Heatwave, Crop Ripening in NC and SC Crop, and More…(4/6/10)
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Collapse ▲berry mg
vol 11 no 25
April 6, 2010 (no. 2 advisory – 12:30 p.m.)
I am definitely needing feedback from growers and agents during this heatwave period. Your personal assessment of crop heat damage from these 90+ degree temperatures would be very much appreciated – just send an email to: barclay_poling@ncsu.edu. It would be especially helpful to have some photos of plants that were exposed to very warm temperatures this week and to see blossoms from fields that have had sprinkling vs. no evaporative cooling. Also, we are needing to evaluate the practice of early morning drip irrigation instead of evaporative cooling with sprinklers (many growers do not have the sprinkling option). If you know of a grower who is doing the early morning drip on hot days and not getting blossom injury, please let me know how effectively this is working?
What heat damage looks like?
In the coming days I suspect that I will be getting a lot of inquiries as to what a heat damaged blossom looks like, and I will post tomorrow on the Strawberry Growers Information Portal what heat damaged blooms looked like back in April 2002 when some areas of the state of NC lost about 1/2 of the crop to a mid-April heatwave, and there were very few berries on Mother’s Day weekend that year.
The overall crop in 2010 is still shaping up much better than 2002 (the year of the damaging April heatwave and abnormally warm Jan-Feb)
Even though we have some warm days presently, I still think that the current situation in early April 2010 is far better than what we went through in 2002 when we had an unbeliveable heatwave in mid-April. One important difference – in 2002 we were already picking by now! And, all seasoned growers will tell you, they do not like throwing water on ripening fruit. This year, the heatwave has come when we are mainly in open blossom plus young green fruit, but few ripe berries at this time. Secondly, we know a lot more now than we did in 2002 about the seriousness of “doing nothing” during a heatwave that coincides with full bloom. In 2002 we were so concerned about spreading anthracnose (we had a very infected plant supply back then), that we actually instructed growers not to irrigate — despite temperatures like these today. It proved to be the wrong decision in 2002 – not to irrigate – and the few farmers that did do irrigation and evaporative cooling in mid-April 2002 were the only farmers to pick berries well into the end of May and even June.
This year the crop ripening schedule was looking very delayed just a few weeks ago, but now we are definitely getting back on schedule with this warm spell (that can be a very good thing). In case you are interested in my comments about how row covers have impacted this season’s crop, check out this article on the Southern Region Small Fruit Consortium website (posted 3/31)
My estimate is that ‘green fruit’ that is about thimble size today could be ready for harvest in just about 2 weeks.
Question today from Piedmont Grower on Importance of Evaporative Cooling when you already have a very full crop?
I had one grower near Burlington call a few minutes ago, and he was questioning whether he really needs to sprinkle today as he planted fairly early (9/23) and used winter row covers (mid Dec to March 1), and has very large plants with bountiful numbers of green berries, recently fertilized blossoms, and a number of fresh open blossoms. His question was whether he really needed the current blossoms? He is going to have well over 55 fruits per plant, and possibly much higher.
My recommendation was to try to save the freshly opened blossoms today– even if you don’t think you will need them), as the blooms this week will be the ones ripening around Mother’s Day!
he did not think he would need them.
Reason – the blooms opening this week will be the ripe berries around Mother’s Day weekend. I would definitely be careful not to sacrifice any fruit that could be ready around Mother’s Day!
Ripening Report for NC
- A few Sweet Charlies were already getting ripe last week in Sandhills – source David Dycus, Regional Agronomist and and Stephanie Romelczyk, CES Agent Lee County
- We have some Ventana at Hort Crops Research Station in Castle Hayne (with row covers in winter) that were breaking color last week – source Benny Bloodworth, Res. Tech. NCSU
- WE NEED YOUR RIPENING REPORT FOR NCSA – doing a market study (I got a call from Debby Wechsler on Friday who is interested in knowing who has ripe berries at this time)
SOUTH CAROLINA STRAWBERRY REPORT (3/30/10)
Midlands – plant quality has impacted a number of operations. Most plants have now begun to grow and are blooming nicely with considerable green fruit. Frost has occurred in several places in the upper coastal plain and sand hills. Row covers have sufficed when growers have had them. Several growers used water for frost protection. With a week of 80 temps, the crop will move nicely. Most operations will open 5 – 7 days later than normal (sometime after the 10thof Apr) although row cover use throughout most of the winter has helped move the crop along. Most growers took covers off in late February but then replaced them for a few weeks. Angular leaf spot has been diagnosed in some plantings, Phytophthora cactorum r & c rot on some farms, and Phomopsis leaf blight has been seen from some plant sources. Botrytis will be a big threat with the moisture, previously cool temps, row cover use, and the amount of cold-injured tissue. Daughter crown numbers are not as high as usual, but most farms at which I have counted are between 4 and 7 with most being between 4 and 5. Mites have been scarce but not non-existent. Rare clipper damage has been seen here and there.
Coast (from Roger Francis)- 3/18 -The strawberries in Charleston are looking very good-no major problems. Most growers started fertilizing last weekend. I have seen a few cases of aphids and some leaf blight. As of this week we have 10-15% blooms in the field, growers have started their grey mold control spray program. I am thinking we should start picking probably by the 1st week in April. One grower (with row covers) will most likely start picking by the end of March-if we have at least I wk of warm weather. Overall I would say we have a very good looking crop and is expecting good yield (if the rain cooperate). I am stressing the importance of having a good grey mold spray program, partly because of the rains we have had and are expecting this year.
Upstate (from Andy Rollins) 3/30 – plants are beginning to look better. In general very small, row cover use throughout winter did help some. Will begin to pick about 21 Apr which is about 2 weeks late. Much variability from farm to farm. Early planting dates have resulted in larger plants with more crowns. Crown number is generally fewer than normal. Some mite problems have required treatment. Diseases have been an issue with all of the water….some Phytophthora cactorum r & c rot, some Pythium root rot, some Rhizoctonia root rot. Angular leaf spot has been widespread. Sanitation has been attempted with more needed due to the amount of damaged tissue from winter injury.
Powell
J. Powell Smith, Ph. D.
Extension Associate – Vegetable Crops and Small Fruits
CUCES-Lexington County
605 W. Main St. Ste. 109
Lexington, SC 29072 USA
Phone(s): Off: 803-359-8515 ext: 122; mobile: 803-603-2618
FAX: 803-359-4245