Editing Berry (section)

=== Agricultural methods ===

Like most other food crops, berries are commercially grown, with both conventional pest management and [[integrated pest management]] (IPM) practices. [[Organic certification|Organically certified]] berries are becoming more widely available.<ref name="Zhao2007"/><sup>:5</sup>

Many soft fruit berries require a period of temperatures between 0&nbsp;°C and 10&nbsp;°C for breaking dormancy. In general, strawberries require 200–300 hours, blueberries 650–850 hours, blackberries 700 hours, raspberries 800–1700 hours, currants and gooseberries 800–1500 hours, and cranberries 2000 hours.<ref name=SiteBerry>{{cite web|last1=Pritts|first1=Dr. Marvin|title=Site and Soil requirements for small fruit crops|url=http://www.fruit.cornell.edu/berry/production/pdfs/sitesoireqsmfru.rev.pdf|website=Cornell Fruit|accessdate=11 August 2015}}</ref> However, too low a temperature will kill the crops: blueberries do not tolerate temperatures below -29&nbsp;°C, raspberries, depending on variety, may tolerate as low as -31&nbsp;°C, and blackberries are injured below -20&nbsp;°C.<ref name=SiteBerry /> Spring frosts are, however, much more damaging to berry crops than low winter temperatures. Sites with moderate slopes (3-5%), facing north or east, in the northern hemisphere, near large bodies of water, which regulate spring temperature, are considered ideal in preventing spring frost injury to the new leaves and flowers.<ref name=SiteBerry /> All berry crops have shallow root systems.<ref name=SiteBerry /> Many [[land-grant university]] extension offices suggest that strawberries should not be planted more than five years on the same site, due to the danger of [[Thielaviopsis|black root rot]] (though many other illnesses go by the same name), which is controlled in major commercial production by annual [[methyl bromide]] fumigation.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Handley|first1=David T.|title=Growing Strawberries|url=http://umaine.edu/publications/2067e/|website=University of Maine Extension|accessdate=13 August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Growing Strawberries|url=http://extension.illinois.edu/strawberries/growing.cfm|website=University of Illinois Extension|accessdate=13 August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Whiting|first1=David|title=Growing Strawberries in Colorado Gardens|url=http://www.ext.colostate.edu/mg/Gardennotes/763.html|website=Colorado State University Extension|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150821083825/http://www.ext.colostate.edu/mg/Gardennotes/763.html|archivedate=21 August 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Gao|first1=Gary|title=Strawberries are an Excellent Fruit for the Home Garden|url=http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1424.html|website=Ohio State University Extension|accessdate=13 August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Kluepfel|first1=Marjan|last2=Polomski|first2=Bob|title=Growing Strawberries|url=http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/plants/vegetables/small_fruits/hgic1405.html|website=Clemson Cooperative Extension|accessdate=13 August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Strawberry Production Systems|url=http://www.mofga.org/Publications/MaineOrganicFarmerGardener/Spring2012/Strawberries/tabid/2136/Default.aspx|website=Maine Organic Farmers and Gardners Association|accessdate=13 August 2015|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906013154/http://www.mofga.org/Publications/MaineOrganicFarmerGardener/Spring2012/Strawberries/tabid/2136/Default.aspx|archivedate=6 September 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Ruttan|first1=Denise|title=Plant strawberries and boost your health|url=http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/plant-strawberries-and-boost-your-health|website=Oregon State University Extension Service|accessdate=13 August 2015}}</ref><ref name=OrganicBerry>{{cite web|last1=Pritts|first1=Dr. Marvin|title=Key Features of Organic Berry Crop Production|url=http://www.fruit.cornell.edu/berry/production/pdfs/Keyfeatorgberrycropprod.pdf|website=Cornell Fruit|accessdate=11 August 2015}}</ref> Besides the number of years in production, soil compaction, the frequency of fumigation, and herbicide usages increase the appearance of black root rot in strawberries.<ref name=OrganicBerry /> Raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, and many other berries are susceptible to [[verticillium wilt]]. Blueberries and cranberries grow poorly if the clay or silt content of the soil is more than 20%, while most other berries tolerate a wide range of soil types.<ref name=SiteBerry /> For most berry crops, the ideal soil is well drained sandy loam, with a pH of 6.2-6.8 and a moderate to high organic content; however, blueberries have an ideal pH of 4.2-4.8 and can be grown on muck soils, while blueberries and cranberries prefer poorer soils with lower cation exchange, lower calcium, and lower levels of phosphorus.<ref name=SiteBerry />

Growing most berries organically requires the use of proper crop rotation, the right mix of cover crops, and the cultivation of the correct beneficial microorganisms in the soil.<ref name=OrganicBerry /> As blueberries and cranberries thrive in soils that are not hospitable to most other plants, and conventional fertilizers are toxic to them, the primary concern when growing them organically is bird management.<ref name=OrganicBerry />

Post-harvest small fruit berries are generally stored at 90-95% relative humidity and 0&nbsp;°C.<ref name=StoreBerry>{{cite web|last1=DeEll|first1=Dr. Jennifer|title=Postharvest Handling and Storage of Berries|url=http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/storage_berries.htm|website=omafra|accessdate=12 August 2015}}</ref> Cranberries, however, are frost sensitive, and should be stored at 3 C.<ref name=StoreBerry /> Blueberries are the only berries that respond to ethylene, but flavor does not improve after harvest, so they require the same treatment as other berries. Removal of ethylene may reduce disease and spoilage in all berries.<ref name=StoreBerry /> Precooling within one to two hours post-harvest to storage temperature, generally 0&nbsp;°C, via forced air cooling increases the storage life of berries by about a third.<ref name=StoreBerry /> Under optimum storage conditions, raspberries and blackberries last for two to five days, strawberries 7–10 days, blueberries two to four weeks, and cranberries two to four months.<ref name=StoreBerry /> Berries can be shipped under high carbon dioxide or modified atmosphere of 10-15% carbon dioxide for high carbon dioxide or 15-20% carbon dioxide and 5-10% oxygen for a modified atmosphere container to increase shelf life and prevent grey mold rot.<ref name=StoreBerry />