scholarly journals 490 Effects of Rye–Vetch No-till and Habitat Strips and Black Plastic Mulch on Insect Densities, Weed Control, and Freshmarket Cucumber Growth and Yield

HortScience ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 478E-479
Author(s):  
John Caldwell ◽  
Maurice Ogutu
Keyword(s):  
Weed Control ◽  
Plant Diversity ◽  
Insect Pest ◽  
Bare Soil ◽  
Growth And Yield ◽  
Vegetable Production ◽  
Plastic Mulch ◽  
No Till ◽  
Direct Seeded ◽  
Black Plastic

Greater plant diversity is associated with reduced insect pest pressure, but field-scale vegetable production systems incorporating plant diversity have been lacking. Cucumber was grown in 1998 and 1999 at the Virginia Tech Kentland experimental farm, by direct seeding or transplanting into rye/vetch mixture rolled to make a no-till mulch alternating with strips of vetch left to flower as a habitat for beneficial insects between cucumber rows, or direct-seeded into black plastic mulch between habitat strips or with bare soil between rows. Rye and hairy vetch were seeded at 56 kg·ha–1 each the preceding fall; only rye was planted in plots without habitats. A rippled coulter, cutting shank, and daisy wheels mounted on a tractor-drawn toolbar enabled a belt-driven seeder to seed cucumbers without pulling the no-till mulch. One hand weeding in cucumber rows at 3 weeks after planting (WAP) provided weed control equivalent to pre-emergence herbicide. At 3 WAP, no-till transplanted cucumbers had higher above-ground plant dry weights than no-till direct seeded cucumbers in both years, but, at 6 WAP, cucumber above-ground plant dry weights were equal (1999) or higher (1998) in direct seeded no-till than in transplanted no-till or black plastic mulch on bare soil. In 1999, Pennsylvania leatherwings, Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus DeG. (Coleoptera: Cantharidae), a cucumber beetle predator, had higher densities and cucumber beetles lower densities in no-till plots than in black plastic mulch plots, and bacterial wilt incidence was reduced in plots with habitat strips and no insecticide application compared to plots without habitat strips and four insecticide applications. Cumulative marketable yields in no-till were 59% higher in 1998 and 23% higher in 1999 compared to yields on black plastic mulch.

scholarly journals Planting Method, Plastic Mulch, and Fumigation Influence Growth, Yield, and Root Structure of Watermelon

HortScience ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 43 (5) ◽  
pp. 1410-1414 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel S. Egel ◽  
Ray Martyn ◽  
Chris Gunter
Keyword(s):  
Growth Yield ◽  
Direct Seeding ◽  
Growth And Yield ◽  
Root Structure ◽  
Plastic Mulch ◽  
Vine Growth ◽  
Tap Root ◽  
Direct Seeded ◽  
Black Plastic ◽  
Planting Method

A 2-year field study was conducted to determine the influence of planting method, i.e., transplanting or direct seeding, black plastic mulch, and soil fumigation on the vine growth, yield, and root structure of diploid hybrid watermelon. The experiment was a split-plot design with fumigation as the main plot and there were four replications. Methyl bromide (337 L·ha−1) was applied to the soil, which was then tarped. Black plastic mulch, 0.61 m wide × 2 mil (Visqueen 4020™) was applied to appropriate rows. Vine growth was measured during the season and yield was determined by the number and weight of fruit from each treatment. After fruit harvest, plant roots were excavated so that root structure was maintained with minimal damage and roots were photographed. Root systems were scored for tap root dominance and overall root distribution. Direct-seeded watermelon had more vine growth and higher yields in both years than transplanted watermelon. The advantage of direct seeding was likely the result of the growth and root expansion that occurred for these plants while the transplants were still in the greenhouse. Direct-seeded plants also displayed greater tap root dominance in each year than transplanted watermelon. Roots of both direct-seeded plants and transplants had a greater range in size distribution in both years under plastic mulch than those grown on bare ground. In late-planted watermelon, direct-seeded plants had more favorable vine growth and yield without the aberrant roots systems produced by transplants.

scholarly journals Growth and Yield of Six Medicinal Herbs in Response to Mulch Type

HortScience ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 779C-779
Author(s):  
Jeanine M. Davis* ◽  
George B. Cox
Keyword(s):  
Weed Control ◽  
Echinacea Purpurea ◽  
Medicinal Herbs ◽  
Growth And Yield ◽  
Bare Ground ◽  
Plastic Mulch ◽  
Echinacea Angustifolia ◽  
Ground Treatment ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
Black Plastic

Weeds are a major concern in the production of many medicinal herbs. Weeds can interfere with the growth of the herb, reducing yields of foliage, flowers, and roots. The presence of weeds in the harvested herb can lessen the value of the herb or render it unmarketable. Weed control on medicinal herbs is difficult because there are few herbicides cleared for use and many herbs are organically grown. In this study, we examined the use of white and black plastic mulches to control weeds in the production of six medicinal herbs in the northern piedmont region of North Carolina. The herbs were grown for 2 years on raised beds with drip-irrigation. The beds were left bare or covered with black plastic mulch or white plastic mulch. The herbs grown were Arnica chamissonis, Echinacea angustifolia, Echinacea purpurea, Leonurus cardiaca, Scutellaria lateriflora, and Spilanthes oleracea. Transplants were field set in May and June. Depending on the particular herb, foliage, and flowers were harvested during both growing seasons and roots were harvested at the end of the second season. Both plastic mulches provided excellent weed control compared to the bare ground treatment. A. chamissonis flower yields were reduced when plants were grown with either plastic mulch. Growth and yield of E. angustifolia, L. cardiaca, and S. lateriflora were unaffected by any mulch treatment. In contrast, total season yields of E. purpurea tops (stems, leaves, and flowers) and roots were higher with both plastic mulches than with the bare ground treatment. Root yields of S. oleracea were higher with the bare ground treatment than with either mulch, but top yields were unaffected by treatment.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of Alternative Control Methods for Tithonia diversifolia on Water Yam (Dioscorea alata) Plot

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
O. S. Olabode ◽  
A. Ogunsola ◽  
O. S. Oladapo ◽  
A. O. Sangodele
Keyword(s):  
Weed Control ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Growth And Yield ◽  
Infested Soil ◽  
Control Methods ◽  
Tithonia Diversifolia ◽  
Plastic Mulch ◽  
Black Plastic ◽  
Water Yam

Tithonia diversifolia has become a significant agronomic problem to optimum arable crop production in Nigeria which has necessitated effective and timely control if the good yield is expected on infested soil. This study compared the performance of water yam under different weed control methods on Tithonia infested plot at Ogunba village near Baaya-Oje in Surulere Local Government area of Ogbomoso, Oyo State during the 2015 growing season. Eight (8) control treatments were evaluated namely: Weed control with Atrazine, Diuron, 2 hoe weeding, 3 hoe weeding, Black plastic mulch, grass mulch, Diuron + Atrazine + Plastic mulch (IWM) and unweeded plot. The three (3) hoe weeding and the unweeded plot served as the control treatments. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized complete block design with three replicates. Yam setts were planted at a spacing of    1 m x 1 m to give a population of 10000 plants/ha. Atrazine and Diuron were applied at the rate of 2.5 kg a.i/ha, 2 hoe weeding was done at 3 and 6 weeks after planting (WAP), 3 hoe weeding was done at 3,6 and 9 WAP, while grass mulch was applied at the rate of 5 tons/ha. In IWM, Atrazine and Diuron were applied each at the half recommended rate (1.25 kg/ha) before applying plastic mulch. The treatments were applied pre-emergently on a rain wetted soil after planting. Data were collected on growth and yield parameters of yam as well as on Tithonia weed population and dry matter yield. Results showed that weed control methods significantly (P < 0.05) influenced water yam yield. The highest tuber yield (21 tons/ha) in plastic mulch was comparable to IWM (20 tons/ha), 3 hoe weeding (19 tons/ha) and 2 hoe weeding (18 tons/ha). Grass mulch (16 tons/ha), Diuron (15 tons/ha), Atrazine (14 tons/ha) were also not significantly (P > 0.05) different. Thus, it may be concluded that plastic much is the most efficient of the methods for weed control in yam. The implication of this finding is discussed.

scholarly journals Growth and Yield of Tomato on Plastic Film Mulches as Affected byTomato Spotted Wilt Virus

HortScience ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 395-399 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan C. Díaz-Pérez ◽  
K. Dean Batal ◽  
Darbie Granberry ◽  
Denne Bertrand ◽  
David Giddings ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Management Strategies ◽  
Bare Soil ◽  
Fruit Yield ◽  
Growth And Yield ◽  
Plastic Film ◽  
Plastic Mulch ◽  
Tomato Production ◽  
Tomato Cultivars ◽  
Black Plastic ◽  
Wilt Virus

Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) is a serious constraint to tomato production worldwide. Losses are significant because the disease is difficult to control and most of the commercially available tomato cultivars are susceptible to TSWV. This study was intended to provide information that could be used to design more appropriate disease management strategies. The objective was to determine the relationship of tomato plant growth and fruit yield with the time of TSWV symptom appearance. Experiments were carried out during Spring 1999 and 2000, using drip irrigation and plastic film mulched beds with black plastic mulch alone (1999) or different colored mulches (2000). The mulches used were black, black-on-silver, gray-on-black, red, silver-on-black, silver (painted) and white-on-black, and bare soil. The 1999 experiment included a single TSWV-susceptible cultivar (Florida-47), while the 2000-experiment included two TSWV-susceptible (Florida-91 and Sun Chaser) and one TSWV-resistant cultivars (BHN-444). Colored mulches and tomato cultivars affected the time between transplanting and appearance of first symptoms of TSWV. For all tomato cultivars, vegetative top fresh weight (FW), fruit number and total fruit yield increased linearly with the time the plants remained free from TSWV symptoms. Marketable fruit yield also increased as the time from transplanting to the first appearance of symptoms increased. When data for cultivars were pooled, vegetative top FW and total fruit yield were reduced by 2.1% and 2.3%, respectively, for each day prior to harvesting that plants showed TSWV symptoms.

Tillage and Mulch Effects on Yield of Bell Pepper (Capiscum annum L.)

HortScience ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 496a-496 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aref Abdul-Baki ◽  
Ronald D. Morse
Keyword(s):  
Production Systems ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
Bare Soil ◽  
Fruit Weight ◽  
N Leaching ◽  
Plastic Mulch ◽  
Marketable Yield ◽  
No Till ◽  
Bell Peppers ◽  
Black Plastic

In 1997, three tillage/mulch pepper production systems were compared on raised beds at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC), Md., and at Kentland Agricultural Research Farm (KARF), Blacksburg, Va. The tillage/mulch treatments were no-till hairy vetch (Vicia vellosa Roth) mulch (NT-HV), black plastic mulch on beds that were conventionally tilled and reformed before transplanting the peppers (CT-BP), and untilled bare soil (NT-BS). `Camelot' bell peppers were planted in early June 1997 in double rows at both sites. Both the CT-BP and NT-BS treatments received approximately double the nitrogen fertilizer, compared to NT-HV. Nitrogen was applied throughout the growing season at BARC, while all the N fertilizer was applied during the first 3 weeks of plant growth at KARF. Nine weekly harvests were made at BARC and six at KARF. Fruit yield was high in all treatments at both sites. There were no significant differences among treatments in marketable yield or fruit weight at BARC. In contrast, yield was significantly higher with CT-BP than with NT-HV and NT-BS at KARF. Higher yield with CT-BP at KARF possibly occurred from enhanced soil temperature and reduced N leaching normally associated with black plastic mulch production systems.

scholarly journals The Effects of Colored Plastic Mulches and Row Covers on the Growth and Yield of Okra

2010 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 224-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Garry G. Gordon ◽  
Wheeler G. Foshee ◽  
Stewart T. Reed ◽  
James E. Brown ◽  
Edgar L. Vinson
Keyword(s):  
Sandy Loam ◽  
Total Yield ◽  
Bare Soil ◽  
Leafy Vegetables ◽  
Growth And Yield ◽  
Plastic Mulch ◽  
Row Covers ◽  
Air Temperatures ◽  
Soil Temperatures ◽  
Black Plastic

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus ‘Clemson Spineless’) was grown on an Orangeburg sandy loam soil in Shorter, AL. Okra was direct-seeded in single rows. Treatments consisted of five mulch colors: black, white, red, silver, and blue installed either with or without spun-bonded row cover. Soil temperatures were 4 to 7 °C lower than air temperatures in all treatments. The use of darker (black, blue, red) -colored plastic mulches increased early and total yield of okra compared with bare soil with and without row cover. Increased soil and air temperatures did not always correlate to an increase in yield. It can be concluded that the use of dark plastic mulch is advantageous to growers of okra in climates that do not have cool springs, but the added use of row covers to plastic mulch has no effect on growth and yield. The profit of marketable okra produced using a row cover was $1.37 versus $1.35 per pound without a cover in 2003 and $1.28 versus $1.29 per pound in 2004. Blue plastic mulch is ≈$0.08 per foot more expensive than black plastic. Our data do not show an economic advantage for blue over black mulch for okra, but the positive effect cited by other authors may be more pronounced with leafy vegetables.

scholarly journals (153) Impact of Variety and Production Method on Yield and Quality of Organically Grown Watermelon

HortScience ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 1080A-1080
Author(s):  
Angela R. Davis ◽  
Charles L. Webber ◽  
Penelope Perkins-Veazie ◽  
Julie Collins ◽  
Vincent M. Russo
Keyword(s):  
Weed Control ◽  
Production Method ◽  
High Input ◽  
Plastic Mulch ◽  
Marketable Yield ◽  
Low Input ◽  
No Till ◽  
Lycopene Content ◽  
Black Plastic ◽  
Triple Star

Cultural practices have been reported to affect quality and phytonutrient content of watermelon. Knowing which varieties perform best under various production systems, and how these systems affect quality, yield, and phytonutrient content, is imperative to ensure high quality and yield. There is limited information on how watermelon [Citrullus lanatus var. lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai] varieties perform when grown with organic practices. Production characteristics of six watermelon varieties from certified organic seed sources were compared under high-(black plastic and mechanical cultivation for weed control) and low-input (no-till) organic culture. The high-input method utilized black plastic mulch and mechanical cultivation for weed control. The low-input utilized no-till planting. `Triple Star' was the most productive seedless variety in terms of number of fruit and marketable yield when data were combined across locations. `Early Moonbeam' produced the largest number of fruit, and the smallest fruit, of the seeded varieties. `Allsweet', a seeded variety, had the best marketable yield due to its larger size. `Triple Star' had the best quality (lycopene and °Brix content) when data were combined across locations. Among the seeded varieties, `Allsweet' had the best quality at both locations; however, average lycopene content on a per-fruit basis under low input production was not significantly different when compared to `Sugar Baby'. High-input production methods almost doubled the number of fruit produced for all varieties, producing greater yields, and heavier average fruit weights, but lower °Brix and lycopene content compared to the low-input production method.

scholarly journals Effect of Plastic Mulch, Floating Rowcovers, and Microtunnels on Insect Populations and Yield of Muskmelon

HortScience ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 677b-677 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Farias-Larios ◽  
M. Orozco ◽  
S. Guzman ◽  
J. Perez
Keyword(s):  
Bare Soil ◽  
Growth And Yield ◽  
Plastic Mulch ◽  
Western Mexico ◽  
National Quality ◽  
Tropical Conditions ◽  
Insect Populations ◽  
Clear Plastic ◽  
Black Plastic ◽  
Marketable Fruit

This work was conducted for evaluate the influence of clear and black polyethylene mulches, used alone or combined with floating rowcover (FRC) and plastic perforated microtunnels, on insect populations, growth and yield of muskmelon. Treatments evaluated were 1) clear plastic + FRC, 2) polyethylene perforated microtunnel, 3) clear plastic + polyethylene not perforated microtunnel, 4) black plastic + FRC, 5) clear plastic, 6) black polyethylene, 7) clear plastic + oil, and 8) bare soil. Aphids and sweetpotato whitefly adults and nymphs were completely excluded by floating rowcovers while the plots covered. The export and national quality fruit yield was major in the mulched beds in relation to control. Clear polyethylene mulch + FRC increased number of fruit and export marketable fruit of cantaloupe (45.2% and 44.8%) with respect to black plastic + FRC, respectively. It is proposed that, under tropical conditions and under high insect stress, mulches combined with floating rowcovers should be selected for their effects on insects in addition to their effects on melon yield. Polyethylene microtunnels were found not economical for cantaloupe production in western Mexico.

scholarly journals 007 NO-TILL CABBAGE PRODUCTION USING RYE COVER CROPS

HortScience ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 428d-428
Author(s):  
Warren Roberts ◽  
Bob Cartwright
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Bare Soil ◽  
The Other ◽  
Plastic Mulch ◽  
Liquid Extract ◽  
No Till ◽  
Conventional Production ◽  
Black Plastic ◽  
Fertilizer Rates

Cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. Capitata) was grown for five years with treatments comparing no till and conventional production systems. Each year, raised beds were formed in the fall and selected plots were seeded with rye (Secale cereale). The rye was allowed to grow during the winter, and the following spring it was either mowed, killed with herbicide, or allowed to grow indefinitely. Different seeding rates of rye and different fertilizer rates were used. Some plots were mowed and the residue removed from the plots, while certain plots had no rye planted but received the rye residue that was removed from other plots. Rye was also gathered and pulverized, and the liquid extract removed from this suspension was sprayed onto plots. Cabbage was planted into each plot in the spring. The yield of cabbage grown in various rye-covered plots was compared to the yield from bare soil plots and from plots covered with black plastic mulch. In general, the plots covered with the various rye treatments had less yield than did the bare soil plots. Plots covered with black plastic mulch often had a greater yield than did the other plots.

scholarly journals Transparent, Black and Organic Mulches Effect on Weed Suppression in Green Pepper (Capsicum annuum) in Western Kenya

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 67
Author(s):  
Ocharo N. Edgar ◽  
Joseph P. Gweyi-Onyango ◽  
Nicholas Kibet Korir
Keyword(s):  
Weed Control ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Bare Soil ◽  
Weed Suppression ◽  
Weed Species ◽  
Plastic Mulch ◽  
Transparent Plastic ◽  
Green Pepper ◽  
Physical Methods ◽  
Black Plastic

Weed suppression through physical methods in cultivation constitutes of many methods but this experiment focused on application of various mulches. Recently, herbicide-free weed control methods in the world are getting more attention due to environmental and ecological factors. Green pepper production requires good management practices in order to attain potential yields. Most of the known physical practices of weed control cause both positive and negative effects. Therefore, great attention should be paid when selecting the appropriate mulch with the aim of weed suppression in any specific cultivation. Three types of mulches were examined for weed control namely; black plastic mulch, transparent plastic mulch, straw mulch and bare soil as control during the 2015 short and long raining seasons in Busia County. In both seasons, the black plastic mulch treatment significantly (P<0.05) showed the lowest number of weed species (3) per m2 quadrat while the control had the highest with a maximum of 8 and 7 during the long and short raining seasons respectively. The number of species reduced after four weeks from transplanting when the first sampling was carried out. The lowest weed vigor was exhibited in the plastic treatments for both seasons at 4, 6 and 8 weeks after transplanting. Control had the highest weed fresh biomass for both seasons at all the sampling stages with the highest observed during the short raining season with 1626 g/m2 at 4 weeks after transplanting. This also translated to the highest weed dry biomass for both seasons in the control plots with the lowest recorded in the black plastic mulch. Out of several physical methods of weed control, mulching seems to be the most appropriate with the black plastic mulch being the best.

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