Sustainable Strawberry

Production Systems for

Mississippi and Surrounding

Markets

William B. Evans*, R.G. Snyder,

R. Arancibia, J.C. Diaz-Perez,

E. Stafne, J. Main, and G. Bi

*MAFES Truck Crops Branch

P.O. Box 231, Crystal Springs, MS 39059-0231

(bill.evans@msstate.edu)

Introduction

• Few Strawberry growers in Mississippi

• Significant local industry in Louisiana, historically

more important in Mississippi

• Little local expertise, infrastructure

• Growing local demand and opportunity

• Good climate and soils available

• High value crop that could be locally wholesaled or

retailed similar to how Louisiana berries are marketed

Objectives

• To test cultivars for performance in Mississippi under

conventional and organic culture

• To train growers, Extension and others on strawberry

production methods appropriate for Mississippi and

surrounding areas

• To build interest in commercial strawberry production

in and around Mississippi

Components

• Field Trials

• Post Harvest Tests

• Short Course

Choctaw Tunnels

Trial methods

• Seven cultivars, four replications

• 20 plugs/plot

• Twin rows

• 12 inches in and between rows, offset

• 24 inch bed tops, about 4 inch final height

• Black plastic, drip – no frost sprinklers

• Row covers as needed

• Conventional (Choctaw and Crystal Springs); Organic

(Tupelo)

Cultivars

• Radiance

• Festival

• Camarosa

• Camino Real

• San Andreas

• Albion

• Chandler

Post-Harvest Tests

• Three sampling times:

– At Harvest

– After simulated regional shipping

– After shipping and simulated storage

• Data to collect:

– Brix

– Titratable Acidity

– Firmness

• Results Pending

Data and Evaluation

• Harvests every 4 to 7 days, depending on maturity

• Graded USDA No. 1 and 2s, culls

• Weighed

• Berries held for brix, TA

Plugs on Planting Day

First Time, Straight Row!

Transplanting

Organic Farm Site

Fruit Set

First Fruits

Antracnose

Deer Damage

Deer Damage

Preliminary Outcomes

• Organic and non-organic crops can be produced well

• Deer reduced quality and yield at Choctaw

• Hard winter can interrupt winter set

• Bed preparation and weed control will be important

• Irrigation and fertigation were “easy” for new growers

with training

• Huge interest by individual consumers, grocer and

restaurant trade

• Interested growers see potential for more production

and return

Short Course

• Two days

• Choctaw Extension Service Office

• Classroom and field tour

• State and National Experts

• Pre- and Post- Tests

• Free to participants

Short Course

Activities and Results

• Full range of topics and experts recruited to speak

• Intense advertising and recruitment for six weeks

leading up to the course

• Speakers were excellent

– Grower and University Attendees learned a lot

– Barkley Poling was featured speaker

• Engaged one lead grower for hours after

– Presentations will be posted on the MSUCares page

• www.msucares.com/crops/ssc

Short Course

Activities and Results

• Attendance was not as we had hoped, however, with

few growers and no county level extension personnel

• Tests indicate attendees gained crop and production

knowledge

• Residual effects will be great because of the training

for MSU and a few key growers

Project Impacts

• Short Course was a great training. MSU and growers

now have seen the potential of the crop

– Relationships developed

• Horticulture at Choctaw changed forever

– First use of plastic mulch provided excellent training and wa

an “a-ha moment”

– Collaboration was a success, more projects likely

• One follow-on proposal submitted

– Grower wish for an on-farm trial in 2014-15 being discussed

• Relationships with experts and suppliers established

• Crop knowledge increased

• Germ of revived industry planted in several ears

Questions?

Bill.evans@msstate.edu Twitter@npkveg