Search Results (36)

Produce supply chains play a critical role in ensuring fruits and vegetables reach consumers efficiently, affordably, and at optimal freshness. In recent decades, hub-and-spoke network models have emerged as valuable tools for optimizing sustainable cold food supply chains. Traditional optimization efforts typically focus on removing inefficiencies, minimizing lead times, refining inventory management, strengthening supplier relationships, and leveraging technological advancements for better visibility and control. However, the majority of models rely on deterministic approaches that overlook the inherent uncertainties of crop yields, which are further intensified by climate variability. Rising atmospheric CO₂ concentrations, along with shifting temperature patterns and extreme weather events, have a substantial effect on crop productivity and availability. Such uncertainties can prompt distributors to seek alternative sources, increasing costs due to supply chain reconfiguration. This research introduces a stochastic hub-and-spoke network optimization model specifically designed to minimize transportation expenses by determining optimal distribution routes that explicitly account for climate variability effects on crop yields. A use case involving a cold food supply chain (CFSC) was carried out using several weather scenarios based on climate models and real soil data for California. Strawberries were selected as a representative crop, given California’s leading role in strawberry production. Simulation results show that scenarios characterized by increased rainfall during growing seasons result in increased yields, allowing distributors to reduce transportation costs by sourcing from nearby farms. Conversely, scenarios with reduced rainfall and lower yields require sourcing from more distant locations, thereby increasing transportation costs. Nonetheless, supply chain configurations may vary depending on the choice of climate models or weather prediction sources, highlighting the importance of regularly updating scenario inputs to ensure robust planning. This tool aids decision-making by planning climate-resilient supply chains, enhancing preparedness and responsiveness to future climate-related disruptions. Full article

Climate change has a complex impact on the agricultural crop system, with knowledge of the processes being necessary to assist decisions that guide the adaptation of society to profound structural changes. This study aims to highlight the main changes generated by the modification of climatic parameters (increasing air temperature, humidity and precipitation and decreasing wind speed) on agricultural crops in a region with important changes in its economic profile due to urban extension and land use modification. The analysis methodology is based on the Cropwat software to highlight the temporal variability of crop evapotranspiration, effective rain and water requirements for different crops—strawberry, sunflower and pea—and the possibility of using other types of crops with higher yield and lower water needs. The methodology used highlights this fact, showing that major changes are needed in the choice of crop schemes and future technological processes in the current context of climate change. The current results of the study, conducted over a period of 30 years (1991–2020), showed that the climatic, land use and economic changes in the study area have led to a decrease in evapotranspiration and crop water requirements due to the amounts of precipitation that can provide for the water needs of strawberry, sunflower and pea crops. The irrigation requirements during the analysis period 1991–2020 varied from <10 mm/year to 120 mm/year for strawberry crops, and can exceed 300 mm/year for sunflower and pea crops, having higher values in years with a precipitation deficit (effective rain less than 100 mm). Analyzing the irrigation requirements during the vegetation growing seasons shows that for pea and strawberry the trend is decreasing, but without a significance level. Only for the sunflower crop is an increasing trend recorded in the initial and late stages. The results obtained provide a methodological framework as well as concrete information for decision-makers in the field of agriculture who must build adaptation mechanisms for climate challenges. Full article

The increasing demand for sustainable agricultural practices necessitates strategies such as organic fertilizer alternatives and residual nutrient use to enhance crop productivity while maintaining soil health. This study investigates the residual effects of vermicompost on strawberry growth and physiology after a corn cropping cycle. The objectives were to assess how different vermicompost application rates impact strawberry yield, biomass, chlorophyll content, and fruit quality. The experiment was conducted over six months, using raised beds previously cultivated with corn and treated with six nutrient management strategies, namely, V0 (control), VC1, VCT100, VC1+VCT50, VC3, and VC3+VCT50. Metrics such as SPAD values, Brix sugar content, and stomatal conductance were measured throughout the growing season to assess physiological responses. Soil and plant chemical concentrations were determined at the end of the study to evaluate nutrient status. Results showed that the VC1 treatment produced the highest yield (11,573 kg/acre) and biomass (38,364 kg/acre), with significantly improved fruit quality (Brix sugar content of 8.3%) compared to the control (6.8%). SPAD values declined over time and showed no statistically significant differences among treatments. In the surface soil, VC3+VCT50 exhibited the highest N, P, Mg, Na, organic matter, and cation exchange capacity (CEC), and it also resulted in the highest leaf N. Leaves had higher N, P, K, and Mg concentrations, while Fe, Mn, and Cu were more concentrated in roots. Spectral reflectance data indicated reduced chlorophyll content in the VC3+VCT50-treated plants. These findings suggest that moderate vermicompost applications, such as VC1, can significantly contribute to sustainable agriculture by enhancing strawberry productivity and reducing dependence on synthetic fertilizers. However, high-rate applications, especially VC3 and VC3+VCT50, reduced plant vigor and yield, possibly due to salinity stress and the high sodium content in the vermicompost used in this study. Such outcomes may vary depending on feedstock composition, highlighting the importance of salinity screening when using organic amendments in salt-sensitive crops like strawberries. Full article

Scientific management and environmental regulation of facility strawberries depends on the level of accurate prediction and forecasting of low temperature freezes in plastic greenhouses during winter and spring strawberry cultivation. Accurate identification of potential factors affecting layer-by-layer minimum temperatures in plastic greenhouses and selection of optimal forecasting methods are important for safe strawberry production. However, the identification of important drivers of minimum temperatures in plastic greenhouses and the prediction of potential drivers of use are still unclear. In this study, we used Classification and Regression Tree (CART) to identify the importance of the potential factors affecting the minimum temperatures at different depths and different heights of plastic greenhouses. Random forest (RF), back-propagation (BP), and multiple linear regression (MLR) were used to establish the minimum temperature prediction models for plastic greenhouses at different depths and heights, respectively. The results showed that T_smin10, T_smin25, T_amin150, T_amin320, and T_amin150 were the most important variables explaining the changes in minimum temperatures at heights T_smin25, T_smin10, T_smin2, T_amin150, and T_amin320 respectively. RF, BP performed much better than MLR, as it showed much lower error indices (AE and RMSE) and higher R² than MLR. The superiority of RF and BP in predicting minimum temperatures is related to their ability to deal with non-linear and hierarchical relationships between minimum temperatures and predictors. The low-temperature frost protection and fine management of strawberries in the Changfeng area can be related to the prediction method of minimum temperature in plastic greenhouses constructed in this study. Full article

As the world’s population continues to rise while the agricultural workforce declines, farmers are increasingly challenged to meet the growing food demand. Strawberries grown in the U.S. are especially threatened by such stipulations, as the cost of labor for such a delicate crop remains the bulk of the total production costs. Autonomous systems within the agricultural sector have enormous potential to catalyze the labor and land expansions required to meet the demands of feeding an increasing population, as well as heavily reducing the amount of food waste experienced in open fields. Our team is working to enhance robotic solutions for strawberry production, aiming to improve field processes and better replicate the efficiency of human workers. We propose a modular configuration that includes a Delta X parallel robot and a pneumatically powered end effector designed for precise strawberry harvesting. Our primary focus is on optimizing the design of the end effector and validating its high-speed actuation capabilities. The prototype of the presented end effector achieved high success rates of 94.74% in simulated environments and 100% in strawberry fields at Farias Farms, even when tasked to harvest in the densely covered conditions of the late growing season. Using an off-the-shelf robotic configuration, the system’s workspace has been validated as adequate for harvesting in a typical two-plant-per-row strawberry field, with the hardware itself being evaluated to harvest each strawberry in 2.8–3.8 s. This capability sets the stage for future enhancements, including the integration of the machine vision processes such that the system will identify and pick each strawberry within 5 s. Full article

The application of wool as mulch in strawberry cultivation was analysed to find a solution for the rational use of wool from mountain sheep. In the plantation, the experimental plots mulched with wool, straw, and bark were appointed. The plots were monitored during the experiment, while the soil temperature and moisture content were measured. The data collected in two-hour intervals were analysed, taking into account air temperature and falls registered in the local meteorological station. Additionally, the progress of mulch biodegradation was tracked. The changes in the wool morphology that occurred by biodegradation were observed during microscopic examinations using the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). It was stated that wool mulch plays an essential role in thermoregulation of the soil surface, prevents the overheating of the soil during the summer heat, and protects soil against excessive cooling during cold nights. The wool mulch minimizes the fluctuations between the soil’s day and night temperature. The fluctuations do not exceed 2–3 degrees on hot summer days, which are five times smaller than for the control plot. The wool retains large amounts of rainwater several times its weight. The water is then slowly released, providing the growing plants with a moist environment during a longer rainless period. Moreover, wool is difficult to biodegrade and maintains its properties for a long time, lasting longer than one vegetation season. Compared to straw and bark, the temperature fluctuations recorded for wool are two times smaller, and its effectiveness in water management is considerably better. The beneficial impact of the wool mulch ensuring favourable conditions for strawberry growth was explained by the specific wool structure and its unique properties. Full article

Strawberry, a profitable crop, adapts well to diverse environments. This study evaluated the stability of fruit quality in different strawberry varieties produced as green plants without chilling during the harvest season in northern Uruguay. The focus was on understanding the impact of harvest date versus agricultural practices (different orchards and growers) on key fruit quality variables such as color, firmness, sugars, and acidity. Results indicated that the INIA Yrupé variety showed greater stability in external coloration and sugar content across harvest dates, suggesting that standardizing fruit coloration is viable under challenging conditions. INIA Guapa consistently met minimum requirements for soluble solids and ratio, with stable acidity and red coloration. Firmness was positively correlated with ratio (r = 0.81) and negatively impacted by rainfall 2–3 days before harvest. The findings suggest that harvest date has a more significant impact on INIA Yrupé fruit quality than growing conditions or practices, with variability observed in firmness and ratio but minimal variation in fruit coloration. These insights highlight the importance of harvest timing for maintaining stable fruit quality traits, which is crucial for breeding programs and ensuring consistent sensory quality and crop profitability. Full article

Polymer-modified fertilizers (PMFs) with prolonged nutrient release present a promising solution to address the challenges associated with conventional fertilization practices, particularly for sensitive crops such as strawberries. This study investigates the effectiveness of biodegradable PMFs in maintaining nutrient availability at optimal levels while minimizing root burn and nutrient losses. In a factorial field experiment, we obtaineda total of 3780 sets of parallel measured time series for soil EC, moisture, and temperature as well as two sets of harvest data to evaluate the impact of varying concentrations of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) on the nutrient release rates from complex NPK fertilizer and monoammonium phosphate. Results indicate that polymer modifications significantly slow down nutrient release, leading to optimal salt levels and maximizing yield while remaining low enough to prevent the risk of root burn (EC of soil solution below 1 mS/cm). Consequently, the application of PMFs enhances strawberry yield surplus (on average 2.8 times in the second harvest) by ensuring a steady supply of nutrients throughout the growing season without inducing stress, which reduces the yield by nearly half. This research provides valuable insights into the development of more effective fertilization strategies for strawberry cultivation and other sensitive crops using PMFs. Full article

The productivity and quality of strawberries in southern Brazil are affected by the lack of cultivars adapted to different regions and by their susceptibility to diseases. This study aims to evaluate the resistance of cultivars and genotypes to mycosphaerella leaf spot (MLS) and powdery mildew (PM) and the quantitative and qualitative fruit agronomic parameters (FAP) of strawberries in southern Brazil during the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 growing seasons. The incidence and severity of MLS and PM were evaluated from the beginning of symptoms appearances until harvest. Cultivars and genotypes were compared based on the area under the incidence (AUIDPC) and severity (AUSDPC) disease progress curves and the quantitative and qualitative FAP. The data were subjected to analysis of variance, and multivariate analysis was performed using principal component analysis (PCA). The cultivars Irma, Bellalinda, Kiara, Jonica, and Pircinque exhibited the lowest values of AUIDPC and AUSDPC, demonstrating the highest resistance to MLS and PM. The cultivars Kiara, Jonica, and Pircinque, along with genotype FRF LAM 119.1, showed the best qualitative and quantitative FAP. However, the FRF LAM 119.1 genotype exhibited the highest values of AUIDPC and AUSDPC, indicating high susceptibility to MLS and PM. CPA data indicated that the cultivars Kiara, Jonica, and Pircinque had the highest level of resistance, which was associated with the highest total fruit yield and the best fruit quality in terms of skin color and flavor balance. Kiara, Jonica, and Pircinque proved to be good options for strawberry production in southern Brazil, combining resistance to MLS and PM with good FAP. Full article

Strawberries are a very important economic crop; thus, a lot of research has been conducted on several production areas. However, phenological performance is still lacking information, especially when it comes to modeling. Therefore, this study aims to develop a phenological model for flower–fruit development under hydroponic conditions to support growers’ decision-making. Two day-neutral cultivars, ‘Albion’ and ‘San Andreas’, were established in a drip hydroponic system in Auburn, Alabama for the 2022–2023 production season. Phenological data were collected daily on 30 flowers per cultivar for three periods (Oct 25–Dec 16, Dec 27–Feb 21, and Feb 28–Apr 16). Weather data were obtained from a weather station placed in the greenhouse. Growing degree days (GDD) accumulation was calculated for each stage and cycle using a base temperature (Tb) of 3 °C. The Gaussian model was adjusted for each stage and cycle using a non-linear procedure to obtain Gaussian curves. Simulations were made for the model assuming temperature would increase or decrease by 1 °C. Six stages were identified, and their cycle ranged from 43–56 days to be accomplished. ‘Albion’ needed more days to reach maturity, with 51, 56, and 47 days, and ‘San Andreas’ took 43, 54, and 46 days for cycles 1, 2, and 3 respectively. In addition, for cycles 1 and 2, not all the buds reached maturity, as expected. Stage 5 (fruit formation) needed more days than the rest of the stages to be completed. Because of the different starting dates for each cycle, the starting GDD was different as well. A sensitivity analysis simulation of the model showed that if temperature decreases by 1 °C, the GDD accumulated to complete the stages would be less (same dates), and it would be more if the temperature increased by 1 °C. The opposite happened with the days, if the temperature increased by 1 °C, the duration of the stage decreased, and it would increase if the temperature decreased by 1 °C, affecting stages 4, 5, and 6. Overall, ‘San Andreas’ performed better than ‘Albion’ under hydroponic conditions during three productive cycles. Full article

There is an increased interest in the hydroponic production of strawberries in protected cultivation systems, and it is, therefore, urgent to develop new, more sustainable growing media alternatives. This study investigated the physical properties of wood fiber produced from Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.) and peat:wood fiber substrate blends as well as the performance of the wood fiber in comparison to the industry standards, i.e., peat and coconut coir in the cultivation of hydroponic strawberry. Tray plants of the June-bearing strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) cultivar ‘Malling Centenary’ were transplanted into five different growing media: a peat (80%) and perlite (20%) mixture, stand-alone (100%) coconut coir and three stand-alone (100%) Norway spruce wood fiber substrates (including coarse textured fibers with compact and loose packing density and compacted fine-textured fibers). Ripe strawberries were harvested and registered throughout the production season. The overall marketable yield was comparable across all the tested growing media; however, after 4 weeks of harvest, both coarse wood fiber and fine wood fiber showed better fruiting performance than the peat-perlite mixture. A trend for earlier berry maturation was observed for all wood fiber-based substrates. Plant parameters recorded after the end of production showed that plant height, number of leaves, and biomass production were higher in coarse wood fiber than in the peat-perlite mixture. Moreover, plants grown in wood fiber-based substrates had less unripe berries and flowers not harvested in comparison to both the peat and coir treatments. Full article

Humic acids are plant biostimulants, which can be used in horticulture as an effective and relatively inexpensive alternative to chemical means of production. The aim of the study was to assess how the fertiliser containing humic acids affected the growth, yield, and quality of strawberry fruits. In 2021, an experiment was conducted on two-year-old strawberry bushes (Fragaria× ananassa (Duchesne ex Weston) Duchesne ex Rozier) of the ‘Rumba’ cultivar growing on a horticultural farm in northern Wielkopolska, Poland. During the growing season, the soil was fertilized by the mineral fertilization and the bushes were sprayed two, three, or four times with the Humi Brown Gold fertiliser containing humic acids. In the experiment, the soil enzymatic activity, biometric parameters of strawberry leaves, fruit yield and fruit quality was assessed. It was determined that, in the experimental treatments where foliar fertilisation had been applied, the activities of proteases and dehydrogenases as well as soil respiration increased by more than double and were significantly higher than in the variants where soil fertilisers had been applied. The strawberry bushes treated with the humic acids fertiliser developed more than 60% larger surface leaves, bloomed more intensively and gave a higher yield. Fruits with significantly higher firmness were harvested from such bushes, with higher weight and extract content than those where the soil fertiliser had been applied. The difference was several tens of percent. This leads to the conclusion that the foliar application of humic acids could be an effective alternative to mineral fertilisation in strawberry plantations. Full article

Under sandy soil conditions, increasing the efficiency of potassium (K) fertilizers is considered to be a major limiting factor for improving the productivity and quality of fruit crops. In this context, utilizing nanotechnology has emerged as a novel technique to increase the efficiency of K applications. In our study, two field trials were conducted, in two consecutive seasons (2019/2020 and 2020/2021), to compare the effects of nano-chitosan loaded with K as a foliar treatment with those of conventional soil applications of K on plant growth, yield, and quality of strawberry plants grown in sandy soil. Strawberry plants were treated with 12 different treatments, which were replicated three times in a randomized complete block design in each growing season. Potassium sulfate (K₂SO₄, 48% K₂O) was applied to the soil at a rate of 150.0 kg acre⁻¹ (recommended rate, 100%). Meanwhile, the spraying of nano-chitosan loaded with K was applied at 1000 mg L⁻¹ as a control. In addition, K₂SO₄ was applied either individually or in combination at the rate of 112.5 or 75.0 kg acre⁻¹ with four nano-chitosan-K dosages (250, 500, 750, and 1000 mg L⁻¹). After harvesting, soil samples were collected and prepared to determine K fractions. As well, plant samples were collected to determine the vegetative growth parameters and the foliage content of NPK and chlorophyll. Eventually, the yield traits and quality parameters were evaluated. A principal component analysis was conducted to determine the interrelationships of the treatments’ averages and their effects on yield components and quality traits. A combined analysis was performed for the two studied seasons and the values were the mean of six replications. The results indicated that the application of common K fertilizer (150.0 kg K₂SO₄ acre⁻¹) resulted in the maximum increase in soluble and exchangeable K in the soil, which was comparable to those observed with 112.5 kg K₂SO₄ acre⁻¹ + 1000 mg L⁻¹ nano-chitosan-K and 112.5 K₂SO₄ acre⁻¹ + 750 mg L⁻¹ nano-chitosan-K. The total yield, marketable yield, and fruit firmness were all significantly increased by the latter two treatments compared to the control group. Furthermore, plots treated with 112.5 kg K₂SO₄ acre⁻¹ + 1000 mg L⁻¹ nano-chitosan-K significantly increased the total soluble solids, vitamin C levels, acidity, total sugar, and anthocyanin levels in strawberry fruits. In conclusion, under sandy soil conditions, the utilization of nanoparticles could be an indispensable tool for manipulating fertilization management when cultivating strawberries. The K status of the soil was improved by applying 75% of the recommended dose of mineral K in combination with 1000 or 750 mg L⁻¹ of nano-chitosan-K, without compromising strawberry yield or quality. Full article

Dandong has become the largest strawberry production and export base in China. Strawberry black spot disease is widespread and causes significant economic losses to strawberry growers in both the growing and harvest seasons. Until now, no study has reported the presence of the Alternaria species, the pathogen of strawberry black spot disease, in Dandong, Liaoning province, China. In 2020–2022, 108 isolates were obtained from strawberry leaves with typical symptoms of strawberry black spot disease from 56 major professional growing operations. Combined with morphological and molecular characteristics, the majority of isolates were identified as A. tenuissima (78 isolates, 72.2%), which had established total supremacy, followed by A. alternata (30 isolates, 27.8%). The pathogenicity results show that A. tenuissima and A. alternata are the two main pathogenic factors of strawberry black spot disease, the disease indexes of which were designated as 49.6–100.0% and 20.4–59.5%. To our knowledge, this paper is the first to identify A. tenuissima and A. alternata as causing black spot disease in strawberries in Dandong, China. Full article

Compared to open-field crops, the influence of the surrounding landscape on insect diversity in greenhouse crops has been poorly studied. Due to growing evidence of insect influx in greenhouses, identifying the landscape properties influencing the protected crop colonization by insect pests and their natural enemies would promote the improvement of both pest prevention and conservation biological control methods. Here, we present a field study on the effect of the surrounding landscape on the colonization of greenhouse crops by insect pests and associated natural enemies. By monitoring 32 greenhouse strawberry crops in the South West of France, we surveyed crop colonization by four insect pests and four natural enemy groups over two cultivation periods. Our results showed that the landscape structure and composition could have contrasting effects on insect colonization of greenhouse crops so there could be species-specific effects and not general ones. While the degree of openness of greenhouses and the pest management practices modulated insect diversity marginally, we also showed that seasonality represented a key factor in insect crop colonization. The various responses of insect pests and natural enemy groups to the landscape support the idea that pest management methods must involve the surrounding environment. Full article