Page 47 - CSHS 2022 Book of Abstracts - 2022-08-22 web version

CSHS 2022 Conference

Abstracts – Poster Presentations

(HP.1) Evaluation of new haskap cultivars in Quebec
Julie Lajeunesse , Pierre Lafontaine , Melanie Normandeau Bonneau , Pierre-Oliver Martel
1*
2
2
3
1. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Normandin, QC; 2. Carrefour Industriel et Expérimental de Lanaudière (CIEL),
L’Assomption, QC; 3. Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation, Alma, QC
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Haskap (Lonicera caerulea) is an extremely hardy plant and the fruits ripen early in the season. In order to reduce
production costs, the establishment of cultivars with high potential yield and adapted to mechanized harvesting
under our conditions is essential for producers, but there is a lack of information about the productivity and
characteristics of new cultivars. In 2020, fourteen (14) haskap cultivars, including two control cultivars (Berry blue
and Indigo Gem), were planted, under plastic mulch with an irrigation system, in three replications at two sites
(Normandin and Lavaltrie). These two sites were selected according to their contrasted agroclimatic conditions. For
both sites in 2021, the cultivars Vicky (Zojka) and Indigo Gem had spreading growth habit while the other 12
cultivars tested had an upright growth habit. For mechanized harvesting, a plant with an upright growth habit is
better suited. The average plant growth in height was 27.6 cm and 47.8 cm for Normandin and Lavaltrie
respectively. Berry Blue was the tallest variety in height with an average plant height of 77.8 cm and 118.1 cm at
Normandin and Lavaltrie respectively. In 2021, at the Normandin site, the highest fruit yield were obtained with cv.
Boreal Beauty (89.7 g plant-1) and Boreal Blizzard (80.4 g plant-1). At Lavaltrie, cv. Kapu produced more fruits (65.3
g plant-1) when compared to the others cultivars. The cultivars were also evaluated for their fruit size, shape and
sugar content.

(HP.2) Evaluating mechanical harvest efficiency of haskap (Lonicera caerulea L.) genotypes using
a low-cost reciprocating saw technique
Andrej Svyantek , Venkateswara R. Kadium , Zhuoyu Wang , Bridgid Jarrett , Rachel Leisso , Zach
1*
1
1
2
1
Miller
1
1. Western Agricultural Research Center, Montana State University, Corvallis, MT, USA; 2. United States Department of
Agriculture, Hood River, OR, USA
________________
Haskap (Lonicera caerulea L.) is a perennial fruiting berry crop of increasing importance for berry growers in the
Northern U.S. and Canada. Many berry growers in Montana target processed markets (juices, jams, and wines) and
need efficient, cost-effective harvest methods due to limited availability of agricultural laborers for hand-picking. To
evaluate the applicability of low-cost mechanical harvesting, a project was initiated in 2021 within a diverse array of
14 haskap genotypes planted in Corvallis, MT at the Western Agricultural Research Center in 2015. Individual plants
were mechanically harvested via shaking using an electric powered, reciprocating saw with a U-attachment placed
near the center-to-base of the plant and powered on for 30s. After mechanical harvest, any remaining fruit was
manually harvested. The percentage of total crop successfully mechanically harvested ranged from over 96%
(‘Kawai’) to under 68% (‘Wild Treasure’). Seven genotypes had over 90% of their fruit mechanically harvested; only
‘Borealis’ (76%) and ‘Wild Treasure’ were below 80% mechanical harvest efficiency. On-going work in 2022 will
investigate whether there are discrepancies in fruit composition between mechanically harvested fruit and the
berries that failed to shake off the plant. If the manually harvested berries are not sufficiently ripe at harvest, then
the ease of this mechanical harvest via technique may allow producers to conduct a second pass several days later to
harvest any fruit missed within the first pass.

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