Effect of Plastic Mulch on Squash (Cucurbita pepo L.): Germination, Root Distribution, and Soil Temperature under Trickle Irrigation in the Jordan Valley

Squash (Cucurbita pepo L. var. pepo) plants were grown on black polyethylene mulch or on bare ground, with trickle or furrow irrigation, and received only natural rainfall, or natural rainfall plus half or all of the estimated supplemental irrigation water required as determined by an irrigation scheduling program. The squash roots predominate in the upper 6 inches of soil throughout the season, with no less than 60% of the root mass located in this layer. The proliferation of roots increased as they extended horizontally from the vertical center line of the plant from 0 to 24 inches. Neither the irrigation treatments nor black polyethylene mulch had any influence on the pattern of root development. Water stress, however, reduced the size of the root system and the crop yield. Yields were not influenced by either furrow or trickle irrigation on the short rows that were used in this study. However, black polyethylene mulch and full irrigation offered the best chance of maximizing squash yields under the conditions of this study.

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Yellow Squash and Zucchini Cultivar Evaluation in Georgia

HortTechnology ◽

10.21273/horttech03605-16 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 27 (2) ◽

pp. 296-302

Author(s):

Timothy Coolong

Keyword(s):

Drip Irrigation ◽

Virus Resistance ◽

Cucurbita Pepo ◽

Yellow Gene ◽

Plastic Mulch ◽

Fall Season ◽

Growing Seasons ◽

Four Seasons ◽

Production Practices ◽

Standard Production

Ten yellow squash (Cucurbita pepo) and nine zucchini (C. pepo) cultivars were evaluated in southwest Georgia during spring and fall growing seasons in 2014 and 2015. Plants were grown using plastic mulch and drip irrigation following standard production practices for squash in Georgia. Plants were harvested 10 to 13 times during each study season. Fruit were graded into fancy, medium, and culls. Virus pressure was low during the trials. For yellow squash yields, there were significant cultivar by season interactions; however, Solstice, a straightneck yellow squash, and Gentry, a crookneck cultivar, were consistently among the highest yielding yellow types. Despite having no documented virus resistance, ‘Gentry’ performed well during the fall season. However, ‘Precious II’, a yellow straightneck cultivar with the presence of the precocious yellow gene, experienced high cull rates in the fall due to virus effects on the fruit. There was a year by season by cultivar interaction for zucchini yield. Despite this interaction, ‘Respect’ was ranked among the highest yielding cultivars in all four seasons of the trial. Differences were also observed between seasons for yellow and zucchini squash, with fall yields generally being lower than those in the spring. The results of this study suggest significant differences in the adaptability of squash cultivars for spring and fall production in Georgia. In addition, virus resistance, while important, should not be the exclusive factor for determining cultivars for fall-planted squash in Georgia.

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COMBINED IRRIGATION AND FERTILIZATION IN ARID ZONES

Israel Journal of Plant Sciences ◽

10.1080/07929978.1994.10676582 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 42 (4) ◽

pp. 301-320 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Uzi Kafkafi

Keyword(s):

Irrigation System ◽

Sand Dunes ◽

Calcareous Soils ◽

Soil Surface ◽

Nutrient Supply ◽

Ammonium Concentration ◽

Arid Zones ◽

Trickle Irrigation ◽

Plastic Mulch ◽

High Calcium

Sand dunes and highly calcareous soils occupy vast areas in arid zones. The soils are characterized by low available nutrient content and low to medium water-holding capacity of the upper soil surface. These features result in low vegetation density under arid climate conditions. The introduction of trickle irrigation coupled with liquid fertilizers turned desert sand dunes and highly calcareous soils into productive agricultural soils for high cash crops. The intensity of daily nutrient supply dictates the farmer's consideration of the form of nitrogen supplied to the crop and to the variable sensitivity of plants to the different forms of N supplied by various fertilizers through the irrigation system. The combination of high root temperature and high ammonium concentration is of particular importance. Plants that have relatively low carbohydrate content in their roots might suffer from ammonia toxicity if a high daily supply of ammonium is available. High concentrations of urea and very high calcium carbonate content in the soil are also dangerous to ammonium- sensitive plants like tomatoes. Planning the irrigation system and nutrient supply to the crops according to their physiological stage of development, and consideration of the soil and climate characteristics, can give high yields and high quality crops with minimum pollution, but salt accumulation on the soil surface should be prevented, either by sprinkle irrigation, or by plastic mulch during the growing season.

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Weed Suppression in Pumpkin by Mulches Composed of Organic Municipal Waste Materials

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.51.6.720 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 51 (6) ◽

pp. 720-726 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Caitlin E. Splawski ◽

Emilie E. Regnier ◽

S. Kent Harrison ◽

Mark A. Bennett ◽

James D. Metzger

Keyword(s):

Soil Temperature ◽

Bare Soil ◽

Weed Suppression ◽

Control Measures ◽

Soil Conditions ◽

Small Scale ◽

Plastic Mulch ◽

Weed Biomass ◽

Squash Bug ◽

Black Plastic

Field studies were conducted in 2011 and 2012 to compare mulch treatments of shredded newspaper, a combination of shredded newspaper plus turfgrass clippings (NP + grass), hardwood bark chips, black polyethylene plastic, and bare soil on weeds, insects, soil moisture, and soil temperature in pumpkins. Newspaper mulch or black plastic reduced total weed biomass ≥90%, and woodchip or NP + grass mulch each reduced total weed biomass 78% compared with bare soil under high rainfall conditions in 2011. In 2012, under low rainfall, all mulches reduced weed biomass 97% or more compared with bare soil. In both years, all mulches resulted in higher squash bug infestations than bare soil. The woodchip, newspaper, and NP + grass mulches retained higher soil moistures than bare soil or black plastic over the course of each growing season, and the woodchip and NP + grass mulches caused greatest fluctuations in soil temperature. Pumpkin yields were abnormally low in 2011 and did not differ among treatments. In 2012, all mulches produced greater total marketable pumpkin fruit weights compared with bare soil, but only black plastic, newspaper, and NP + grass mulches resulted in greater total numbers of marketable pumpkins. Overall results indicate that shredded newspaper or NP + grass mulches may be useful for organic and/or small-scale urban crop producers as sustainable alternatives to black plastic mulch; however, their weed suppression efficacy may require higher application rates with increasing moisture conditions, and they may require greater squash bug control measures than under bare soil conditions.

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Incremental Effects of Plasticulture System Components on the Growth and Yield of Three Echinacea Species

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.32.3.529e ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 32 (3) ◽

pp. 529E-529

Author(s):

Pat A. Bowen

Keyword(s):

Dry Weight ◽

Growth And Yield ◽

System Component ◽

Trickle Irrigation ◽

Plastic Mulch ◽

Root Dry Weight ◽

System Components ◽

Ground System ◽

Raised Bed ◽

Flat Ground

The incremental effects of adding plasticulture system components in Echinacea production were determined after one growing season. E. purpurea, E. angustifolia, and E. pallida, were grown in four cultural systems: flat ground, raised bed, raised bed with plastic mulch, and raised bed with plastic mulch and a polyethylene mini-tunnel. Trickle irrigation was used in all systems, with fertilizers injected monthly into the irrigation water. Plant spacing was 0.22 m in rows spaced 0.25 m apart, with 1.30 m between each set of three rows, giving a density of 75,758 plants/ha. In all systems, root dry weight was highest for E. pallida, followed by E. purpurea, then E. angustifolia. Each system component increased the root dry weight, but the percent increase differed among species. The mean root dry weights from the flat ground system were 35.8, 17.1, and 12.0 g/plant for E. pallida, E. purpurea, and E. angustifolia, respectively; whereas from the system including all components they were 51.1, 27.2 and 21.7 g/plant, respectively. The leaf dry weight of E. purpurea also increased with each system component added, but the stem dry weight was reduced by the mini-tunnel. All species produced more flowers when grown on raised beds than when grown on flat ground. The effects of the plastic mulch and mini-tunnel on flower production differed among species.

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Effect of Colored Plastic Mulch on Soil Temperature and Yield of Eastern Muskmelon in Indiana

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.39.4.760e ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 39 (4) ◽

pp. 760E-761

Author(s):

Christopher Gunter* ◽

Frankie Lam

Keyword(s):

Soil Temperature ◽

Bare Ground ◽

Plastic Mulch ◽

Ground Treatment ◽

Weed Growth ◽

Industry Standard ◽

Green Olive ◽

Intensively Managed ◽

Crop Maturity

Indiana ranks seventh in the nation for watermelon production and fifth in the nation in muskmelon production. Both of these crops are intensively managed and cultivation using plastic mulches is the industry standard in the area. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of plastic mulches of various colors and breakdown properties on the yield and earliness of eastern muskmelons in southwestern Indiana in 2002 and 2003. In 2002, eight colors were used, black, clear, brown, green, olive, grey, blue, and red. In 2003, five colors were used, grey, black, blue, clear, and olive. A bare ground treatment was also included in 2003. Temperature information was also collected both above and below these plastics in attempt to relate that back to performance of the crop. In 2002, green and clear mulches produced more melon numbers and higher melon weights compared to other mulch colors, however this was not significantly different than the black control mulch. In 2003, olive mulch produced significantly higher melon number and weight than clear mulches. In 2003, early-breakdown clear mulches, designed to last only until canopy fill, produced significantly lower yields than early-breakdown black mulch. This appears to be due primarily to weed production initiated early under the clear mulch and subsequent weed growth after mulch was broken down. The effect of plastic mulch type and earliness to crop maturity is also explored.

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Comparative Performance of Sugarcane Bagasse and Black Polyethylene as Mulch for Squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) Production

Journal of Agricultural Science ◽

10.5539/jas.v9n11p1 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 9 (11) ◽

pp. 1

Author(s):

Charles L. Webber III ◽

Paul M. White Jr ◽

Douglas J. Spaunhorst ◽

Eric C. Petrie

Keyword(s):

Sugarcane Bagasse ◽

Cucurbita Pepo ◽

Total Yield ◽

Future Research ◽

Vegetable Production ◽

Plastic Mulch ◽

Comparative Performance ◽

Steam Power ◽

Raw Sugar ◽

Black Plastic

Louisiana processed 11.7 million mt of sugarcane in 2016, producing 1.47 million mt of raw sugar and an estimated 3.5 million mt of bagasse. Sugarcane bagasse is the fibrous material remaining after removing the sucrose, water, and other impurities (filter mud) from the millable sugarcane. Typically, Louisiana sugarcane mills burn a portion of the bagasse to heat boilers to steam power the mill for grinding and sugar processing. The balance of the bagasse is stored at the sugar mill where it accumulates in immense piles. Research was conducted in 2015 and 2016 to investigate the use of sugarcane bagasse as a natural mulch for vegetable production. The field experiment compared sugarcane bagasse mulch, black plastic mulch, and no mulch (control) for suitable mulching treatments for squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) production. The black plastic mulch produced significantly greater marketable fruits/plant, fruit number, and total yield (kg/ha) across years compared to the sugarcane bagasse mulch. The sugarcane bagasse mulch and the no mulch control were not significantly different for these same parameters. Black plastic also produced heaver fruit (g/fruit) than the sugarcane bagasse mulch and the control in 2015. The black plastic mulch produced greater yields due to the greater cumulative growing degree days (CGDD) received compared to the sugarcane bagasse mulch and no mulch control. The sugarcane bagasse mulch tended to mitigate temperature extremes by serving as a soil insulator. Future research should investigate the potential deleterious impact, if any, of the sugarcane bagasse on soil microbes, C/N ratio, soil pH, and allelopathy, which might adversely influence cucurbit growth.

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