The Southern Fruitcast is hosted by Aaron Cato and Amanda McWhirt, extension IPM and production specialists for fruits and vegetables at the University of Arkansas. This podcast currently has 15 episodes that cover the people, technology and latest developments in small fruit production in the Southeast. Episodes can be found…
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By Andrea Myers, M.S. Graduate Student, and Dr. Renee Threlfall, Research Scientist, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Food Science Department Introduction Fresh-market blackberries (Rubus L. subgenus Rubus Watson), known for health promoting benefits, are hand-picked to maintain quality from harvest to consumption. As value and demand grows for…
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Amanda McWhirt, Horticulture Specialist, University of Arkansas; and John Clark, Fruit Breeder, Distinguished Professor, University of Arkansas In the late winter and spring of 2021 we experienced two severe cold events in Arkansas that had the potential to impact fruit crops. The first event was arctic air that moved into…
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Kayla Knepp, Masters Graduate Student, University of Arkansas Weed management continues to be a major issue in blackberries. With increasing acres being dedicated to blackberry production there is a growing need to find more tools to combat the timeless issues of weeds. New plantings are particularly sensitive to weed competition…
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Gina Fernandez, Small Fruit Specialist, North Carolina State University Fall 2021 Plant growth and development Primocanes continue to grow but growth rate is slower Flower buds start to form in leaf axils on summer-fruiting types Carbohydrates and nutrients in canes begin to move into the roots Primocane fruiting types begin…
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Dr. Ron Strahan (Associate Professor, LSU Extension Weed Specialist), David Sexton (LSU Extension Research Associate Specialist), Stuart Gauthier (County Agent/Regional Horticulture Agent, LSU AgCenter) Weed management continues to be one of the major issues facing blackberry growers in Louisiana. Grower concerns prompted LSU AgCenter, Weed Scientist Dr. Ron Strahan and…
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Small Fruit News Editors: Amanda McWhirt, Doug Pfeiffer, Jayesh Samtani, and Rebecca Melanson Over the last year, there have been multiple efforts to identify the major issues affecting blackberry production in the Southeastern U.S. and priorities for research in this area. In an effort to clearly make some of these…
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Margaret Worthington, Assistant Professor of Fruit Breeding and Genetics, Department of Horticulture, University of Arkansas A national survey of growers and related industry professionals was recently conducted to assess the current status and needs for research and extension in the US blackberry industry. The survey was launched with the goal…
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By Dr. Gina Fernandez, Small Fruit Specialist at NC State University Spring 2021 has been WET in North Carolina, at this time, blackberry buds are just beginning to swell (see figure 1). Chores and timing may be somewhat different in your area or for your cropping system. For IPM…
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By Douglas G. Pfeiffer, Dept. of Entomology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg VA 24061 In January 2020, at the Southern Fruit and Vegetable Conference, a group of berry specialists met to discuss current issues in blackberry culture and pest management. This was for the purpose of producing a Pest Management Strategic Plan, an effort…
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