Specialty Crops, Arkansas

<p>NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY:<br/> The production and marketing of specialty crops can be characterized as suffering from a lack of research in production systems, a lack of education about technology, a large need for knowledge and assistance in marketing, and the lack of education of consumers regarding the value of these products in a healthy diet. Increased knowledge about the production and marketing of specialty crops and development of related value-added products can significantly enhance the viability and sustainability of the small and medium-sized farms that dominate the production of specialty crops in Arkansas and the South. Moreover, this knowledge will lengthen market windows and reduce seasonal fluctuations that complicate local purchasing by consumers. The assessment of the Arkansas blueberry industry serves as a template to determine crop status and problems
facing other berries and specialty crops. Once problems are determined, environmentally sustainable solutions can be determined and implemented. Fertilization and disease management studies will be conducted to determine cultural practices that will help Arkansas growers reverse declines in production despite increased demand. A study will demonstrate the feasibility of, and identify possible risks involved with, growing genotypes of strawberries using hightunnels, seeking to extend growing seasons to improve the profitability of growers' farms. Value-added products prepared using small-scale processing techniques appropriate for on-farm product production will be evaluated. As an example of these value-added products, a project seeks to maximize the acceptability, composition and nutraceutical impact of juices created by blending juice produced from grapes, blackberries and blueberries.
The nutritional aspects of these products and consumer acceptance are important. Identifying and optimizing the health-promoting aspects of these products should also be a major component of product development efforts. A project evaluates strategies to prevent losses of bioactive polyphenolics that occur during processing and storage of blackberries, recognizing the importance of incorporating products from these specialty crops into a health-promoting diet: Another project continues to assess the feasibility of the production of lactic acid from fruit and vegetable processing waste, as an example of increasing the sustainability of specialty crops.

<p>APPROACH: <br/>To seek to improve blueberry production in Arkansas by improving soil fertility and reducing soil and plant pathogens, the experimental design will be a full factorial randomized complete block design, applied on five existing commercial farms (the blocks). Treatments will include combinations of foliar fungicide or none, soil fungicide or none, and soil fertility treatments of ammonium sulfate or a complete fertilizer plus micronutrients. The experimental unit will be a single plant, with a buffer plant on each side, using three plants for each treatment. A total of 24 plants (8 treatments x 3 plants per treatment combination) will be used on each farm. Data collected will include cane emergence, cane length, and yield measurements. For assessing the use of hightunnels for the production of day-neutral genotypes of strawberries in Arkansas, beds will be
prepared in August with strawberry plants being planted on September 1 and on October 1. The hightunnel will be closed when possible to encourage growth without damaging plants with high temperatures. Yield and yield quality will be recorded twice weekly after harvest begins, until it halts. Value-added juice blends with high nutraceutical content will be developed, produced and evaluated. The juice blends will be produced from muscadine, blackberries and blueberries, with a mixture design model used to optimize the blends. Composition, nutraceutical and descriptive sensory analysis of the juice blends will be conducted at four storage timesas well as consumer sensory analysis. Strategies to prevent losses of bioactive polyphenolics that occur during processing and storage of blackberries will be evaluated. Blackberries will be processed into a puree using two different processing
treatments, a control exposed to air, and one processed under a nitrogen atmosphere.Purees will be stored at 4 degrees C and 25 degrees C and sampled 1 day after processing, and after 2, 4, and 6 months of storage. Processed purees and stored purees will be analyzed for ellagitannins, anthocyanins, flavonols, percent polymeric color and ORAC using established procedures. Retention of polyphenolics and antioxidant capacity will be compared to values obtained for frozen berries. The feasibility of the production of lactic acid from fruit and vegetable processing waste continues to be investigated. The list of byproducts with the most potential was narrowed down to cucumbers, carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, watermelons, grapes, blueberries and blackberries based on their total carbohydrate, starch, and fermentable sugars content, analyzed by the phenol sulfuric acid, Megazyme, and
dinitrosalicyclic methods respectively. Sugary substrates from these byproducts will be processed by different methods to maximize the release of fermentable sugars. Fermentations will then be carried out in a bench-top shaker and in a bioreactor at the optimal temperature for the lactic acid bacteria. Samples will be taken at regular intervals, centrifuged, and the supernatant analyzed for lactic acid content by HPLC. Total lactic acid production for each substrate will be compared to concentrations obtained by traditional methods.<br/>
PROGRESS: <br/>2010/09 TO 2013/08 <br/>Target Audience: specialty crops farmers in the state, entrepreneurs, local food systems participants. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Arkansas Food Innovation plans to develop a series of workshops to further enhance specialty crops entrepreneurship in the state of Arkansas. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Results of the blueberry assessment were communicated at the 2012 Blueberry Growers Association Annual Meeting in Fayetteville. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported
. <br/>PROGRESS: <br/>2011/09/01 TO 2012/08/31 <br/>OUTPUTS: The funds provided for this project were used to support multiple smaller projects relevant to the specialty crops industry. We are reporting here on three different projects. 1. Marketability of fruit juice blends: In a previous project, the consumer marketability of healthy juice blends from blueberry, blackberry and Concord grape were investigated. The next phase of this project was to further investigate the design, optimization and marketability other nutraceutical rich juices. Using online surveys, participants (n=1291) completed 38 choice exercises concerning their preferred juice blends (i.e., three-component blends composed of acai, black cherry, blueberry, Concord grape, cranberry, and/or pomegranate juice). Participants considered potential positive health components (antioxidants information) about each juice
and their estimated acceptance of the juice blend based on anticipated sensory properties. Black cherry, Concord grape and pomegranate juices were blended according to a mixture design (7 juice treatments) and evaluated by descriptive (n=10) and consumer panels (n=100). Consumers evaluated overall liking pre- and post-antioxidant-information (provided consumers with information about antioxidant levels in the juice) and evaluated other attributes. A non-hypothetical auction mechanism was used to determine consumers' willingness-to-pay (WTP) for a nutraceutical-rich juice blend (75%Concord+12%pomegranate+13%black Cherry) to determine the effects of time preference (i.e., level of future orientation) and risk aversion on WTP. Auction participants (n=228) were divided into four treatment groups (control, antioxidant information only, sensory evaluation only, and sensory evaluation with
antioxidant information) and indicated their WTPs during two bidding rounds. 2.Processing of Fruit Purees: Polyphenol oxidase is thought to play a major role in anthocyanin degradation during berry processing. Exclusion of oxygen during processing could retard polyphenol oxidase activity and prevent other oxidative reactions responsible for degradation of anthocyanins and other polyphenolics. Blackberries, red raspberries, and blueberries were processed into puree in a glove box under two conditions 1) control - processed under air atmosphere and 2) processed under nitrogen atmosphere. Following pasteurization at 90oC for 10 min purees were stored at 40oC. Samples were analyzed immediately after pureeing, one day after pasteurizing, and after two weeks and six weeks of accelerated storage for anthocyanin content and percent polymeric color. 3.Arkansas Blueberry Industry Assessment: The
Arkansas blueberry program has focused on addressing the yield decline that has occurred in the state over the past five to ten years. Symptoms of decline include low yields, low new cane emergence, and a general reduction in plant vigor. Possible causes to the overall decline relate to age of planting, the prevalence of soil-borne pathogens, the presence of mummy berry (Monilinia vaccinii), and widespread micronutrient deficiencies. In 2010-2011, six farms were studied to determine whether foliar fertilization or fungicides would remedy yield issues. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
<br/>PROGRESS: <br/>2010/09/01 TO 2011/08/31 <br/>OUTPUTS: The funds provided for this project were used to support multiple smaller projects relevant to the specialty crops industry. We are reporting here on three different projects. 1.Marketability of fruit juice blends: In a previous project, healthy juice blends from Blueberry, Blackberry and Concord grape were demonstrated to have high sensory acceptability and be rich in antioxidant. The next phase of this project was to further investigate the marketability of this type of products to consumers. Economic theory and sensory science were integrated to determine the satisfaction consumers derive from products based on sensory characteristics and potential nutraceutical impact. An experimental auction, an economic theory-based method, that identified consumers' non-hypothetical willingness-to-pay, was used to determine the
relative emphasis consumers place on health and sensorial attributes that affect their valuation of the product. An optimized juice blend, containing blackberry, blueberry, and concord grape was used to perform the auctions. 2.Processing of Fruit Purees: Polyphenol oxidase is thought to play a major role in anthocyanin degradation during berry processing. Exclusion of oxygen during processing could retard polyphenol oxidase activity and prevent other oxidative reactions responsible for degradation of anthocyanins and other polyphenolics. Blackberries, red raspberries, and blueberries were processed into puree in a glove box under two conditions 1) control - processed under air atmosphere and 2) processed under nitrogen atmosphere. Following pasteurization at 90oC for 10 min purees were stored at 40oC. Samples were analyzed immediately after pureeing, one day after pasteurizing, and after
two weeks and six weeks of accelerated storage for anthocyanin content and percent polymeric color. 3.Arkansas Blueberry Industry Assessment: The Arkansas blueberry program has focused on addressing the yield decline that has occurred in the state over the past five to ten years. Symptoms of decline include low yields, low new cane emergence, and a general reduction in plant vigor. Possible causes to the overall decline relate to age of planting, the prevalence of soil-borne pathogens, the presence of mummy berry (Monilinia vaccinii), and widespread micronutrient deficiencies. In 2010-2011, six farms were studied to determine whether foliar fertilization or fungicides would remedy yield issues. ARK02296 is also reported as ARK02250. PARTICIPANTS: Luke Howard,Ph.D.; Jean-Francois Meullenet,Ph.D.; Renee Threlfall,Ph.D.; Elena Garcia, Ph.D. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report
during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.</p>