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Funded Project |
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Funding Program:
IPM Enhancement Grants |
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Project Title:
A new approach that may reduce reliance on pesticides for the production of high-quality peaches in the Southeast |
Project Directors (PDs):
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Lead State: SC Lead Organization: Clemson University |
| Undesignated Funding: $29,996 |
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Start Date: Mar-01-2015 End Date: Feb-29-2016 |
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No-Cost Extension Date: Sep-30-2016 |
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Summary:
Peach growers in the Southeast must control many pests and diseases to be able to produce high-quality peaches. Conventionally-produced, southeastern peaches are probably among the most sprayed peaches in the US due to the favorable climate for pests and diseases and the absence of resistant cultivars. The frequent application of pesticides is of environmental concern, poses fruit residue problems, and promotes development of pest and disease resistance. In addition, consumer demand for high-quality and residue-free fruit is growing, which is a significant challenge for the sustainability of southeastern fruit production. On the other hand, organic peach production in the Southeast is almost non existing although South Carolina and Georgia are second and third producers, after California. In the years, peaches experienced the largest production growth in organic fruit in the US but the peach producing states in the Southeast are not benefiting from the market opportunities of the organic production. Thus, the need of practices to increase the production of high-quality organic peaches and to reduce insecticide/fungicide applications in conventional orchards in the Southeast is a critical issue that deserves attention and research.
The use of paper bags is a strategy that is being used in other parts of the world to protect fruit from insects, diseases, and sunburn. Fruits are individually bagged by hand at early stages of fruit development. Even though this strategy increases labor costs, growers in other countries with similar agricultural labor issues (for instance, countries in Europe) are using this technique. Our hypothesis is that individual fruit bagging has potential for both conventional and organic fruit production to control pests and diseases while reducing drastically the need for pesticide applications under the conditions of the Southeast, and would find a niche market in the US. This study could add a yet unexplored but potentially powerful component to our existing IPM practices for conventional and organic fruit production. Organic and conventional growers and farm workers from the Southeast, as well as U.S. consumers, would be the potential individuals directly benefiting from the use of this technique. The reduction of spray applications would also benefit the environment, including soil, water, and air quality. Objectives: 1. To test the suitability of bagging individual fruit for producing high-quality peaches Long-term outcome(s): i) To provide organic growers in the Southeast with a strategy to produce high-quality peaches; ii) To provide conventional growers with additional tools to reduce insecticide/fungicide applications while producing high-quality peaches Medium-term outcome: To enable growers to market high-quality peaches that follow commercial standards of size and color, and are free of insect and disease blemishes and chemical residues Short-term outcome: We will determine if fruit could be produced with sufficient color and size based on this pilot study of two mid-season cultivars 2. To determine if bagging individual fruit can control fruit pests and diseases Long-term outcome(s): i) To provide organic growers in the Southeast with a strategy to produce high-quality peaches; ii) To provide conventional growers with additional tools to reduce insecticide/fungicide applications while producing high-quality peaches Medium-term outcome: To reduce the selective pressure for resistance caused by the high number of pesticide applications needed for peach production in the Southeast Short-term outcome: We will determine if fruit could be produced without the use of or with reduced pesticide applications based on this pilot study 3. To investigate consumer acceptance and economics of individual fruit bagging Long-term outcome(s): i) To provide organic growers in the Southeast with a strategy to produce high-quality peaches; ii) To provide conventional growers with additional tools to reduce insecticide/fungicide applications while producing high-quality peaches Medium-term outcome: To provide growers with an economic assessment on costs and benefits of this practice and its potential impact on fruit marketability Short-term outcome: We will determine if individually bagged fruit could be economically produced in the Southeast and assess consumer acceptance |
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Final Report: |
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Outputs * Development of guidelines for growers and homeowners on how to efficiently bag peaches. Because of the interest of fruit tree backyard growers, we developed some guidelines for them as well and posted them online at http://www.clemson.edu/extension/peach/commercial/diseases/clemsonfruitbags.html * Estimation of labor costs for bagging practice under field conditions. Presented to growers in different workshops (see below). * Eight workshops/presentations to growers, extension agents, and researchers: -Melgar J.C. and Schnabel, G. 2015. Bagging peaches as a strategy to reduce reliance in pesticides. Oral presentation at the Organic and Low-Input Fruit & Nut Tree Production Workshop. Clemson, SC. September 15, 2015. -Melgar J.C. and Schnabel, G. 2015. Bagging peaches as a strategy to reduce reliance in pesticides. Oral presentation at the Southeastern Professional Fruit Workers Conference. Montgomery, AL. October 6-8, 2016 -Melgar, J.C. 2016. Peach variety evaluation and bagging trial. Oral presentation at the Upstate Fruit Growers Meeting. Gaffney, SC. January 26, 2016. -Melgar, J.C. 2016. Peach research update. Oral presentation at the Oconee Fruit Growers Meeting. Seneca, SC. March 2, 2016. -Melgar, J.C. and Schnabel, G. 2016. Bagging peaches as a strategy to reduce reliance in pesticides. Oral presentation at the SC Master Garderners Program for Anderson/Oconee/Pickens counties. March 14, 2016. -Melgar, J.C. and Schnabel, G. 2016. A new approach to reduce reliance on pesticides for the production of high-quality peaches in the Southeast. Oral presentation at the IPM Symposium at the 90th Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Branch of the Entomological Society of America. March 16, 2016. -Allran, J. 2016. Oral presentation / demonstration at a station at the Annual Field Day event at Clemson University's Musser Fruit Research Farm. -Allran, J., Melgar, J.C. and Schnabel, G. 2016. Peach fruit bagging in the Southeastern U.S. Oral presentation at the American Society for Horticultural Science Annual Conference. Atlanta, GA. August 8-11, 2016. * One scientific publication (journal article) is being finalized to be submitted in spring 2017. -Allran, J., Schnabel, G. and Melgar, J.C. Fruit bagging in the Southeastern U.S. Planned to be submitted to the Journal of the American Pomological Society. We expect to publish it in 2017. * Two press releases in fruit grower/trade magazines: -Hallberg, R. 2016. Organic peach bagging project shows great promise. American Fruit Grower / Western Fruit Grower. June 1, 2016. -Hallberg, R. 2016. Clemson University scientists think outside the box for organic peach growers. IPM in the South. June 10, 2016. https://ipmsouth.com/2016/06/10/clemson-university-scientists-think-outside-the-box-for-organic-peach-growers/ Last accessed: 01/10/2017 * Secured funding secured for further projects: -Southern SARE. Fruit bagging as a strategy to reduce reliance on pesticides for the production of peaches in the Southeast. Date of award: 3/17/2016. Amount: $14,967. End date: 3/14/2017. -Organic Farming Research Foundation. A new approach for successful organic peach production in the Southeast. Date of award: 5/1/2016. Amount: $14,958. End date: 8/1/2017. -USDA-NIFA-OREI. Evaluation of paper bags for pest and disease management in organic peach production. Date of award: 9/1/2016. Amount: $999,770. End date: 8/31/2020. |
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Outcomes * 100% satisfaction with the demonstration on fruit bagging among the attendees at the Field Day event at Musser Farm. * 100% of the growers/field managers involved in the on-farm research have increased their understanding on the use of fruit bags. Since our research has received media attention, many backyard growers have showed interest in purchasing the same paper bags we have used. * Among consumers, 100% of potential consumers surveyed learned about this strategy. There was a very high acceptance rate for this type of product with 90% of the people surveyed saying that they would prefer to purchase a bagged peach to a conventional peach, and 83% of them saying that they would be willing to pay a premium for this product. *The owners of the organic farm participating in this research let us know that they plan to use paper bags for improving the quality of their peaches and increase the sustainability of their farm in the next years. |
Report Appendices
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