October News Articles 2005

The 2005 Southeast Regional Strawberry Plasticulture Production Guide and The 2005 Southeast Regional Strawberry Integrated Management Guide are available on the website of the Southern Regional Small Fruit Consortium at www.smallfruits.org/SmallFruitsRegGuide/index.htm . Also on this website are links to guides for blueberries, bramble, bunch grapes, and muscadines.

Evaluation of Organic Strawberry Runner Production is a research report from New Zealand in HortTechnology (Oct-Dec '05). "Walter et al. . . . examined three indoor systems for producing strawberry runners. . . . Field evaluation of organically and conventionally produced transplants showed generally no difference in yield or fruit quality among runner sources. However, indoor runner production allowed an earlier planting date, thereby increasing yield by 181 g/plant. . . . Under organic production conditjons, orgtanically produced runners (plug and bare-rooted transplants) performed at least as well as bare-rooted conventionally produced runners. . . . Generally, there were no differences in yield or fruit quality among runner sources." An abstract of this article is available on the ASHS website at http://www.electronicipc.com/JournalEZ/toc.cfm?code=0420003 . More information on the project is available at the New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry website: http://www.maf.govt.nz/sff/about-projects/organics/01172organic.htm

Evaluation of Selected Raspberry and Strawberry Cultivars in Southern Idaho is reported in the "Variety Trials" section of HortTechnology (Oct-Dec '05). "Robins. . . tested nine June-bearing strawberry varieties and seven floricane-fruiting (summer-bearing) raspberry varieties in USDA zone 4 conditions. Spring freezes damaged strawberry flowers. Only 'Mesabi' yielded above 6 tons/acre, a strawberry yield projected to be profitable with hand harvest; however, berry weights may have been too small for commercial production. Raspberries bloomed after the spring frosts, but cool temperatures during bloom required bumblebee colonies for pollination. All varieties yielded above 3 tons/acre, a level projected to be profitable with machine harvest." An abstract of this article is available on the ASHS website at http://www.electronicipc.com/JournalEZ/toc.cfm?code=0420003 .

Relay-Intercropping Does Not Reduce Strawberry Yield in an Annual-hill Production System by John Duval, IFAS, University of Florida appears in the "Notes" section of HortTechnology (Oct-Dec '05). " Relay-intercropping is the production of two crops in the same field in a single year with both crops in the field for some period of time with the primary crop having a competitive advantage over the secondary crop.  This competitive advantage usually comes from the primary crop being at an advanced stage of development when the secondary crop is planted.  Relay-intercropping suppresses the second crop planted in the field until the first is removed.  This allows for growth of the second crop with minimal competitive impact on the primary crop.  Strawberry is an insurable crop.  However, insurance policies may not allow for relay-intercropping of strawberry with secondary crops.  The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of intercropping strawberry with the most common secondary crops. . . . Relay- intercropping does not reduce strawberry yields with test secondary crops therefore, this practice should not be considered a reason to invalidate insurance policies if performed within the last 4 weeks of strawberry production.  However, great care should be taken to apply pesticides that are labeled for both crops planted together in the field." A similar version of this article can be read on the Internet in the UF/IFAS Vegetarian Newsletter (Jan. '05) at http://www.hos.ufl.edu/vegetarian/05/January/Duval.htm .

Selling Produce to Schools ( New England Vegetable & Berry Growers Association, Oct. '05). "Farmers selling to schools report they are happy with the prices they are getting and the schools have been very pleased with the freshness and taste of local products. Farms which sell fruit, especially apples or berries, as well as vegetables, seem to be able to maximize the profitability of school sales. Issues such as delivery times, number of stops and minimum order size have to be worked out in advance. Seasonality and availability of products that schools desire are also important factors."

Methyl Bromide and Field Evaluation of Alternatives Fall 2005 (Berry/Vegetable Times, October '05). "Methyl bromide availability continues to be one of the hot topics of discussion within industry. This is no wonder since it was technically phased out of production and use January 1, 2005 and is now being made available to Florida strawberry growers [and others] only through award of a Critical Use Exemption (CUE). The CUE is a temporary safety valve to make methyl bromide available to users who have no other economically viable or technically available alternative to provide broad spectrum soilborne pest and disease control. The CUE. . . . also seeks to reduce the approved use rate per acre every year, forcing growers to produce with less." To read the entire article, go to http://strawberry.ifas.ufl.edu/ , click on <Newsletter> and select October 2005.