Fresh-market Tomato Production in a Low-input Alternative System Using Cover-crop Mulch

Abdul‐Baki, Aref A.; Teasdale, John R.; Korcak, R. F.; Chitwood, David J.; Huettel, R. N.

doi:10.21273/hortsci.31.1.65

Cited by 86 publications

(64 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…This is consistent with previous literature supporting the extended harvest periods with conservation systems and cover crops 11,15,37 . This is consistent with previous literature supporting the extended harvest periods with conservation systems and cover crops 11,15,37 .…”

Section: Yearsupporting

confidence: 93%

Net returns and risk for cover crop use in Alabama tomato production

Duzy

Kornecki

Balkcom

et al. 2013

Renew. Agric. Food Syst.

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Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) producers are faced with uncertain yields and prices, and utilizing a production system that will reduce risk while maintaining yield may keep tomato producers economically sustainable into the future. A conservation tillage production system with high biomass cover crops may be an economically viable alternative for tomato producers in Alabama. The objective of this study was to compare the economics of alternative production systems using different cover crops, such as cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) and crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.), and different subsoiler shanks for fresh-market tomato production relative to a commonly used plastic mulch system to determine the preferred treatment. Gross revenues and net returns from tomato production using a rye cover crop were higher than tomato production using plastic mulch in 2 of the 4 years. For the clover cover crop, gross revenues and net returns were higher in 1 out of the 4 years. Under tomato prices and weather conditions observed during 2005-2008, the preferred treatment for a risk neutral producer was planting tomatoes into a rye cover crop with a wide shank. For a strongly risk averse producer, all cover crop treatments were preferred to plastic mulch. The use of a cover crop in tomato production has the potential to be an equally profitable, less risky alternative to plastic mulch in Alabama.

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Section: Yearsupporting

confidence: 93%

Net returns and risk for cover crop use in Alabama tomato production

Duzy

Kornecki

Balkcom

et al. 2013

Renew. Agric. Food Syst.

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“…Cover crop use in cooler climates may slow soil warming and delay crop production (Abdul-Baki et al 1996;Hutchinson and McGiffen 2000;Knavel and Herron 1986;Masiunas et al 1995). Cover crops may also increase water use in areas with limited rainfall.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Competitiveness of Three Leguminous Cover Crops with Yellow Nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus) and Smooth Pigweed (Amaranthus hybridus)

et al. 2007

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Greenhouse replacement-series experiments were conducted to evaluate the competitiveness of cowpea, sunn hemp, and velvetbean when grown in combination with yellow nutsedge and smooth pigweed. The effect of the cover crop species on yellow nutsedge tuber production was also evaluated. Cowpea and velvetbean were equally competitive with yellow nutsedge, but sunn hemp was less competitive. Although sunn hemp height was double that of cowpea or velvetbean, photosynthetically active radiation penetrating to the soil surface was twofold to eightfold greater than with the other two species. Leaf area per plant with sunn hemp monocultures were only 63 to 70% of cowpea and 37 to 41% of velvetbean. Increasing the proportion of cover crops in crop : weed mixtures did not significantly affect nutsedge tuber number per plant or tuber weight per plant. Cowpea was more competitive than smooth pigweed, whereas both sunn hemp and velvetbean were less competitive than smooth pigweed. The utility and efficacy of leguminous cover crop species for nutsedge and smooth pigweed suppression do not appear to be due to inherent competitiveness. Until cultivars that are more competitive become available, cultural measures should be employed that enhance cover crop modification of soil environmental conditions to minimize weed seed germination and vegetative propagule sprouting.

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“…Aref Abdul‐Baki, of the Sustainable Agricultural Systems Laboratory at Beltsville, and colleagues at Beltsville and Homestead, Florida, are examining the biological response of nematodes in cropping systems involving cover crops, conventional tillage or polyethylene mulches. Despite concerns that nematodes could reproduce on hairy vetch planted in the fall, nematode population levels did not increase to levels higher than those seen with other treatments 27. Current research involves root‐knot nematode‐resistant leguminous cover crops.…”

Section: Interaction Of Nematode Biology and Management Practicesmentioning

confidence: 93%

Research on plant‐parasitic nematode biology conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service

Chitwood

2003

Pest Management Science

310

182

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The recent de-registration of several chemical nematicides and the impending loss of methyl bromide from the pest-control market necessitate the development of new methods for controlling nematode-induced crop damage. One approach for developing novel target-specific controls is by exploiting fundamental differences between the biological processes of nematodes and their host plants. Researchers of the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) of the US Department of Agriculture are actively exploring these differences. Research accomplishments include the discovery of heat shock protein genes possibly involved in developmental arrest of the soybean cyst nematode, the identification of neuropeptides and female-specific proteins in the soybean cyst nematode, the disruption of nematode reproduction with inhibitors of nematode sterol metabolism, the development of novel morphological and molecular (heat shock protein genes and the D3 segment of large subunit ribosomal DNA) features useful for nematode identification and classification, and the elucidation of the population genetics of potato cyst nematode pathotypes. In addition, several ARS researchers are investigating biological determinants of nematode response to management strategies utilized in agricultural fields. These collective efforts should lead to new chemical and non-chemical alternatives to conventional nematode control strategies.

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Fresh-market Tomato Production in a Low-input Alternative System Using Cover-crop Mulch

Cited by 86 publications

References 14 publications

Net returns and risk for cover crop use in Alabama tomato production

Net returns and risk for cover crop use in Alabama tomato production

Competitiveness of Three Leguminous Cover Crops with Yellow Nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus) and Smooth Pigweed (Amaranthus hybridus)

Research on plant‐parasitic nematode biology conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service

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