High Quality, High Tunnel Winter Strawberries

1. High Quality, High Tunnel Winter Strawberries Jeff Martin, M.S. Candidate Crops Group

2. Objective:Evaluate the quality of winter strawberry production when grown in high tunnels

3. Background • Strawberry plants under high tunnels were not only better established, but also produced higher yields and quality than open field plants (Kadiret al., 2006). • Early yields increased inside high tunnels when compared with those from open fields. Strawberry total marketable yields maximized inside high tunnels in comparison with open fields (Salam-Donosoet al., 2010).

4. Background • Producing strawberries in the fall and following spring using high tunnels resulted in higher yields than those grown in the open field (Fernandez and Ballington, 2003). • Tomatoes grown in high tunnels contained significantly higher levels of lycopene, sugars and red color (Wszelaki and Rogers, 2009).

5. Methods • Six varieties compared • 4 replicated plots/variety inside and outside high tunnels • 28 plants/plot with double-staggered row with plants 12 in. apart on black plastic • Plants were fertilized once a week with fish emulsion (1lb N/acre) • M-Pede, Aza-Direct and PyGanic were used for insect control as needed

6. Pollination

7. Season 3- Plant Establishment • Fall planting (September 23, 2011) • All plugs • June-Bearers • Chandler • Radiance • Strawberry Festival • Day Neutrals • Albion • San Andreas • Seascape

8. Overwintering Open Field: Ag-30 row cover High Tunnel: Ag-19 row cover

9. Overwintering High Tunnel (late December) Open Field (late February)

10. December Harvest

11. Yield characteristics measured: • Marketable yield • Unmarketable yield • Insect damage • Poor pollination • Cold damage

12. Season 3- Yields to Date Bumblebee hives were placed in each tunnel November 10. Harvest began December 2; 6 harvests included until January 12.

13. Reasons for Unmarketability

14. Lygus Bug Damage

15. 2011 Fall- Fruit Quality • Color • Firmness • Sugar content • Acidity • Shelf life

16. Colorimeter • Used to objectively describe all the colors visible to the human eye. • L= 0 yields black and L=100 yields white (lightness) • a= negative values indicate green, positive values indicate magenta • b= negative values indicate blue, positive values indicate yellow

17. Color Test

18. Force Dial™ • Measures firmness of fruit • Wagner FDK 32 • 1000 grams force x 10 grams force

19. Force Test

20. Refractometer • Reichert AR200 DigitalRefractometer • 1 degree Brix = 1 gram of sucrose in 100 grams of solution • Represents the strength of the solution as percentage by weight

21. Soluble Solids

22. Season 3- Improvements • Winter high tunnel production • Excellent flavor, firmness and sugar content • Large berry size

23. Fire Ants

24. Parasitoids

25. Start of 2012 Harvest

26. SCRI Grant Award No. 2009-51181-05897 Biodegradable Mulches for Specialty Crops Produced Under Protective Covers Debra Inglis and Carol Miles (Project Directors)1; Andrew Corbin, Ana Espinola-Arredondo, Annabel Kirschner, Karen Leonas, Tom Marsh and Tom Walters1; Doug Hayes, Bobby Jones, Jaehoon Lee, Larry Wadsworth and Annette Wszelaki2; Jennifer Moore-Kucera3; Russ Wallace4; Marion Brodhagen5 ; and Eric Belasco6; 1 2 4 3 6 5

27. Questions?