scholarly journals Soil Moisture and Cultivar Influence Cracking, Blossom-end Rot, Zippers, and Yield of Staked Fresh-market Tomatoes

1996 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wade J. Sperry ◽  
Jeanine M. Davis ◽  
Douglas C. Sanders
Keyword(s):  
North Carolina ◽  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Lycopersicon Esculentum ◽  
Drip Irrigation ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Fresh Market ◽  
Tomato Production ◽  
Fruit Cracking ◽  
Blossom End Rot ◽  
Polyethylene Mulch

Two crack-resistant and two crack-susceptible fresh-market tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) cultivars were evaluated at varied soil moisture levels for physiological fruit defects and yield. Cultural practices recommended for staked-tomato production in North Carolina with raised beds, black polyethylene mulch, and drip irrigation were used. Soil moisture levels of less than −15.0, −30 to −40, and greater than −70 kPa were maintained and monitored using daily tensiometer readings. Soil moisture level had no effect on fruit cracking, blossom-end rot, zippers, or yield. However, there-were large differences among cultivars for fruit defects and total and marketable yields.

scholarly journals Many Fresh-market Tomato Growers in the Southeastern U.S. Use IPM

HortScience ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 598D-598
Author(s):  
J.M. Kemble ◽  
E. Bauske ◽  
E. Sikora ◽  
G. Zehnder
Keyword(s):  
North Carolina ◽  
South Carolina ◽  
Government Regulation ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Tomato Fruit ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
The State ◽  
Fresh Market ◽  
Tomato Production

IPM teams from Alabama, North Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee composed of growers, private consultants, and faculty defined IPM on fresh-market tomatoes and created a survey from this definition to evaluate the level of IPM used by growers in the southeastern U.S. The survey included three sections: cultural practices, pesticide application techniques, and specific pest management practices, and was distributed to tomato growers in the region by mail, at county meetings, and through other relevant venues. Additionally, growers were asked to identify problems (insect, disease, and nonpest, i.e., cultural) and beneficial technology or research developments. Results of the survey revealed that in North Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, and South Carolina more than 75% of the tomato acreage is in the medium or high IPM category. These states have met or exceeded the State IPM teams' criteria for practicing IPM and have met the Federal mandate of IPM implementation on 75% of the fresh-market tomato cropland. Tomato producers listed early blight, late blight and bacterial spot as their main disease problems; tomato fruit worm, thrips, and aphids as their primary insect problems; and poor weather conditions, government regulation, and labor issues as their primary nonpest problems. Producers throughout the region felt that the development of resistant varieties would help them increase production the most. The State IPM teams outlined a clear definition of IPM in fresh-market tomato production and the survey results established a baseline that can be used to measure the success of programs to increase IPM adoption. The results will aid in focusing the Extension/research agenda in the universities in the Southeast.

EFFECT OF IRRIGATION AND PLANT POPULATION ON YIELD, FRUIT SPECK AND BLOSSOM-END ROT OF PROCESSING TOMATOES

1985 ◽  
Vol 65 (4) ◽  
pp. 1011-1018 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. S. TAN ◽  
B. N. DHANVANTARI
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Lycopersicon Esculentum ◽  
Pseudomonas Syringae ◽  
Tomato Fruit ◽  
Plant Population ◽  
Southern Ontario ◽  
Available Soil Moisture ◽  
Blossom End Rot ◽  
Irrigation Effects ◽  
Processing Tomatoes

Two tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) cultivars, Heinz-2653 and Campbell-28, were grown on Fox loamy sand in the subhumid region of southern Ontario from 1979 to 1982. Irrigation increased the marketable yields of H-2653 in a dry year, 1982, but not in the other years. Irrigation substantially increased marketable yields of C-28 in 1979 and 1982. Irrigation, when the available soil moisture (ASM) level reached 50%, was no more effective than when the ASM level in the soil was allowed to drop to 25%. Without irrigation yield increased as plant population increased in normal and wet years, but not in a dry year. Blossom-end rot (BER) of C-28 cultivar was markedly reduced by irrigation. Effects of irrigation or plant population treatments on the incidence of fruit speck did not appear to be significant.Key words: Available soil moisture, Lycopersicon esculentum, Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato, fruit speck

Drip irrigation affects N2O emission differently depending on soil moisture status in an intensive vegetable production system

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiuchun Xu ◽  
Di Wu ◽  
Wei Zhang ◽  
Bang Ni ◽  
Xuan Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Drip Irrigation ◽  
Production System ◽  
Nitrate Content ◽  
Site Preference ◽  
Vegetable Production ◽  
Flood Irrigation ◽  
Tomato Production ◽  
Production Region ◽  
Soil Moisture Status

<p>Plastic-shed vegetable production system is becoming the main type of vegetable production in China, while excessive irrigation and fertilization input lead to significant N loss by leaching, runoff, and gaseous N. The current study established a field experiment to investigate the effects of drip irrigation and optimized fertilization on vegetable yield, water and fertilizer efficiencies and N<sub>2</sub>O emission in a typical intensive plastic-shed tomato production region of China. The treatments include CK (no fertilization, flood irrigation), FFP (farmers’ conventional fertilization, flood irrigation), OPT1 (80% of FFP fertilization, flood irrigation), OPT2 (80% of FFP fertilization, drip irrigation). N<sub>2</sub>O isotopocule deltas, including δ<sup>15</sup>N<sup>bulk</sup>, δ<sup>18</sup>O and SP (the <sup>15</sup>N site preference in N<sub>2</sub>O), have been used to investigate microbial pathways of N<sub>2</sub>O production under different treatments. Our results showed: i) optimized fertilization and drip irrigation significantly improved the fertilizer and water use efficiency without reducing tomato yield, ii) compared with flood irrigation, drip irrigation decreased soil WFPS and soil ammonium content, but increased soil nitrate content. When soil moisture was higher than 60%WFPS, drip irrigation led to a decrease of N<sub>2</sub>O emission with lower N<sub>2</sub>O SP signature observed than that of food irrigation, suggesting a reduction of denitrification derived N<sub>2</sub>O. In contrast, drip irrigation significantly increased N<sub>2</sub>O emission and N<sub>2</sub>O SP value when soil moisture status was lower than 55% WFPS, which may be due to the enhanced nitrification or fungal denitrification derived N<sub>2</sub>O.</p>

scholarly journals Drip-irrigation Scheduling for Fresh-market Tomato Production

HortScience ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
T.K. Hartz
Keyword(s):  
Drip Irrigation ◽  
Crop Coefficient ◽  
Crop Productivity ◽  
Irrigation Scheduling ◽  
Yield Reduction ◽  
Fresh Market ◽  
Marketable Yield ◽  
Tomato Production ◽  
Canopy Development ◽  
Canopy Coverage

Drip-irrigation scheduling techniques for fresh-market tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) production were compared in three growing seasons (1989-91). Three regimes were evaluated: EPK [reference evapotranspiration (ETo, corrected Penman) × programmed crop coefficients], ECC (ET0 × a crop coefficient based on estimated percent canopy coverage), and SMD (irrigation at 20% available soil moisture depletion). EPK coefficients ranged from 0.2 (crop establishment) to 1.1 (full canopy development). Percent canopy coverage was estimated from average canopy width ÷ row width. Irrigation in the SMD treatment was initiated at -24 kPa soil matric tension, with recharge limited to 80% of daily ET0. The EPK and ECC regimes gave similar fresh fruit yields and size distributions in all years. With the EPK scheduling technique, there was no difference in crop response between daily irrigation and irrigation three times per week. In all seasons, ECC scheduling resulted in less total water applied than EPK scheduling and averaged 76% of seasonal ET0 vs. 86% for EPK. Irrigating at 20% SMD required an average of only 64% of seasonal ET0; marketable yield was equal to the other scheduling techniques in 1989 and 1991, but showed a modest yield reduction in 1990. Using an SMD regime to schedule early season irrigation and an ECC system to guide application from mid-season to harvest may be the most appropriate approach for maximizing water-use efficiency and crop productivity.

scholarly journals Current Status of Drip Irrigation for Vegetables in the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic United States

1994 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 390-393 ◽  
Author(s):  
George Hochmuth
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
North Carolina ◽  
Drip Irrigation ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Thick Wall ◽  
Thin Wall ◽  
Irrigation Systems ◽  
Survey Responses ◽  
Polyethylene Mulch ◽  
Installation Cost

Responses to a 1993 survey showed that drip irrigation was used on 36,400 ha of commercial vegetables in the southeastern and mid-Atlantic United States. Florida led with 44% of total drip-irrigated vegetable area, followed by Georgia, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, with about 10% each. Drip irrigation was used most commonly on tomato, pepper, and watermelon crops. The most-important benefits of drip irrigation were improved water and fertilizer delivery efficiencies compared to other irrigation systems, such as overhead sprinklers and subirrigation. Challenges with drip irrigation included high installation cost, emitter clogging problems, need for filtration, overirrigation problems, disposal of tubing, and lack of readily available expertise. Most drip irrigation was used with polyethylene mulch and most tubing was thin-wall disposable rather than thick-wall reusable. Eighty-one percent of the drip-irrigated vegetable acreage was fertigated with N and K. Survey responses indicated that drip irrigation use for vegetables is increasing.

scholarly journals COMPARISON OF CULTURAL PRACTICES AND FUNGICIDES FOR CONTROL OF PHYTOPHTHORA BLIGHT OF WATERMELON

HortScience ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 519C-519
Author(s):  
W.R. Jester ◽  
M. L. Adams ◽  
G. J. Holmes
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Drip Irrigation ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Fruit Rot ◽  
Research Station ◽  
Bare Ground ◽  
Phytophthora Blight ◽  
Cultural Systems ◽  
Overhead Irrigation ◽  
Fruit Decay

The experiment was conducted at the Cunningham Research Station in Kinston, N.C. (coordinates: N35 18.372; W77 34.937), on Goldsboro loamy sand. Three cultural systems (bare ground + overhead irrigation bare ground + drip irrigation, black plastic + drip irrigation) and seven fungicide treatments were evaluated in a split-plot design with cultural system as the main plot and fungicide treatments as subplots. The cultivar used was `Mickey Lee'. The trial was installed 18 July. Soil moisture was monitored in each of the cultural regimes using soil moisture sensors (Spectrum Technologies, Inc, Plainfield, IL) and rain gauges. The cultural systems using drip irrigation were irrigated to 10 cb starting when soil moisture reached 40 cb. Overhead irrigation was used to maintain at least 2 inches per week total precipitation beginning 12 Aug. Cultural systems and fungicide treatments were replicated 4 times. To prevent gummy stem blight and powdery mildew, Pristine (14.5 oz/acre) and Quintec (6 oz/acre) were alternated with Bravo Weather Stik (2 pt/acre) and Flint (4 oz/acre) on a 7-day interval, beginning 16 Aug. Experimental fungicide treatments were applied using a CO2 backpack sprayer equipped with a 3-nozzle (19-inch spacing) handheld boom with hollow cone nozzles (TXVS-26) delivering 40 gal/acre at 45 psi. Treatments were initiated when the largest fruit were about 6 inches in diameter. All treatments were applied on a 7-day interval with applications on 25 Aug. and 2, 9, 16, and 23 Sept. Plots were inoculated on 12 and 19 Sept. by hand-scattering 0.5 lb of 1-cm cubes of naturally P. capcisi-infected acorn squash fruit per plot. Disease severity was evaluated on 26 Sept. as fruit rot incidence and percent foliar necrosis. Captan was most effective in suppressing fruit rot regardless of cultural regime. Captan and NOA-446510 were both effective in reducing vine collapse across all cultural regimes. Incidence of fruit decay was significantly greater in the bare ground + overhead irrigation (overhead) cultural regime while plasticulture (plastic) and bare ground + drip irrigation (drip) resulted in similar levels of fruit decay and vine collapse. No interaction of cultural regime with treatment was detected. Watermelon stems and foliage are typically very resistant to Phytophthora blight, but significant vine collapse occurred in many plots. P. capsici was consistently isolated from diseased foliage and stems and is considered the primary cause of vine collapse.

scholarly journals Fruit Cracking in Tomato

1992 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 216-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.M. Peet
Keyword(s):  
Tensile Strength ◽  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
High Light ◽  
Fruit Growth ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Environmental Models ◽  
Fruit Cracking ◽  
Delayed Cracking

The environmental and physiological causes of cracking or splitting of soft fruits and citrus as they ripen are not well understood. This paper explores factors contributing to radial cracking in tomatoes, gives suggestions for prevention of cracking, and suggests directions for future research. Fruit cracking occurs when there is a rapid net influx of water and solutes into the fruit at the same time that ripening or other factors reduce the strength and elasticity of the tomato skin. In the field, high soil moisture tensions suddenly lowered by irrigation or rains are the most frequent cause of fruit cracking. Low soil moisture tensions reduce the tensile strength of the skin and increase root pressure. In addition, during rain or overhead irrigation, water penetrates into the fruit through minute cracks or through the corky tissue around the stem scar. Increases in fruit temperature raise gas and hydrostatic pressures of the pulp on the skin, resulting in immediate cracking in ripe fruit or delayed cracking in green fruit. The delayed cracking occurs later in the ripening process when minute cracks expand to become visible. High light intensity may have a role in increasing cracking apart from its association with high temperatures. Under high light conditions, fruit soluble solids and fruit growth rates are higher. Both of these factors are sometimes associated with increased cracking. Anatomical characteristics of crack-susceptible cultivars are: 1) large fruit size, 2) low skin tensile strength and/or low skin extensibility at the turning to the pink stage of ripeness, 3) thin skin, 4) thin pericarp, 5) shallow cutin penetration, 6) few fruits per plant, and 7) fruit not shaded by foliage. Following cultural practices that result in uniform and relatively slow fruit growth offers some protection against fruit cracking. These practices include maintenance of constant soil moisture and good Ca nutrition, along with keeping irrigation on the low side. Cultural practices that reduce diurnal fruit temperature changes also may reduce cracking. In the field, these practices include maintaining vegetative cover. Greenhouse growers should maintain minimal day/night temperature differences and increase temperatures gradually from nighttime to daytime levels. For both field and greenhouse tomato growers, harvesting before the pink stage of ripeness and selection of crack-resistant cultivars probably offers the best protection against cracking. Areas for future research include developing environmental models to predict cracking and exploring the use of Ca and gibberellic acid (GA) sprays to prevent cracking.

scholarly journals TOMATOES AND CUCUMBERS ARE A GOOD COMBINATION FOR A DOUBLE-CROPPING SYSTEM.

HortScience ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 428b-428
Author(s):  
H.Y. Hanna
Keyword(s):  
Lycopersicon Esculentum ◽  
Drip Irrigation ◽  
Total Yield ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Good Combination ◽  
Undesirable Effect ◽  
Tomato Crop ◽  
Double Cropping ◽  
Cucumber Yield ◽  
Polyethylene Mulch

Several studies were conducted to determine the effect of using tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) plant skeletons as a support for trellised cucumbers (Cucumis sativus L.) double-cropped with tomatoes. In addition, the effect of mulch color, drip irrigation, and root-knot nematodes on subsequent cucumber yield also were examined. The presence of tomato skeletons significantly reduced the total yield (U.S. Fancy, no. 1, and no. 2), but not the premium (U.S. Fancy, no. 1) yield of cucumbers. Black polyethylene mulch used for the previous tomato crop had no undesirable effect on cucumber yield compared to the white mulch. Drip irrigated cucumber using same tomato irrigation lines significantly increased cucumber yield compared to nonirrigated cucumber. Cucumbers planted after nematode resistant tomatoes produced significantly higher yields than cucumber planted after nematode-susceptible tomatoes.

EARLIBRIGHT, AN EARLY PROCESSING TOMATO

1986 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 417-419
Author(s):  
JOHN G. METCALF ◽  
WILLARD P. MOHR ◽  
ANDRES A. REYES
Keyword(s):  
Lycopersicon Esculentum ◽  
Processing Tomato ◽  
Fruit Cracking ◽  
Early Processing ◽  
Blossom End Rot

Earlibright is an early, multiple hand-picked, dark crimson colored tomato suitable for the whole-pack and juice industry. It is resistant to blossom end rot, fruit cracking, and sun bleaching.Key words: Lycopersicon esculentum, blossom end rot, fruit cracking, sun bleaching, ethephon

scholarly journals METHYL BROMIDE ALTERNATIVES IN FRESH MARKET TOMATO PRODUCTION

HortScience ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 759a-759
Author(s):  
Christopher L. Ray ◽  
Sandra B. Wilson ◽  
Kathy H. Brock ◽  
Bruce A. Fortnum ◽  
Dennis R. Decoteau
Keyword(s):  
Methyl Bromide ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Fresh Market ◽  
Marketable Yield ◽  
Tomato Production ◽  
Methyl Bromide Alternatives ◽  
Environmentally Sound ◽  
Chemical Pesticides ◽  
Polyethylene Mulch

Pest management is of primary importance to the vegetable industry in our nation. In recent years producers have undergone much scrutiny concerning their pest control strategies, which often include the use of chemical pesticides. Due to the detrimental effects of many fumigants, growers are being forced to incorporate more environmentally sound agricultural practices while still producing a healthy, marketable commodity. The effects of three different fumigants and reflective mulches on plant growth and development were studied in field-grown, staked tomatoes. Methyl bromide, Telone II, or Telone C-17 were used in fumigation of plots. The establishment of mulch color was done via applications of exterior enamel paint, white or red in color, to the surface of black polyethylene mulch. With the exception of total marketable yields, no interactions existed between mulch color and fumigant. Red mulch and Telone II treatments resulted in the highest total marketable yield. Telone II application increased early marketable yield. White mulch color increased preharvest yield and black mulch color decreased early marketable yield. Low initial populations of nematodes may be the cause for lack of response due to fumigation.

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