Tunnels should stretch strawberry season

Researchers, producers look into possible economic advantages

Mateusz Perkowski
Capital Press

Raising strawberries in tunnel-like greenhouses may provide farmers in Oregon's Willamette Valley with an extended growing season, but it's unclear whether the profits would justify the investment.

Oregon State University Extension berry specialist Bernadine Strik and other OSU researchers are studying the economic and agronomic potential for tunnel-grown strawberries as part of a project funded by the Oregon Strawberry Commission.

The technique has been used for other fruit crops around the globe, and it could offer numerous benefits to Oregon strawberry growers, at least in concept, Strik said at a recent field day at OSU's North Willamette Research and Extension Center.

"I would expect to see fruit quality advantages in the tunnel," she said.Tunnels would not only protect strawberries against rain - and thus the botrytis fungus - but may also prevent sunburn of the fruit, Strik said.

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Tunnels should stretch strawberry season

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