Strawberry Cultivar Trial

This project was designed to evaluate 18 strawberry cultivars for their adaptation and fruit quality in Iowa. Cultivar selection is an important component of successful strawberry production and this evaluation provides information about recently released cultivars and germplasm of interest to commercial growers and homeowners

Effect of Removal of Runners and Flowers from Day-neutral Strawberries on Time of Harvest and Total Yields

Day-neutral strawberries can produce fruit during the summer and fall when regular strawberry production has ceased, thereby diversifying fruit production. In Iowa and the Midwest, cultural practices suggest the removal of flowers and runners until early July, but little information is known about cultural practices to shift production to cooler times of the summer and fall. Removing flowers and runners requires additional labor throughout the season. This study compares the production practices of removing flowers and runners and how those practices affect total fruit production, average berry size, and plant biomass

2002 Leopold Grape Cultivar by Management System Trial

To identify grape cultivars adapted to Iowa, a cultivar by management system trial was established in 2002 at the ISU Horticulture (Hort) Station and the ISU Armstrong Research Farm with the help of a grant from the Leopold Center of Sustainable Agriculture. Fifteen cultivars, including 10 wine and 5 seedless table cultivars, were evaluated under 1) a conventional management system that relies on herbicides for weed control and application of insecticides and fungicides on a regular basis; 2) an IPM/best management system that uses herbicides as needed and relies on monitoring to determine the need for insecticides and fungicides; and 3) an organic-approved system that relies on a straw mulch for weed control and the use of organic-approved insect and disease control strategies. This report summarizes the results for the 2005 growing season

Effect of Living or Straw Mulch on Weed Management and Soil Quality in Grape Vineyards

The use of herbicides in vineyards has been a cost-effective way for in-row weed management. However, as public concerns about pesticide run-off, ground water quality, and soil erosion have increased, grape growers have become aware of a need for alternative methods of weed management. The overall objective of this project was to identify optimal weed-management practices that maximize grapevine growth and development as well as maintain or improve vineyard soil quality

Biological control of the tarnished plant bug in Iowa

TPB, the tarnished plant bug (Lygus lineolarisj, attacks strawberries in Iowa and the Midwest. The egg parasitoid (Anaphes \o\e) has been observed to parasitize TPB in several crops in the western United States, but its activities have not been studied in strawberries in the Midwest. Under laboratory conditions, it was determined that A. iole will parasitize TPB eggs in strawberry stems. Releases of A. iole females in large field cages containing low densities of TPB eggs did not result in successful parasitization

Effect of FourWeed Management Systems on Soil Quality in Junebearing Strawberry Production

Few herbicides are registered for use in Junebearing matted-row strawberry culture. This study was conducted to explore alternative methods of weed management that are both economically and environmentally sustainable. The experiment evaluated the effects of two conventional and two alternative weed management systems on soil quality in Junebearing matted-row strawberry production. The experiment began in 2004 and was completed after the 2007 strawberry harvest

On-going Berry-crop Production Research

Includes: Cultivar Evaluation of Three New Primocane-fruiting Blackberry Selections in Iowa Cultivar Evaluation of Six New Junebearing Strawberry Selections in Iow

The Effects of Temperature and Light in High Tunnel Primocane Red Raspberry Production—Year 2

Climatic factors found in tunnels of the Midwest may show negative effects to primocane growth and development of raspberry. Researchers have found that as air and root-zone temperature exceed 24°C (75.2°F) and 16°C (60.8°F), respectively, the following plant development occurs: decrease in water uptake by primocanes, premature dormancy of lateral and axillary buds, delayed time to fruit ripening, and reduced fruit quality and weight. In addition to temperature, high light (irradiance) causes a decline of fruit yield and quality. Premature dormancy and delayed time-to-flowering occur when irradiance exceed 600 μmol·mˉÇsˉÅ. The proposed study was intended to (1) assess the relationship between temperature and light intensity and their effect on primocane growth and development, (2) evaluate how effective shade cloth and soil mulch are in reducing temperature and light intensity levels of high tunnel red raspberry production, and (3) provide relatively inexpensive solutions to minimize temperature and light intensity damage in protected red raspberry production during the warm summer months

2002 Leopold Grape Cultivar by Management System Trial

Iowa has experienced a tremendous increase in commercial grape plantings in recent years, and the interest in establishing additional plantings continues to increase. However, as new plantings are planned, new cultivars can only be recommended with reservation until they are thoroughly tested under Iowa’s climatic conditions. Through a grant from the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, a grape cultivar by management system trial was established in 2002 at the ISU Horticulture Research Station (Hort Station), and at the ISU Armstrong Research and Demonstration (Armstrong) Farm