It is not often that I get a chance to go to a new event that relates to issues and topics that are likely to have a direct impact on the world of controlled environment agriculture. This week is one of those rare opportunities.
I will be attending the North American Strawberry Symposium hosted by the North American Strawberry Growers Association. This event is being held in Ventura, California. For those that don’t know California produces more than 75 percent of all strawberries grown in the US and (as with many ag crops) California and its growers have a major influence on production and cultivation strategies around the world.
The United States, however, is not known for producing strawberries in controlled environments, but that might be changing. In recent months we have seen greenhouse production giants Mastronardi and Windset make announcements that they will be adding strawberries to their ever evolving lines of fresh produce.
It appears that the traditional market is taking notice as the Association has added the following to this year’s program:
- Strawberry production patterns in soilless growing.
- Milestones, methods and strategies resulting in year‐round strawberry production in Belgium
- Off-season strawberry production in semi‐arid greenhouse
- Irrigation strategies for strawberry in mineral soils and in growing media
- Reaction of strawberries under Maryland low-tunnels to three light‐manipulating plastics
Its also invited certain researchers that I have a tremendous amount of respect for including Dr Cheiri Kubota (University of Arizona) and Dr. Tom Van Delm (Hoogestraten Research Station – Belgium.)
Also check out this Youtube channel from Dr Mike Evans and the University of Arkansas.
https://www.youtube.com/user/sustainablehydro
Chris Higgins – UrbanAgNews.com
