Project Activities

This project addressed the conventional practice of using an extended period of overhead irrigation to limit heat stress during the establishment of bare-root strawberry transplants on black plastic mulch.

On-station field experiments compared:

1. conventional sprinkler irrigation with no living mulch
2. conventional sprinkler irrigation with a living mulch
3. microsprinkler irrigation with no living mulch
4. microsprinkler irrigation with a living mulch

Living mulches evaluated:

1. Sunn Hemp
2. Hairy Indigo
3. Slenderleaf Rattlebox

Our objective was for farmers and agricultural service providers to evaluate the living mulches tested and identify potential benefits and limitations of our research. Our overall goal is to improve the sustainability of strawberry production in Florida.

Virtual Field Assessment:

• we created and launched a virtual field assessment (VFA) that allows participants to assess our field research online


• we want to determine if the VFA increases our study enrollment and allows more Florida farmers to participate in our research


• we present photos of our field research and ask participants to select their favorite treatments while considering factors such as plant vigor, weed suppression, canopy cover, and biomass accumulation


• participants then elaborate on their selection and identify barriers to adoption of those living mulches in their strawberry production system


• we will use the assessment results to improve our future strawberry research

PARTICIPATE in Virtual Assessment of Strawberry Bare-Root Transplant Establishment when Grown with Living Mulch

Several papers in preparation.

Sattanno, K., Swisher, M. E., Pride, L., and Chase, C. A. (2019) Greening of Strawberry Plasticulture in Florida. Poster Presentation at the Annual Professional Agricultural Workers Conference. Opelika, AL. 2019 PAWC Greening of Strawberry Plasticulture Poster