Alabama : Strawberries in Hydroponics
Fresh Alabama strawberries in November, December, January and February?
It’s not as far-fetched as it may sound. In fact, research taking place at the Auburn University Agricultural Experiment Station is showing great promise in growing strawberries in alternative production systems, including hydroponics.
“Our research program combines physiological knowledge with modeling approaches to develop decision-support tools to understand the plant’s physiological responses to environmental stress and climate variability,” said Melba R. Salazar Gutiérrez , assistant professor of horticulture in the College of Agriculture and researcher with AAES.
“Currently, we are studying a broad range of topics on fruit crops, including blueberries, strawberries, peaches and watermelons, some of which are grown in conventional systems while others, like blueberries and strawberries, are grown in alternative production systems such as containers, high tunnels, greenhouses and the combination of greenhouse and hydroponics”.
In Alabama, small fruit production, including strawberry production is increasing. And since strawberries are a relatively new production crop for Alabama, there is little research dedicated to it.
In 2017, it was estimated that Alabama had 111 acres of strawberry production valued at $339,000, but it has the potential to expand as new methods and technologies for growing become available.
“The goal of the hydroponic strawberry project is to assess the feasibility of cultivating strawberries in a controlled environment,”
Hydroponics is a type of horticulture that involves growing crops without soil by using water-based mineral nutrient solutions. Production usually occurs in a controlled environment, such as a greenhouse.
Recommended by LinkedIn
“Our research aims to understand and model the whole plant physiology, including phenological stages, growth development and yield, to develop models for decision support tools that address farmers’ and industry needs,” Salazar-Gutierrez said.
“We also hope to reduce the use of pesticides for management practices, implement IPM strategies to monitor and control pests using biological controls, and introduce beneficial organisms such as predatory insects to naturally control pests.”
Another goal of the research is to strategically exploit the advantages of hydroponics to shift and extend the traditional strawberry cultivation season in Alabama, she said.
“We want to achieve strawberry production during non-traditional months such as November, December, January and February,” “This extension of the growing season can add value for growers in terms of market advantage and diversifying the availability of fresh strawberries. It also will help meet consumer demand outside the typical production period in Alabama, which traditionally occurs from March to June.”