Improving the Precision of Blueberry Frost Protection Irrigation

In Florida, early-ripening southern highbush blueberry cultivars allow growers to take advantage of high prices in the early market before other states can compete with higher volumes of berries sold at lower prices. That advantage comes with a vulnerability, however, because frosts can reduce gain...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Tatiana Borisova, Tori Bradley, Mercy Olmstead, Jeffrey Williamson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries 2015-12-01
Series:EDIS
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.flvc.org/edis/article/view/132460
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:In Florida, early-ripening southern highbush blueberry cultivars allow growers to take advantage of high prices in the early market before other states can compete with higher volumes of berries sold at lower prices. That advantage comes with a vulnerability, however, because frosts can reduce gains. Florida growers rely on strategies like cold protection irrigation to reduce their risk of loss due to cold damage. This 9-page article by Tatiana Borisova, Tori Bradley, Mercy Olmstead, and Jeffrey Williamson describes a UF/IFAS study comparing precision cold protection irrigation to uniform cold protection irrigation to estimate the potential savings in diesel costs and water withdrawal volumes associated with the two practices and help protect Florida’s valuable and vulnerable blueberry harvest. Published by the Food and Resource Economics Department in October 2015.
ISSN:2576-0009