2007 Annual Report 1a.Objectives (from AD-416) Develop benign and environmentally friendly crop management practices to mitigate environmental and biotic stresses and to increase productivity and quality of small fruit crops. Improve the understanding of mechanisms controlling flowering and carpel size in small fruit crops in order to enhance fruiting and fruit quality. 1b.Approach (from AD-416) Determine the efficacy of novel cultural and chemical treatments to mitigate low temperature damage, and effects of primocane and environmental manipulations to accelerate and intensify floral bud initiation and subsequent reproductive development. Evaluate kaolin-based hydrophobic particle film technology and its application methods for pest control. Improve the understanding of mechanisms controlling flower development in blackberry and growth processes involved in regulating the flower size and inflorescence development. Analyze the effects of plant material source and environmental conditions during propagation and generative stages of strawberry plant development to devise management strategies aimed at producing high quality, superior yielding strawberry transplants. A zero nutrient discharge system of growing strawberries in hydroponics will be developed taking advantage of the phenomenon of compensation nutrient uptake. 3.Progress Report 1931-21000-012-01N - Non-funded Cooperative Agreement with the University of Maine. The purpose is to determine whether survival of blackberries in colder regions can be improved by micro-environment modifications through lowering the canopy with the rotatable cross-arm trellis and cane training techniques and the use of insulating cover material. Plant and bud survival were increased with these techniques. Progress of the project was monitored through telephone and e-mail communications, and at annual meeting. For a complete report on the progress of this agreement, see the report for 1931-21000-012-01N. 1931-21000-012-02N - Non-funded Cooperative Agreement with the University of New Hampshire. The purpose is to determine if survival of blackberries in colder regions can be improved by micro-environment modifications. Plant survival was not improved and this study will be terminated. Progress of the project was monitored through telephone and e-mail communications, and at annual meeting. For a complete report on the progress of this agreement, see the report for 1931-21000-012-02N. 1931-21000-012-05G - Grant Agreement with the North American Strawberry Growers Association. The purpose is to develop cultural techniques to force short-day strawberry cultivars to bloom in fall and spring. Runner tips harvested in early July had high numbers of fruit per plant in the fall. Progress of the project was monitored through telephone and e-mail communications, and at annual meeting. For a complete report on the progress of this agreement, see the report for 1931-21000-012-05G. For a complete report on the progress of these subordinate projects, see the corresponding annual report. 4.Accomplishments TITLE: Induction of Fall Flowering in Short-day Type Strawberry Cultivars. PROBLEM: In the mid-Atlantic coast region short-day type strawberry plants do not produce fruit in the year of establishment. ACCOMPLISHMENT: Young 'Carmine' and 'Camarosa' transplants prepared in July and held in small containers until field planting in early September had more than 86 percent of these transplants flower by mid-October. IMPACT: The results of this study indicate that it is possible to produce transplants with high fall fruiting potential without the need to expose transplants to artificial short-days and chilling temperatures which will be useful for out-of-season strawberry production and harvest fruit in fall and spring. NATIONAL PROGRAM COMPONENT: Component 1. Integrated Productions Systems. Component D. Controlled-Environment Production Systems. NATIONAL PROGRAM PROBLEM STATEMENT: C. Sustainable Cropping Systems. 5.Significant Activities that Support Special Target Populations Made a presentation to limited resource and historically under-served farmers in southern Virginia on out-of-season strawberry production and small fruit production systems at Virginia State University, a 1892 land-grant institution in Petersburg, VA 6.Technology Transfer Number of non-peer reviewed presentations and proceedings 7 Number of newspaper articles and other presentations for non-science audiences 1 Review Publications Takeda, F., Newell, M. 2007. Effect of plugging date on fall flowering and fruiting in some short-day strawberry. International Journal of Fruit Science. 6(4):103-117.