scholarly journals Colored Bell Pepper Yields from Cultivars Grown in High Tunnels in Northern New England

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 456-462
Author(s):  
Rebecca Grube Sideman
Keyword(s):  
New England ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Bell Pepper ◽  
Marketable Yield ◽  
High Tunnel ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
High Tunnels ◽  
Bell Peppers ◽  
Controlled Environments

High tunnels can facilitate production of ripe colored bell peppers (Capsicum annuum) in locations with short growing seasons by extending the length of the growing season and protecting fruit from biotic and abiotic stressors. We grew 10 cultivars of bell pepper over 3 years in a high tunnel in Durham, NH. Yields of marketable colored fruit ranged from 1576 to 2285 g/plant in 2015, from 1194 to 1839 g/plant in 2016, and 1471 to 2358 g/plant in 2017. Significant differences in marketable yield among cultivars existed only in 2015 and 2017. Of the 10 cultivars evaluated, those developed for controlled environments produced greater marketable yields than those developed for production in the field or unheated tunnels (P < 0.0001). The seasonal production patterns were similar among cultivars in all 3 years: a single peak in production occurred between 159 and 175 days after seeding, followed by much lower but steady production until frost ended each growing season. Our results demonstrate that reasonable yields of colored bell peppers can be produced in high tunnels in locations with short growing seasons. We suggest that further work may be needed to identify optimal pruning and canopy management strategies to maximize yields and fruit quality.

scholarly journals Effects of Silver Reflective Mulch, White Inter-row Mulch, and Plant Density on Yields of Pepper in Maine

2007 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 214-219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark G. Hutton ◽  
David T. Handley
Keyword(s):  
New England ◽  
Plant Density ◽  
Row Spacing ◽  
Plastic Mulch ◽  
Marketable Yield ◽  
Double Row ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
Yield And Quality ◽  
Bell Peppers ◽  
Black Plastic

Bell peppers (Capsicum annuum) are an economically important yet difficult to grow crop in northern New England. Yields of bell peppers can be increased through the use of plastic mulches; however, refinements are needed to make bell peppers a more viable crop in regions with short, variable growing seasons. The objectives of this study were to (1) compare the effects of black mulch with white inter-row much, reflective silver mulch, and standard black plastic mulched beds on bell pepper yield and quality and (2) compare the effects of two in-row plant arrangements [single rows at 12-inch within-row spacing (7260 plants/acre) and double rows spaced 18 inches apart with 18-inch in-row spacing (9680 plants/acre)] on pepper yield and quality. Treatments were factorial combinations of three mulch treatments and two within-row planting arrangements. Double rows produced more fruit by number and weight than single rows; however, fruit harvested from the double-row plots tended to be smaller than fruit harvested from the single-row plots. Mulch treatments significantly influenced total marketable yield and yield of cull bell peppers grown in Maine. The plots receiving the inter-row white mulch or reflective silver mulch treatment produced significantly greater yield than standard black plastic mulch treatment. The reflective mulch treatment produced significantly more cull fruit per acre compared with the white inter-row mulch and black plastic.

scholarly journals Training of Growers and Extension Agents in the Dominican Republic on Managing Heat Stress of Bell Pepper (Capsicum annum L.) Grown in High Tunnels

HortScience ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 52 (9) ◽  
pp. 1148-1150
Author(s):  
Juan Carlos Díaz-Pérez ◽  
Erick Smith
Keyword(s):  
Heat Stress ◽  
Dominican Republic ◽  
High Temperatures ◽  
Bell Pepper ◽  
San Jose ◽  
High Tunnel ◽  
High Tunnels ◽  
Bell Peppers ◽  
Tunnel Design ◽  
The Caribbean

The Dominican Republic is located in the Hispaniola Island in the Caribbean region. Its climate differs substantially over short distances and is the most diverse of the Caribbean. Annual average temperature is 25 °C, ranging from 18 °C (at higher elevations) to 28 °C (at sea level). Average annual rainfall is 1500 mm. Although sugar, coffee, cocoa, and tobacco are the principal cash crops of the country, peppers are increasing in popularity on the country’s exportation market. Bell peppers grown in high tunnels and greenhouses may be impacted by high temperatures that result in reduced fruit yield and quality. In this article, we make a short review of cooling techniques for high tunnels and share the experience of training bell pepper growers and extension personnel from the Dominican Republic regions of San José de Ocoa and Constanza on how to manage heat stress of bell peppers grown inside high tunnels. Bell pepper plants inside high tunnels showed symptoms of heat stress, including reduced plant and fruit size, small fruit number, and a mild leaf chlorosis. In both regions, but particularly in the warmer region, San José Ocoa, because of occurrences of high temperatures inside the high tunnels, growers were advised to use well-ventilated high tunnels, such as structures with plastic film on the top and screen net on the sides. Other strategies such as shade nets (30% to 40% shade) placed on top of the high tunnel or whitewash paint applied on the high tunnel cover may also help reduce air and soil temperatures inside the tunnel. Use of white or silver reflective mulch, instead of the commonly used black mulch, may provide additional reduction of soil temperature. In conclusion, high tunnel structures developed for temperate regions, with limited to poor ventilation, may result in excessively high temperatures inside the high tunnels and thus were not recommended for the Dominican Republic regions of this study. More research is necessary on adequate high tunnel design and cooling techniques for high tunnel production, particularly in tropical regions.

scholarly journals Effect of Harvest Schedule on Organic Kale Grown during the Winter in High Tunnels

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 570-575
Author(s):  
Robert F. Heyduck ◽  
Dawn VanLeeuwen ◽  
Steven J. Guldan
Keyword(s):  
New Mexico ◽  
Brassica Napus ◽  
Growth Stage ◽  
Total Yield ◽  
Market Demand ◽  
High Tunnel ◽  
Mature Leaves ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
High Tunnels ◽  
Delayed Growth

We examined the effect of harvest schedule on the yield of ‘Red Russian’ kale (Brassica napus ssp. napus var. pabularia) grown during the winter in 16 × 32-ft high tunnels in northern New Mexico. We conducted the study for two growing seasons: 2013–14 and 2014–15. All plots were sown on 16 Oct. and harvested four times according to four harvest schedules: A) 8, 16, 20, and 24 weeks after sowing; B) 10, 17, 21, and 25 weeks after sowing; C) 12, 18, 22, and 26 weeks after sowing; and D) 14, 19, 23, and 27 weeks after sowing. The first harvest of each treatment was the greatest, averaging 216 g/ft2, compared with 88, 109, and 104 g/ft2 for harvests 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Season total yield of treatments B, C, and D (harvests beginning at 10, 12, and 14 weeks after sowing) yielded significantly more than treatment A, but only in year 2, when delayed growth resulted in very low yields for treatment A at harvest 1. Considering the entire 240-ft2 cropped area of the high tunnel, staggered harvests of 60 ft2 at a time can yield 2.6 to 17.5 kg per harvest or up to 124 kg over an entire season. Although we examined the yield of mature leaves, harvests could possibly begin earlier than in this study for “baby” kale or salad mixes, and the area harvested could be tailored to plant growth stage and market demand.

scholarly journals Effects of Mulch Type and Planting Date on Tomato Earliness within a High Tunnel

HortScience ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 867A-867
Author(s):  
Lewis Jett* ◽  
Andrew Read
Keyword(s):  
Great Plains ◽  
Plastic Mulch ◽  
Marketable Yield ◽  
Tomato Production ◽  
High Tunnel ◽  
Row Covers ◽  
High Tunnels ◽  
Clear Plastic ◽  
Black Plastic ◽  
Growing Conditions

High tunnels are passive solar greenhouses that are used to extend the traditional growing season for many horticulture crops. Growing conditions within a high tunnel are significantly different from growing conditions encountered in field production. Tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) are wells suited for high tunnel culture having an upright growth habit and a significant economic premium for precocious harvest. The objective of this research was to investigate three planting dates (15 Mar., 30 Mar., and 10 Apr.) and three mulch types (black plastic, bareground, and clear plastic) with or without row covers, for early tomato production within a high tunnel in the Central Great Plains. High tunnels increased the average daily temperature by ≈6 °C. Early planting (i.e., mid- to late March) resulted in significantly earlier yield (i.e., early July). Using clear plastic mulch increased total marketable yield, but was not significantly different from black plastic. Row covers and plastic mulch are necessary for early tomato production. Row covers are specifically necessary for frost protection, but can be removed when the risk of frost has decreased.

scholarly journals Growing Bell Peppers in Soilless Culture under Open Shade Structures

EDIS ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 2008 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert C. Hochmuth ◽  
Danielle D. Treadwell ◽  
Eric H. Simonne ◽  
Linda B. Landrum ◽  
Wanda L. Laughlin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Growing Season ◽  
Trial Data ◽  
Bell Pepper ◽  
Soilless Culture ◽  
Fact Sheet ◽  
Bell Peppers

HS-1113, a 4-page illustrated fact sheet by Robert C. Hochmuth, Danielle D. Treadwell, Eric H. Simonne, Linda B. Landrum, Wanda L. Laughlin, and Lei Lani Davis, describes the results of trials of using soilless culture and shade to extend the bell pepper growing season through the hottest part of the summer and into fall. Includes tables of trial data. Published by the UF Department of Horticultural Sciences, July 2007. HS-1113/HS368: Growing Bell Peppers in Soilless Culture under Open Shade Structures (ufl.edu)

scholarly journals Performance of Broccoli Cultivars in Spring and Fall Evaluations in Pennsylvania

2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 869-876
Author(s):  
Elsa Sánchez ◽  
Thomas Butzler ◽  
Lee Stivers ◽  
Robert Pollock ◽  
Timothy Elkner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Eastern United States ◽  
Marketable Yield ◽  
Head Diameter ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
Yield And Quality ◽  
Yield Quality ◽  
A Site

Recent hypothetical modeling suggests that increasing commercial broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) acreage in the eastern United States has the potential to notably reduce the costs of transportation within the broccoli supply chain. In this region, increasing broccoli acreage will require production improvements. Here, research was conducted to determine the best yielding commercially available cultivars for broccoli production. Eighteen to 19 cultivars of broccoli were evaluated in spring and fall evaluations using diverse production systems during 2014–15 in three locations across Pennsylvania. Data collected included production, yield, and quality attributes. Most interactions between site, year, and cultivar were significant suggesting that environmental conditions influence broccoli yield, quality, and concentration of harvest. Overall, the cultivars evaluated were not different from, Imperial, the standard used, for marketable yield, head diameter, and concentration of harvest within a site year. Blue Wind was consistently the first cultivar harvested, and Avenger and Emerald Jewel the last overall site years and growing seasons. These three cultivars may be good options for extending the growing season.

scholarly journals Influence of High Tunnel Microclimate on Fruit Quality and Calcium Concentration in ‘Santina’ Sweet Cherries in a Mediterranean Climate

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1186
Author(s):  
Victor Blanco ◽  
Juan Pablo Zoffoli ◽  
Marlene Ayala
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Quality ◽  
Mediterranean Climate ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Fruit Yield ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
Postharvest Quality ◽  
High Tunnel ◽  
Fruit Cracking ◽  
High Tunnels ◽  
Sweet Cherries

The use of protective covers, such as high tunnels, is recognized as an effective technology to reduce rain-induced fruit cracking in sweet cherries; however, there is a lack of information concerning the effects of this production system on the fruit’s mineral concentration, quality, and postharvest life. This study assesses the feasibility of using high tunnels on ‘Santina’ sweet cherries under the Mediterranean climate of the Central Valley of Chile to obtain earlier harvests of high-quality fruit with long storage life. The study included two plots: Plot 1 during the 2018/2019 growing season, and Plot 2 during the 2019/2020 growing season. High temperatures and relative humidity inside the high tunnels during bloom and fruit set decreased fruit yield, particularly in Plot 1. On average, trees inside the high tunnels were harvested 11 days earlier than those in the open. Fruit from covered trees were significantly larger (13%) and softer (10%) than those from the outside. Fruit quality characteristics, such as soluble solids concentration and titratable acidity, were not affected by high-tunnel-protected cultivation. Fruit from covered and uncovered trees maintained the firmness differences obtained at harvest between treatments, but showed similar postharvest quality after 45 days at 0 °C and a further 3 days at 20 °C on the other characteristics. The covered fruit had lower Ca concentrations (7.7 mg 100 g−1) and higher K:Ca, Mg:Ca, and N:Ca ratios. Significant relationships were found between Ca or K:Ca and fruit firmness at harvest. Lower Ca concentrations in the fruit may explain the lower firmness of fruit grown under plastic covers. There were no differences between covered and uncovered cherries in either cracking susceptibility or induced pitting. ‘Santina’ cherries were very sensitive to pitting damage, but this is not associated with the fruit’s Ca concentration. The results obtained show that high tunnels influenced fruit yield, development, and quality, and emphasize that the fruit’s Ca concentration under this growing condition plays a significant role in the firmness of ‘Santina’ sweet cherries.

scholarly journals High Tunnels Are My Crop Insurance: An Assessment of Risk Management Tools for Small-scale Specialty Crop Producers

2013 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 403-418 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Belasco ◽  
Suzette Galinato ◽  
Tom Marsh ◽  
Carol Miles ◽  
Russell Wallace
Keyword(s):  
Crop Insurance ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Management Tools ◽  
High Tunnel ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
Specialty Crop ◽  
High Tunnels ◽  
Protection And Control ◽  
And Control ◽  
Field Production

High tunnels are being used by specialty crop producers to enhance production yields and quality, extend growing seasons, and protect crops from extreme weather. The tunnels are unheated, plastic-covered structures under which crops are planted directly in the soil, and they provide greater environmental protection and control than open-field production. This study uses field-level experiments to evaluate high-tunnel production. The results suggest that investments in high tunnels can provide increased profits and superior protection against adverse risks relative to crop insurance.

scholarly journals (29) Effects of Colored Plastic Mulches on Bell Pepper Yield and Fruit Characteristics

HortScience ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 1075D-1076
Author(s):  
Maurice Ogutu
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Weight ◽  
Bell Pepper ◽  
Bare Ground ◽  
Plastic Mulch ◽  
Fruit Characteristics ◽  
Marketable Yield ◽  
Capsicum Annum ◽  
Bell Peppers

A study was carried out to compare the effects of different colored plastic mulches (black smooth, red, black embossed, blue, olive, yellow, clear, white, and reflective) and bare ground on bell peppers (Capsicum annum) yield and fruit characteristics. Pepper varieties `Crusader' (2004 trial) and `Boynton Bell F1' (2005 trial) seeds were planted in flats filled with Jiffy Mix in a greenhouse in late Apr. 2004 and 2005, and the seedlings transplanted in early June 2004 and 2005, respectively. In 2004, pepper fruits were harvested once in early September, and reflective and black embossed plastic mulch treatments had higher U.S. No. 1 fruit weight than other treatments. Pepper fruits harvested from reflective plastic mulch treatment were longer and larger than fruits in other treatments. In 2005, pepper fruits were harvested three times in late September to early October, and plants grown in reflective and red plastic mulch treatments had higher Fancy fruit weights while olive and white plastic mulch treatments had higher U.S. No. 1 fruit weights than other treatments. Fruits from reflective and red plastic mulch treatments were longer and larger than fruits from other treatments. The total marketable yield (Fancy and U.S. No. 1 fruit weight combined) was higher in olive, reflective, white, and red plastic mulch treatments. In comparison with black embossed plastic mulch, plants grown in reflective and olive plastic mulches had higher yield in 2004. However, in 2005, yield followed the same trend, with plants grown in olive, white, and reflective plastic mulches having higher yield than other treatments.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Slow-release Fertilizers on Bell Pepper

2008 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 393-396 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luz M. Reyes ◽  
Douglas C. Sanders ◽  
Wayne G. Buhler
Keyword(s):  
North Carolina ◽  
Coastal Plain ◽  
Slow Release ◽  
Total Yield ◽  
Calcium Nitrate ◽  
Bell Pepper ◽  
Marketable Yield ◽  
Slow Release Fertilizer ◽  
Bell Peppers ◽  
Slow Release Fertilizers

This study was conducted to compare different formulations of a slow-release fertilizer with a conventional fertilizer program to determine their impact on yield and growth of bell pepper (Capsicum annuum). Two formulations of a methylene-urea slow-release fertilizer (Nitamin®) were evaluated on drip-fertigated and plastic-mulched bell peppers during 2006 in the eastern coastal plain and western Appalachian mountains of North Carolina. Liquid slow-release formulations were applied the first 6 or 9 weeks of the growing season and a dry formulation was banded at planting. Treatments were compared with the extension-recommended rate of 200 lb/acre nitrogen (N) (NC-200) and a high-input fertilizer rate of 300 lb/acre N (HI-300) from calcium nitrate injected in 12 weekly applications of drip irrigation. Irrigation was applied twice per week. The slow-release granular formulation at 200 lb/acre N produced the highest marketable yield and better canopy quality in eastern soil. Early marketable yield for this treatment accounted for 46% of the total yield. All slow-release treatments had higher N use efficiency (NUE) values than NC-200 and HI-300 in the eastern study. In loam soil (western study), pepper yield was statistically similar among treatments. Lower rates (150 lb/acre N) of slow-release fertilizer performed as well as NC-200 and HI-300 for marketable yield. Low rates (150 lb/acre N) of one of the liquid formulations performed better in total and marketable NUE than NC-200 and HI-300 in Fletcher, North Carolina. Liquid and dry formulations of slow-release fertilizer showed a potential to be used on bell pepper production across the state at reduced N rates, with greater impact on yield in coarse-textured soils found predominantly in the eastern coastal plain region.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document