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As populations of cities continue to increases, communities in the United States are implementing urban food systems including locally-cultivated produce. Urban and peri-urban farmers apply intensive production systems, including high tunnels, to better utilize limited space. Grafting tomato with vigorous rootstocks provides the potential for higher yields. Our first objective was to identify tomato rootstocks that improve productivity in high tunnel environments with no soilborne diseases in the Central U.S. Eight replicated high tunnel trials were conducted at four sites in northeastern Kansas in 2013 and 2014. We selected 'BHN 589' scion for all sites and evaluated seven rootstocks. Grafting with 'Maxifort', 'Multifort', 'Arnold', 'DRO 131', and 'Colosus' rootstocks resulted in significant increases in total fruit yield, which ranged from 40% to 73% when compared to nongrafted plants (P
Tomatoes and peppers are the most popular and profitable high tunnel crops. However, year-round intensive cultivation and extensive monocropping can lead to a loss of soil quality and the buildup of soilborne pathogens. Many growers are considering grafting to help address the drawbacks of covered agriculture and improve yields. Although many trials have been conducted that examine the ability of rootstock to increase yield or reduce disease, the effect of scion cultivar has yet to be tested, and few studies have attempted to quantitatively assess scion compatibility. In 2016 and 2017, we evaluated ten hybrid, determinate, red slicing tomato scion cultivars for compatibility with 'Maxifort' rootstock in a three-season high tunnel in Olathe, KS. While all ten varieties were compatible with 'Maxifort', only 'BHN 589', 'Red Deuce', 'Skyway', and 'Tasti Lee' were "highly compatible" and showed significant improvements in marketable yield when grafted. Additionally, when ranked by yield, differences between grafted and nongrafted populations suggest that relative compatibility may be inconsistent between varieties. However, a significant inverse relationship between the yield of the nongrafted plants and the percent yield benefit from grafting indicates that the effect of a rootstock like 'Maxifort' may not be synergistic, with higher performing nongrafted scion varieties benefitting less from grafting than lower performing varieties. 'Red Deuce' and 'BHN 589' are productive, and highly compatible grafted varieties with potential for commercial high tunnel production. 'Primo Red' benefitted the least from grafting but was the highest performing nongrafted variety (outperforming four of the grafted combinations). Compared to tomatoes, published reports on grafted peppers have been limited and it is unclear whether they provide any advantage in the absence of soilborne disease or environmental stress. Additionally, the use of rootstocks from other solanaceous species outside the Capsicum genus for pepper grafting has not been well explored, though the pool of available rootstock options for peppers would be substantially increased if such graft unions proved to be compatible. The goals of a second project were to identify the utility of grafted pepper (C. annum) plants for commercial high-tunnel production and to explore the potential for graft compatibility between the Capsicum and Solanum genera. We grafted 'Karisma' bell peppers onto two Solanum cultivars ('Maxifort' and 'Sweetie') and three pepper rootstocks ('Scarface', 'Meeting', and 'Yaocali'). Five trials were conducted in 2016-2017 and utilized a randomized complete block design in all locations. Plants grafted onto Solanum rootstocks displayed symptoms of delayed incompatibility, including significant (78%-89%) reductions in yield (by weight), 59%-93% less plant growth, and 58% less marketability, as well as malformations at the graft union and higher in-field mortality rates. These symptoms were likely due to differences in mature stem anatomy. Plants grafted to 'Scarface' produced 32% greater marketable yield, 15%-18% larger fruit, and 9-12% higher marketability than nongrafted 'Karisma'. The results for 'Yaocali' were similar to 'Scarface', though less conclusive. While 'Yaocali' and 'Scarface' rootstocks may be useful for improving yield in low-stress environments, the use of 'Meeting' may be more beneficial for combatting disease.
Growing tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is a challenge in the short, cool growing season of northwestern Washington. This study investigated two fertilizer sources, conventional and integrated poultry-manure fertilizer, and grafting for effects on growth, N content, yield and fruit quality of tomato grown in a high tunnel in northwestern Washington. Conventional fertilizer was applied at 112N-74P-47K and 356 Ca kg.ha-1 in 2015, and 112N-62P-43K and 288 Ca kg.ha-1 in 2016. Integrated fertilizer was composted poultry manure applied at 2.4 t.ha-1 in both growing seasons (application rates were 12N-58P-26K and 344 Ca kg.ha -1 in 2015, and 17N-61P-43K and 295 Ca kg.ha-1 in 2016), plus urea fertilizer at 90 kg.ha-1 N. Grafting treatments consisted of 'Panzer' tomato grafted on rootstocks 'Estamino', Maxifort', 'DRO138TX', or non-grafted (control). Conventional fertilizer and grafting increased growth of tomato plants compared to the integrated fertilizer, and non-grafted plants. Grafted plants showed higher nitrate-N than non-grafted plants. Total and marketable fruit weight was higher for grafted plants than for non-grafted plants in the second growing season. Total soluble solids (TSS) and lycopene content were higher with integrated fertilizer, and for fruit from grafted plants. The healing process after grafting is a key factor impacting grafted seedling survival. A greenhouse study investigated the effect of different light (0%, 25%, 50%) and relative humidity (RH) (50%, 100%) levels in the healing chamber environment on the grafting success and plant growth of solanaceous vegetable crops. Survival and growth of grafted plants was greatest when the healing chamber environment was 50% light and 100% RH. Tomato and pepper had 14% greater survival rate on average than eggplant. It is not as critical to control light level in a healing chamber, but RH level can have a significant impact on graft survival, and different solanaceous vegetable crops may have different optimal environments for graft healing.
Improving Stress Resilience in Plants: Physiological and Biochemical Basis and Utilization in Breeding addresses the urgent need for improved understanding of major plant stress tolerance mechanisms, the identification of the genes and gene products that are key to improving those mechanisms and means of optimizing those genes through molecular approaches. With a focus on plant physiological and biochemical attributes at both cellular and whole plant levels, this book includes the latest information on crosstalk between the various signaling molecules and quantitative trait locus (QTL). Further, it explores the extension of these mechanisms to breeding approaches, confirming overall understanding and inspiring further research. Written by a team of global experts, and presented in three thematic sections, the book provides insights into physical adaptations, metabolism and pathways, and breeding techniques including CRISPR and conventional approaches to reduce the negative effects of stresses and improve crop yield even under stress conditions. Improving Stress Resilience in Plants: Physiological and Biochemical Basis and Utilization in Breeding is ideal for researchers, academics and advanced students seeking to improve stress tolerance among crop plants and developing key future strategies for sustainable food production. Explores key strategies, including signaling molecules and Quantitative Trait Locus (QTLs) Highlights stress mitigating agents for improved crop yield Provides an integrated and holistic overview, enabling and inspiring further research toward improved food security
Oâ€"!ONNELL, SUZANNE. Grafted Tomato Performance in Organic Production Systems: Nutrient Uptake, Plant Growth, and Fruit Yield. (Under the direction of Mary M. Peet.) There are many inherent challenges with growing tomatoes in the Southeast which can be intensified under organic production. Cultivating tomatoes under high tunnel systems may offer a number of benefits and opportunities such as season extension, higher fruit quality, less foliar disease pressure, and protection from extreme weather events. Grafted plants may be uniquely suited to production in organic systems and also high tunnel environments due to their higher stress tolerance, increased crop longevity, more efficient fertilizer use, and soil borne disease resistance. The combination of growing high-value grafted crops under high tunnel structures is an innovative systems approach that can offer new economic opportunities, greater production stability, higher fruit quantity and quality. A baseline greenhouse study with conventional inputs was conducted in 2007, to evaluate the grafting effect on tomato plant growth and nutrient accumulation expressed in the leaf tissue. Grafting treatments included two scion-hybrid rootstock combinations Solanum lycopersicum L 'Trust' or 'German Johnson' grafted on Solanum lycopersicum L. xSolanum habrochaites S. Knapp & D.M. Spooner 'Maxifort', two self-grafted controls, and two non-grafted controls. Both shoot and root growth, were significantly higher in grafted treatments compared to non-grafted treatments. The leaf tissue nutrient concentrations were greater in grafted plants for: N, P, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, and B compared to non-grafted plants. Self-grafted controls had an intermediate values for selected plant growth and nutrient uptake compared to grafted and non-grafted treatments. Values were not different among scion cultivars. In 2007 and 2008, a systems comparison study was conducted at The Center for Environmental Farming Systems in Goldsboro, Nor.
Grafting with inter-specific hybrid rootstock is effective for tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) growers looking to reduce soilborne disease organically and increase fruit yield in the Southeastern US. However, production with grafted tomatoes has not been tested in the Great Plains region of the US. Small-acreage growers would like to produce grafted plants themselves, but many have difficulty with propagation due to water stress in the scion post-grafting and/or high temperatures within healing chambers. Growers may be able to reduce water stress post-grafting by removing the upper portion of the shoot to reduce leaf surface area, but no data exist on the potential effects of this practice on mature plant yield. Five high tunnel and one open-field study were conducted in 2011 and 2012 to investigate yield effects related to the use of two rootstocks and shoot removal during the grafting procedure. Grafting significantly increased fruit yield in five of the six trials (P
Vegetable grafting is a unique technology that can be easily adopted by growers to improve pest and disease resistance, provide abiotic stress tolerance, and increase marketable yields. The production of grafted vegetable transplants and their use in different production systems is increasing in North America. Tomatoes (S. lycopersicum L.) are currently the most popular grafted crop. The expansion of this technology relies on the availability of high-quality grafted tomato transplants as well as the ability of grafted plants to improve production and maintain or improve fruit quality for growers. The overall objectives of this dissertation were threefold: (i) to review the literature on tomato rootstock effects on tomato fruit quality (ii) to identify quality and performance impacts of grafted tomato transplants following abiotic stress from the supply chain (iii) investigate how rootstocks can influence the yield performance and fruit quality of a high-lycopene cultivar ('Tasti-Lee') grown in a high tunnel. The literature review found that changes in tomato fruit quality traits from rootstocks are wide-spread and highly subject to rootstock-scion and rootstock-scion-environment interactions. However, there are numerous reports that fruit from plants grafted to vigorous rootstocks have a larger average fruit size, lower soluble solid content (SSC), lower ascorbic acid (AsA) content, and higher titratable acidity (TA). Future investigations should focus on identifying the underlying mechanisms of fruit quality changes from grafting to tomato rootstocks. For the second objective, we found that exogenous ethylene exposure reduced chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm) and caused leaf epinasty of grafted seedlings. Yet, damaged plants recovered and had similar growth parameters to the control plants three weeks after transplanting. Non-ideal transportation conditions were also assessed by exposing plants to 35°C for 6 to 48 hours during long-distance (72-hr) transportation. Similarly, the plants experienced physiological stress as measured by Fv/Fm, but all plants survived transplanting and early growth was not impacted. In both of these experiments, grafted plants were able to better maintain Fv/Fm and reduce the severity of symptoms such as epinasty and succulent elongation compared to nongrafted plants. The results from this objective indicate that transplant quality can be negatively affected from the stress conditions tested, but early growth was not inhibited. These results also suggest that grafted plants may be able to better tolerate abiotic stress at the seedling stage compared to nongrafted plants. In regards to the third objective, a three-year high tunnel trial was conducted at the Olathe Horticulture Research and Extension Center to assess the yield and fruit quality impacts of five rootstocks grafted to the premium cultivar 'Tasti-Lee'. Fruit quality was determined by SSC, TA, antioxidant capacity, AsA content, lycopene content, carotenoid composition, and fruit firmness. Grafting with 'Maxifort', 'Fortamino', 'Estamino', and 'DRO-141-TX' significantly increased marketable yields by 31.5%-47% above non-grafted plants. Conversely, the rootstock 'RST-04-106-T' did not provide any yield benefit. All of the rootstocks increased the average fruit weight by 12%. 'RST-04-106-T' was the only rootstock that altered fruit quality. This rootstock produced fruit with the highest SSC which was significantly higher than fruit from the rootstock 'Maxifort.' Moreover, 'RST-04-106-T' altered the relative composition of carotenoids compared to the nongrafted treatment by limiting [beta]-carotene content in relation to the high lycopene concentrations. These results indicate that, with the proper rootstock selection, the cultivar 'Tasti-Lee' can be successfully integrated into high tunnel grafting systems without compromising its characteristic fruit quality attributes.
Offering detailed information on the production of 162 flower, herb, and vegetable crops, this essential resource for growers includes techniques and advice that work in real-life production, not just in the lab or trial greenhouse. Offered is information on how to decide what to grow, as well as tips about temperature, media, plant nutrition, irrigation, water quality, light, crop scheduling, and growth regulators. Details about propagation, growing, pest and disease control, troubleshooting, and post-harvest care are presented and arranged by genus name. Plants represented include annuals, perennials, pot foliage plants, flowering potted plants, herbs, and some vegetable bedding plants.
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.