Fertiliser nitrogen and potassium studies with Flora-Dade tomatoes grown with trickle irrigation and polyethylene mulch covered beds on krasnozem soils

1993 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 221 ◽  
Author(s):  
DO Huett
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiments ◽  
Growth Period ◽  
Organic N ◽  
Trickle Irrigation ◽  
Fresh Market ◽  
Marketable Yield ◽  
Plant Soil ◽  
Yield And Quality ◽  
Nitrate N ◽  
Petiole Sap

Field experiments were conducted with Flora-Dade tomatoes on krasnozem soils during 1985-86 (site I), 1986-87 (site 2), and 1987-88 (site 3) to examine the effect of nitrogen (N, 5420 kg/ha) and of potassium (K, 1120 kg/ha) on fruit yield and quality and leaf nutrient composition. Nitrogen and K were applied either pre-planting to first fruit set, or at increasing weekly increments from 1 week after transplanting to mid fruit harvest. At each site, one rate of N and one of K were based on a commercial soil chemical analysis. The yield and quality of fruit at all sites was not affected (P>0.05) by N or K fertiliser rate or by method and timing of application. Marketable yield was 83-1 18 t/ha and fruit firmness (compression) was 0.97-1.27 mm. At site 3, which had the lowest exchangeable K concentration [0.3 cmol(+)/kg], the addition of 90 kg K/ha increased the yield of large fruit. At all sites, and with the nil-N treatment (site 3), the youngest fully opened leaf (YFOL) petiole sap nitrate-N concentrations exceeded critical values (Coltman 1987, 1988; Huett and Rose 1988) at all sampling times. YFOL concentrations were highest at 2-6 weeks after transplanting, then declined over the growth period. The highest concentration recorded at site 1 was 5.6 g/L, and at site 2, 3.2 g/L. These concentrations were not affected (P>0.05) by N fertiliser rate, indicating greater mineralisation of organic N at sites 1 and 2 than at site 3, where the highest petiole sap nitrate-N concentration was 1.8 g/L. The pre-plant soil nitrate concentrations (0-15 cm depth) at sites 1 and 3 were similar (14 and 16 mg/kg), and when measured 6 weeks after transplanting at site 3, the concentrations in the nil and 120 kg N/ha treatments were 31 and 66 mgkg, respectively. Neither pre-planting soil test (N or K) accurately predicted fertiliser response by tomatoes. The application of supra-optimal rates of N and K to semi-determinate fresh market tomatoes of Flora-Dade type will not be detrimental to yield, composition, and firmness of fruit. For a 70 t/ha crop, 130 kg N/ha and 208 kg K/ha are equivalent to removal by fruit.

scholarly journals Combination of Organic and Plastic Mulches to Improve the Yield and Quality of Winter Fresh Market Bell Peppers (Capsicum annuum L.)

HortScience ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 701-706 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qingren Wang ◽  
Waldemar Klassen ◽  
Edward A. Evans ◽  
Yungcong Li ◽  
Merlyn Codallo
Keyword(s):  
Capsicum Annuum ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Bell Pepper ◽  
Dade County ◽  
Plastic Mulch ◽  
Fresh Market ◽  
Marketable Yield ◽  
Organic Mulch ◽  
Yield And Quality ◽  
Bell Peppers

Mulching in vegetable cultivation has been widely used to conserve water and improve yield. Field experiments with four treatments, including yard waste compost combined with plastic mulches in raised beds for winter fresh market bell peppers (Capsicum annuum L.), were conducted at two experimental sites [Pine Island Farm (PIF) and Tropical Research and Education Center (TREC)] in Miami-Dade county for two different years each. The treatments were: 1) control (PM): plastic mulch alone; 2) MC33: fumigation of the soil with a mixture of methyl bromide and chloropicrin and covered with plastic mulch; 3) herbicide/OM: organic mulch sprayed with herbicides (S-metolachlor and napropamide) without plastic mulch; and 4) PM/OM: organic mulch covered by plastic mulch. The treatment of PM/OM at both experimental sites in 2 years each increased the total marketable yields of bell pepper by 1.5- to 3.2-fold, total extra large fruit yields by 2.0- to 5.7-fold, and total large fruit yields by 1.4- to 2.6-fold, respectively, on average compared with the control, although some exceptions occurred between the two years at the TREC site. Under most circumstances at both experimental sites in two different years each, the PM/OM treatment also improved the total marketable yield and fruit quality (such as extra large fruits) for the first two harvests, which shows a preference to provide winter fresh market vegetables to meet a high demand. The economic benefit by PM/OM was the greatest among all the treatments. The results suggest that the application of organic mulch combined with plastic mulch can improve bell pepper yield and quality as a result of the improvement of soil fertility, especially the early harvests of winter fresh market fruits, which has shown a potential in the development of sustainable agriculture.

scholarly journals 111 EFFECTS OF N SOURCE, APPLICATION FREQUENCY, AND SOIL NITRATE CONCENTRATION ON PEPPER YIELD AND QUALITY

HortScience ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 444b-444
Author(s):  
K.M. Batal
Keyword(s):  
Growth Period ◽  
Soil Nitrate ◽  
Soil N ◽  
Marketable Yield ◽  
Yield And Quality ◽  
N Source ◽  
Nitrate N ◽  
Ca Uptake ◽  
Blossom End Rot ◽  
Application Frequency

Various applications of N fertilizer formulations to bell pepper plots were made to affect soil nitrate-N concentrations from 5 to 30 ppm throughout the growing season. Number and weight of marketable grades for the 1st and 3rd harvests were improved by increasing soil N from 5 to 30 ppm. In the final (4th) harvest, marketable yield was highest for applications maintaining soil N of 25 ppm. Earliness was enhanced by N sources with Ca(NO3)2 producing the earliest yield followed by NaNO3 and NH4NO3. Total marketable yield produced by Ca(NO3)2 or NaKNO3 was 3 t/ha higher than by NH4NO3 applications. High marketable quality was maintained with Ca(NO3)2 and NaNO3 treatments. The highest blossom-end rot (BER) incidence was associated with NH4NO3 applications. But the N source effect on BER was strongly influenced by soil nitrate levels. At 10-20 ppm soil N, leaf Ca decreased during the 8 to 12 week period, but at higher soil N, leaf Ca remained unchanged, indicating a constant Ca uptake during the critical growth period.

Effect of nitrogen on the yield and quality of irrigated onions (Allium cepa L.) cv. Cream Gold grown on siliceous sands

1990 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 845 ◽  
Author(s):  
NA Maier ◽  
AP Dahlenburg ◽  
TK Twigden
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiments ◽  
Maximum Yield ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
Fresh Weight ◽  
Marketable Yield ◽  
Scale Thickness ◽  
Yield And Quality ◽  
Allium Cepa L ◽  
Nitrogen Rates

The effect of nitrogen (N), at rates up to 590 kg N/ha, on the yield and quality of Cream Gold onions grown on siliceous sands was investigated in field experiments conducted during 1987-88 (1 site) and 1988-89 (2 sites). As the rate of applied N increased there was a significant (P<0.001) increase in the fresh weight of tops harvested when the largest bulbs were 25-30 mm in diameter. Fresh weight of tops was significantly (P<0.001) correlated with final marketable yield of bulbs. Nitrogen application accelerated top senescence. Nitrogen-deficient plants had erect green tops at harvest. Marketable yield was significantly (P<0.01) increased and the yield of culls (unmarketable bulbs) was significantly (P<0.01) decreased as the rate of N increased at all sites. Nitrogen rates in the range 299-358 kg N/ha were required for 95% of maximum yield. Scale thickness increased significantly (P<0.05) and glucose and fructose concentrations decreased significantly (P<0.05) at 2 sites as the rate of applied N increased. Soluble solids and dry matter of bulbs were not affected by N. Bulb size increased as the rate of applied N increased, however, the magnitude of the effect varied between sites. Number of days to 10% sprouting during storage at 15 � 0.5�C was significantly increased as the rate of applied N increased up to 40 kg N/ha at 2 sites. We have concluded that for the cv. Cream Gold grown on siliceous sands, the high rates of fertiliser N required to maximise marketable yield and bulb size were not detrimental to quality.

scholarly journals The Effects of Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation on Weed and Nematode Control, Fruit Yield, and Quality of Florida Fresh-market Tomato

HortScience ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 51 (6) ◽  
pp. 703-711 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Di Gioia ◽  
Monica Ozores-Hampton ◽  
Jason Hong ◽  
Nancy Kokalis-Burelle ◽  
Joseph Albano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weed Control ◽  
Fruit Quality ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Tomato Fruit ◽  
Fruit Yield ◽  
Fresh Market ◽  
Marketable Yield ◽  
Soil Disinfestation ◽  
Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation ◽  
Yield And Quality

Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) is considered a promising sustainable alternative to chemical soil fumigation (CSF), and has been shown to be effective against soilborne diseases, plant-parasitic nematodes, and weeds in several crop production systems. Nevertheless, limited information is available on the effects of ASD on crop yield and quality. Therefore, a field study was conducted on fresh-market tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) in two different locations in Florida (Immokalee and Citra), to evaluate and compare the ASD and CSF performances on weed and nematodes control, and on fruit yield and quality. In Immokalee, Pic-Clor 60 (1,3-dichloropropene + chloropicrin) was used as the CSF, whereas in Citra, the CSF was Paldin™ [dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) + chloropicrin]. Anaerobic soil disinfestation treatments were applied using a mix of composted poultry litter (CPL) at the rate of 22 Mg·ha−1, and two rates of molasses [13.9 (ASD1) and 27.7 m3·ha−1 (ASD2)] as a carbon (C) source. In both locations, soil subjected to ASD reached highly anaerobic conditions, and cumulative soil anaerobiosis was 167% and 116% higher in ASD2 plots than in ASD1 plots, in Immokalee and Citra, respectively. In Immokalee, the CSF provided the most significant weed control, but ASD treatments also suppressed weeds enough to prevent an impact on yield. In Citra, all treatments, including the CSF, provided poor weed control relative to the Immokalee site. In both locations, the application of ASD provided a level of root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne sp.) control equivalent to, or more effective than the CSF. In Immokalee, ASD2 and ASD1 plots provided 26.7% and 19.7% higher total marketable yield as compared with CSF plots, respectively. However, in Citra, total marketable yield was unaffected by soil treatments. Tomato fruit quality parameters were not influenced by soil treatments, except for fruit firmness in Immokalee, which was significantly higher in fruits from ASD treatments than in those from CSF soil. Fruit mineral content was similar or higher in ASD plots as compared with CSF. In fresh-market tomato, ASD applied using a mixture of CPL and molasses may be a sustainable alternative to CSF for maintaining or even improving marketable yield and fruit quality.

scholarly journals Black Polyethylene Mulch Doubled Yield of Fresh-market Field Tomatoes

HortScience ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 27 (7) ◽  
pp. 787-789 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aref Abdul-Baki ◽  
C. Spence ◽  
R. Hoover
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiments ◽  
Total Yield ◽  
Fruit Size ◽  
Fruit Weight ◽  
Planting Date ◽  
Trickle Irrigation ◽  
Fresh Market ◽  
Planting Dates ◽  
Early Production ◽  
Polyethylene Mulch

Field experiments were conducted to a) maximize total yield of fresh-market field tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) cultivars using black polyethylene mulch (BPM), and b) increase fruit size and yield during the last 5 weeks of the production period by reducing the number of synthate sinks per plant through eliminating all flowers that appeared during this period. Unmulched treatments under trickle irrigation and multiple applications of soluble fertilizer yielded an average of 43 t·ha-1 for `Sunny' and `Pik-Rite' over the two planting dates. With BPM, total yield increased by 95% to 84 t·ha-1. Although total yield increases due to BPM over the control were highly significant in both cultivars and over the two planting dates, yield increases were higher for the early than for the optimum planting date. BPM also significantly increased early production of `Pik-Rite' but not `Sunny', and the increase in early production was more pronounced for the optimum than the early planting date. Sink reduction during the last 5 weeks of the growing season had no effect on yield or fruit weight during that period.

scholarly journals EFFECTS OF NITROGEN RATES ON SUMMER SQUASH GROWTH AND YIELD

HortScience ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 506C-506
Author(s):  
Camille E. Esmel ◽  
Bielinski M. Santos ◽  
James P. Gilreath
Keyword(s):  
Growth And Yield ◽  
Organic N ◽  
Yield Response ◽  
Vegetable Production ◽  
Florida Current ◽  
Marketable Yield ◽  
N Accumulation ◽  
Plant Vigor ◽  
Summer Squash ◽  
Petiole Sap

Nitrogen (N) is the most growth-limiting for vegetable production in sandy soils. In Florida, current recommendations for preplanting N applications (100 lb/acre of N) in `Crookneck' summer squash (Cucurbita pepo) differ from those used by the growers (>200 lb/acre). Therefore, two field studies were conducted in Ruskin and Balm, Fla., to examine the effect of 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, and 300 lb/acre of N on summer squash growth and yield. Variables collected during this study were plant vigor (0–10 scale, where 0 = dead plant) at 3 and 7 weeks after planting (WAP), petiole sap nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) at 4 and 8 WAS, and marketable yield starting on 4 WAS (13 and 10 harvests in Ruskin and Balm, respectively). In Ruskin, plant vigor increased linearly with N rates, whereas there was no significant N effect in Balm. No differences in petiole sap NO3-N were observed in either location. In Ruskin, there was a rapid marketable yield increase (§25%) between 50 and 100 lb/acre of N, followed by no change afterwards. In contrast, there was no yield response in Balm. In the latter location, no crop had been established in the previous 3 years, enabling the soil to maximize its organic N accumulation (>40 lb/acre organic-N), whereas in Ruskin the experimental location had been continuously planted during the last three seasons (§25 lb/acre organic-N). The data demonstrated that organic N is an important source of the nutrient to complement preplant applications in summer squash.

Determination of critical nitrogen concentrations of zucchini squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) cv. Blackjack grown in sand culture

1991 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 835 ◽  
Author(s):  
DO Huett ◽  
E White
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Growth Period ◽  
Sand Culture ◽  
Total N ◽  
N Supply ◽  
Nitrate N ◽  
Fruit Harvest ◽  
Petiole Sap ◽  
Leaf Nitrate

A gamma x quadratic response surface model was used to predict the growth rate over the 14-week growth period of zucchini squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) cv. Blackjack in sand culture with nitrogen (N) levels of 2, 7, 14, 29 and 43 mmol/L. Growth rate relative to maximum was plotted against tissue N concentration every 2 weeks, to derive diagnostic petiole sap; leaf nitrate-N and leaf total-N in youngest fully opened leaf, youngest fully expanded leaf and oldest green leaf; and total N in bulked leaf samples. Critical concentrations corresponding to 90% maximum growth rate for deficiency and toxicity are presented. Petiole sap and leaf nitrate-N were much more responsive than leaf total N concentrations over the 2-14 mmol N/L range where positive growth responses were recorded. At 2 mmol N/L, plants were severely N-deficient and growth rate was low (1.6 g/plant.week at fruit set). Tissue nitrate concentrations were negligible, while leaf total N concentrations exceeded 2.6%. Salt toxicity occurred at 29 and 43 mmol N/L, and at the highest N level, tissue N concentrations were sometimes reduced so that concentration ranges for adequacy and toxicity overlapped. Critical tissue N concentrations always exceeded (P<0.05) levels recorded in plants receiving a marginally deficient N level (7 mmol/L). Critical petiole sap and leaf nitrate-N concentrations were much more variable between sampling periods than leaf total N concentrations. Adequate concentration ranges (values between critical concentrations for deficiency and toxicity) were determined for the pre-fruit harvest (weeks 2-6) and fruit harvest (weeks 8-14) growth stages where values were common for consecutive weeks within each sampling period. It was only possible to determine adequate concentrations over the entire growth period for bulked leaf total N (4.30440% prefruit harvest and 4.15-4.45% fruit harvest). Concentrations of potassium (K), phosphorus and sulfur were affected (P<0.05) by N application level, with the largest effect being recorded for K. This confirms the importance of optimising N supply when determining critical levels of these nutrients for zucchini squash. Determination of petiole sap nitrate-N concentrations in the field can be used to distinguish between a deficient and an adequate N supply, but the large variation in values between sampling periods renders this technique less reliable than leaf total N. Tissue N concentrations which exceed critical deficient levels can be interpreted as such because they were recorded when growth was depressed at high N levels. This will rarely occur under field conditions.

scholarly journals In-row Spacing and Cultivar Affects Ear Yield and Quality of Early-planted Sweet Corn

2002 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 410-415 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anusuya Rangarajan ◽  
Betsy Ingall ◽  
Michael Orfanedes ◽  
David Wolfe
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Sweet Corn ◽  
Plant Population ◽  
Row Spacing ◽  
Fresh Market ◽  
Marketable Yield ◽  
Upstate New York ◽  
Yield And Quality ◽  
Cultivar Selection

Early-planted fresh market sweet corn (Zea mays) is prone to nonuniform ear length and quality due to uneven germination in cool soils. Growers compensate by reducing in-row spacing at seeding, to increase final plant stand. This risk management strategy was suspected to be reducing quality of early-planted sweet corn, based upon buyer feedback. Four experiments were conducted in upstate New York, to examine the effects of in-row spacing and cultivar on early-planted sweet corn ear yield, length and uniformity. Cultivars examined included `Temptation' (4 years), `Sweet Symphony' (3 years) and `Seneca Spring' (2 years). In-row spacings tested ranged from 6 to 9 inches (15.2 to 22.9 cm), using a 30-inch (76.2-cm) between-row spacing. In-row spacing and cultivar influenced marketable yield, husked ear weight and length of early-planted corn, but the extent varied by year. Despite improvements in individual ear weight and length at wider in-row spacing, marketable yield was usually higher at more narrow spacings. Increases in ear weight at wider spacings were usually associated with increases in weight of the outer, green husk. Average ear length of a cultivar varied between 0.2 and 0.6 inches (0.5 to 1.5 cm) in response to spacing. If ears longer than 7 inches (17.8 cm) were desired, 40% to 60% of ears satisfied this criteria if harvested from plants grown at 8-inch (20.3-cm) in-row spacing or a plant population of 26,000 plants/acre (64,200 plants/ha). Ear weight and length of `Seneca Spring' was not as affected by the in-row spacing treatments compared to the other two cultivars, perhaps due to the small size of this cultivar. Selection of smaller sized sweet corn cultivars for planting at high plant populations (6-inch in-row spacing) may reduce the variation in ear weight under challenging early season conditions. For cultivars with similar growth characteristics and maturities of `Temptation' and `Sweet Symphony,' a minimum in-row spacing of 8 to 9 inches or a plant population of 23,200 to 26,000 plants/acre (57,300 to 64,200 plants/ha) was recommended to minimize variation in ear yield and quality from first bareground plantings in the northeastern United States.

scholarly journals 212 Effects of Plant Density on Growth, Yield, and Quality of Fresh-market Sweet Corn

HortScience ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 478E-478 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiuming Hao
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Area ◽  
Plant Density ◽  
Sweet Corn ◽  
Sugar Content ◽  
Growth Yield ◽  
Plant Size ◽  
Fresh Market ◽  
Marketable Yield ◽  
Yield And Quality ◽  
High Plant Density

In summer 1998, two sh2, fresh-market, sweet corn cultivars (`Candy Corner'—large plant size, and `Swifty'—small plant size) were grown at 5, 6.5, 8, and 9.5 plants/m2 to investigate the effects of plant density on growth, photosynthesis, biomass, yield, and quality. Biomass and leaf area per plant were not affected by plant density. Therefore, biomass and leaf area per unit area were increased with increasing plant density. Plant height, leaf chlorophyll, leaf photosynthesis, and transpiration (measured with the LI-COR 6400 portable photosynthesis system) were not affected by plant density. Total cob weight (husk off) and number of ears harvested from plants were increased with increasing plant density. However, marketable yield (number of marketable ears) was not affected by plant density and marketable cob weight (husk off) decreased with increasing plant density due to the reduction in ear size with high plant density. There was a significant increase in percentage of unmarketable ears at plant density higher than 6.5 plant/m2 with `Candy Corner'. Kernel sugar content (°Brix) in both cultivars increased with plant density. According to the results of this experiment, the optimum plant density for fresh-market sweet corn was 5 to 6 plants/m 2.

scholarly journals Prostrate Growth Habit Enhances Fresh-market Tomato Fruit Yield and Quality

HortScience ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 25 (8) ◽  
pp. 914-915 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard H. Ozminkowski ◽  
Randolph G. Gardner ◽  
Warren R. Henderson ◽  
Robert H. Moll
Keyword(s):  
Lycopersicon Esculentum ◽  
Growth Habit ◽  
Tomato Fruit ◽  
Inbred Lines ◽  
Fresh Market ◽  
Marketable Yield ◽  
Yield And Quality ◽  
Black Plastic ◽  
Field Plots ◽  
Prostrate Growth

Two inbred lines of fresh-market tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.), NC 20G-1 and NC 53G-1, both exhibiting prostrate growth habit (PGH), were crossed with the upright growth habit cultivar Piedmont and advanced to the F2 generation. Plants of each F2 population were grown without plant support on black plastic and subjectively rated in field plots for PGH. Extreme upright and prostrate plants were chosen from each F2 population for harvest. Mean comparisons between plants of extreme upright and prostrate habit showed increased total and marketable yields from plants with a prostrate habit. Decay and groundscarring of fruit were less in prostrate than in normally upright plants; the percentage of misshapen fruit was similar in both. The PGH character may be useful in increasing total and marketable yield of ground-culture tomatoes.

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