2018 ASHS Annual Conference

Strawberry growers in the Southeast face rising production costs combined with competition from foreign markets and low commodity prices. These issues are especially important for growers that rely solely on the strawberry crop. Planting a vegetable crop on the same bed before strawberry crop termination enables continued berry harvest while the new vegetable transplants become established. This practice helps growers diversify, reduce risk, and increase profits. A study on relay cropping of strawberry with peppers, eggplants, and cantaloupes was done in fall 2016 and spring 2017 at GCREC, Balm, FL. The strawberries were planted in September, and the vegetables were transplanted on the beds with strawberry plants and as sole crops at five different dates (Jan 4, Jan 18, Feb 1, Feb 15, and Mar 1). The objective of the research was to determine the competition between two crops and to optimize the efficient planting date of vegetables so as there will be a minimum effect on yield of both the crops. Data on yield and heights were collected. Strawberry yields did not differ between treatments regarding weight and counts. Pepper yield varied with transplant date but not the date of strawberry removal. The early planting dates (Jan 4, Jan 21, and Feb 1) had significantly higher yields than later planting dates. The eggplant yields were not affected when planted with or without strawberries. The highest yields were obtained at the earliest planting dates (Jan 1 and 21). The cantaloupes exhibited the same results as peppers; mid planting dates were higher yielding than others. In conclusion, the intercropping did not affect the yield of the vegetables. However, it differs with canopy structure and stature of the plant. The mid planting dates are better to transplant vegetables in strawberries to get high total yields. The strawberry yields were not affected by the vegetable intercropping which implies that the relay cropping could be the best practice to maximize the returns and minimize the yield losses.