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 (Kadir et 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-Donoso et 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 Variety Marketable Yield/Plot (lbs) Unmarketable Yield/Plot (lbs) High Tunnels Albion1.2 Seascape0.50.7 Chandler0.20.9 Radiance2.82.0 San Andreas0.91.6 Strawberry Festival2.12.4 Bumblebee hives were placed in each tunnel November 10. Harvest began December 2; 6 harvests included until January 12.

13. Reasons for Unmarketability Variety Insect Damage (% by weight) Poor Pollination (% by weight) Cold Damage (% by weight) High Tunnels Albion4923 30 Seascape5121 26 Chandler6727 5 Radiance7714 7 San Andreas6717 13 Strawberry Festival887 2

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 VarietyL avga avgb avg High Tunnels Albion30.1634.34 15.20 Radiance32.1734.45 14.23 Strawberry Festival34.0033.31 15.79 P-value 0.10550.69420.5910

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

19. Force Test VarietyFirmness (grams) High Tunnels Albion299 Radiance256 Strawberry Festival300 P-value 0.3869

20. Refractometer Reichert AR200 Digital Refractometer 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 VarietyBrix Value High Tunnels Albion9.9 a Radiance9.1 b Strawberry Festival 9.6 ab P-value 0.0310

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. 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 Walters 1 ; Doug Hayes, Bobby Jones, Jaehoon Lee, Larry Wadsworth and Annette Wszelaki 2 ; Jennifer Moore-Kucera 3 ; Russ Wallace 4 ; Marion Brodhagen 5 ; and Eric Belasco 6 ; 1 2 5 SCRI Grant Award No. 2009-51181-05897 4 3 6

27. Questions?