Showing 61 – 70 of 81 matching resources

Sanitation, Clogging, or Both: A Comparison Study of 3/16″ and 5/16″ Maple Tubing

It is well recognized that microbial contamination of tubing systems can result in a substantial loss in sap yield if untreated. Over a decade of research and maple industry experience has produced a range of possible strategies to address sanitation-related issues in 5/16Ó tubing systems (Perkins et. al. 2019). Although rapidly adopted by many maple producers, due to the relatively short time period in which it has been in widespread use, there is far less understanding of sanitation in 3/16Ó tubing systems (Wilmot 2018). To address this knowledge deficit, we conducted a multi-year study at the UVM Proctor Maple Research Center to examine sanitation-related losses in 3/16Ó tubing systems to determine which approach(es) might best mitigate sap losses due to sanitation.

Should Lateral Lines Be Vented?

A great deal has changed since the 1960s and 1970s in terms of maple production and recommended practices, especially given the introduction of the new polyethylene tubing formulations and new types of spouts. Consequently, we are occasionally asked whether lateral lines in gravity tubing installations should be vented. As a result of these questions, we compared sap yield from standard non vented (closed) 5/16″ lateral lines alongside a vented 5/16″ installation under gravity conditions.

Some quick tips to achieve higher sap yield

Increasing the yield of sap from maple trees is the goal of most maple producers. While getting there isn’t a matter of one simple thing, by
following best management practices and paying attention to detail it is possible to increase sap yields, often quite dramatically. Includes links to videos.

Tap Below Lateral

How producers can effectively set taps below the lateral line.

Tapping Below the Lateral Line for High Maple Sap Yield

Maple producers sometimes have a difficult time locating areas on the tree that will produce unstained wood and good sap yields. This video suggests approaches maple producers using vacuum can take to counter this problem.

Tapping Zone Model – Tubing

This model estimates the proportion of clear, conductive wood in the tapping zone of an individual tree each year (for 100 years) based on the values input for tree diameter, tapping depth, spout size, number of taps, and dropline length. This is equivalent to the chances of tapping into conductive wood in this tree each year Ð if 80% of the wood in the tapping zone is conductive, you have an 80% chance of hitting conductive wood when you tap that tree. The model can be used to estimate whether various tapping practices are likely to be sustainable. A more complete description of the model and guidelines for its use can be found in the companion technical report “A Model of the Tapping Zone”, which is available on the UVM-PMRC website (http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc).