ENHANCING THE SUSTAINABILITY OF SELECTED FRUIT PRODUCTION SYSTEMS IN THE SOUTHEAST U.S.

<br>What was accomplished under these goals? The development of new gold kiwifruit cultivars and subsequent best management practices for production in the southeastern U.S. has led to a new industry in Alabama that consists of approximately 200 acres of established vines. The first crop was harvested in 2018 with a much larger crop predicted for 2019. It is anticipated that these new cultivars that are adapted to our climateand development of best management practices that enhance production will lead to further expansion of kiwifruit cultivation in our region. We conducted studies to determine the effects of hydrogen cyanamide applications to enhance flower production. We also tested several products used in apple production to prevent pre-harvest fruit drop on one of our cultivars, 'AU Golden Sunshine'. We received the patent for 'AU Gulf Coast Gold' in 2018 and are excited for this cultivar to further enhance gold kiwifruit production. This cultivar blooms well after the usual risk of spring frost, and matures later than other gold cultivars available in the U.S. The storage life, firmness, sugar content, and internal color is quite good and we think 'AU Gulf Coast Gold' is currently the best candidate for commercial production of gold kiwifruit in the U.S. The satsuma mandarin is a regional niche crop for southern Alabama with some production under cold-protection in central Alabama. We secured other citrus from a USDA breeding program that is thought to becold tolerant. These have been propagated and grown for 2 years and will be tested in a field setting in southern Alabama in 2019. We have also set up a supply of clean citrus budwood that is available for nurserymen to propagate clean citrus plants in the face of devastating diseases facing the citrus industry. Blueberry and blackberry cultivar analysis was conducted again in this fiscal year. We evaluated blueberry germplasm of southern highbush hybrids and southern highbush x Vaccinium arboreum crosses at our research station in south Alabama. We expect some of these crosses will be of regional importance, particularly for local markets. <br><br><b>Publications</b><br>

<br>What was accomplished under these goals? Kiwifruit production in the U.S. essentially only occurs in California, and production of gold-fleshed (gold) kiwifruit that commands a higher price than the typicalgreen-fleshed kiwifruit has not been successful in California to date because of the intense light intensity,arid environment, and lack of available cultivars. The development of gold kiwifruit cultivars and subsequent best management practices for production in the southeastern U.S. led to a new industry in Alabama (and the U.S.). Two hundred acres of high-value gold kiwifruit has been established in Alabama, and approximately 30 acres in California,to focus on the export market initially.These new cultivars and best management practices could result in a major expansion of kiwifruit production, primarily gold, in the U.S where previously no goldkiwifruit was produced commercially. Since this is a new enterprise, best management practices are crucial for the success of this developing industry. Substantial inputs are necessary for successful kiwifruit pollination because bees are necessary, the plants are dioecious (separate male and female plants), and the flowers do not produce nectar (so bees are more attracted to other flowers). Usually harvested pollen is manually applied to kiwifruit flowers to enhance pollination, and this is quite expensive. We conducted studies to determine the length of time that flowers that flowers can be successfully pollinated so growers can save money by focusing pollination efforts at the appropriate times. We also determined fruit maturity indicators to allow growers to know appropriate times to harvest kiwifruit for their intended market. The satsuma mandarin is a niche crop for southern Alabama and along the Gulf Coast. Cold damage is the most-limiting factor for production. We have evaluated cultivars for enhanced cold tolerance and suitability for production in south Alabama. We have also set up a supply of clean citrus budwood that is available for nurserymen to propagate clean citrus plants in the face of devastating diseases facing the citrus industry. The blueberry industry in Alabama and the southeastern U.S. has increased exponentially in the past 20 years. We have evaluated blueberry cultivars for suitability for production on marginally high pH soils and potential of using pecan shells for mulch that could result in substantial cost-savings for blueberry producers. Blackberry production in Alabama has remained relatively lowbecause of lack of suitable cultivars that can be produced economically in our environment with high disease pressures due to the humid climate. We have been evaluating new blackberry selections for their performance for 2 years. We have also evaluated blackberry production in high tunnels and under shade with positive results to report to growers. We developed best management practices for kiwifruit pollination by determining the effective pollination of a gold kiwifruit and green kiwifruit cultivar over three years. By determining the length of time that flowers can be pollinated successfully, growers can manually apply pollen only during the first 3 days to get the most benefit and save on costs of production. We also determined the appropriate harvest indices for 2 gold kiwifruit cultivars: 'AU Golden Sunshine' and 'AU Golden Dragon'. Knowledge of how fruit maturity at harvest impacts postharvest storage and consumer acceptance will allow growers to harvest at the optimal time for their intended market. Satsuma mandarin selections were evaluated for yield and fruit maturity to determine appropriate selections to recommend for production. The results of this research have allowed for recommendations of several new selections that could shift the market window for satsuma production in this region to much earlier. Due to our analysis of rabbiteyeblueberry cultivars on marginally high pH soils, we have a better grasp on which cultivars can tolerate high pH soils better than others. This knowledge can be applied to growers planting on converted row crop land, homeowners, and breeding efforts. We have also assessed the potential of using pecan shells as mulch for blueberries. Blueberries require acidic soil conditions, and substantial inputs of pine bark are used in the southeastern U.S.to accomplish the correct soil environment and for weed control. Pecan shells are a byproduct of the pecan industry that is mostly viewed as a waste product, while pine bark prices have continued to rise and become cost-prohibitive in many cases. Our results indicate that pecan shells perform similarly to pine bark and could be an economic boon for the blueberry and pecan industries. <br><br><b>Publications</b><br>

<br>What was accomplished under these goals? This research is designed to facilitate and sustain selected fruit productionindustries in the southeastern US. Best management practices pertaining to kiwifruit pollination have been implemented in a developing Actinidia chinensis kiwifruit orchard in Alabama consisting of 100 acres currently. There were no kiwifruit production in Alabama two years ago. During this reporting period, a new cultivar of kiwifruit 'AU Gulf Coast Gold' was evaluated and patent developed, though the patent was applied in Oct. 2016. Data was collected for new selections of blackberry that have potential to provide great economic impact. Satsuma mandarin selections were evaluated this year with promising results. Blueberry cultivar evaluations yielded information on Vaccinium virgatum cultivars that can tolerate higher pH soils (~6.0). <br><br><b>Publications</b><br>

<br>What was accomplished under these goals? A blackberry cultivar study was implemented to assess performance in central Alabama. First year data was collected. The influence of shade and high tunnel on blackberry yield and incidence of white drupelet disorder was assessed for 'Kiowa' and 'Prime Jan'. Yield was not affected by shade, and increased under high tunnel for both cultivars. The incidence of white drupelets was reduced under shade. 'Prime Jan' was replaced with 'Prime Ark 45' during this reporting period. The effective pollination period of two kiwifruit cultivars, 'AU Golden Sunshine' (Actinidia chinensis) and 'AU Fitzgerald (A. deliciosa) was evaluated. The second year results are being compiled now and publication expected for next reporting period. Results from this study were reported at the Southern Region American Society of Horticultural Sciences meeting in Atlanta, GA.Also, we are expecting to patent a new kiwifruit cultivar (A. chinensis) in 2016. Crop load management studies appear to be inconclusive for this reporting period, as pollination efforts were insufficient (results were quite variable). Satsuma mandarin selection performance was not available this year due to cold damage. Trees are alive, but no fruit. Blueberry cultivar performance was reported at the Southeast Fruit and Vegetable Conference, Savannah, GA. <br><br><b>Publications</b><br>

<br>What was accomplished under these goals? The effective pollination period of 'AU Golden Sunshine' Actinidia chinensis and 'AU Fitzgerald' A. deliciosa was evaluated. Preliminary evidence suggests that the effective pollination period is 5 days for 'AU Golden Sunshine', and 4 days for 'AU Fitzgerald'. Cold damage prevented fruit thinning studies from being conducted this year on kiwifruit, and determination of yields, fruit quality, and harvest dates of satsuma mandarin. Cold hardiness attributes of satsuma were evaluated. The yield and growth of rabbiteye blueberry cultivars on high (~6.0) pH has been determined for the past 3 years. Many of the cultivars have performed well, but certain cultivars such as 'Austin' and 'Powderblue' have underperformed due to the high soil pH. <br><br><b>Publications</b><br>