Bernadine Strik

NWREC Berry Crops Research Leader
bernadine.strik [at] oregonstate.edu

Office: 541-737-5434

Agricultural & Life Sciences

Agricultural & Life Sciences 4017

2750 SW Campus Way

2750 SW Campus Way
Corvallis, OR 97331

Oregon has a diverse, economically important berry crop industry with about 24,000 acres harvested for a farm gate value of over $200 million. Berry crops, including blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, strawberry, cranberry, and kiwi fruit, are grown on over 1000 family farms in Oregon. Blueberry and blackberry acreage continues to grow with new growers requiring basic information on all aspects of production.

The berry crops research and statewide extension program provides outreach and engagement programs and applied research to help growers remain economically viable in this global berry market. Educational and research programs focus on methods of improving production efficiency in berry crops, particularly developing economical production systems that improve yield and quality, nutrient management, and organic production systems. In addition, I serve as the OSU lead on the USDA-ARS & OSU Cooperative berry crops breeding program, led by Dr. Chad Finn (USDA-ARS breeder at the Horticultural Crops Research Unit, Corvallis). This cooperative program started in 1917 with the objective of releasing new cultivars to benefit growers in the Pacific Northwest (PNW).

In my position, I conduct extension educational programs for the commercial berry crop industries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, cranberries, hardy kiwifruit, and minor berries) from my campus office in the Department of Horticulture, Corvallis. In addition, I am the Berry Crops Research Leader at the North Willamette Research and Extension Center (OSU) in Aurora. My research interests focus on whole plant physiology, improving yield and quality, machine harvest efficiency, alternative production practices, plant nutrition, cold hardiness, and organic production systems. I have published many scientific articles on berry crop production and physiology and the extension publications and blueberry pruning video I have co-authored are widely distributed worldwide. I developed and am the lead instructor for an online Blueberry Production & Physiology Course that has been taken by growers, advisors, and peers worldwide (https://pace.oregonstate.edu/catalog/online-blueberry-physiology-production-systems-management). I am actively involved in the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS) and the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS). I was chair of the Vaccinium Section of the ISHS for 8 years and co-convened the 9th ISHS Vaccinium Symposium in Corvallis in 2008 and serve as chair of the Section for Vine and Berry Fruits of the ISHS. I represent the ASHS (one of three representative) on the Executive Council of the ISHS, effective 2018.

Profile Field Tabs

At OSU
Affiliated with: 
Horticulture Extension
Career Links: 
Spotted Wing Drosophila
Department of Horticulture
Organic Agriculture Program
Berry Crops Production Systems Program
eOrganic
North Willamette Research and Extension Center
Berry crops web page at the North Willamette Research and Extension Center
Do you accept grad students?: 
I accept graduate students for Horticulture
Courses Taught: 

I teach two credit courses on alternate years: Production and Physiology of Berries and Grapes (HORT 452/552) and Fruit Materials (HORT 251; co-teach). I also developed and am the instructor for an eCampus course on berry crops (HORT 456/556), taught for the first time in winter 2018.

I have advised 22 graduate students and have served on the committee of an additional 34 graduate students.

Biography

I have a "diverse" international background......I was born in Holland, lived in Australia for 6 years (as a young child) and spent my teenage and post-secondary educational years in Canada. I am now a dual USA & Canadian citizen. I was raised on a family farm and now enjoy living in the country with my family.

My Publications

2017

Journal Article

K. F. Almutairi, Machado, R., Bryla, D. R., and Strik, B. C., “Chemigation with micronized sulfur rapidly reduces soil pH in northern highbush blueberry”, HortScience, 2017.
A. J. Vance, Jones, P., and Strik, B. C., “Foliar Calcium Applications Do Not Improve Quality or Shelf Life of Strawberry, Raspberry, Blackberry, or Blueberry Fruit”, HortScience, vol. 52, no. 3, pp. 382 - 387, 2017.
B. C. Strik, Vance, A. J., and Finn, C. E., “Northern highbush blueberry cultivars differed in yield and fruit quality in two organic production systems from planting to maturity”, HortScience, 2017.
B. C. Strik, Vance, A. J., Bryla, D. R., and Sullivan, D. M., “Organic Production Systems in Northern Highbush Blueberry: I. Impact of Planting Method, Cultivar, Fertilizer, and Mulch on Yield and Fruit Quality from Planting through Maturity”, HortScience, 2017.
K. F. Almutairi, Bryla, D. R., and Strik, B. C., “Potential of Deficit Irrigation, Irrigation Cutoffs, and Crop Thinning to Maintain Yield and Fruit Quality with Less Water in Northern Highbush Blueberry”, HortScience, vol. 52, no. 4, pp. 625 - 633, 2017.
B. C. Strik and Vance, A. J., “Seasonal variation in mineral nutrient concentration of primocane and floricane leaves in trailing, erect, and semi-erect blackberry cultivars”, HortScience, 2017.
D. Nemeth, Lambrinos, J. G., and Strik, B. C., “The effects of long-term management on patterns of carbon storage in a northern highbush blueberry production system”, Science of The Total Environment, vol. 579, pp. 1084 - 1093, 2017.

2016

Journal Article

B. C. Strik, “A review of optimal systems for organic production of blueberry and blackberry for fresh and processed markets in the northwestern United States”, Scientia Horticulturae, vol. 208, pp. 92 - 103, 2016.
J. C. Lee, Dalton, D., Swoboda-Bhattarai, K. A., Bruck, D. J., Burrack, H. J., Strik, B. C., J. Woltz, M., and Walton, V. M., “Characterization and manipulation of fruit susceptibility to Drosophila suzukii”, Journal of Pest Science, vol. 89, no. 3, pp. 771 - 780, 2016.
E. K. Dixon, Strik, B. C., and Bryla, D. R., “Weed management, training, and irrigation practices for organic production of trailing blackberry: II. Soil and aboveground plant nutrient concentrations.”, HortScience, 2016.

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