Commission, OSU Recognize Sponsors of Evaluation Trials

Sponsors of the Oregon State University Blueberry Variety Evaluation trials are recognized on a sign at the trials site and usually highlighted at the OSU Blueberry Field Day, typically held each July at the North Willamette Research and Extension Center in Aurora. This year, however, with OSU shutting down the field day over concerns of coronavirus transmission, the Oregon Blueberry Commission (OBC) decided to also recognize the sponsors in its newsletter.

According to a report from OSU Extension Berry Specialist Bernadine Strik and the late Chad Finn, a USDA-ARS research geneticist who died tragically of complications from an accident in December of 2019, funds from industry supporters have historically supported a significant part of the costs of maintaining the evaluation trial.

Sign recognizing sponsors of the blueberry variety evaluation and selection program at the North Willamette Research & Extension Center.

“Industry sponsorship funds and support from the OBC have been even more critical recently,” Strik wrote in an email response to questions for the newsletter. “Over the last several years, we have been transitioning to a new Blueberry Cultivar Evaluation Trial plot. The old plot, started in 1990, had outlived its location and was taken out in 2020.”

The new trial has space for two acres, Strik said, and the first plants were established in the spring of 2018. Researchers harvested their first cultivar and advanced selection plots this year.

“Now that we are managing the plants on raised beds with weed mat mulch and fertigation, growth is outstanding,” Strik said. “We look forward to evaluation selections in the breeding program and ultimately releasing new cultivars to help the industry.”

Some years, Strik and Finn wrote in their report, industry funds also have contributed to additional trials at the Center. Among studies they mentioned were the following: the effect of in-row spacing and early cropping on three cultivars; the effect of in-row spacing on nitrogen fertilizer uptake; pruning severity in mature plants; the short- and long-term impact of sawdust incorporation and surface mulch on N fertilizer requirements in Elliott; the impact of organic production systems in Duke and Liberty; fruit development of seven blueberry cultivars; development of nutrient management standards; developing a machine-intensive management system for Mini Blues; pruning and trellising options for Legacy; and evaluation of mulching systems.

The evaluation trial is an ongoing, dynamic planting with new genotypes added most years, the two wrote. Each year, the fruit are evaluated subjectively for quality characteristics and are harvested to determine yield and berry weight. Fruit are then sent to the Department of Food Science at OSU for freezing and processing evaluation.

Among cultivars released from the trials are Mini Blues, Perpetua, Norman and Echo. Other numbered lines are showing promise.

“These plantings have not only provided the information growers need to make decisions on what cultivars to pant, but also on what cultivars not to plant,” the two wrote. “In addition, our research findings have helped growers make important production/management decisions and have informed growers as we have seen increased use of weed mat mulch, more organic area harvested and improved nutrient management programs.”

In the email, Strik added, “Thank you to all of our sponsors for your support.”

The Blueberry Variety Evaluation and Selection Program Sponsors in 2020 are as follows:

GOLD
AC Foods
AgriCare Inc.
Bird Control Group
Bird Gard
Columbia Fruit
Extenday USA Inc.
Fall Creek Farm & Nursery
Littau Harvester, Inc.
North American Plant, LLC
Oregon Berry Packing, Inc.
Oregon Blueberry Farms & Nursery
Pan-American Berry Growers
Pratum Co-op
Scenic Fruit Co.
Simplot Grower Solutions

SILVER
California Giant, Inc.
Eisele Farms, Inc.
Gingerich Farms Co.
HBF International
RainSweet Inc.
Sarbanand Enterprises, LLC
Unger Berry Farms, Inc.
Valley Agronomics

BRONZE
Blue Heron Farm
California Organic Fertilizers
Ditchen Berry Farm LLC
EmcoCal
Forest Hills Farms, Inc.
Giumarra International Berry, LLC
Iowa Hill Farms, Inc.
Northwest Farm Credit Services
Nutrien Ag Solutions, Inc.
Oregon Blues
Oregon Fruit Products LLC
OVS
Pape Machinery
Whitewater Ranch LLC
Wilbur-Ellis
Wilinda Blueberry Patch
Wombat Flats Farm, LLC