Andy Wyenandt

Andy Wyenandt

Transplanting specialty crops at RAREC in southern New Jersey

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On 11 June 2025, fresh-market tomato, eggplant, and bell pepper were transplanted for the second year at the RAREC Agrivoltaic (AV) research site near Bridgton, New Jersey. Each AV block (double panel, single panel, or no panel) contains 10 raised beds (55ft long) that were established between three rows of AV panels spaced 34 ft apart and 74 ft long. The southern most area of each block (~10 ft)  were not used in the study because of additional exposure to the sun on the southern most end of each block. Three reps per bed with a plot size of 15 ft in length with a 5 ft break between plots were marked before transplanting either Sicilian eggplant ‘Palermo’, bell pepper ‘Turnpike’, or fresh-market tomato ‘Red Deuce’. Transplants were set in each plot on-center in the white-on-black plastic mulch in a single row with 12″ between the bell pepper plants and 24″ between the fresh-market tomato and eggplant, respectively, using a water wheel transplanter. Two additional plants were transplanted at the end of each plot to fill in the breaks.

Figure 1. Specialty crops being transplanted in the double AV block at RAREC in southern New Jersey. The AV panels are facing east in the mid-morning which allows for transplanting on the west side of the panel rows.

Figure 2. Specialty crop transplants being set in the double panel AV block at RAREC in southern New Jersey. Setting transplants in the last row (closest in the image) will be done after the AV panel reaches solar noon so the tractor can fit underneath the panel which is currently blocking the row.

Figure 3. Am image of eggplant ‘Palermo’ transplanted into the single AV panel block at RAREC in southern New Jersey.
Figure 4. Transplanting the control block in the agrivolatics research study in southern New Jersey.

Second year of specialty crop research begins at RAREC

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The second year of specialty crop research at RAREC in southern New Jersey began in late March when seed of fresh-market tomato, bell pepper, and eggplant seeds were dropped off at A. Pagnini Farms and Greenhouses LLC, a fifth generation wholesale produce and greenhouse operation founded Vineland in 1919.

Following the harvesting of our spring spinach trial, the ground for the second year of our specialty crops research trial was prepped on 4 June, with the discing and spading of the plot areas and the application and incorporation of 80 lbs N/acre of 14-4-14 pre-plant fertilizer. On 6 June, raised beds consisting on white on black plastic mulch were laid with drip irrigation set off-center.

Figure 1. Soil beneath the agrivoltiac panels being worked with a spader prior to bed formation. Since the panel rows are spaced 34 ft apart we need as much room as possible to get 5 rows of plastic in between.
Figure 2. Beds being formed in between the double AV panel plots. Turning the panels off at solar noon allows just enough clearance to drive the tractor beneath them.
Figure 3. Plastic mulch being laid beneath a single AV panel in the research plot at RAREC in southern New Jersey.
Figure 4. This is what the beds look like before we lay plastic mulch and drip irrigation. Herbicide is also applied at this point for weed control beneath the plastic mulch. The five beds approximately on 5 ft centers allows for about 2 feet between each of the outside rows and panel pole rows.
Figure 5. An image of the control plots (without AV panels) facing North after the raised beds have been formed prior to laying plastic mulch. The white stack seen here would be where the middle panel row is in the AV blocks. Round Up was applied to kill all the weeds in the panel rows at this point in time.
Figure 6. An image of the field after the white-on-black plastic mulch has been laid with our drip line spaced off-center so we can transplant the specialty crops (eggplant, tomato, and bell pepper) in single rows down the center of the mulch. Herbicide for in season weed control was applied between the row middles prior to transplanting.
Figure 7. A view of the plastic mulch in the double AV panel block. Note the weeds which were sprayed with Round-Up starting to die off beneath the panel pole rows. Weeds that grow back here will be controlled using a string trimmer during the production season.
Figure 8. A view of the single AV panel block. Note how much less the single panel extends out over the plot area compared to the double panel in the previous image.

The specialty crop trial done this summer at RAREC will be similar to the trial in 2024 so we will have two years of data for statistical analysis. To follow our progress all season long, please subscribe to the RAP Team’s blog.

Soybean harvest at RAREC

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Harvesting of soybeans in a double panel AV research plot at RAREC in southern New Jersey on 6 November 2024.
Harvesting of soybeans in a double panel AV research plot at RAREC in southern New Jersey.

On 6 November 2024 the soybean research plots were harvested at RAREC. In the late afternoon the day prior to harvesting the soybeans, the RAPS Team carefully evaluated how close our small research combine could get the the agrivoltaic panels to harvest in a safe manner.

Determining the safest distance to the agrivoltiacs panels for soybean harvest.

On the morning of 6 November the agrivoltaic panels were turned off with the emergency switch in each panel row while they were facing due east in their most upright position to keep them from tracking the sun during the day. This allowed the eastern most and center rows between the agrivoltaic panels to be harvested in the morning.

Turning off the panels required the use of a step ladder where on the double panel AV arrays the emergency switch was about 10 ft off the ground.

By midday, with the eastern and middle rows harvested. The panels were turned back on where they were allowed to track back into their correct position where they would be for the day. In the mid-afternoon when the panels reached their most upright western facing position the panels were once again turned off to allow for the harvesting of the western most soybean plots between the panels.

Harvesting of an eastern most plot of soybeans in a single panel AV array in the morning. Note the center pass has already been completed.
Harvesting of an eastern most plot of soybeans in a double panel AV array in the morning as the AV panels are facing due east.
Harvesting of an eastern most plot of soybeans in a single panel AV array in the morning. Note the unharvested soybeans to the left that were closest to the array.

In each block, three passes of the combine were done. The center pass was done on center at 17 ft between the array panel rows. One additional pass was done on the eastern (right) and western side (left) of the research plot as close as we could safely get to the panels with the combine. This left about a one foot wide area of soybean on each side.

In total 36 plots of soybeans were harvested. Once all soybeans were harvested they were taken back to the lab for weight and moisture analysis. Samples will be sent to an outside lab for further analysis. Data collected from this trial will be presented at local and regional Extension meetings this winter and upcoming spring.

Articles and images can be used by Permission from the Rutgers RAPS Team only – For Permission contact RAPS at shawn.sorrels@rutgers.edu.