Cantaloupe Production in California

Hartz, T.K.; Cantwell, Marita; Mickler, Jan; Mueller, Shannon; Stoddard, Scott; Turini, Tom

doi:10.3733/ucanr.7218

Cited by 17 publications

(14 citation statements)

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“…2.1). In California, cantaloupes are hand picked and packaged in the field and then brought in for cold storage (32). In 2002, California harvested 54,900 acres of cantaloupes (58).…”

Section: Cantaloupe Growth and Harvestmentioning

confidence: 99%

Washing Practices on the Microflora on Georgia-Grown Cantaloupes

Akins

Harrison

Hurst

2008

Journal of Food Protection

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In recent years, several foodborne illness outbreaks have been associated with the consumption of cantaloupe. Cantaloupes can be contaminated with pathogens anywhere from the field to the packing line. In the United States, cantaloupes are handled and packed differently in each state. Georgia-grown cantaloupes are brought to sheds, washed, and packed, whereas California-grown cantaloupes are field packed. In this study, the microbiological status of cantaloupes produced by four Georgia growers that use various washing and packing practices was assessed to determine the influence of these different practices. The facilities were visited four times during the harvest season. Aerobic bacteria, Escherichia coli, and coliforms on these Georgia-grown cantaloupes were enumerated in transport trailers, after washing, and after packing. Samples also were analyzed for the presence of Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7. In sheds 1 and 4, a chlorinated dump tank was used to wash melons. In sheds 2 and 3, heated water with chlorine was used in the dump tanks. Although there was a significant reduction (P < 0.05) in the populations of the aerobic bacteria and E. coli between the transport trailer and the dump tank for sheds 1 and 4, the reduction was less than 0.5 log CFU/cm2. The temperatures of the water in the dump tanks at sheds 2 and 3 were not high enough to effectively reduce the microbial populations evaluated. Populations on the melons increased slightly (< 0.5 log CFU/cm2) after the melons were removed from the dump tank, suggesting possible contamination after washing.

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“…2.1). In California, cantaloupes are hand picked and packaged in the field and then brought in for cold storage (32). In 2002, California harvested 54,900 acres of cantaloupes (58).…”

Section: Cantaloupe Growth and Harvestmentioning

confidence: 99%

Washing Practices on the Microflora on Georgia-Grown Cantaloupes

Akins

Harrison

Hurst

2008

Journal of Food Protection

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“…Synthetic fertilizer (N:P:K = 15:15:15) was applied in the CON and ICM systems at a rate of 1130 kg ha −1 and an organic fertilizer consisting of 50:50 composted yard waste and chicken manure ( N = 1.7%, P = 2.2%, K = 1.43%; C:N = 10:1) was applied in the ORG system at a rate of 5 t ha −1 2 wk before the lettuce crop and 4 wk before the cantaloupe crop. The University of California recommended rates for N and P in the low desert of southern California are 150 kg ha −1 N and 290 kg ha −1 P for lettuce and 130 kg ha −1 N and 120 kg ha −1 P for cantaloupe (Jackson et al, 2003; Hartz et al, 2008). The soil K levels are usually sufficient for lettuce and cantaloupe production in the low desert (Hartz et al, 2008).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The University of California recommended rates for N and P in the low desert of southern California are 150 kg ha −1 N and 290 kg ha −1 P for lettuce and 130 kg ha −1 N and 120 kg ha −1 P for cantaloupe (Jackson et al, 2003; Hartz et al, 2008). The soil K levels are usually sufficient for lettuce and cantaloupe production in the low desert (Hartz et al, 2008). After application, beds were reshaped for transplanting, except for the CPM plots.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Summer Cover Crop and Management System affect Lettuce and Cantaloupe Production System

et al. 2008

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A gronomy J our n al • Volume 10 0 , I s sue 6 • 2 0 0 8 1587 C over cropping is an essential component of many production systems. Cover crops are any ground covers grown to add N and organic matter into the soil, suppress pest populations, and reduce soil erosion and nutrient leaching (Creamer and Baldwin, 2000;Aguiar et al., 2001;Hartwig and Ammon, 2002;Hutchinson and McGiff en, 2000). Th ese species and management practices need to be carefully chosen to optimize the benefi ts and yield of cash crops (Al-Khatib et al., 1997;Scott and Knudsen, 1999).Cover crops may aff ect nutrient availability in subsequent cash crops (Cookson et al., 1998). Residue decomposition modeling has been useful for establishing patterns of nutrient release and plant demand (Myers et al., 1997). Carefully scheduled cover crops can enhance N uptake and increase the yield of cash crops (Th orup-Kristensen, 2006). If a cover crop produces large amounts of biomass and is not given suffi cient time to decompose, nutrients immobilized in the cover crop residue may not be available at the early growth stages of the following cash crops. Th e following cash crop yield could also be reduced due to an allelopathic eff ect of cover crop residues (Kessavalou and Walters, 1997;Weston et al., 1989).Th erefore, careful cover crop management is required for optimal yield of cash crops.Cover crops may also aff ect weed density in the following cash crops. Appropriate use of cover crops can reduce weed populations and the amount of inputs required for weed control (Teasdale, 1996;Caamal-Maldonado et al., 2001). In addition, using cover crops as surface mulches in reduced tillage systems may alter weed population dynamics (Burgos and Talbert, 1996;Hutchinson and McGiff en, 2000;Buhler, 1995). Cover crop and cash crop management can be especially critical during transition from conventional to organic farming system as changes in plant species diversity and species composition may occur during organic transition (Hald, 1999;Ngouajio et al., 2003).A typical crop rotation in the low desert of California and Arizona is a cool-season vegetable crop in the fall and a warmseason crop in the spring. Many vegetable growers fallow their fi eld during the hot summer months, providing an excellent window to grow warm-season cover crops that are adapted to the intense desert heat. Sudangrass and cowpea are adapted to tropical conditions, tolerate high temperatures, and can produce high biomass in a short period (Creamer and Baldwin, 2000). Additionally, both cowpea and sudangrass can reduce weed populations for the rotation crops (Ngouajio et al., 2003). Th e combination of pest suppression and N fi xation from cowpea is especially useful in organic production systems where no synthetic pesticides and N fertilizers can be used.We investigate the potential of cowpea and sudangrass cover crops for improvement of a lettuce-cantaloupe rotation system in the low desert of southern California. Cover crops were evaluated for their eff ects on soil temperature, N availabi...

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“…Micro-plots had been fallow before the trial started and would not have much residual N. Therefore, we expected the plants to respond to the nutrient input in the form of castor meal. For melon, the level of nitrogen has more influence on the growth and yield than any other single plant nutrient (Hartz et al, 2008).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of castor meal on root-knot and free-living nematodes

Ritzinger

Ley

Ploeg

et al. 2014

Sci. agric. (Piracicaba, Braz.)

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Soil amendment may enhance soil quality as well as reduce plant-parasitic nematode. Despite the many applications already undertaken using castor meal, its efficiency in controlling root-knot nematodes (RKN, Meloidogyne incognita) when applied to melon (Cucumis melo) is still not clear. Three different amounts of castor meal (Ricinus communis) applied were evaluated in microplots planted with melon either with or without RKN. The impact of castor meal on soil free-living nematode communities was also determined. Total nematode genera richness was estimated as 37 for the entire set of microplots sampled across both sampling dates. Rarefaction analysis resulted in 12 collector's curves out of the total of 30 that reached the horizontal asymptote. Univariate ANOVA with two factors yielded differences (p ≤ 0.05) only with regard to the time factor. Simpson, Shannon, Evenness and Equitability indices showed a trend toward moderate increases by the end of the experiment, while the other indices were higher for tomato in pre-transplant sampling compared to harvest. Nematode community and diversity changed during the course of the experiment, although there was substantial confounding heterogeneity within and between the factorial combinations from the beginning. Root knot population was not reduced by the castor meal but increased throughout the period, regardless of treatment. RKN reduced melon yield, number and weight of melon.

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Cantaloupe Production in California

Cited by 17 publications

References 0 publications

Washing Practices on the Microflora on Georgia-Grown Cantaloupes

Washing Practices on the Microflora on Georgia-Grown Cantaloupes

Summer Cover Crop and Management System affect Lettuce and Cantaloupe Production System

Impact of castor meal on root-knot and free-living nematodes

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