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As I write this editorial, the 2011 federal budget has just been released by the minority Conservative government. And, while there were a few bones thrown to fruit and vegetable producers – such as $17 million over five years to manage, monitor and prevent the spread of plum pox and $50 million over two years to support knowledge creation, transfer and increased commercialization of agricultural innovations – there just wasn’t a lot there for Canadian agriculture. Actually, it was downright boring.
The Canadian Federation of Agriculture wasn’t too impressed with the document either. While the organization was pleased with the addition of “helpful initiatives” for some agriculture sectors, “Canadian farmers are disappointed there was not a stronger signal from the federal government recognizing agriculture as an investment priority,” a press release from the CFA states.
“While fiscal restraint is necessary in this time of significant deficits, the CFA reiterates that the budget should not be balanced on the backs of farmers,” said Ron Bonnett, president of the CFA. “[Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada] has seen its total funding cut 42 per cent from an average of $4.5 billion between 2004-2008 to $2.57
Letter to the Editor
Dear Editor,
billion for 2011-2012.”
And a lot of those cuts have been made in the area of brainpower. Key research positions in fruit and vegetable production across the country have been lost as aging researchers retire and their positions are left vacant. Fruit producers in British Columbia are currently negotiating to have key research positions filled, especially after the recent loss of cherry breeder Dr. Frank Kappel, who has retired after 28 years with the federal government. Instead of replacing Dr. Kappel, apple breeder Cheryl Hampson will also be taking over cherry breeding duties at the Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre.
“If even a fraction of this savings was reinvested into agricultural research and innovation – as has been suggested by numerous groups, including the CFA – Canadian agriculture would be well situated for another 20 years of growth,” said Bonnett.
As can be expected, there were also lots of doom and gloom predictions from federal government agriculture critics following the budget announcement. New Democrat agriculture critic Alex Atamanenko, who hails
Thank you for publishing the recent article regarding downy mildew and its over-wintering habit in cucurbit/cucumber greenhouses [Downy mildew in cucumbers is the new reality, Page 8, February 2011 Fruit & Vegetable Magazine]. Our American neighbours in Michigan and New York State will probably think that we have regained our sanity with this retreat from denial mode.
Prior to the over-wintering habit in Ontario greenhouses, we received annual visitations from downy mildew in early to mid-August, which had traveled north through the U.S. Eastern seaboard into the Great Lakes region. This historical arrival pattern was generally late enough in the season to do little crop damage or was timed such that one of two protective sprays would provide for the completion of the cropping season.
In our “new normal,” spraying commences in early June and continues through to crop completion with pumpkin, squash, cucumber, melon, grape, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, pepper, lettuce, onion and spinach being some of the target crops and the Great Lakes region being the target region. This amounts
from B.C.’s southern interior, said he would have liked to see more support for the local food movement.
“There is nothing in the budget to address the dire situation facing Okanagan fruit growers in B.C. who have lost so much money due to the yearly dumping into our market at harvest time by the U.S. and China as a result of trade agreements,” he added.
Liberal agriculture critic Wayne Easter was also anything but positive on the budget’s agriculture components.
“For agriculture, there is virtually nothing for farmers to compensate for the cuts made in the government’s estimates released earlier this month,” he said.
Of course, all of this budget gazing will probably be for moot. In the next few days, a vote is expected in the House of Commons on the budget and, with that vote’s expected failure, a new federal election will be in the works. Who knows how that will turn out and how long it will be before another federal budget is tabled. Meanwhile, the agriculture industry will continue on with 42 per cent less support from the federal government. ❦
to an extraordinary economic burden for all growers concerned!
Maybe it might be an intelligent decision to reconsider the acceptance of this notion of a “new normal” relative to downy mildew. Ironclad protocols should be established for greenhouse growers’ disposal of crop residues and for the maintenance of a downy mildew-free greenhouse zone prior to, during, and post cucumber crops. Every cucumber greenhouse should be required to cease production in winter, simultaneously, for the purpose of eliminating ALL living green cucurbit tissue. Internal greenhouse temperatures should be dropped to below freezing, for a prescribed time, to eradicate this disease once and for all.
We require immediate decision and action on his problem as a few greenhouse operations are having an enormous impact on much of our field grown crops.
Our neighbours to the south are working hard on behalf of the entire Great Lakes region to control the invasion of phytophthora (late blight) from southern tomato transplants. I think it’s time we did our part with regards to downy mildew.
Stan Jackson Ancaster, Ont
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Irrigation and fertigation for better blueberry yield and quality
Farming is an industry of slim margins and big investments. For berry growers and other horticulturists, knowing how best to deliver water and nutrients to plants, for increased yield with minimal input, can help close that gap. Finding this balance allows growers to optimize their farming practices, make informed investment decisions about their equipment and increase profitability.
A team of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) researchers from the Pacific Agriculture Research Centre in Agassiz, B.C., recently presented preliminary results of two studies during the Pacific Agriculture Show. The first study was designed to help the blueberry sector improve management of drip irrigation systems, and the second, to determine the most effective rate and method for applying nitrogen.
Can you over-irrigate?
Conventional irrigation wisdom says that if you want to increase berry production, you increase water, but research shows that there are limits to that logic. Although irrigation has benefits, sometimes less is more.
“Currently, most blueberry growers in B.C. irrigate via drip irrigation, but do
so without really knowing how much to apply and when to apply it. In short, they guess,” says Dr. David Ehret. “The effects of irrigation on the crop are also not fully understood. What are the effects on yield and fruit quality? Does overwatering increase root disease? The study is trying to address some of those questions.”
The study included data from two sites – a grower’s field in Matsqui and research plots at the research centre in Agassiz. Each site had three treatments: a non-irrigated control, a plot with 18 inches between irrigation lines and another with 12-inch spacing. Because both the 12- and 18-inch spacing received irrigation at the same time and for the same duration, the plants in the 12-inch spacing received 50 per cent more water. The Agassiz plots also had two different irrigation volumes – high or low.
At the grower site, the irrigated treatments both had higher yields than the nonirrigated control, but the 18-inch spacing outperformed the 12-inch plot that had received 50 per cent more water.
The effects on fruit quality followed a similar trend. Fruit from the irrigated plots was larger, but there was no difference in fruit size between the irrigated plots,
By Tamara Leigh
indicating that there is a point at which increasing the amount of water to a plant stops having a benefit for the grower.
Also of note, fruit from the non-irrigated plots were the most firm, and also the sweetest, so although irrigation yielded more and larger fruit, it reduced the firmness and sweetness.
At the Agassiz location, where the research team had control over all aspects of the irrigation architecture, volumes, and timing, the results followed the same trend. Irrigation increased production, but the low-volume treatment had the highest yield, about 10 per cent greater than non-irrigated, and similar or even slightly greater than the high-volume treatment.
Fruit quality data were also consistent between the two sites. Irrigation treatments produced larger fruits than the non-irrigated treatment, but there was no
At the Agassiz location irrigation increased production but the lowvolume treatment had the highest yield, about 10 per cent greater than nonirrigated, and similar or even slightly greater than the high-volume treatment.
by Brenda Frey
Photo
difference between the low and high treatments. They also found that fruit firmness was only reduced at the high-volume irrigation rate. There were no differences in sweetness at the Agassiz location.
“There are trade-offs for irrigation,” says Dr. Ehret. “Even with moderate irrigation, there are pros and cons. You’ll have to decide which outcomes are the most important.”
One of the interesting results, for growers considering drip irrigation systems, was the finding that the architecture of the system – the number of lines and emitter density – did not have an effect on yield or quality in these studies.
“As long as the total irrigation volume per plant was the same, it didn’t matter if the water was administered with one line or two,” says Dr. Ehret. “It was the same with the emitter spacing.”
“Irrigation is not simply a matter of more is better. High irrigation is wasteful of resources and in some ways, may be detrimental,” says Dr. Ehret. “So the message that growers can take away is that they should be careful about their irrigation strategies. Tools and methods are readily available today for growers to use in order to adjust irrigation more precisely.”
Managing nitrogen
Nitrogen is a major nutrient and is often limiting for plant growth and production.
A team of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researchers from the Pacific Agriculture Research Centre in Agassiz, B.C., are examining how to help the blueberry sector improve management of drip irrigation systems and determine the most effective rate and method for applying nitrogen.
Researchers are trying to determine the most effective rate and method of applying nitrogen for blueberries and are assessing their impacts on a number of production and quality factors.
“Grower production guides often recommend rates of nitrogen application to produce maximum yield, but we also wanted to find out how various nitrogen rates affected fruit quality and aphid populations,” says Dr. Ehret.
The aphid data are important because aphids carry blueberry scorch virus from plant to plant. Aphids feed on plant sap, which is a dietary source of nitrogen, so the study is looking at the amount of nitrogen that plants receive and possible effects on aphids.
“We also wanted to find out if the method of application of nitrogen was important in yield, fruit quality and aphid management,” Dr. Ehret adds. “Broadcast is the conventional method, but fertigation
The humble spud is back on the menu for many families across Australia thanks to the launch of Carisma, the country’s first officially certified low Glycemic Index (GI) potato.
Since its launch in 2010, consumers have bought approximately five million Carisma potatoes.
Naturally grown in Australia, Carisma is a potato with a Glycemic Index (GI) of 55, around 30 per cent lower than other potatoes. The potato’s low GI qualities were originally discovered by the Sydney University GI Research Service. It is the only potato to be officially recognized as low GI by the Glycemic Index Foundation.
“There are three reasons to choose Carisma.,” says Dr Alan Barclay, the Glycemic Index Foundation’s chief scientific officer. “It is low GI, tastes good and potatoes have great nutritional value.
“Research is continuing to show that healthy, low GI diets have a range of benefits, including more sustainable weight loss, improvement in the management of diabetes and possibly even reducing the risk of heart disease.”
Greg Davis, general manager of fresh produce at Coles, says Carisma is grown by some of the best potato farmers across the country in regions such as the Riverland in South
is increasing in popularity, so we compared the two.”
Fertigation delivers dissolved fertilizer to crops through an irrigation system. The technique is gaining popularity with growers because it increases nutrient absorption by plants, reduces the amount of fertilizer that is needed, and reduces nutrient leaching into the water table. It also reduces labour costs for fertilizer application.
“In the results so far, young plants with fertigated nitrogen had improved yield and fruit firmness with increasing rate of application, but broadcast did not. This suggests that fertigated nitrogen was more readily available to the plant,” says Dr. Ehret. “There have been no effects on aphids, but these are early results. It’s too early to suggest a take-home message in this study, but I think it’s safe to say that fertigation looks promising.”
Both the irrigation and nitrogen trials will continue over the next two years. ❦
Australia, Lockyer Valley in Queensland and various areas in Western Australia.
“Carisma is the biggest thing to hit the potato market in decades,” says Davis. “For millions of customers watching their weight or buying low GI products for other health reasons, such as diabetes, it means potatoes are back on the menu.”
The Mitolo family – one of Australia’s leading potato and onion producers, grows Carisma for the Coles grocery chain.
According to Frank Mitolo, director of The Mitolo Group, Carisma was a variety that held significant appeal for the farm well before it was known to be low GI.
“We were interested in Carisma before we completed the GI testing because it tastes and looks great,” he recalls. “We’re proud to be growing Carisma.”
Carisma potatoes can be cooked in a number of ways including boiling or sautéing. They can also be roasted or mashed, however these methods may raise the GI of the potato. Carisma needs to be cooked al dente to achieve the low GI rating.
For more information, visit www.carismapotatoes.com.au
Photo by Brenda Frey
Low GI potato puts spuds back on the menu
Innovative, alternative management strategies for wild blueberries
By Dan Woolley
Horticulturist Peter Burgess believes cost-effective wild blueberry management and new industry innovations start with the grower.
“Real innovation comes from you guys; the growers,” he told a crowd of blueberry producers during the recent Wild Blueberry Producers Association of Nova Scotia’s (WBPANS) annual general meeting.
A horticulturist with the Nova Scotiabased AgraPoint consulting service, Burgess says there is now an alternative to the traditional tractor-mounted harvester head. He recently took part in the trial of a Briggs and Stratton-powered selfpropelled, walk-behind harvester, equipped with a 25-inch-wide harvester head fitted with four rotating bars of teeth.
While he is intrigued by the new technology and believes it has appeal for small landowners who don’t have access to a tractor-mounted harvester, Burgess admits the tractor-mounted picker appears to be the more efficient of the two since it manages to harvest more berries into its collection boxes. He adds that the tractor-mounted harvester is more versatile than the walk-behind harvester, which is more difficult to use on hilly ground. Despite this, Burgess says the walk-behind’s berry quality appears to be better in the collection boxes and its picking speed is the same as that of the tractor-mounted harvester. It also corners faster, he adds.
The walk-behind harvester has an advantage in fields with just average yields of 2,000 pounds per acre or if the crop prices are low, but it is not practical “if you don’t have access to fit labour or it has to operate on high-yielding fields of 4,000 pounds per acre,” he says.
Burgess also recommends that growers pay attention to the harvesting head of their tractor-mounted harvesters. If it gets clogged, berries will be lost from the collection drum inside the harvester head. He recommends that growers fit small flaps of belting material to the fins on the belt that conveys berries from the drum to the collection boxes. These flaps
Forget about hand picking wild blueberries. Researchers recently tested a Briggs and Stratton-powered self-propelled, walk-behind harvester, equipped with a 25-inch-wide harvester head fitted with four rotating bars of teeth.
will keep the inside of the drum free from stems, leaves and other harvesting debris so the blueberries will not be spilled on the ground or crushed in the drum. The fins are about four inches apart, explains Burgess, and six or seven flaps should be sufficient to affix to the fins on the belt.
Blueberry fields are typically burned after harvest in the crop year to prune and sanitize fields, thereby reducing weed and disease pressures for the following sprout year. But Burgess notes sickle bar mowing with a tractor is a field management alternative. The cut vegetation can be left to dry over the winter and then burned early in the spring, he suggests, adding that this technique does not require the use of an oil burner and will help reduce the cost of fuel.
The critical point to remember is to burn the debris early in March before the blueberry plants sprout, cautions Burgess.
“Not when it suits you,” he adds.
He also recommends that growers flail mow a strip around the edges of the field to mulch the vegetation then burn downwind of the field’s edge in the morning. In the afternoon, the rest of the field can be burned when it is drier.
“Remember, you will produce a lot of smoke and it burns hot because there will be a lot of material to be burned,” Burgess says. “Don’t burn in windy conditions.”
Some fields, however, cannot be sicklemowed due to hilly conditions or fire restrictions, he says. Because there is a liability issue involved; Burgess recommends growers faced with these restrictions talk to other growers who have used the technique.
“Burn efficiently because the question is how much longer we will be allowed to burn,” he says.
The Nova Scotia Agricultural College began development on a field sanitation prototype this past autumn. An evaluation of the technology is expected to take place in 2011. Dr. David Percival, blueberry research chair at the college, and Dr. Qamar-uz-Zaman, the precision research chair, are working closely with Oxford Frozen Foods on the three-year, $3.14-million project. The WBPANS, plus wild blueberry producers in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, have contributed funding to the project, as has the Canadian Horticulture Council with a $693,343 donation as part of its edible horticulture program. ❦
Soilborne diseases can be a producer’s worst nightmare. Persistent, easily spread, destructive. Estimates suggest that clubroot, a disease that targets cole crops (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and other plants in the Cruciferae, or mustard, families), affects 10 per cent of cultured lands worldwide.
Through the Canadian and British Columbian governments’ partnership in the Growing Forward program, Brock Glover of E.S. Cropconsult (an integrated pest management firm in B.C.) developed a biosecurity program
for cole crop growers focused on clubroot. Although Glover’s study focused on B.C. producers, the practices outlined will be beneficial nationwide.
Roots of clubroot-infected plants become distorted, taking the shape of a club or bulbous limb. Diseased roots can’t absorb water or minerals, leading to stunted growth, the yellowing and dropping of lower leaves, possible failure to form heads and the potential for crop loss. Perhaps the greatest reason to learn about clubroot is that spreading contaminated soil and clubroot spores to a non-infected area is surprisingly
By Ronda Payne
simple and no one yet knows how much soil – or how many spores – it takes to cause an infestation.
“Clubroot is an extremely hard disease to control once it becomes established in a field,” says Glover. “This is due to the ability of the spores to remain viable for up to 18 years in the soil and also the ease with which the disease is spread with the movement of soil.”
Chemical treatments may appear to be a quick solution but, as Glover
An example of clubroot in broccoli.
Photo courtersy of Robert Wick, University of Massachusetts, Bugwood.org
points out, they have the drawbacks of phytotoxicity and destruction of beneficial soil organisms.
The greatest risk of infested soil movement is caused by tillage equipment, but soil can also be moved by other machinery, humans, animals (some spores have been shown to remain active even after passing through an animal’s digestive tract), seeds, wind and water.
Prevention and control begins with equipment. Remove soil from machinery before leaving a field by sweeping loose soil off, power washing thoroughly, then disinfecting the equipment with a solution of one to two per cent bleach in water.
Glover notes, “The one to two percent bleach solution recommendation comes from research done by Dr. Ron Howard and his colleagues in Alberta to develop a clubroot biosecurity program for the canola industry.”
Visitors can also cause soil movement, so restrict access. Ensure vehicles are left outside the field, and establish a protocol of wearing boot covers or washing and disinfecting boots with bleach solution, sanitizing hands and avoiding entering muddy fields. By installing easy-to-clean work areas and foot baths, and maintaining regular pressure washing, you will reduce possible cross-contamination. Dispose of other plant material from infested fields properly. Ensure weeds, straw, hay and silage are not reused or left standing.
When introducing new seed, inspect carefully and refuse the shipment if any symptoms are apparent. Be sure to buy from a reputable source that will guarantee no soilborne diseases. The same diligence is necessary for seedlings. Don’t place seedling trays on the ground in the field – you may pick up and transfer soil and spores. Seeds and planting supplies should be stored away from any washing or disposal areas and seedling trays should be cleaned and disinfected like other equipment.
When approaching planting, keep in mind that resting spores rise quickly if crops are not rotated; rotation is one of the best methods of keeping clubroot in check. Scout fields regularly for signs of the disease and document your findings.
Soil erosion issues can be managed by using cover crops, planting trees as wind
breaks, planting permanent cover on field edges and allowing grassy waterways. Water movement is the other side of the coin and spores easily spread through contaminated surface water runoff, waterlogged areas and contaminated irrigation water. Clubroot is most severe in wet, acidic soil. Avoid overwatering and ensure irrigation water is not shared with a contaminated field, plus use small particle lime to help to raise pH.
“If the disease is left unchecked (there) is the possibility that growers
could lose the ability to grow cole crops in some fields for as long as 18 years,” Glover comments.
Although this study of clubroot management is primarily aimed at cole crops, mustard family members (such as canola) and non-crucifers (such as rye grass and dock) are also susceptible. By observing the recommended practices you will be able to reduce the risk of spreading clubroot disease within your operation and ensure cole crops continue to be a valued part of agriculture. ❦
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Expert argues low potato pricing impedes effectiveness of IPM
Alan Schreiber describes North American potato production as a real success story.
“We have the highest yielding potatoes in the world,” says the president of Agriculture Development Group Inc. “The cost of production is low as compared to other vegetables. The product is nutritious and affordable and cosmetically, it is nearly perfect.”
On the other hand, he notes, “affordability” has been achieved by forcing the lowest possible cost of production and massive consolidation throughout the entire industry chain. Because growers are only earning about six cents a pound and pest tolerance is near zero, many are forced to rely on pesticides – and specifically on the cheapest, most effective pesticides – rather than having the luxury of going to an effective integrated pest management (IPM) program.
“I am not being critical of the signifi-
cant efforts of potato pest management research, extension and other providers of IPM,” Schreiber says. “There is very good and significant work being done in virtually all of the big and medium potato growing provinces and states. My point is that market forces do not allow the growers sufficient latitude to do much more than select the most cost-effective pesticide. As a result of this we have, for the most part in most regions, only rudimentary IPM programs. Our IPM programs are not comparable to tree fruit, cotton, berry or vegetable IPM programs.”
Schreiber quotes University of Idaho entomologist Juan Alvarez as saying that grower manuals, such as the PNW (Pacific Northwest) Insect Management Handbook, are “just telling growers how to use insecticides.
“The late blight management pro-
By Myron Love
gram in the PNW is largely based on telling growers on what schedule to spray fungicides,” Schreiber says. “Yes, there is a lot to the disease IPM program; but what is communicated to growers is spray intervals and what type of products to use. I know because we use the program on potatoes at on our farm.”
Schreiber suggests there are a number of insecticides that could significantly advance IPM programs – products such as Fulfill, Beleaf, Coragen, Rimon, Success, Radiant, Avuant – but, “at six cents a pound, most growers cannot afford to use them,” he says.
Using GM potatoes could eliminate the need for Colorado potato beetle (above) and most green peach aphid (opposite page) insecticide applications.
“Growers have to use the cheapest products, which often means pyrethroid insecticides or other products that are the least IPM-friendly. The use of cheap insecticides forces a trade-off: cheap and very effective versus the flaring of mites and aphids, which necessitate more pesticide applications.”
And, he added, potato IPM programs out there are facing challenges, such as the growth of herbicide-resistant weeds, bedding plants bringing diseases into new areas, or the arrival of new pests, such as potato tuber worm, beet leaf hopper, new alternarias, phytoplasmas and thrips.
He notes that for growers who rely overly on neonicotinoids, the loss of options such as Monitor, Furadan, Temik, endosulfan, Guthion, and Di-Syston will only make this worse.
“Resistance to neonicotinoids is some where between inevitable and already here,” he says.
“There are elements of society that consider the use of pesticides, particularly conventional pesticides, as not good. Non-governmental organizations representing these elements exert pres sure on the end users. Buyers are responsive to these elements that reflect this trend in society. I understand the politics of reducing pesticide use, which is what some vocal elements of society want. But, if you want a socially responsible pesticide policy, then maybe we should discuss reducing pesticide risk instead of pesticide use.”
Schreiber believes there should be a lot more research and development funds ear marked for potato IPM.
“R&D investment should be doubled,” he says. “It is my belief there is less potato IPM (research and development) funding than for other commodities of comparable size. I do not see the same kind of leadership in potatoes as I see in other crops, such as vegetables, cotton, tree fruit, corn or soybeans.”
Schreiber suggests the adoption of genetically modified Newleaf potatoes would cut insecticide use in half and reduce health risks. “In my research with this technology in the ’90s, the adop tion of this technology would have re sulted in an 80 per cent reduction in use of insecticides in the PNW,” he says. “It would eliminate the needs for Colorado potato beetle and most green peach aphid applications. This repre
sents more than half of insecticide use on potatoes in North America.”
He also called for allowing the use of Defender and other pest-resistant varieties.
“Allowing only a limited number of accepted disease-susceptible varieties for french fries sentences growers to a fungicide treadmill,” he comments. “By preventing access to pest-resistant varieties, growers are being denied one of the most cost-effective and important components to IPM programs.”
New mode of actioN cited i N aphid deaths.
Potato growers in British Columbia’s Lower Mainland suffered devastating crop losses in 2010 when recordsetting rains at the end of August made it all but impossible to harvest crops. The rains continued at regular intervals through the month of September and into October. This effectively shut down harvest from Richmond to Agassiz. Some growers lost everything, and overall, more than half of the Fraser Valley potato crop was lost.
“It goes without saying that potatoes should not be replanted in fields where the 2010 crop was left in the ground,” says Dave Ormrod. “Of course, not all growers will be able to find sufficient alternative acreage. With the recent decline in processing vegetable acreage, suitable land for potatoes is in short supply.”
Dave Ormrod is a consulting plant pathologist who farms in Langley. He presented some practical advice on how to manage the challenges that growers will face in the coming year during the recent Horticulture Growers Short Course in Abbotsford, B.C.
“The last time a major disaster similar to this occurred was in 1997,” says Ormrod. “The total crop loss that year was also about 50 per cent, but it was different in that half of that loss was due to late blight with the remaining half due to wet soil.”
“If there was anything good about 2010, it’s that most of the fields were top-killed before the rain came, so there wasn’t an opportunity for late blight to get established,” he adds. “If a field was not top-killed before the rains, look for alternative crops next season, to avoid late blight.”
Late blight thrives in wet weather conditions with cool to moderate temperatures, conditions that typically characterize spring in the Fraser Valley. Monitoring for early symptoms and keeping on top of weather conditions will be critical for disease management.
“For the best-drained of the unharvested fields, expect lots of volunteers. These must be destroyed in whatever way you can, regardless of whether or not you are planting potatoes in the field again,” says Ormrod.
Managing disease risk in BC’s 2011 potato crop
By Tamara Leigh
Photo by David Ormrod
“Volunteers left to grow unattended can serve as a source of late blight, viruses, aphids and flea beetles for nearby fields and for future years. Do your best to kill any volunteers as soon as the weather allows and keep it up throughout the growing season.”
Ormrod also cautions growers to be vigilant for Pythium rot and pink rot in the most poorly drained unharvested fields. Although these fields will not likely have many volunteers, there could be high levels of Pythium and pink rot as a result of the rotting tubers in the soil.
“If you must plant potatoes into any of these fields, consider planting whole seed if you are able to get enough. Also, don’t plant any seed with a high level of Fusarium infection,” he says. “Using whole seed or top-quality fungicide-treated seed-pieces will help to prevent losses due to seed-piece decay in the event that it rains shortly after you plant.”
Ormond calls the fall rains of 2010 a wake-up call for the future of the potato industry in the Fraser Valley. The scale of the losses has put many growers in a position where their credit and equity is strained. Another event like this in 2011 would likely force many growers out of business. Looking
to the future, Ormrod says that making the investment to improve field drainage is the best way to stabilize the industry and manage the risk of a loss like this happening again.
“Dairy farmers learned a long time ago that you cannot grow sufficient quantities of good-quality forage on poorly drained clay soils in the Fraser Valley,” says Ormond. “Meanwhile, potato growers have been using poorly drained fields in the hope that they can plant and harvest during the dry season from mid-May until mid-October. If the dry season can no longer be relied upon, this philosophy of keeping your fingers crossed while growing potatoes is likely to fail.”
The market realities for dairy farmers and potato growers are significantly different. In contrast to the reliable income of a supply managed sector where most farmers own their land, potato growers rely on market values, and often grow their crops on leased land. The question of who pays to install tile drainage, level fields, or maintain perimeter ditches hangs between growers, landowners and various levels of government. In the meantime, spring is around the corner, and there is another crop to get in. ❦
On Aug. 31, 2010, the Lower Mainland was hit with a record high rainfall. Heavy rains continued through September and into October, making it almost impossible to harvest.
New strawberry cultivars from University of Guelph
By Pam Fisher
At the Ontario Berry Growers Association’s 2011 Annual Meeting, Dr. Adam Dale announced the release of a new June-bearing strawberry cultivar, and new names for two previously released cultivars.
The newest in this series is Summer Ruby. This variety was tested as 2V55, and released in February 2011. Summer Ruby is a firm, large-fruited, early-midseason cultivar.
Previously released cultivars V151 and R14 have also been renamed.
V151, released in 2007, will now be known as Summer Dawn. It is an early variety, slightly ahead of Annapolis in season. It is firm, bright red and conical in shape, with high yields.
R14, released in 2009, will now be
known as Summer Rose. The variety is the latest of the three, similar in season to Serenity. Slightly smaller but of better quality compared to Serenity, Summer Rose is a large, red berry with good but moderate yields.
Summer Dawn, Summer Ruby, Sapphire (released in 2003) and Summer Rose provide growers with four June-bearing, high-quality strawberry varieties which are early-, mid-, late-mid- and late-season respectively. The Ontario Berry Growers Association holds the rights to these varieties and they are all available from Strawberry Tyme Farms. ❦
Pam Fisher is a berry crop specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
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Growers should check for late blight early says potato pathologist
By Myron Love
Dr. Gary Secor recommends that potato growers check their fields early and often for late blight this coming season, noting that late blight first appeared in a Manitoba field on June 30 in 2010.
“That it was detected that early was big news,” says the professor of plant pathology at North Dakota State University. “That was the earliest sign of late blight since 1994 in this region. It was widespread in eastern North Dakota and southern Manitoba.”
As with 2009, which was also a bad year for late blight, very wet weather conditions facilitated the development of the potato disease. “We are expecting to see early emergence of late blight again this year if weather conditions are similar to last year,” Dr. Secor says.
Late blight can infiltrate potatoes at any stage of development. Signs of the disease include spoliation on bottom leaves or the stem or lesions on the top of the leaves. In the seed, late blight appears as a brown mark the size of a quarter but can be difficult to spot, especially in russets, Dr. Secor says.
He notes that some of the blight found last year was of a new genotype – introduced perhaps from Mexico – or genetic a recombination that was first detected in Manitoba and North Dakota in 2009.
Dr. Secor adds that late blight can only survive in living potato tissues, be they seeds, volunteers or cull piles. “They could be wintering in volunteers this year because we have had so much snow this winter,” he says.
Alternative hosts include tomatoes (the cause of the 2009 outbreak), hairy nightshade and petunias.
When the host dies, so does the blight –except for the zoospores, a product of the mating of A1 and A2 strains that can survive the winter and cause blight even earlier. “We haven’t seen any zoospores in Canada yet,” he says, “but the latest epidemic in 2009 in Ontario may be a precursor.
“It is important that producers become educated about late blight,” Dr. Secor says.
He recommends a number of measures growers can adopt to control late blight. These include removing infected seed
potatoes and cull piles, destroying volunteers and using crop rotation. Potatoes should be stored in cool, dry conditions, he says. He suggests using fungicides if blight is present and that is your only option.
Mancozeb is the only fungicide for treating the seed and preventing late blight from spreading at the cutting stage, he says. Mancozeb and Chlorothalonil should be applied early on – with specialty fungicides added later, he adds.
Dr, Secor recommends Curzate if blight appears early. Curzate should be applied once the plant has emerged and is three to six inches tall. Curzate is effective for three days, fighting new infections and destroying existing late blight. There should be a follow-up application seven days later before the rows close.
On the tuber late blight appears as a brown mark the size of a quarter but can be difficult to spot, especially in russets.
Photo courtesy of Scott Bauer, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org
He notes that if late blight is in the area, Curzate can also be used after a storm to stop new infections due to a spore shower.
Previcur should also be used early in the season during periods of fast growth when it is too wet or cloudy to spray, Dr. Secor advises. He describes Acrobat as an antisporulant that slows the spread of epidemics, whereas Gavel can be effective at season’s end in reducing tuber infection. Omega, Tin and Ranman can also reduce tuber infection late in the season, he says, adding Revus Top can be applied anytime.
He recommends against using Ridomil – which is meeting with widespread resistance – and copper during the season (although, he noted, copper can be used at vine-kill to reduce tuber infection).
The more comprehensive the coverage, the better the control, Dr. Secor says. No areas should be left untreated. If you are applying ground coverage, water volumes should be 20 to 25 gallons per acre, he says.
“There is little advantage to higher volumes.”
He adds that you should use an extended range flat fan or hollow cone nozzle to apply and to avoid flood jets. “Use the pressure recommended for the nozzle,” he says.
For aerial applications, he recommends using a water volume of five gallons per acre. “Avoid strips or alternate spray patterns,” he says. “Also use ground applications to touch up edges or ground obstacles such as pivots, power lines or shelterbelts.”
Dr. Secor cautions that combating late
blight is a communal responsibility. “Don’t try to hide it,” he advises. “Talk to your neighbours. Educate them. Talk to the seed sellers.
“Manitoba and North Dakota also need to work together to prepare a common strategy for dealing with late blight in 2011.” ❦
Signs of late blight include spoliation on bottom leaves or the stem or lesions on the top of the leaves.
Photo courtesy of Howard F. Schwartz, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org
Margaret Land
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Vineyard management influences cold hardiness
CBy Hugh McElhone
old injury results in economic losses and diminishes both grape and wine quality, says Jim Willwerth, Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI), Brock University.
Cold injury is the result of several factors such as the transition from native hybrid varieties to V. vinifera, which are less cold hardy.
“Planting on marginal sites is becoming common. This leads to some unique growing conditions and challenges,” he says.
Grape growers are experiencing the effects of climate change as well. Extremely cold winters have been experienced in recent years, accompanied by large temperature fluctuations during the critical acclimation and de-acclimation periods.
“This leads to vine and crown injury,” he says.
With crown injury, the plant appears to start the season well but later experiences dieback as water demands increase.
“The winter survivability of woody fruit crops grown in temperature regions consists of two components, namely. avoidance of and tolerance to cold temperatures,” explains Willwerth. “The choice of site and cultivar, along with appropriate vineyard management practices, impacts on these two components.”
The avoidance of cold injury relies on the proverbial “location, location, location,” stresses Willwerth. When choosing the site, growers need to consider the latitude and longitude of the area. Another consideration is the proximity to large bodies of water. “Lake Erie tends to freeze over in the winter so less protection is offered,” he says.
Avoidance of frost pockets is also important. “This includes the base of slopes and low elevation areas where cold air can pool. Areas where air flow is restricted by
There are many factors to consider during the growing season that will affect a plant’s winter hardiness. Crop level and size is one factor; plant stressors such as drought conditions or too much water are others.
Photo
vegetation should be avoided,” Willwerth says. He adds the use of wind machines during the winter may be helpful.
Willwerth defines tolerance and cold hardiness as “the ability of plant tissue to survive freezing temperature stresses.” This is limited by the plant’s inherent genetic potential. For example, V. riparia is tolerant to -40° C., while the V. vinifera can generally tolerate -20° C.
“Location matters,” he says, noting the dormant vines in the northeast tend to be more cold tolerant during the winter months than those grown in warmer regions that have milder winters. “The colder the region, the closer the vine will get to its maximum genetic cold hardiness.”
During the 2009 growing season, “dead arms” were found in Riesling at some sites with some bud damage to other cultivars. CCOVI researchers attributed this to cumulative years of winter injury in perennial wood and possible phloem damage caused by a warm spell in March followed by a return to -6° C temperatures in April.
Hardiness begins to develop in the acclimation stage that starts as early as August and continues through the fall and winter period. Maximum hardiness is achieved from December to February. “Tissue damage tends to occur if there is a warm snap during January-February and it then returns to extreme cold temperatures,” says Willwerth.
De-acclimation is the shift in the plant from cold hardy to cool tender, explained Willwerth. De-acclimation occurs more rapidly than acclimation, and starts at the end of February. This process is dependent primarily on air temperatures.
There are many factors to consider during the growing season that will affect a plant’s winter hardiness. Crop level and size is one factor; plant stressors such as drought conditions or standing water left unchecked in the field are others.
For crop level, excessive fruit can delay sugar accumulation and shoot maturation. It will also deplete plant reserves for the winter. Crop level is cultivar and site specific, says Willwerth.
“You need to balance vegetative growth to maximize cold hardiness, and cluster thinning, where warranted, can improve hardiness,” he says.
Vine size, plus foliage health is another factor. “You don’t want lush, green vegetation still growing as the plant undergoes acclimation, so go easy on the nitrogen,” advises Willwerth. Excessive vigour will also
by Margaret
lead to fruit shading, and heavy summer leaf removal can inhibit cold acclimation.
Canopy management is another factor and includes shoot density and position, which can be optimized through double pruning. Special practices to consider are retaining suckers and double trunking, both of which provide options down the road should one system fail.
“Multiple trunks is akin to using spare parts,” he says.
Willwerth said researchers in B.C. have found that a crop level of 36 shoots per metre appears to work well for them. This amounts to one cluster per shoot, which means less fruit but greater hardiness. Less beneficial was 16 shoots per metre, or two clusters per shoot.
“This information, of course, is not absolute and is specific to B.C. This could vary based on cultivar, site and viticulture practices,” he notes.
“Research in B.C. has shown that cold
hardiness can be favoured by low trellis systems,” says Willwerth. Buds consistently exposed to low temperatures, such as those on the lower positions, may be more hardy than those exposed to higher temperatures at the higher positions.
CCOVI research will continue through 2010 and 2011 using differential thermal analysis (DTA) on buds and vines to determine cold hardiness through the entire dormancy period. The tests will be conducted on Chardonnay and Cabernet franc varieties at sites in Niagara, Lake Erie’s north shore region, and Prince Edward County.
The data gathered will be specific to each area. “We’ll add more cultivars later, as the research progresses,” says Willwerth.
“To date, all of our research suggests that good winter hardiness complements a well-balanced vine,” says Willwerth.
Updates on this research are available at www.ccovi.ca/vine-alert. ❦
Photo
Land
OFFMA award presented to the original locavore
The Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association (OFFMA) honoured a true friend of the industry at the organization’s recent awards banquet held at Hernder Estate Winery.
Anita Stewart, culinary activist, author, communicator and food lover was awarded the inaugural Ontario Farm Fresh Food Ambassador Award.
The award was created to recognize an individual who has made a public commitment to promote local food and local food producers. The award was designed also to recognize someone who, because of their beliefs and actions, has inspired others to support Ontario farmers. The winner is someone who “walks the talk,” someone who believes in the Ontario agricultural industry and someone who is proud to sing the praises of those who toil to bring top-quality, fresh, healthy food to tables.
“Once the criteria was set, the selection was easy,” said incoming OFFMA’s president, Jesse Lauzon of Springridge Farm. “At every turn, Anita uses her voice to bring the widest possible attention to the values of local and regional food.”
Stewart’s’s achievements range from many cookbook creations, the most recent being Anita Stewart’s Canada: The Food, The Recipes, The Stories to being founder of the World’s Largest BBQ, which has morphed into Canada’s Food Day.
Horticulture can boost Canadian health care, politicians told Horticulture can improve the health of Canadians on many levels. That was the theme of a networking reception hosted on Parliament Hill recently by members of the Horticulture Value Chain Roundtable, which includes farmers, retailers, food processors and input suppliers.
“Eating a healthy and diversified diet rich in fruits and vegetables is an important part of keeping Canadians healthy and keeping our health-care costs under control,” says Brian Gilroy, chair of the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association and an apple grower from the Meaford, Ont., area. “Children in particular need to establish a healthy diet and active lifestyle habits early on in order to maintain those habits throughout their lives.”
The Hort for Health event drew approximately 150 members of Parliament, including cabinet ministers, as well as government staff, and agriculture and food industry representatives. The goal was to raise awareness of the impact healthy eating – in particular, eating fruits and vegetables – can have on the health of Canadians and on our national health-care system.
Obesity-related health-care costs Canadian taxpayers billions of dollars each year ($4.3 billion in 2004). In Ontario alone, the provincial government was expected to spend approximately 46 per cent of its total budget on health care in 2010.
Increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy diet and active lifestyle may reduce the risk of some types of chronic diseases, promote healthier body weights and help improve the well-being of Canadians. Canadian children, in particular, are not meeting their daily recommended servings of fruits and vegetables, and childhood obesity has become a significant issue of concern.
“We are very lucky in this country to have a diverse and extensive horticulture production sector that can grow a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables for Canadians,” says Gilroy. “In order to realize the full benefit, however, all Canadians
need to have access to the great produce we’re growing.”
Canadian government marketing potatoes
The Government of Canada is helping the Canadian Horticultural Council (CHC) peel open new international markets for our top-quality spuds.
Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz recently announced an investment of $743,000 to help the CHC increase exports and improve record-keeping systems for potato growers.
The AgriMarketing program will deliver an investment of $688,000 to help the CHC undertake international market development and export promotion activities for the potato sub-sector. The CHC will develop new promotional materials, participate in trade shows and international trade missions to showcase these tasty tubers. The CHC will also develop a long-term international strategy for the greenhouse vegetable subsector.
The CHC will also receive, through the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP), an investment of $55,000 to help determine the feasibility and the cost to improve farm record keeping with GPS technology. Better record keeping at the field level will help assure markets and consumers that Canadian potatoes are grown to the highest standards.
“This funding provides an excellent opportunity for producers to showcase the quality of our products around the world,” said CHC president Andy Vermeulen.
Try an Intense tomato without staining your shirt
Israeli tomato producers have developed a new breed of tomato that doesn’t lose its liquids, making it ideal for making tomato sandwiches for school, work, and trips.
After cutting, most regular tomatoes rapidly lose their fluids, which mix with the sandwich and make a soggy mess. But the new tomato, Intense, allows sandwiches to be garnished with tomato without the bread falling apart as it soaks up the paste.
Intense keeps most of its liquids within the solid part of the fruit so it does not stain. This results in a refrigerated shelf life of up to three weeks after cutting.
Israeli tomato growers Rami Trabelsi are the founders of the marketing company RT-fresh, located in the western Negev.
“The new breed will be marketed through networks in Europe and Russia,” states Trabelsi. “Overseas demand for tomatoes from Israel has grown.”
For more information, visit www. rt-fresh.com.
DuPont Altacor, Coragen registered for more crops
DuPont has received expanded registrations for its Altacor® and Coragen® insect control products that will enable Canadian growers to use these innovative products to protect the quality of more new crops with longer-lasting, broader spectrum control of key pests.
Both insect control products are powered by Rynaxypyr®, a new chemistry from a new class of chemistry – Group 28, the Anthranilic diamides – that makes both products important resistance management tools in integrated pest management (IPM) systems.
“Resistance to existing chemistries in various crops is a concern because of the multiple generations and the insecticide applications needed to keep pests under control,” says Jim Irish, specialty products manager for DuPont. “Both Altacor and Coragen provide new and effective options to control economically significant pests and are effective at multiple stages of the life cycle.”
The expanded Altacor label will give Canada tree nut and berry growers new options for pest control and resistance management. Tree nut growers will be able to use Altacor to protect their crop from codling moth, oblique-banded leafroller and three-lined leafroller. Berry producers will be able to use Altacor for control of raspberry cane borer and raspberry crown borer in caneberries.
Coragen, which is already used by potato, brassica vegetable, fruiting vegetable and leafy vegetable producers, is
now available for use on a wide range of vegetable crops, including sweet, field and seed corn, tuberous and corm vegetables, cucurbit vegetables and alfalfa.
For a complete list of crops and pests, see the Altacor and Coragen labels at www.dupont.ca/ag.
For more information about Altacor, Coragen or any other DuPont product, contact your local DuPont representative, call 1-800-667-3925 or visit the website www.dupont.ca/ag.
Something for everyone in two new OSU potato varieties
Two new potato varieties just released by Oregon State University are likely to catch the eye of the potato processing industry and the gourmet market.
A red fingerling called AmaRosa is likely to be popular with the upscale potato specialty market, said Solomon Yilma of the OSU breeding program. A small fingerling potato with smooth, deep-red skin, AmaRosa has red flesh also and when sliced looks like pepperoni. The tasty tubers retain their colour even as they are baked, fried or cooked in the microwave.
“AmaRosa tubers are also loaded with high level of antioxidants,”Yilma said.
The fingerling potatoes are smaller than others and pack easily. They also are resistant to scab, a harmless but unsightly bump on the skin that can make them less marketable. “In fact, AmaRosa could become popular with organic growers because it resists both scab and tuber late blight,” Yilma said.
The other potato variety, the light-brown Sage Russet, can help supply the needs of the market for processed potatoes.
The flattened, long shape of Sage Russet makes it the right size to slice and freeze as French fries for commercial and home use.
“Visual defects can be a problem for the consumer, but Sage Russet has minimal internal flaws,” Yilma said. “Its eyes are evenly distributed and lack distinctive eyebrows — tiny scars left by leaves.”
When dropped into hot oil, the fries keep their light colour because of their low
sugar levels.
Sage Russet is also suitable to sell fresh, and as it was evaluated during breeding trials, it earned high scores in yields, high protein content and vitamin C.
Potato breeding can take 10 to 15 years, and Sage Russet began with a cross made in 1996, Yilma said. It was grown and selected over the years for qualities such as storage time, high yields, taste, nutritional content and disease resistance.
Breeding of AmaRosa began with a cross made in 2000 and was selected from seedlings planted at Madras, Ore. in 2001. It went through six years of public trails in the western U.S.
Plant Variety Protection, an intellectual property statute that gives breeders up to 25 years of exclusive control of propagation, will be filed for Sage Russet and AmaRosa. The potato varieties will be licensed to the Potato Variety Management Institute, a nonprofit organization that works on behalf of the Tri-State Potato Breeding Program. Disease-free small tubers grown from tissue culture are available from the University of Idaho Tissue Culture Laboratory.
Raven Industries announces eight new products
Raven Industries is excited to announce the release of eight new products this fall.
The new products include:
OmniRow planter control system –The OmniRow planter control system utilizes a patent pending hydraulic motor control unit, eliminating the need to have an electric or air-clutch on every single row, giving both control and section shut off with a single unit. OmniRow gives a grower the ability to control population, either manually or based off prescription map, seed monitoring and singulation, and automatic section shut off. The system can be configured by sections or down to the individual row for both control and section shutoff. Operators with existing factory installed or aftermarket clutches will be able to benefit from this new technology as well, without having to start over with a completely new system. OmniRow is available on most popular planter models. OmniRow will be offered through select Raven distributors who will receive specialized planter training to give growers the highest possible level of service during the critical planting season.
• Envizio Pro II – Envizio Pro II builds on the success of the Envizio field computer product line that Raven has offered for years. The Envizio Pro II will be able to control the new OmniRow planter system, SmartYield yield monitoring, as well as other applications. The Envizio Pro II will come with an integrated GPS receiver upgradeable to RTK technology, and is Slingshot ready for wireless RTK, highspeed Internet access, data transfer, remote support, and more.
• Cruizer II – The Cruizer II is a more powerful version of the original Cruizer. Cruizer II will give the grower the ability to load and save job files and A-B lines, and interfaces with Raven assisted-steering and AccuBoom automatic section control via CANbus technology. For open-air cabs, Cruizer II is available with a weather resistant option to stand up to dust, water, and other elements.
• Digi-Star Cruizer scale interface –Cruizer and Cruizer II will now inter-
New Products
face with Digi-Star’s scales and nutrient management system. Operators will be able to utilize GPS guidance, while monitoring application rates on-the-go by displaying tons per acre coverage on the Cruizer and Cruizer II guidance screens. The start/stop feature allows the operator to toggle a switch when they begin to unload and then off when they are done, and the system will do the rest. Application data will be recorded and then uploaded to the Nutrient Tracker software and help to comply with Nutrient Management Plans. Customers with existing Cruizers will be able to take advantage of the Digi-Star interface with a simple activation key and software update.
• SmartYield – The SmartYield yield monitor will interface with the Envizio Pro II or Cruizer II. SmartYield will utilize a non-contact optical sensor, and features hillside compensation, and simple calibration and start-up, including pre-set combine calibration settings. SmartYield will give growers a report card at the end of the year and help them make important input decisions in their farming operation.
• SmarTrax RTK – SmarTrax RTK automatic steering rounds out Raven’s steering line-up. SmarTrax RTK will give owners and operators the ability to tie into their existing steer-ready hydraulic blocks. Automatic calibration and 3D terrain compensation help ensure sub-inch accuracy, critical for planting and strip tillage applications. SmarTrax RTK will interface with both the Viper Pro and Envizio Pro field computers.
• Sidekick Pro –The Sidekick Pro direct injection system works with chemical applications of every type, with precision and safety for both operator and the environment. No tank mixing is required – and with the automatic calibration feature, operators ready to go in minutes.
• AccuFlow HP – Raven has added the AccuFlow HP (high performance) system to its product line. The new AccuFlow HP system is designed with extra capacity to run at higher speeds and colder temperatures, providing more time and flexibility to apply anhydrous ammonia.
www.GoRaven.com
Purfresh releases Multi-Room Control Box
Purfresh recently released the Purfresh® Multi-Room Control Box (MRCB).
Integrated with Purfresh Cold Storage and Intellipur® software analytics, the MRCB enables a single ozone generator to precisely distribute and control ozone in up to 16 cold storage rooms. Distributing the power and advanced intelligence of Purfresh ozone generators across multiple locations allows retailers, distributors and cold storage operators to take advantage of ozone to help with food safety, reduce decay and control ripening throughout their facilities.
“Industrial-strength ozone solutions have traditionally been designed for facilities with rooms that are a few hundred thousand cubic feet in size – which makes those solutions impractical for facilities with banks of smaller rooms,” said Andy Smith, vice-president of products for Purfresh. “In response to increased demand … we developed the MRCB – a cost-effective solution optimized for the unique needs of agricultural environments that monitors and delivers ozone to many rooms without compromising worker safety or reliability.”
Each MRCB is capable of monitoring and delivering ozone to four or eight rooms, and two MRCBs can be configured with a single Purfresh generator to deliver ozone to a total of 16 rooms. Each MRCB is equipped with a programmable logic controller (PLC) that accurately controls and distributes low doses of ozone through specially designed ozone resistant valves. The PLC also communicates directly with the main generator to execute 15 unique safety alarms to keep both workers and produce safe.
Specifically engineered for refrigerated storage environments, the Purfresh cold storage technology combines a scalable, plug-and-play ozone-based solution with Intellipur online analytics – an information service that includes environmental sensing, web-based monitoring, alerting, data reporting, and analysis along with remote control and diagnostics. These technologies allow growers, produce distributors, and retailers to enhance food safety measures and maintain post-harvest quality by regulating the ripening process and reducing decay without the use of chemicals.
www.purfresh.com
INTRODUCING
Canada’s Fruit & Veg Tech X-Change coming to Ontario this fall
Fruit and vegetable producers will get a chance to try out new equipment, test and compare technology and network at Canada’s Fruit & Veg Tech X-Change (CFVTX), launching September 2011 in Norfolk County, Ont.
The outdoor horticulture trade show represents the first of its kind in North America.
Commercial fruit and vegetable producers take immense pride in their farm operations and the produce they grow. To help Canadian producers stay competitive, the XChange aims to showcase and demonstrate the latest in equipment offered to the fruit and vegetable industry at large. The X-Change celebrates the passion behind the industry with its fitting tag line “Pride In Growing.”
CFVTX will plant its roots on a farm outside St. Williams, Ont., in an area known for its diverse fruit and vegetable operations. It’s also central to sector-leading Essex and Niagara counties in Ontario. The 200-acre picturesque site located on the Lake Erie shore boasts a 4,000-square-foot convention centre, upgraded outbuildings, a 35-year-old blueberry patch with operational winery, several adjacent row crops, four-acre VIP asphalt parking, 13-kilometre manicured trail system and much more.
The X-Change will run from September 1 to 3, 2011. The first two days of the show are professional development days, exclusively for producers. On Saturday, the X-Change will welcome both the growing “weekend farmer” category, general consumers and large property owners. Saturday will also feature a 4-H Ontario Passport Challenge, a massive farmers market featuring fresh Ontario produce and a live equipment auction.
“Producers don’t want to buy an expensive piece of specialized equipment without seeing it in operation,” says Jordon Underhill, owner of ROI Event Management and the general manager of CFVTX. “Do you have time to drive from dealer to dealer to make arrangements to demo equipment? This type of event is very compelling for both the producer and the exhibitor because it brings the industry together in one interactive location.”
ROI Event Management operates out of Simcoe, Ont., and specializes in agriculture-related trade shows. The
company has an abundance of pure trade show experience and a passion for agriculture.
“This event was not an overnight idea,” says Underhill. “We have known there is a need in the marketplace for a specialized live event like this for several years and finally the timing was right to move forward.”
CFVTX is well beyond a concept. Major farm organizations such as Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, NFA and ALUS (Alternative Land Use Services) are just a few of the supporting farm organizations committed.
In addition, major site improvements have been completed and a wrapped promotional trailer is on the road attending agriculture-related events across the province and into Michigan.
One of the early industry commitments came from Vanden Bussche Irrigation, an equipment supplier in the fruit and vegetable sector.
“Canada’s Fruit & Veg Tech X-Change is the first of its kind in North America,” says Marc Vanden Bussche, CEO. “It was long overdue for the fruit and veg industry to have a central place to showcase the very specialized equipment we offer today’s producer. Vanden Bussche Irrigation sells product through demonstrating the capabilities and precision of the technology. Producers for the most part are visual learners; show them it can work for their farm operation and you
have significantly advanced the sales cycle.”
Live demonstrations in the works include boom irrigation with solar pumping, helicopter spraying, side-by-side utility vehicle competition and the high-tech Veris Cart in action. The Veris Cart uses sophisticated GPS mapping software to track variation in both physical structure of the soil and chemical properties – in real time. Producers will be shown on –the spot how this precision equipment can help increase yields at harvest and save money on fertilizer application.
Dr. John Kelly, vice-president of Erie Innovation and Commercialization, will also be assisting to organize a working lunch speaker program for producers and the entire family unit.
“In a one-hour session, we will feed you a local produce lunch and educate you on four industry prominent topics,” says Dr. Kelly.
Prior to heading back out to the trade show, producers will have a chance to ask the panel specific questions as they relate to their operation.
The event is structured as non-profit, with any proceeds from the X-Change going back to the betterment of the trade show and industry directly.
“The event’s mandate is to help make Canadian fruit and veg producers more competitive on a global level,” says Underhill.
For more information visit www.Fruit VegTechXchange.com or call 1-226381-0282. ❦
Other insecticides move through the plant in a single direction often leaving portions unprotected and susceptible to insect pressures
With two-way systemic action, Movento® insecticide moves inside the plant simultaneously in two directions - thoroughly protecting the entire plant. Movento controls insect infestations you can see and can’t see in a broad range of horticultural crops. It’s a breakthrough in insect control for fruits and vegetables. With Movento – you’re home free.
Over, under and through.
John Deere Specialty Tractors
Cruise over sensitive fruit and vegetable crops. Breeze under lowhanging canopies or doorways. Snake through narrow vineyard or nursery rows. Whatever your specialty crop challenge, hit it headon with the complete line of specialty tractors from John Deere, including the 5105ML Low-Profile Tractor . . . designed specifically for orchard and poultry producers. Vineyard and nursery operators, look to the 5EN Series, F Series, and 20A Tractors for maneuverability and efficiency. Vegetable growers, check out the 5095MH High-Crop Tractor, perfect for taller, fragile crops.
From high to low to narrow, we have your platform. Stop by your John Deere dealer to find out more.
