Horticulture Enterprise Management (Hort/Ag EdS 465)–Year Review

Originally introduced in the spring of 2011, the cross-listed Hort/Ag EdS 465 course was reintroduced Spring 2014 to the horticulture curriculum at Iowa State University. Modeled after the Ag 450 farm, the purpose of Hort/Ag EdS 465 is to provide students with the experience in managing a horticultural farm and to engage students in active learning of running a horticulture enterprise

Photosynthetically Active Radiation and Root-zone Temperature Effects on High Tunnel Primocane Red Raspberry Development

Climatic conditions found in high tunnels of the Upper Midwest have shown adverse effects to primocane red raspberry growth and development. Photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) greater than 600 µmol·mˉ2sˉ1 has been found to decrease shoot growth, fruit quality and yield, and contribute to the onset of premature bud dormancy. Researchers also found as air- and root-zone temperatures exceed 75°F and 60°F, respectively, reduced yield, berry weight, and berry quality may result. The proposed study was intended to conclude results taken from 2012 and 2013, with an additional year of data taken on fully established canes in 2014. Our objectives were to 1) assess the relationship between PAR and temperature and their effect on primocane development, and 2) evaluate the efficacy of shade cloth and soil mulch in reducing PAR and root-zone temperature during high tunnel primocane red raspberry production

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

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

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

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