INVOLVING THE PUBLIC IN CULTIVAR EVALUATION RESEARCH
Teaching & Educational Technologies
Britney Hunter
Horticulture Agent
Utah State University
Farmington
Abstract
Regional cultivar trials are useful for evaluating adaptability to climate and soil conditions, and typically compare yield, fruit size, and disease resistance. Comparing subjective traits such as aesthetic and flavor characteristics can be difficult, but these characteristics are key to direct-market producers and home gardeners. A simple technique was developed to survey USU Botanical Center Farmers Market customers regarding their preference for 37 cultivars of raspberry and blackberry. Over five market days from 21 July to 22 Sept, ripe fruit were displayed in containers with a coin bank next to each cultivar. Each participant (350 total) was allotted ten pennies and instructed to taste all cultivars before “voting” for their preferred cultivars, where one to ten votes could be cast for a single cultivar. The top summer raspberry cultivars were ‘Saanich’ and ‘Cascade Dawn’, the top fall raspberries were ‘Anne’ and ‘Polka’, and the top blackberry cultivars were ‘Triple Crown’ and ‘Apache’. Results from this survey were presented at a national research meeting, and directly to local nurseries who utilized the information in selecting cultivars to stock for the coming season. This project represents Extension faculty using a unique approach to involve the general public in answering important research questions. The project also increased community awareness of Extension research and county Extension as a local resource.
Authors: Brent Black, Shawn Olsen, Hunter, B.
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Brent Black Extension Fruit Specialist, Utah State University, Utah, 84322
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Shawn Olsen Extension Professor, Utah State University, Utah, 84025
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Hunter, B. Extension Assistant Professor, Utah State University, Utah, 84025