Living Mulches For Organic Farming Systems

Leary, James J.; DeFrank, J.

doi:10.21273/horttech.10.4.692

Cited by 32 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…This indicates the difficulty of sig nifi cant ly increasing the soil humic acid con tent by ap pli ca tions of commercial humic ac ids, since large amounts are naturally present. As alternatives to commercial humic ac ids, applications of compost or cover crop ping, in general, can significantly increase soil organic matter and crop yields (Gaskell et al, 2000;Leary and DeFrank, 2000;Roe, 1998;Sainju and Singh, 1997). Applications of compost or cover cropping can also result in other benefits such as substituting for chem i cal fertilizer (Gaskell et al, 2000;Roe, 1998;Sainju and Singh, 1997) and suppressing nematodes (Ingham et al, 1999) and diseases (Davis et al, 1996;Hoitink et al, 1997), which enhance their economic efficiency.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nonconventional Additives Leave Onion Yield and Quality Unchanged

Feibert¹,

Shock²,

Saunders³

2003

HortSci

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Eleven treatments in 1999 and thirteen treatments in 2000 containing single or combined nonconventional additives from eight manufacturers were compared with an untreated check for their effect on onion (Alliumcepa L.) yield and quality, and for their economic efficiency. The nonconventional additives were tested at commercial rates using the methods of application provided by the manufacturers. The products were applied to soil, foliage, or both. The treatments, including the check, were incorporated into standard cultural practices for onions. All treatments (with exception of an organic fertilizer treatment), including the check, were fertilized based on soil tests. In both years, none of the products evaluated significantly increased onion yield or quality compared to the untreated check. The organic fertilizer treatment, tested in 1999 only, resulted in significantly lower onion yield and size compared to the check. At the application rates used in this study, most of the products supplied plant nutrients or humic acid in amounts insufficient to expect improvements in crop production.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nonconventional Additives Leave Onion Yield and Quality Unchanged

Feibert¹,

Shock²,

Saunders³

2003

HortSci

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“…To date, there are divergent opinions on the effects of plant coverings on yielding. Beneficial crop-forming effect of organic mulch has been shown in the cultivation of garlic [19], sweet pepper [20], eggplant [21], broccoli [22], cabbage [23], carrot [24] and tomato [22,25,26]. There are also examples of lowering the yields in cultivation with green litter compared to the traditional cultivation of eggplant [27], zucchini [28], and celery [29].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of Catch Crops on Yield and Chemical Composition of Winter Garlic Grown for Bunch Harvesting

et al. 2020

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The cultivation of catch crops left on the surface of the field in the form of mulch promotes sustainable farming practices, while protecting the biodiversity of agricultural landscape. The paper presents results of research from 2013–2016, aimed at determining the usefulness of catch crops of millet, buckwheat, white mustard, bird’s-foot and Egyptian clover for soil mulching in winter garlic cultivation. The effect of soil litter on the amount of garlic crop in cultivation for bunch harvest and nutritional value determined by chemical composition of edible parts was determined. In the edible part of garlic, the content of dry matter, total and reducing sugars, L-ascorbic acid, total ash, crude fiber, phenolic acids and essential oil was evaluated. The control consisted of plots without mulch plants. In the cultivation of garlic under organic mulch, there was no decrease in commercial yield and no negative competitive effect on yielding. Garlic plants cultivated with mulch plants were characterized by increased height and developed more leaves. The catch crops used in the form of mulch did not affect the dry matter and total ash content in garlic bulbs. In the cultivation with plant litter, the concentration of phenolic acids and essential oil in the leaves was higher and the content of crude fiber was lower, compared to the cultivation without litter. Biomass from catch crops from clover and mustard increased the content of L-ascorbic acid, at the same time reducing the content of total and reducing sugars in the edible part of garlic, except for mulch plants of the bean family. The chemical composition of garlic was affected by different thermal and precipitation conditions in the years of research. In 2016, the year with the highest total rainfall, plants accumulated more dry matter, L-ascorbic acid as well as total and reducing sugars than in 2014 and 2015, years with less rainfall. Our research indicates that there are prospects for practical application of catch crops in the form of mulch for garlic cultivation to enhance the level of nutrients, without compromising the yield.

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“…After ploughing, plants used as mulches are a valuable source of organic substances and nutrients [Havlin et al 1990]. In the worldwide literature there are examples of no influence of organic mulches on yield quantity in cultivation of aubergine [Leary and DeFrank 2000], tomato [Marinari et al 2015] and cabbage [Brainard et al 2004], as well as the decrease in yield of courgette [Walters and Young 2008] and celery [Krygier 2011]. Some authors associate the effect of lower yield of plants cultivated with mulch with the disadvantageous weather course, as in favorable weather conditions the mentioned yield reductions are relatively low [Belz 2007].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Possibilities to Improve Soil Physical Properties in Garlic Cultivation With Cover Crops as Living Mulches

Sałata¹,

Moreno-Ramón

Ibáñez-Asensio

et al. 2017

Acta Sci. Pol. Hortorum Cultus

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The cultivation system with cover crops as living mulches is growing in importance in the worldwide agriculture as it combines an economical effect with pro-ecological and soil protecting activities. The plant species tested in the research were not frost resistant: buckwheat, millet, white mustard and berseem clover. A control were the plots without cover crops. The intercrops were sown in the first decade of August, in autumn a grown biomass was a living mulch, and after being damaged by frost in spring, the mulch was covering ground surface. Winter garlic bulbs were planted in grown biomass of cover plants, in the first decade of September. In the first decade of November and in the first decade of April, the selected soil parameters were determined in the soil layer of 0-10 cm: actual soil moisture (%), soil bulk density (Mg • m-3), total porosity (%) and water stability of soil aggregates (%). The harvest of garlic was conducted in the first decade of July. Cover crops mulches had an influence on soil physical properties. In spring, the soil from plots with cover crops mulching characterized with the highest moisture, higher total porosity and soil aggregates stability as well as lower soil bulk density. In comparison to the control cultivation of winter garlic, without cover crops, the effect of plants used for mulching on marketable yield was not observed. Garlic plants intercropped with the white mustard mulch formed leaves and bulbs of higher weight in comparison to cultivation without cover crops.

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Living Mulches For Organic Farming Systems

Cited by 32 publications

References 42 publications

Nonconventional Additives Leave Onion Yield and Quality Unchanged

Nonconventional Additives Leave Onion Yield and Quality Unchanged

Influence of Catch Crops on Yield and Chemical Composition of Winter Garlic Grown for Bunch Harvesting

Possibilities to Improve Soil Physical Properties in Garlic Cultivation With Cover Crops as Living Mulches

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