Northern New Mexico may not have the easiest climate for fruit production, but researchers at New Mexico State University are working to find cultivars that could serve as supplementary crops in the region.

Sustainable Agricultural Science Center specialist Shengrui Yao explained that the U.S. state creates trouble for growers, especially with a late-season frost. From the research center in Alcade, however, her team is working to find strawberry and jujube varieties that can withstand difficult conditions.

"In this area, one thing is the late frost. Another thing is the high Ph in the soil. Sometimes you get yellow leaves with chlorosis. There are some [strawberries] that can work pretty well for that one [Alkaline soil] but in general, the late frost is still trouble. Growers still have to protect their plants," she said.

"I wouldn’t recommend to everyone to plant strawberries. I would recommend a small niche crop."

In the first year of study in 2011, she tested 16 strawberry varieties, planted in a plastic-covered system and a natural beds-matted row system.

She said she is not ready to identify the best cultivars yet. Mixed conditions have brought mixed results and Yao is holding out on the final ruling.Despite frost difficulty, she said the flower cluster structure of strawberries gives the fruit an advantage in the region and prevents total crop loss from the cold.Yao added that the pH issue has been easier to address. She explained that leaf chlorosis caused by iron deficiency can be treated through supplements in a drip irrigation system.As for jujubes, a Chinese date, she said the fruit has preformed better.

"The research is trying to recommend some good cultivars. For the northern region, an early variety would probably be better because the season is so short," she said.

One challenge will be capturing U.S. consumer attention.

"The Chinese and Asian people buy it because it’s part of their diet. They know it and eat it all the time. But for it Americans, it will take a while to let people know they can buy it," she said.

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