Enhance Strawberry Production in North Central Region through Tunnel-based Systems

Locally produced strawberries have strong market potential; however, challenges associated with traditional matted-row systems, the emergence of alternative production methods in other parts of the United States, rapid turnover of strawberry cultivars, and the increasing availability of low-tech high tunnels in the North Central region underscore the need to evaluate the suitability of alternative production systems for this region. Developing practical production guidelines for the most promising systems is also essential to support the growth of local strawberry industries.

In this project, we evaluated multiple strawberry cultivars across several production systems at three locations in southern and northern Indiana and southern Ohio, representing the diverse climate conditions of the lower Midwest. Targeted systems included soil-based high tunnel production, substrate-based tabletop production, and open-field plasticulture. We also conducted research on an emerging strawberry disease. To complement station-based trials, we collaborated with local farms to conduct on-farm evaluations, which helped identify additional challenges and considerations for real-world adoption.

Findings from this project have been shared or scheduled for presentation at grower conferences in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Missouri, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Ontario, Canada. Outreach efforts also included developing the Strawberry Chat podcast, producing an educational video, hosting field days and workshops, and publishing newsletter articles. Seven peer‑reviewed journal articles have been published to date, and one Extension publication summarizing the major project outcomes is in the final stages of preparation.

Overall, the project identified soil-based high tunnel systems and modified plasticulture systems as highly promising for widespread adoption in the lower Midwest. Since the project began, we have observed growing interest in high tunnel strawberry production, with farmers successfully adopting the system. Modified plasticulture has similarly gained traction in the region. Although substrate-based tabletop systems for day-neutral strawberries are appealing, our results indicate that achieving consistently high yields in the lower Midwest requires greenhouses with more advanced environmental controls.

Project objectives:

Objective 1. Improve strawberry production systems in the Lower Midwest, including soil-based high-tunnel production, tabletop production in protected structures, and open-field plasticulture systems.

Objective 2. Develop sustainable, integrated pest management (IPM) strategies tailored to a diversity of strawberry production systems.

Objective 3. Establish scale-appropriate production budgets for representative strawberry production systems.

Objective 4. Develop regionally relevant recommendations for strawberry production in the Lower Midwest and disseminate these recommendations through multiple Extension outlets.

Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and should not be construed to represent any official USDA or U.S. Government determination or policy.