Some crops thrive in hot weather, but across the South Coast, including Wareham, new technology is on the way that will determine how to best keep cranberries cool, which may increase quality and lower water use.

In late January, state Sen. Marc Pacheco announced that the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association in Carver was awarded a $61,203 grant to study cooling technology that would lower vine temperatures during the growing season, preventing the berries from scalding.

The grant will also help growers identify heat stress, study how effective cooling the vines are and experiment with tools such as hand-held sensors, drones with infrared technology and heat sensing smart phone applications.

“Ultimately, the goal is to achieve higher fruit quality while simultaneously reducing water use by optimizing when and for how long to run irrigation systems during these heat cycles,” said Brian Wick, executive director of the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers Association. “This project is particularly relevant with the recent drought conditions and summer heat that has become more extreme in recent years.”

Locally, Willows Cranberries and A.D. Makepeace Co. – both Wareham-based cranberry growers – will benefit from the grant. Wick explained that researchers will study the effectiveness of cooling cranberry vines at different temperatures during the hottest months of the year, typically July and August. The grant will fund research for the next two years, thought Wick expected that growers will have valuable information to act on at the end of this summer.

“At the conclusion of the project or even after one year should it prove some immediate results, growers will learn what tools they can purchase and learn how to use them on their bogs to conduct cooling techniques,” said Wick.

The grant was provided through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, which is funded by the U.S. Farm Bill. In Massachusetts, the recipients are chosen by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources.

This year’s grants will support a variety of projects that help increase market opportunities for local growers and food producers, increase access to fresh, local, nutritious food in communities across the Commonwealth and promote sustainable production practices.

“The cranberry industry is a crucial part of the Commonwealth’s economy and has been for 200 years,” Pacheco said. “I’m so pleased that the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association has received this funding to support the agricultural industry of Southeastern Massachusetts.”