This project aims to develop environmentally and economically sustainable organic berry production systems combining high tunnel and field production to provide season extension and increased yields.

Objectives:1. Advance early-season production of floricane-fruiting blackberries2. Extend the fall harvest season of primocane-fruiting blackberries and raspberries3. Increase berry yield and quality through environment modification4. Improve organic pest and disease management 

Extending the Market Season with High Tunnel Technology for Organic Blackberry and Raspberry Production Curt R. Rom1, Jason McAfee1, Luke Freeman1, Heather Friedrich1, Donn T. Johnson2, and M. Elena Garcia1 1Department of Horticulture, Center for Agricultural and Rural Sustainability, 316 Plant Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 727012Department of Entomology, 311 Agriculture Building, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701

Contact: Curt Rom, crom@uark.edu, University of Arkansas, 316 Plant Sciences Building, Fayetteville AR 72701Introduction and Objectives

Materials and Methods

Results Discussion

This study was conducted at the Arkansas Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Fayetteville, AR.

Study 1: Advancing Early-Season Production• Blackberries: Natchez• High tunnel (HT) and field (FD) plots• Quonset-style HT (FarmTek), 20 x 87 ft, 6-mil

greenhouse plastic• Tunnel-in-tunnel (TnT) built inside HT for increased

frost protection• Pollination with purchased bumblebees (Biobest)

Study 1: Advancing Early-Season Production• High tunnels and tunnels-in-tunnels advanced crop by 2-4 weeks• Natchez yield increased by 39% in HT• Must select earliest maturing cultivars to make it work most effectively• Pest outbreaks inside HT: spider mites, aphids, white flies• Only need the tunnels for 5 months/year• An opportunity for movable tunnels

Treatment

Date of Full BloomNatchez Blackberry

2013 2014 AVGDays

Advance

Field 1-May 6-May 4-May 0

High Tunnel 18-April 14-April 16-April 18 days

Tunnel-in-tunnel

12-Apirl 8-April 10-April 24 days

Treatment

Date of Last Significant Harvest Prime-Ark 45 Blackberry

2013 2014 AVGDays

Extension

Field 15-Nov 1-Nov 8-Nov 0

High Tunnel 15-Nov 12-Nov 13-Nov 5

Tunnel-in-tunnel

27-Nov 14-Nov 21-Nov 13

Study 1: Advancing Early-Season Production

Field High Tunnel0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

Natchez Blackberry Yield

2012 2013 2014

Production System

Cum

ulati

ve Y

ield

(Lbs

/ a

cre)

39% Increase

5/28 6/2 6/7 6/12 6/17 6/22 6/27 7/2 7/7 7/12 7/17 7/220

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

10,031 lbs/acre

28,224 lbs/acre

2014 Natchez Blackberry Cumulative Yield

FD HT

Date

Cum

ulati

ve Y

ield

(gra

ms/

10 ft

plo

t)

Study 2: Extending Fall Harvest Season

Field High Tunnel0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000

Prime-Ark® 45 Blackberry Yield

2012 2013 2014

Production System

Cum

ulati

ve Y

ield

(Lbs

/ a

cre)

206% Increase

8/1 8/5 8/9 8/13 8/17 8/21 8/25 8/29 9/2 9/6 9/10 9/14 9/18 9/22 9/26 9/30 10/4 10/8 10/120

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

4,671 lbs/acre

7,446 lbs/acre

2014 Prime-Ark® 45 Blackberry Cumulative Yield

FD Tot HT Tot

Date

Cum

ulati

ve Y

ield

(gra

ms/

10 ft

plo

t)

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

10,166 lbs/A

14,211 lbs/A

4,893 lbs/A

8,067 lbs/A

4,640 lbs/A 4,614 lbs/A

2013 Raspberry Yield

Autumn Bliss FD Autumn Bliss HT Josephine FDJosephine HT Nantahala FD Nantahala HT

Cum

ulati

ve Y

ield

(gra

ms

per 1

0 ft

plo

t)

Figure 1. Natchez blackberry cumulative yield (lbs/acre*) for 2012, 2013, and 2014 in high tunnel and field production systems.

Figure 2. Natchez blackberry 2014 cumulative yield (grams/10 ft plot) over time in high tunnel (HT) and field (FD) production systems.

Error bars represent standard error from the mean.*lbs/acre calculated at 8 ft row spacing

Figure 3. Prime-Ark® 45 blackberry cumulative yield (lbs/acre*) for 2012, 2013, and 2014 in high tunnel and field production systems.

*lbs/acre calculated at 8 ft row spacing

Figure 4. Prime-Ark® 45 blackberry 2014 cumulative yield (grams/10 ft plot) over time in high tunnel (HT) and field (FD) production systems.

Figure 5. Raspberry 2013 cumulative yield (grams/10 ft plot) over time in high tunnel (HT) and field (FD) production systems for cultivars ‘Autumn Bliss,’ ‘Josephine,’ and ‘Nantahala.’

*lbs/acre calculated at 8 ft row spacing

Error bars represent standard error from the mean.

Error bars represent standard error from the mean.

Table 1. Natchez blackberry date of full bloom in 2013 and 2014 in field, high tunnel, and tunnel-in-tunnel systems.

Table 2. Prime-Ark® 45 blackberry blackberry date of last significant harvest in 2013 and 2014 in field, high tunnel, and tunnel-in-tunnel systems.

Study 2: Extending Fall Harvest Season• Primocane Raspberries: Nantahala, Josephine, Autumn Bliss• Primocane Blackberries: Prime-Ark® 45• Primocanes managed for fall production only• High tunnel (HT) and field (FD) plots• Quonset-style HT (FarmTek), 20 x 188 ft, 6-mil greenhouse plastic• Tunnel-in-tunnel (TnT) built inside HT for increased frost protection• Insect screen (ProtekNet, Dubois Agrinovation) added to HT to exclude insect

pests• Pollination with purchased bumblebees (Biobest, Inc.)

High Tunnel Production• Increased daily heat accumulation• Minimal heat conservation during a frost• Tunnels-in-tunnels (TnT) provide increased daily heat accumulation over HT

• further advancing bloom and extending the season• increased heat conservation during a frost; added 2-5oF above tunnels• TnT can limit pollination

Study 2: Extending Fall Harvest Season• High tunnels and tunnels-in-tunnels extended fall crop by 1-2 weeks• Prime-Ark® 45 yield increased by 206% in HT• Raspberry yield increased by 0-65% dependent on cultivar• Autumn Bliss raspberry showed greatest yield potential inside HT• Nantahala raspberry showed no yield response to HT• Difficulty delaying flowering and fruiting of primocanes to capture season extension• Tunnels may provide significant opportunity for organic pest management• Temperature build-up with insect screen due to limited air circulation

High Tunnel Berry Research Plots

‘Josephine’ Raspberries in High Tunnel26 Sept 2013

Ethanol burners used for severe frost protection

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