Small Fruit Culture

Catalog description

An overview of small fruit crop production, including grapes, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, cranberries, currants and gooseberries. The botany and physiology of each crop is discussed so students understand how the crops can be manipulated for maximum production under various environmental conditions. Production practices are described for each crop, including growing requirements, cultivar selection, planting systems, pruning, plant nutrition, frost protection, irrigation scheduling, harvest and postharvest handling, mechanization, and pest identification and control. Sustainable production techniques, including aspects of organic production methods, are stressed. Laboratories in the field stress hands-on production practices.