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- [Mark] This is Mark Isselhardt,

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maple specialist with
University of Vermont Extension,

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and this is another Vermont Maple Minute.

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A modern tubing operation

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relies on a tubing system with vacuum

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to maximize sap production.

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The innovation of plastic tubing

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originally came as a labor-saving device

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and not to increase sap yield
from an individual trees.

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As the materials used
to produce maple tubing

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became more robust and
vacuum pumps were employed,

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the increases in sap yield became obvious.

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There are many questions about
how the use of vacuum tubing

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does or does not impact the tree

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or the sap harvested from the tree.

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Research at the University of Vermont

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Proctor Maple Research Center

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sought to answer some
of the common questions.

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To answer the question

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if the naturally occurring
concentrations of minerals

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change as more vacuum is
applied to the taphole,

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groups of trees were tapped

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and exposed to various levels of vacuum

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ranging from 15 inches
to 25 inches of mercury.

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Inches of mercury is a unit
used in weather reporting

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and is a measurement
of intensity of vacuum.

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A control treatment with no applied vacuum

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was also included.

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Samples of sap were collected
throughout the season

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and analyzed for the most abundant,

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naturally occurring minerals in sap.

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The results indicate

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that compared to sap
collected using vacuum,

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sap collected from gravity
had similar concentrations

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of calcium, phosphorus, potassium,

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magnesium, iron, and manganese.

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As with many experiments,

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the results lead to more questions

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and the need for additional research.

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This is Mark Isselhardt,

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maple specialist with the
University of Vermont Extension,

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and this has been another
Vermont Maple Minute.