scholarly journals THE SOUTHERN ORGANIC FRUIT INITIATIVE: A NEW MULTISTATE, MULTI-DISCIPLINARY COOPERATIVE PROJECT TO STIMULATE RESEARCH, OUTREACH AND PRODUCTION IN THE SOUTHERN REGION

HortScience ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 892c-892
Author(s):  
Curt R. Rom ◽  
H. Friedrich ◽  
D. Johnson ◽  
J. Popp ◽  
B. Bellows ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Carolina ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Fruit Production ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Southern Region ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Group Meetings ◽  
Certified Organic ◽  
Research And Education ◽  
Organic Fruit

Fruit production in the Southern region has declined in the last several decades. Further, although certified organic fruit production has increased significantly in other regions of the US in the past decade, there has been very little growth of that industry in this region. It is presumed that the lack of production is based upon the lack of research, out-reach, and science-based information available to growers which make organic production possible. Based on planning grant funding from the Southern IPM Center program and the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program a Southern Organic Fruit Working Group is being formed. The projects are collaborative efforts of horticulturists, entomologists, plant pathologists, soil scientists, and agricultural economists in Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. In each state, a coordinator is hosting stake-holder focus groups of producers, marketers, processors, extension workers, consultants, organic certifiers, etc. The purpose of focus group meetings is to identify challenges and opportunities in production and marketing organic fruit, especially apples, blackberries, blueberries, and peaches, in the Southern Region. Coordinators are combining findings from state focus group meetings to establish priorities for research and outreach to support organic production, and will work collaborative to addresses those priorities. Because of the similarity in climate, geography and demographics of growers and markets among the states of the region, this is a project best addressed as a regionally collaborative effort.

scholarly journals Economics of the 2009-2012 Organic Apple, Strawberry, and Sour Cherry Production in Poland

2012 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 63-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Piotr Brzozowski ◽  
Krzysztof Zmarlicki
Keyword(s):  
Arable Land ◽  
Sour Cherry ◽  
Fruit Production ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Organic Farm ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Conventional Production ◽  
Certified Organic ◽  
Organic Fruit

Abstract Certified organic farm area in Poland increased 8.5 fold during the 2003-2010 time period to 518 thousand ha, which constituted 2.8% of the arable land. The production costs and profitability of the organic fruit production of apples, strawberries, and sour cherries were evaluated and compared to conventional production of those fruits. The research was based on data from thirty-two commercial fruit farms; twenty farms with conventional production, and twelve with organic production. The main problems associated with organic production were the costs of weed control and soil cultivation. The conventional production of apples turned out to be slightly more profitable than the organic production. The organic production of sour cherries was not profitable. In the case of strawberries, it was the opposite - the organic production gave a better financial outcome than the conventional one

scholarly journals (418) The Development of a Southern Region Organic Fruit Initiative

HortScience ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 1072B-1072
Author(s):  
Heather Friedrich ◽  
Curt Rom ◽  
Jennie Popp ◽  
Barbara Bellows ◽  
Donn Johnson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Carolina ◽  
Nutrient Management ◽  
Fruit Production ◽  
Southern Region ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Organic Fertilizers ◽  
Organic System ◽  
Outreach Programs ◽  
The University ◽  
Organic Fruit

Southern organic fruit production is limited by a lack of regionally appropriate, scale-neutral, and market-focused research and technology. There has been limited research, outreach, and cooperation among universities on organic fruit crops in the southern region. Organic research and outreach activities, based on producer input, must be focused on the most limiting areas of the organic system in order to allow southern producers to receive the economic and environmental benefits that organic agriculture can provide. With funding from USDA-SARE and USDA-SRIPMC, researchers at the University of Arkansas have collaborated with scientists, extension specialists, growers, and representatives of the organic industry in Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee to create a Southern Region Organic Fruit Working Group (SROFWG). The SROFWG conducted in-state focus group meetings through which barriers to production and marketing, and opportunities for organic fruit in the region were identified. Prioritized research and outreach needs that were identified in the focus groups included use and understanding of organic fertilizers and nutrient management; methods, knowledge and awareness of pest disease and weed control including orchard floor management; information on transition to organic; consumer awareness and market development and the economics of organics. The planning activities of the SROFWG support the development and submission of grants for cooperative and collaborative research and outreach programs to sustain and expand organic fruit production in the southern region.

scholarly journals Organic fruit production in Switzerland: Research and development to resolve cultural, management, and marketing problems

2001 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 191-195
Author(s):  
Franco P. Weibel
Keyword(s):  
Research And Development ◽  
Disease Control ◽  
Consumer Demand ◽  
Fruit Production ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Cultural Management ◽  
Nutrition Research ◽  
Production Area ◽  
Organic Fruit ◽  
Organic Produce

AbstractThe area devoted to organic table fruit production in Switzerland remained virtually unchanged from the 1930s to the mid-1980s. However, during the last decade there has been a fivefold increase in the production area, approaching a total of 340 ha in 2000 (4.8% of the total area of table fruit production). Factors contributing to this dramatic increase include (1) new and effective non-chemical methods for pest and disease control, (2) improved management and production techniques from research and extension programs, (3) increased marketing of organic produce by supermarkets due to consumer demand, and (4) change in Swiss government policy that began to subsidize ecological performance rather than farm production. A 1994 poll of consumer demand indicated that 3 to 5% of the total apples marketed in Switzerland was organically grown, and projected a total market share of 10% in the near future. Despite this, conventional fruit growers are hesitant to convert to organic production methods because of certain risks involving (1) selection of varieties, (2) pest and disease control, (3) crop hectarage controls, (4) weed control, and (5) tree nutrition. Research and development programs are attempting to deal with these problems, to reduce the level of risk with organic production. Nevertheless, ecological considerations to optimize fruit production are strongly dictated by market conditions and consumer demand. Finally, the development of a stable organic fruit production sector will require that retailers and supermarkets make certain concessions for marketing organic fruit.

Organic fruit production in British Columbia

2009 ◽  
Vol 89 (4) ◽  
pp. 677-692 ◽  
Author(s):  
G H Neilsen ◽  
D T Lowery ◽  
T A Forge ◽  
D Neilsen
Keyword(s):  
Vitis Vinifera ◽  
Malus Domestica ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Fruit Production ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Vitis Vinifera L ◽  
Fruit Crops ◽  
Malus Domestica Borkh ◽  
Organic Fruit

British Columbia has climatic conditions suitable for the production of a wide range of high-value fruit crops, and has the highest rate of increase of organic production in Canada. This review assesses the current status of organic fruit production using a case study of the three most valuable fruit crops currently grown: apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.), grape (Vitis vinifera L.) and high bush blueberry (Vaccinium corybosum L.). The review emphasizes the current status of organically acceptable management of crop resources and crop protection from insects and diseases. Central to organic production are soil management strategies designed to maintain soil fertility and increase soil biological activity and biodiversity by increasing soil organic matter content. Composts and organic amendments that require vigilant testing of their variable and often lower nutrient content are substituted for the chemical fertilizers of conventional production. Increased effort to manage vegetation within and between planting rows is necessitated by an inability to use herbicides. Thus, techniques such as mulching, cultivation and cover cropping are important. Management of insects and diseases requires detailed information of the agro-ecosystem and the unique interactions between pests and specific crops. Organic approaches to minimize pest damage include altered production practices or applications of organically approved control products. Some aspects of organic production systems have received little or no research. In irrigated areas, there is little information available on water management that supports conservation and the specific needs of organic production systems. Historically, research on organic production systems has not received the financial support allocated to conventional system research. Many research needs are identified in this review both applicable to all three fruit crops studied, but also specific to the individual crop. It is argued that future consumer demand calls for an acceleration of research on organic fruit production systems. Key words: Malus × domestica Borkh., organic soil, insect and disease management, Vaccinium corybosum L., Vitis vinifera L.

scholarly journals ASSESSING THE NEED FOR ORGANIC PRODUCTION COURSES IN HORTICULTURE CURRICULA

HortScience ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 877d-877
Author(s):  
C.R. Rom ◽  
H. Friedrich ◽  
K. Harper
Keyword(s):  
Production Systems ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Southern Region ◽  
Land Grant ◽  
Organic Farms ◽  
Land Grant Universities ◽  
Outreach Programs ◽  
Certified Organic ◽  
Organic Produce ◽  
National Organic Program

Higher education curricula should be alert to trends in production and science, and responsive to needs of producers and consumers in our society. A recent trend has emerged nationally and internationally for the production and consumption of certified organic produce which is increasing at a significant rate. Following the creation of the National Organic Program and formal federal regulations for certification which govern production, it has been questioned whether horticulture programs in land grant institutions have adjusted curricula appropriately to train producers, consultants, extension specialists, teachers and research scientists to be engaged in organic production systems. According to USDA statistics, several states in the southern region have significantly fewer certified organic farms and certifying agencies than the northeast, Midwest or western regions. A review horticulture and crops programs at 36 land grant universities (1862 and 1890) in 14 southern region states indicated although several institutions had research and outreach programs for sustainable and organic production, there were only three classes on organic gardening, two classes on organic crops production, and one field-based organic production course that could be identified in existing curricula. It appears that with the growth of the organic industry worldwide that students in programs in the southern region may be under-served in this educational area. Further, it may be questioned whether the lack of production and certifying agencies in the southern region is associated with the lack of science-based education provided by the land grant universities. A recent survey of faculty indicated a perceived need for stand-alone coursework on organic, sustainable, and ecologically-based production systems.

Exploitation of Potentials of Organic Fruit Production in North East India

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-12
Author(s):  
R.K. Bhattacharyya ◽  
◽  
Utpal Das
Keyword(s):  
Geographical Area ◽  
Fruit Production ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Consumption Pattern ◽  
Arunachal Pradesh ◽  
Fruit Crops ◽  
North East ◽  
Brahmaputra Valley ◽  
Organic Fruit

North East Region (NER) of India comprises eight states namely Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. Total geographical area of NER is 2.55 lakh km2, which is about 8% of India’s total area. Physiography of NER is divided into three divisions—Meghalaya plateau, northeastern hills and Brahmaputra valley. NE hills alone accounts for 65% of the total land area, Brahmaputra valley 22% and Meghalaya Plateau covers 13%. Average annual rainfall in the region is 2500mm. Less than 18% of net cropped area is under irrigation. NER enjoys suitable agro climatic condition for growing wide array of horticultural crops. With exception to mandarins and to a certain extent to banana and pineapple, majority of fruit crops in the region are largely grown in homestead gardens. The region has tremendous potential for growing all the subtropical, tropical and temperate fruit crops organically. From the Zone-wise, nutrient-wise consumption pattern of fertilizers during 2014-15 clearly depicts that in South Zone a total of 166.33, in West Zone a total of 84.64, in North Zone a total of 192.32, in East Zone a total of 161.08 while in North East Zone a total of only 82.63. NPK kg per hectare fertilizers are consumed. The major share of whatever little fertilizers consumed in the North East Zone largely goes to the plantation crops like tea, rubber as well as to the cereal crops grown in the region. The low fertilizer consumption pattern in the region clearly depicts farmers’ tendency of non using inorganic fertilizers for fruit production. This situation compelled the fruit production organically by default in the region. However, it would be a challenging task for the fruit growers of the region to produce fascinating fruit crops of the region organically not merely by default but primarily as well as substantially by practice of organic farming. State like Sikkim of the region from the beginning of the current year is already one step ahead in proclaiming to be the first state in the country to be organic. In addition, another NER state Tripura is already in limelight by proclaiming positions as Organic Pineapple Producer among the sixty Agri Export Zones of the country. Mizoram, Meghalaya and Assam states have taken initiative to produce mandarins, lemons, passion fruits and pineapples organically. Manipur Organic Mission Agency is planning organic production of mandarins, lemons and pineapples as a first step in six hill districts of the state. Arunachal Pradesh has formed state Soil Health Mission as an initial step for entry into systematic organic fruit production. With the existing diversified tropical, subtropical and temperate fruit crops in NER, exploitation of potentials of organic fruit production in the region would definitely be a giant step in making the entire NER as the Organic Hub for fruits in the country.

scholarly journals THESOUTHERN ORGANIC FRUIT PRODUCTION INITIATIVE: PROJECT GOALS, EXPECTED OUTCOMES AND PRELIMINARY FINDINGS

HortScience ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 883b-883
Author(s):  
H. Friedrich ◽  
C.R. Rom ◽  
D. Johnson ◽  
J. Popp ◽  
B. Bellows ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Local Economic Development ◽  
Organic Fertilizer ◽  
Fruit Production ◽  
Appropriate Technology ◽  
Southern Region ◽  
University Of Arkansas ◽  
Organic System ◽  
Market Opportunities ◽  
The University ◽  
Organic Fruit

A multidisciplinary effort has been initiated between the University of Arkansas and the National Center for Appropriate Technology to identify production barriers, research and outreach needs, and market opportunities for sustainable and organic fruit in the Southern region. The goals of the project are to identify barriers of the organic system through focus group meetings with producers, processors and marketers, and to develop regional research and outreach projects to overcome these obstacles. Market development, organic fertilizer knowledge and organic pest management have been identified as areas that need research and outreach activities. Long-term outcomes are expected to increase sustainable and organic fruit production, provide opportunities for growers and consumers, and encourage local economic development in the Southern region.

scholarly journals The possibilities and limitations of organic fruit production

2010 ◽  
pp. 41-45
Author(s):  
Péter Dremák
Keyword(s):  
Site Selection ◽  
Plant Material ◽  
Plant Protection ◽  
Fruit Production ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Soil Tillage ◽  
Separate Section ◽  
Crown Formation ◽  
Organic Fruit

In this review, direct and indirect technological elements of organic production are discussed. Today, there is a growing interest in production prepared without chemicals. We discuss the following issues: site selection, soil, rootstock and cultivar requirements, plant material, planting distances, crown formation, phytotechical operation, irrigation, soil tillage, soil covering and muchning, nutrition supply. Separate section deals with methods of plant protection.

Long-term Performance of Asian Pear Trees in Maryland

HortScience ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 548b-548
Author(s):  
C.S. Walsh ◽  
A.J. Barton ◽  
M. Newell ◽  
G.R. Welsh
Keyword(s):  
Ground Cover ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Alternative Crop ◽  
Asian Pear ◽  
Marketable Fruit ◽  
Long Term Performance ◽  
Organic Fruit ◽  
Term Performance ◽  
Direct Market

Three Asian pear plantings were set during the past decade. Plantings included an initial cultivar planting on OH × F rootstock, the SE Zonal planting, and a rootstock by cultivar factorial. Fireblight susceptibility and survival were assessed in the first two plantings following a summer hailstorm. Trees were compared to Magness, a blight-tolerant buttery pear. Shin Li, Daisu Li, Shinsui, and Olympic were more resistant than Magness, while Chojuro and Niitaka were nearly as tolerant. Eleven other cultivars showed greater field-susceptibility. The most-susceptible cultivars were Ya Li and Ts'e Li. The third planting, which was managed “organically,” was set at a different University farm. Trees there were precocious and productive. A high percentage of marketable fruit was picked from that planting over a 4-year period. Fireblight damage in this planting was low, despite its “organic” production. Limited damage was attributed to early bloom date, ground cover management, and a lack of insect vectors to transmit the bacteria. Hosui, Seuri and Ts'e Li produced large-sized fruit. Shinko, 20th Century, Ya Li and Shinseiki fruit were too small to be marketable without heavy hand-thinning. Asian pears are an interesting alternative crop which are suited to direct-market enterprises or to specialty growers interested in producing organic fruit in the mid-Atlantic region.

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