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The overall goal of the proposed research and outreach activities is to enhance the sustainability of organic farming using protected cultivation for high-value small fruit crops. High tunnels provide a means of 1) producing crops out-of-season for increased profitability, 2) increasing quality grade of fruit, 3) reducing delays in cultural activities and harvest due to rainfall, 4) reducing disease pressure and the need for fungicide application. By shifting production either earlier or later in the season, workload and cash flow are spread more evenly among seasons.<P> Therefore, the proposed project addresses the following USDA-IOP Priority Areas for 2006 funding: Facilitate the development of organic agriculture production Evaluate the potential economic benefits to crop producers who use organic methods <P>Objective 1) Determine management practices for out-of-season organic blueberry and blackberry production in high tunnels in the southeast. Existing practices for greenhouse management of raspberries will be adapted to southeastern conditions. <P>Objective 2) Perform an economic analysis of all three crops to determine the economic feasibility of out-of-season small fruit production as a means of supplementing income of existing organic or conversion farms. <P>Objective 3) Incorporate this research-generated knowledge of out-of-season organic small fruit production in high tunnels for the southeastern USA into a multi-dimensional Extension program.
Non-Technical Summary: In the southeastern USA, organic fruit production is challenging due to varibale weather conditions and great pest and disease pressure. Plastic tunnels offer a means of reducing these production risks, while simultaneously enhancing profit potential by extending the market season into more lucrative periods. This project examines the feasibility of using protected cultivation in plastic tunnels as a means of producing high quality, organic blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries under southeastern conditions. On-farm demonstration trials will extend the research to prospective clientele. <P> Approach: The research involves multi-institutional cooperation between Georgia and Arkansas. Each institution will focus on separate crops as detailed below, so that a complete management plan can be developed at one location. Also, each institution will create an organic farm site, following certified organic regulations, on Experiment Station property to conduct the research. These areas will be 1-2 acres in size, and will contain high tunnels where crops will be grown. A. Blueberry, Athens GA. The high density, pine bark bed method of culture will be employed for the phase 1 research. Pollination will be accomplished with bumble bee colonies. Historical data for Watkinsville, GA, where the research will be conducted, shows an average of 398 chill hours accumulated by 15 December over the last 4 years, with a minimum of 290 and maximum of 528. This is ample for the low chill southern highbush cultivars to be considered (< 300 hrs). There will be 4 treatments with 2 replications each, with a two 36-ft long parallel beds constituting a replicate. Treatment 1: Control, no tunnel application Treatment 2: Tunnel with plastic applied on 15 December Treatment 3: Tunnel with plastic applied on 2 January Treatment 4: Tunnel with plastic applied on 15 January The following data will be collected during trials in years 1 and 2: Plant growth, Fruit yield and quality, Insect and pathogen populations, Microclimate effects of tunnels, and Economics. B. Blueberry farm trial, Homerville, GA. Horner Farms, Inc., of Homerville, GA, has been chosen for phase 2 of the study. One 3-bay Haygrove tunnel will be installed over part of the planting in the autumn prior to year 3 of the project. Each bay of the structure can be enclosed in plastic separately, allowing 3 timing treatments, similar to phase 1. Treatments will be 1) uncovered blueberries on the same farm, 2) tunnel applied after 300 chill hours have accumulated (late Dec), 3) after 400 hours (mid-January), and 4) after 550 hours (late January). Yield, quality, timing of harvest, pest and disease pressures, and labor and inputs will be measured as described for phase 1. C. Blackberry and raspberry. Evaluation of high tunnel blackberry and raspberry production will occur in 2 phases. In phase 1, detailed studies will be conducted at the Organic Unit at the Horticultural Research Farm in Fayetteville, AR in high tunnel units as described above. In phase 2, the best management practices resulting from phase 1 will be implemented in on-farm trials by organic producers in Elkins and Greenland, AR. - phase 1: Two approaches will be taken; the first will study advanced production by using high tunnels in the spring, and the second will study extended production in fall by applying tunnels to crops in October. Data collected will be similar to that described for blueberry. - phase 2: Trials similar to those described above will be established on two organic producer sites in Arkansas. Janet Bachmann, and Bill and Michele Morgan were selected since they are experienced producers in the Fayetteville area.