In 2021, Bernadine Strik received the highest honor bestowed by the International Society for Horticultural Science for her industry-changing program on berries.
Funded in part by an endowment, Scott Lukas' new position takes on the research, teaching and outreach led for 34 years by recently retired Bernadine Strik.
Kym Pokorny |
Aug 23, 2022 |
News story
Credit Oregon State University (Cropped from original)
Bernadine Strik’s innovative research and Extension outreach had an impact in the Oregon berry industry, valued at $123 million a year, throughout the United States and in other berry regions worldwide.
The purpose of the Berry Initiative’s strawberry work has been to develop methods for growers interested in year-round fresh strawberry production in Oregon.
he mechanism boasts a soft surface for catching the delicate berries in contrast to the hard polycarbonate surface of traditional over-the-row machines (OTR), which have been used to harvest blueberries for processing – not fresh market – for 30 years.
With targeted research, Oregon State University Extension Service and the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station responded by providing growers with information on better nutrient management of those crops.
Called a soft catch system, the mechanism boasts a soft surface for catching the delicate berries in contrast to the hard polycarbonate surface of traditional over-the-row machines.