types of organic matter incorporated at planting (peat, softwood sawdust, hardwood sawdust and wool) and used as mulch (softwood sawdust, hardwood sawdust, and wool). Treatments were applied in a randomized complete block design with five replications. Data were collected on plant vigor and plant color as an indication of nutritional status. Tissue samples were collected for nutrient analysis as well. A blueberry cultivar trial was established that compares 10 cultivars in a randomized complete block design with five replications. Data were collected on plant vigor. Data from trials will be analyzed and results will be included in the next report.
Publications
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