California Strawberry Commission Research Program. California Strawberry Commission

Transcription

1 California Strawberry Commission Research Program Dan Legard Vice President of Research and Education California Strawberry Commission Mandatory Program (CDFA) Represent all the strawberry growers, shippers and processors in California Assessed 4.25 cents per tray (split between grower and shipper/processor) Three main program areas: Issues management (regulatory, food safety, water) Trade relations / marketing Research (production, nutrition, food safety) 1

2 Main fruit production districts in California (37,732 acres in 2012) 88% of Fruit Produced in USA Watsonville / Salinas (15,189 acres) Santa Maria (9,525 a) Oxnard / Ventura (11,419 a) San Diego / Orange County (1,446 a) San Joaquin (153 a) Preplant Soil Fumigation Used by conventional growers in CA 96% of total acreage is fumigated Controls Soil borne diseases Weeds Soil insects Significantly improves marketable yield even in absence of disease 2

3 Flat / broadcast fumigation (methyl bromide, chloropicrin, telone) Bed fumigation (methyl bromide & chloropicrin) 3

4 12/11/2012 History of Fumigant Alternatives Research at the CSC 1992 Montreal Protocol adds methyl bromide 1993 started research on methyl bromide alternatives 2005 Started Fumigant Emission Reduction Initiative 2008 Started Farming without Fumigants Initiative 2013 May start Managing Soilborne Disease Initiative Fumigation controls soilborne diseases Verticillium Wilt 4

5 Fumigation also increases yield Not Treated Fumigated Methyl Bromide Fumigant Alternatives Research ( ) Developed Drip Application formulations of fumigants Found new fumigants that had some serious baggage Propargyl bromide (explosive) Methyl iodide (registration withdrawn) Non fumigant research did not produce any exciting results for strawberry 5

6 12/11/2012 Drip fumigation was widely adopted by strawberry growers Reduced Rates Reduced Cost Low Visibility Soil borne diseases have increased in drip fumigated fields Charcoal Verticillium Rot (Macrophomina) Wilt 6

7 Fumigant Emission Reduction Research 2005 to 2011 Research conducted to preserve currently registered fumigants through emission reduction Excellent results found for broadcast applications using VIF and TIF films Will be part of the new federal regulations for fumigants (2013) Not yet adopted by Cal DPR in fumigant regulations (except for methyl iodide) Emission Reduction Research Peak Chloropicrin Emissions Chloropicrin Emission Rates (ug/m2/sec) Standard PE Tarp Standard PE Tarp + Thiosulfate VIF Tarp Hours after start of fumigation 7

8 12/11/2012 Farming without Fumigants 2008 to present Research focused on non fumigant based strawberry production systems (conventional) Substrate based production systems (RaBeT) Avoids most soilborne diseases Expensive Complex Soil based production systems Must address soilborne disease Likely to have significantly reduced yields Substrate Production Table top system Belgium Holland 8

9 Substrate Production on ground system Raised Bed Trough (RaBeT) Substrate (Coir Peat) 9

10 Research: RaBeT System Research: RaBeT System 10

11 2012 RaBeT Trials: Cost reduction Substrate (coir and peat) is very expensive Substrate used in RaBeT costs $12,000 17,000/a Looking to reduce substrate costs Reuse substrate for multiple years Reduce amount of substrate used Use less expensive substrate (rice hulls, almond shells, compost) Blend with soil In second year of grower demos Co funded by Cal DPR ($500,000 contract) 5 one acre trials conducted on growers farms 2 ranches in Oxnard area 1 ranch in Santa Maria area 2 ranches in Watsonville area Learn about issues in commercializing method Get input from growers on how to improve system Get real grower standard yields 11

12 Requires large amounts of substrate $12,000 to $17,000 per acre 2012 Oxnard Grower Demo 12

13 2012 Santa Maria Grower Demo Fusarium wilt in recycled substrate 13