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On 28 June, four foot tomato stakes were set into place in the Agrivoltaic research plots at RAREC (Figure 1). Prior to setting stakes, test stakes were placed at one end of the double-panel AV block to see if the stakes would clear of the rotation of the panels. The AV panels, double or single array, sit at a 60 degree angle at its furthest rotation to the east in the morning or to the west in the evening. This was important to test because of the final placement of the five mulched beds with the panel block. Most importantly, due to the location on the plastic mulch and transplants in the rows immediately next to the east or west side of the posts which support the double AV panels (Figure 2). Stake clearance was monitored to 24 hours to allow for the double AV panels to undergo a full tracking cycle. Evaluating the distance of the stakes in the single-panel AV array block were not necessary because of the higher ground clearance of the single AV panels.

In some rows, the panel rotation to the east or west were within a finger’s length from the pounded tomato stakes in the double panel AV block (Figure 3). Note that the placement of the stake needs to line up within the row of transplanted specialty crop. In our study, if the mulched beds were transplanted in double rows, the transplants and stakes would have been closer to the panel rotation and would have required shorter stakes, or using no stakes at all, or possibly result in laying one less mulched bed to allow panel rotation.

Once clearance was established stakes were pounded by hand into place in each row at a spacing of every three plants.

Tying began on 3 July and continued for a few days using the weave technique for the first tie. Additionally, tying will be done as the specialty crops grow during the production season.

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

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During the first week of June the ground was prepped and raised beds made for the multi-year specialty crops study at the Rutgers Agricultural Research and Extension Center (RAREC) near Bridgeton, New Jersey. The specialty crops research at RAREC is being lead by members of the Rutgers RAPS Team; a multi-disciplinary team which was established in 2021. The RAREC site is one of, if not, the largest AV site dedicated to specialty crop research in the United States.

The Rutgers Agrivoltaics Program (RAPS) was initiated over 3 years ago with the signing and passage of the Dual Use Solar Act by the New Jersey legislature. In 2023, Agrivoltaic research installations were established at three Rutgers-New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Stations (NJAES). One at the Clifford E. and Melda C. Snyder Research and Extension Farm in Pittstown, NJ; one at the Animal Farm on the Rutgers New Brunswick (SEBS) Campus, and one at the Rutgers Agricultural Research and Extension Center (RAREC) near Bridgeton, New Jersey. Members of the Rutgers Raps Team in collaboration the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJ-BPU) are now in the process of finalizing the Dual-Use Solar Energy Pilot Program.

This year at RAREC, eggplant, pepper, and fresh-market tomatoes will be grown under three different AV systems: two-panel arrays (left); single panel arrays (middle); and no panel (conventional production as a control) to determine the effects caused by the presence of the panels on specialty crop plant growth and yield (Figure 1). Standard production practices for these specialty crops grown in the region will be followed all season.

The ground immediately next to the posts had to be additionally worked after the first tillage to increase the plot size so we could fit 5 raised beds between each set of panels. An offset spader (Figure 2) was used which allowed us to get within 1 ft of both the east and west sides of the panel posts. Due to the rotation of the panels during the day this had to be done at two different times, once in the morning when the panels were facing East and once in the late afternoon when the panels were facing West. Overnight rainfall occurred during this time which caused runoff to the east side of the panels causing the ground to become additionally wet which caused rutting during spading and therefore, forced us to work the ground once again before forming the beds.

Once the ground was ready, beds were formed between the panel blocks and the control. Five beds were made spaced approximately 6 foot apart prior to laying the five foot white on black plastic mulch and drip irrigation tape. As during tillage, bed formation was dictated by the position of the panels during the day (side note – we are waiting on access to the software that would allow us to move the panels out of the way). Panel height in the horizontal position is approximately x ft above the soil surface allowing our farm crew to operate a John Deere 5075 (85 HP) tractor beneath them with adequate clearance in the horizontal or in a fixed tilt position.

Once the mulch was laid, the drip irrigation system was set up and tested prior to transplanting (Figure 5). Plots were marked out with marker paint prior to transplanting to establish the 15 ft plot lengths and 5 ft breaks as well as marked as to what specialty crop would be transplanted based on a randomized complete block design with array type as block, mulched row within a block as sub-plot, and specialty crop transplanted within a row as sub-sub-plot.

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