Dr. Louise Nelson & Dr. Melanie Jones
Project investigators Dr. Louise Nelson (left) and Dr. Melanie Jones (right) soil microbiologists at UBC Okanagan.
One of the impacts of climate change and warmer average temperatures is the increasing number of areas suitable for production of sweet cherries occurring in the BC Interior and north Okanagan. But more information is needed on the impact of climate change, water availability and conditions and management of pests and disease. A project underway through UBC Okanagan with partners from government, industry and local growers is looking at how to optimize cherry production in the Okanagan Valley under current and projected climate conditions while ensuring optimal water efficiency and soil health.
The project, launched in 2015, was spearheaded by soil microbiologists at UBC Okanagan including Drs. Louise Nelson and Melanie Jones who are co-principal investigators. “Efficient water management is a key factor in fruit tree production, however, and is expected to become even more of an issue with climate change,” explains Dr. Nelson. A short term objective of the project is to optimize water use in cherry orchards established in more northern and higher elevation sites made available by warmer temperatures and a longer growing season. Methods of orchard floor management and irrigation methods that could potentially conserve soil moisture while providing effective irrigation are being investigated.
Another objective is to enhance the natural biological buffering capacity of soils in cherry orchards that are newly planted in non-fumigated soils. The use of fumigants, traditionally used to control soil-borne microbial diseases, is becoming more restricted, and fumigants kill beneficial microbes along with harmful ones. An innovative aspect of the research is that soil microbes, especially beneficial ones, are rarely considered when evaluating suitability of land for crop production.
Funding is provided by the BC Farm Innovator Adaptation Program via the Investment Agriculture Foundation of British Columbia and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada with matching funds from a private foundation. The project is strongly supported by industry and community partners including the BC Cherry Association, BC Tree Fruits Cooperative, BC Fruit Growers’ Association, the BC Ministry of Agriculture and several Okanagan cherry growers.
Collaboration between university and government, scientists and growers is a major strength of the project. Cherry producers from several regions in the valley are cooperating by planting and conducting standard orchard maintenance, and by allowing orchard floor management and irrigation treatments to be carried out in their orchards, or by contributing soils from their orchards for use in greenhouse assays. UBC Okanagan professors, graduate students and post-docs will carry out sampling and lab measurements from the university’s unparalleled research facility for the study of plant-microbe interactions. Scientists from the Summerland Research and Development Centre (SuRDC) will also provide input and expertise and the BC Cherry Association, BC Tree Fruits Cooperative and the BC Fruit Growers’ Association (BCCA, BCTFC and BCFGA) will help identify growers, and communicate results of the research to their members and affiliates.
“As fewer options are now available to control pests and disease in soil, new orchards provide a unique opportunity to test methods for retaining and encouraging beneficial soil microbes,” explains Dr. Nelson.
The project is expected to conclude in late 2017.
Project through UBC Okanagan with partners from government, industry and local growers.
Funding is provided by;
- The BC Farm Innovator Adaptation Program via the Investment Agriculture Foundation of British Columbia and
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and matching funds from a private foundation
- Industry Support and Community Partners
- BC Cherry Association
- BC Tree Fruits Cooperative
- BC Fruit Growers’ Association
- BC Ministry of Agriculture
- and several Okanagan cherry growers.
Input and Expertise
- Scientists from the Summerland Research and Development Centre (SuRDC)
