This week, we had a group meeting on Friday to check in about our specialized projects. There are a variety of student interests including: germination variety trials, culinary arts, education, ethnobotany, illustration, nutritional analysis and statistical analysis.
I’ve also spent time formulating more resources and filling in the new research members about the field plan. Upcoming field plans include: pest & disease monitoring, weeding, pruning, trellising, and harvest.
I was inspired by reading other studies like : A review on post-harvest technology of an underutilized vegetable bitter tomato (Solanum aethiopicum L cv. gilo) of Northeastern region of India (Jamir, et al.) to make a graphic communicating the methods in a procedure. In this graphic, field management is defined by the time in between planting and harvest.
Harvest planning
We also discussed harvest procedures. For experimental purposes, it will be necessary to keep individual replication yields separate. I am predicting that we can use flat crates and separate 3-4 varieties in each crate. Each replication will need to be individually weighed and then documented a cull (total weight of all replications per variety). Unmarketable crops will need to be set aside prior to weighing.
Resources
Jamir, Satemmenla, et al. “Bio-Conferences.” Amity Institute of Horticulture Studies and Research, Amity University, 2024, www.bio-conferences.org/articles/bioconf/pdf/2021/11/bioconf_mtsitvw2021_02006.pdf.