Moving forward in Quebec in strawberry production systems

Luc Urbain, agronomistBerry crop specialist

2004 North American Berry Conference, Tampa (Florida)

M. Thomas Sjulin, Director of Strawberry Research and Production Management

2004 North American Berry Conference, Tampa (Florida)

M. Thomas Sjulin, Director of Strawberry Research and Production Management

Québec before ‘78

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Weekly strawberry production in Québec in 1978 (simulation)

From 1978 to 2002

• Earlier season varieties• Perforated floating row cover• Late season varieties• Day-neutral strawberry

Can offer fresh strawberries from first week of June until mid-October

Since 2002

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Weekly strawberry production in Québec in 2002 (simulation)

Since 2002

• Late planting (60 day crop, out of season production…)

• Plug plant planting (early season production, tray plant, live plant…)

• Goal: to reduce peak point of production and to offer fruit over a longer period in the season

Late planting

• Start of the 90’s, growers were interested in the production of main plants

• Planting was done with dormant plant (frigo plant) near mid-June.

• Raise bed cover with plastic mulch• Same density than day neutral

varieties

Late planting

• First season– Cut flowers and runners– Promote a large main plant– Production on the second season

• Production: 15 T/ha• Large fruit with an excellent quality• Second season of production: too

many small fruit

Late planting

• Growers have also day-neutral strawberry

• Low volume and high price for strawberries from mid-July to mid-August

• Could we leave fruit on plants on the first season ?

Late planting

Plants: Dormant plants (bare root)Size: Premium (13-15 mm) or A+ (15-18 mm)Planting: End of May – First week of JuneDensity: Double row, 27-30 cm x 1,3 metre

(+50 000plants/ha)Device: Raised bed covert with black plastic mulchIrrigation: Drip irrigationHarvest : ± 60 days (end of July – beginning of August)

first year3-5 days earlier on the second year

Yield: 2 à 5 T/ha 1st year, 15 T/ha 2nd year

• Mid-May too early planting– Best production the 1st year– Production at the same period that with the

braided rows– Development too vegetative during the

summer• Too late planting

– Too quick blossoming– Low yield– Low vegetative development

• End of May – beginning of June for the region of Quebec

Planting date

Plug plants

Plants: Green plant Size: Rooted 6-8 weeks before plantationPlanting: Mid AugustDensity: Double row, 27-30 cm x 1,3 meter

(+50 000 plants/ha)Device: Raised bed cover with black plasticIrrigation: Drip irrigationHarvest: Year after plantationYield: 10 – 15 T/ha 1st year

10 T/ha 2nd year

Plug plants

• Runners rooted in summer

• Trays 50 holes• 6-8 weeks to produce

a well rooted plug• Sturdy and vegetative

plant

• Very early production at spring• Distribution of work• Best use of the lands• Cost of the plants• Winter survival• Profitability…

Plug plants

• Evaluation of a plug plant with day neutral strawberry

• Bare root plants vs. plug plants • High tunnels

New advances in Quebec

Plug plant with day neutral straw.

• To produce very early strawberries in the spring

• Continue to harvest on the same plant in summer - fall.

Plug plant with day neutral straw.Yield from strawberry cultivars, planted in August 2003

June 1st to July 12th August 7th to October 18th

TOTAL

Yield(kg/ha)

Fruit size(g/fruit)

Yield(kg/ha)

Fruit size(g/fruit)

Yield(kg/ha)

Seascape 6 817 12,4 9 815 13,2 16 632

Everest 6 715 10,9 4 165 12,3 10 880

EVI 1 8 545 11,0 6 834 11,4 15 379

EVI 2 15 414 11,3 4 340 10,8 19 754

Cultivar

Plug plant with day neutral straw.

• Production in spring is 3 to 5 days earlier • Good quality of fruit until first week of July• Plants are slow to come back into

production in the summer • Production are slightly shifted arriving at

the beginning of September rather than mid-August

• The yield in the fall was less than a planting in spring (18 000 kg/ha vs. 9 815 kg/ha)

Plug plant with day neutral straw.

• Plant has a potential of annual production and the production in spring reduces the production in Fall

• Mowing of the foliage at the end of June could be a good recommendation

Bare root plants vs. plug plants

Bare root plants

• Dormant plant (frigoplant)

• Root out previous Fall

• Store at -2°C

Bare root Plugs Seascape,August 25

Bare root plants vs. plug plants

November 2006

Bare root plants vs. plug plants

Bare root plants vs. plug plants

Spring 2007

Bare root plants vs. plug plants

• Less expensive– 110 $/1000 plants vs 350 $/1000 plants

• Fast planting• Need less attention (irrigation)• Fast growing• Risk of winter dommage ?• Many crown branches after the first

year…produce many small fruit the year after

Future

California

BC

Ontario

St-Nicolas, Quebec

High Tunnels• Earliness?

– Tarps– Multicells plants– Important frosts from mid of April until the

beginning of May– Snow at the middle of April!

• Difficulty with early marketing• 3-7 precocity days

High Tunnels

• Protection– Very worthwhile for fall fruiting

strawberry

• Yield increasing– Has to be proved

• Extend the season– Limit of the sunshine for the

ripening

• $ 7,00 – 12,50 /m3 ($70 000 – 125 000 /ha)

• Depreciation of the tunnel + maintenance$10 000 /year/ha

High Tunnels - profitability

Plasticulture

Advantages Disadvantages

-Better share of work period-Income on the first year-Earliness of fruit ripening-Cleaner fruit-Good fruit quality (higher price)-Better insect and disease control-Harvesting conditions better for pickers-Possible higher yield

-High cost of establishing a planting-More labor at planting time-Limited selection of cultivars-Row cover cost higher-Need a longer growing season in the fall--Risk of winter damage-Runners can become uncontrollable-Must have a good management practices

Conclusion

Promising future

• Matted row Rang has its place – Takes less sophisticated equipment – Management to operate well know

• Plasticulture– Better distribution of production and

work – Not so simple to use– Investment

• Which systems work well for you ?

Conclusion

Promising future

• Combination of systems!!!

Don’t put all strawberries in the same basket !

Conclusion

November 19

Thank you!