[PDF] Determining Nitrogen Recommendations For High Tunnel Grown Scarlet Red Fresh Market Tomatoes eBook

Author : Kathleen Ayers
Publisher :
Page : pages
File Size : 44,26 MB
Release : 2017
Category :
ISBN :

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High tunnels provide growers an affordable and practical means of entry into intensive and higher value fresh market tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) production. Environmental factors, such as temperature, humidity, and soil moisture, are more easily manipulated in high tunnels, thus increased tomato fruit quality and yield, and predictable early and late season harvests are commonly observed. Consequently, interest in high tunnels has rapidly grown. Tomatoes are the most commonly produced food crop in high tunnels across the US, though high tunnel specific nitrogen (N) fertilizer recommendations are yet to be developed. Growers currently rely on N recommendations for open-field tomato production, but yield potential and plant vigor are generally increased under high tunnels, and the environment may alter crop N needs.Tomato Scarlet Red was grown under high tunnels in central Pennsylvania (PA) to develop N recommendations. A RCB split-plot design with three replicates was used in 2015 and 2016. Urea was applied pre-plant (0, 37.5, and 75 lbs N per acre, main plot factor) and through weekly fertigation (0, 80, 120, and 200 lbs N per acre, split-plot factor) and the effects on fruit yield, plant biomass, total leaf N and soil nitrate (NO3-N) studied. A secondary objective was to compare the pre-sidedress nitrate test (PSNT) and leaf N sampling standards to determine if PSNT could be used to determine the need for additional N in a system where soil nutrient leaching is limited and N is supplied both pre-plant and through weekly fertigation.In PA, N recommendations for open-field fresh-market tomato production are for a total of 125 lbs N per acre, with 50 lbs N per acre applied pre-plant and 75 lbs N per acre through irrigation (i.e. N fertigation) for cultivation in fine texture soils with high or optimum potassium (K) levels or organic matter (OM) content that exceeds 2%. In this study, the greatest number of fruits were harvested from plants that received 75 lbs N per acre pre-plant and a total of 80-120 lbs N per acre through fertigation. Years differed significantly in fruit marketability, and the total N recommendations for open-field production or 45 lbs N per acre less N was sufficient for marketable yield in 2016 and 2015, respectively. Unmarketable yield was greater in 2016, mostly due to blossom end rot, and was positively correlated with pre-plant N rate during the first 3 harvest weeks. Leaf N content was generally greatest in treatments that received 120 or 200 lbs N per acre through fertigation, and was significant in 2016 during the last 4 of the 6 samples taken 47, 76, 86 and 91 days after planting (DAP), and in only 2 samples (79 and 95 DAP) in 2015. Soil NO3-N results from PNST were varied, and did not strongly correlate with either pre-plant or fertigated N, however elevated soil NO3-N was sampled in 2016 compared to 2015. This study suggested that determinate tomatoes grown in high tunnels can be grown with open-field recommendations or less N, and N requirements are highly dependent on the site conditions and high tunnel management.

Author : Andrew Blunk
Publisher :
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 17,50 MB
Release : 2022
Category :
ISBN :

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Fresh-market tomatoes are the most common vegetable crop grown in high tunnel systems in the Mid-Atlantic Region and there is an increasing adoption of grafted tomato plants due to the benefits offered by vigorous rootstocks. In these production systems, it is common for N fertilizer rates to be determined by "prescriptive" recommendations that fail to account for the changes in N throughout each unique growing season. This often results in overfertilization of N up to two times more than actual crop needs which can lead to environmental pollution, reduced crop yields and quality, and lower farmer profits. The increasing adoption of grafted tomato plants in high tunnel and enhanced vigor of grafted tomato plants compared to non-grafted ones calls for a better understanding of the N demands and the optimization of N fertilization in this growing environment. Additionally, advances in handheld sensors, and common irrigation technologies used in protected culture production systems, offers new opportunities to improve fertilizer management. A study was conducted in 2020 and 2021 at the Penn State Russel E. Larson Agriculture Research Center, to evaluate 1) the response of grafted and non-grafted fresh-market tomato grown in high tunnel to N inputs and 2) the ability of two simple on-farm in-season soil monitoring methods, and multiple handheld electrodes, to track changes in soil pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and nitrate levels throughout the tomato crop growing season. The test crop was fertilized via fertigation and received four levels of nitrogen (N): 0 (N0), 84 (N1), 168 (N2) and 336 (N3) kg/ha of N. Every two weeks, soil solution samples of each plot were collected using both suction lysimeters and the Sonneveld 1:2 (v:v) soil-water extraction method. Soil solution samples were collected throughout the season and analyzed using handheld pH, EC, and nitrate-ion selective electrode sensors. Results indicate that grafted plants have a higher N use efficiency and higher yield than non-grafted plants. N rate had no effects on total marketable yield over both growing seasons, which corroborates the limited usefulness of "prescriptive" N rate recommendations. Results from the soil monitoring methods showed a sensitivity to N treatments and suggest soil monitoring could be used by a grower to inform N management plans during the growing season. Finally, under the assumptions made, the economic analysis revealed that grafted tomato plants are more profitable than non-grafted plants in a high tunnel production system even in absence of biotic and abiotic soil-level stressors.

Author : Eliot Coleman
Publisher : Chelsea Green Publishing
Page : 266 pages
File Size : 26,73 MB
Release : 2009
Category : Gardening
ISBN : 1603580816

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Celebrated farming expert Coleman continues to lead the way in organic gardening, pushing the limits of the harvest season while working his world-renowned organic farm in Harborside, Maine.

Author : Pam Dawling
Publisher : New Society Publishers
Page : 459 pages
File Size : 11,56 MB
Release : 2013-02-01
Category : Gardening
ISBN : 1550925121

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Growing for 100 - the complete year-round guide for the small-scale market grower. Across North America, an agricultural renaissance is unfolding. A growing number of market gardeners are emerging to feed our appetite for organic, regional produce. But most of the available resources on food production are aimed at the backyard or hobby gardener who wants to supplement their family's diet with a few homegrown fruits and vegetables. Targeted at serious growers in every climate zone, Sustainable Market Farming is a comprehensive manual for small-scale farmers raising organic crops sustainably on a few acres. Informed by the author's extensive experience growing a wide variety of fresh, organic vegetables and fruit to feed the approximately one hundred members of Twin Oaks Community in central Virginia, this practical guide provides: Detailed profiles of a full range of crops, addressing sowing, cultivation, rotation, succession, common pests and diseases, and harvest and storage Information about new, efficient techniques, season extension, and disease resistant varieties Farm-specific business skills to help ensure a successful, profitable enterprise Whether you are a beginning market grower or an established enterprise seeking to improve your skills, Sustainable Market Farming is an invaluable resource and a timely book for the maturing local agriculture movement.

Author : Lisa Mason Ziegler
Publisher :
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 33,71 MB
Release : 2014
Category : Gardening
ISBN : 9780989268813

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Presents simple techniques for an early spring garden of color profiling 30 hardy annual flowers.

Author : Charles Dowding
Publisher : Penguin
Page : 631 pages
File Size : 30,76 MB
Release : 2022-09-06
Category : Gardening
ISBN : 0744077753

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Work in partnership with nature to nurture your soil for healthy plants and bumper crops - without back-breaking effort! Have you ever wondered how to transform a weedy plot into a thriving vegetable garden? Well now you can! By following the simple steps set out in No Dig, in just a few short hours you can revolutionize your vegetable patch with plants already in the ground from day one! Charles Dowding is on a mission to teach that there is no need to dig over the soil, but by minimizing intervention you are actively boosting soil productivity. In fact, The less you dig, the more you preserve soil structure and nurture the fungal mycelium vital to the health of all plants. This is the essence of the No Dig system that Charles Dowding has perfected over a lifetime growing vegetables. So put your gardening gloves on and get ready to discover: - Guides and calendars of when to sow, grow, and harvest. - Inspiring information and first-hand guidance from the author - “Delve deeper” features look in-depth at the No Dig system and the facts and research that back it up. - The essential role of compost and how to make your own at home. - The importance of soil management, soil ecology, and soil health. Now one of the hottest topics in environmental science, this "wood-wide web" has informed Charles's practice for decades, and he's proven it isn't just trees that benefit - every gardener can harness the power of the wood-wide web. Featuring newly- commissioned step-by-step photography of all stages of growing vegetables and herbs, and all elements of No Dig growing, shot at Charles’s beautiful market garden in Somerset, you too will be able to grow more veg with less time and effort, and in harmony with nature - so join the No Dig revolution today! A must-have volume for followers of Charles Dowding who fervently believe in his approach to low input, high yield gardening, as well as gardeners who want to garden more lightly on the earth, with environmentally friendly techniques like organic and No Dig.

Author : Curtis Allen Stone
Publisher : New Society Publishers
Page : 306 pages
File Size : 34,17 MB
Release : 2015-12-14
Category : Gardening
ISBN : 1771421916

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There are twenty million acres of lawns in North America. In their current form, these unproductive expanses of grass represent a significant financial and environmental cost. However, viewed through a different lens, they can also be seen as a tremendous source of opportunity. Access to land is a major barrier for many people who want to enter the agricultural sector, and urban and suburban yards have huge potential for would-be farmers wanting to become part of this growing movement. The Urban Farmer is a comprehensive, hands-on, practical manual to help you learn the techniques and business strategies you need to make a good living growing high-yield, high-value crops right in your own backyard (or someone else's). Major benefits include: Low capital investment and overhead costs Reduced need for expensive infrastructure Easy access to markets Growing food in the city means that fresh crops may travel only a few blocks from field to table, making this innovative approach the next logical step in the local food movement. Based on a scalable, easily reproduced business model, The Urban Farmer is your complete guide to minimizing risk and maximizing profit by using intensive production in small leased or borrowed spaces. Curtis Stone is the owner/operator of Green City Acres, a commercial urban farm growing vegetables for farmers markets, restaurants, and retail outlets. During his slower months, Curtis works as a public speaker, teacher, and consultant, sharing his story to inspire a new generation of farmers.

Author : Toshiki Asao
Publisher : BoD – Books on Demand
Page : 258 pages
File Size : 25,1 MB
Release : 2012-03-23
Category : Science
ISBN : 9535103865

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Hydroponics-A standard methodology for plant biological researches provides useful information on the requirements and techniques needs to be considered in order to grow crops successfully in hydroponics. The main focuses of this book are preparation of hydroponic nutrient solution, use of this technique for studying biological aspects and environmental controls, and production of vegetables and ornamentals hydroponically. The first chapter of this book takes a general description of nutrient solution used for hydroponics followed by an outline of in vitro hydroponic culture system for vegetables. Detailed descriptions on use of hydroponics in the context of scientific research into plants responses and tolerance to abiotic stresses and on the problems associated with the reuse of culture solution and means to overcome it are included. Some chapters provides information on the role of hydroponic technique in studying plant-microbe-environment interaction and in various aspects of plant biological research, and also understanding of root uptake of nutrients and thereof role of hydroponics in environmental clean-up of toxic and polluting agents. The last two chapters outlined the hydroponic production of cactus and fruit tree seedlings. Leading research works from around the world are brought together in this book to produce a valuable source of reference for teachers, researcher, and advanced students of biological science and crop production.

Author : Giuseppe Colla
Publisher : Cabi
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 24,62 MB
Release : 2017
Category : Grafting
ISBN : 9781780648972

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This book provides comprehensive and current scientific and practical knowledge on vegetable grafting, a method gaining considerable interest as an alternative to the use of fumigants to protect crops from soil-borne diseases.