Sustainable Practices for Strawberry Production Training Program

Strawberry production in the Southeastern United States has seen significant growth, with an estimated 46 million pounds of fruit produced annually on over 3,300 acres. Most growers in the region use annual plasticulture systems, primarily targeting U-Pick customers and local markets. However, the long term use of the same land for strawberry production has led to challenges with soil health, organic matter depletion, and pest buildup. There is currently a lack in up-to-date, basic information on sustainable practices for plasticulture strawberry production.

This training program sought to fill the need for this information by providing Cooperative Extension Service (CES) and Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) agents with the knowledge and resources they need to support strawberry growers in adopting sustainable practices. From 2022-2024, horticulture specialists from the University of Arkansas conducted hands-on field demonstrations and developed educational materials to provide support for agents in Southeastern plasticulture strawberry production.

Demonstration topics include:

• Cover crops
• Crop rotation
• Beneficial soil inoculants
• Biodegradable mulches
• Efficient water use
• Organic/targeted integrated pest management programs

Past Agent Trainings

Part One (August 17, 2023)

The first training in the series was held at the Vegetable Research Station in Kibler, Arkansas, where multiple strawberry research trials and demonstrations were being conducted. Topics included: NRCS funding opportunities, summer cover crop management, sprayer construction, and bed preparation.

Part Two (October 29, 2023)

The second training in the series was held at Arnold Family Farm in Alma, Arkansas. The owner, Randy Arnold, is one of our grower collaborator's that hosts on-farm demonstrations and is part of the Arkansas Discovery Farm program. Topics included: bare root vs plug plants, disease and weed management, and fertigation.

Part Three (March 28, 2024)

The third training in the series was held at a NRCS county office in Marshall, AR where a strawberry high tunnel demonstration was established. Topics included: basics of strawberry production in a high tunnel, irrigation setup, and pest management.

Part Four (May 2, 2024)

The last training of the series was held at the Vegetable Research Station in Kibler, Arkansas. New demonstrations and research trials were established to highlight topics such as: cultivar selection, fertigation rates, biodegradable mulch, row middle management, and organic pesticides.

Sustainable Strawberry Production Video Series

This video series covers various topics such as developing a crop rotation plan, summer cover crop management, plant tissue nutrient sampling, calculating nitrogen and fertigation rates, building a strawberry sprayer and a virtual tour of the Arkansas Strawberry Horticulture Discovery Farm.

Click on the photo to watch the video!

   

    

Additional Resources

Publications

• MP560: Sustainable Practices for Plasticulture Strawberry Production in the South, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
• 2024 Strawberry Nutrient Monitoring Program, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
  
• FSA 6162: Developing a Sustainable Fungicide Program to Prevent Fruit Rot in Strawberry for the Southeast, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
• FSA 6161: Constructing a Cheap and Effective Strawberry Sprayer, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
• FSA 6130: Small Fruit Cultivar Recommendations for Arkansas, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
• Neopestalotiopsis in Strawberry, aka. Pestalotia Leaf Spot and Fruit Rot, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
• Southern Regional Strawberry Plasticulture Production Guide 2nd ed., North Carolina State University
• 2024 Southeast Regional Strawberry IPM Guide, University of Georgia Extension

Videos

• 2019 Strawberry School Webinar Series, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
• 2020 Virtual Strawberry Field Walk, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
• Strawberry Plug Plant Production Basics, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture

This project is supported by the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education grant program