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Production of witloof chicory (Cichorium intybus) roots for chicons or for inulin is typically a northern U. S. or European enterprise. Although chicons (Belgian endive) command a high market price, nearly all are imported from Europe. If appropriate cultivars and optimum summer growing conditions can be identified, Tennessee's mild winters may permit relatively low cost forcing techniques. Studies with these objectives were initiated in 1992 at two locations using six cultivars, two planting dates and two within row plant densities. Root yields varied from 13 to 40 Mg·ha-1 between locations and among cultivars. Incidence of bolting was greater than 50% for the earliest maturing cultivar, `Daliva', but less than 5% for the late maturing cultivar, `Rinof', at the warmer experimental site (Knoxville, elev. 251m). No bolting of any cultivar occurred at the cooler experimental site (Crossville, elev. 549m). Data on yield and quality of forced chicons and nitrate content of edible leaf tissue will be presented.
The protocol for agent training has always been for extension specialists to train agents within the same state in each aspect of agriculture. However, with ubiquitous cutbacks among universities, and extension in particular, it is no longer feasible for every state to provide expertise in each field. Consequently, agents cannot receive training in some specialized fields. With a partnership agreement from the USDA Risk Management Agency, the Greenhouse Tomato Short Course in Jackson, Miss., provided training for five to seven agents from each state in the region: Louisiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Mississippi. Funding was made available to cover travel expenses, registration, and a resource notebook for 25 agents. As a result, these agents took part in 3 days of intensive training seminars, as well as a 1-day tour of greenhouses. Invited speakers from around the United States spoke to these agents, as well as current and prospective commercial growers from all over the United States. Topics included basics of producing a commercial crop of hydroponic greenhouse tomatoes, budget for establishing and operating a greenhouse business, marketing and promotion, principles of risk management, pest and disease identification and management, grower's point of view, heating, cooling, and ventilation of greenhouses, new technologies, diagnostics, recent research in greenhouse production, and alternative crops (lettuce, peppers, mini-cucumbers, galia melons, baby squash) for the greenhouse. With this training, agents from throughout the south-central region returned to their offices with the skills to assist growers in their counties to succeed in the hydroponic greenhouse tomato business. Complete information on the short course can be found at www.greenhousetomatosc.com.
`White Half Runner' is a popular green bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivar in the southern Appalachian region of the United States. The cultivar is highly susceptible to rust and virus diseases. Nine breeding lines with `White Half Runner' parentage were compared to `White Half Runner' for rust tolerance, yield, and pod quality in 1998 and 1999 field trials at Crossville, Tenn. The BelTenn selections were developed by USDA plant breeders and the UT selections were developed by University of Tennessee plant breeders. Selections `BelTenn-RR-2', `BelTenn 4-12028', `BelTenn 4-12046', `BelTenn 4-12053', `BelTenn 5-2717' and `UT-96-3' were resistant to rust. Only `UT 96-4' had lower yields than `White Half Runner' in 1999. The BelTenn lines had slightly smaller pods, and the UT selections had larger and rougher pods than `White Half Runner'. `BelTenn-RR-2' wasreleased in 1995 as a breeding line with rust resistance and pod quality similar to `White Half Runner'. Further selection of BelTenn-RR-2 by a private seed company led to the naming of a cultivar named `Volunteer White Half Runner'.
Tomatoes and sweet corn grew and produced equally well under no-tillage and conventional tillage methods in 1989. Simulated rainfall was applied through an overhead irrigation system four times during the growing period with 2.8 cm of water applied during each event. Total solids in collected runoff water were higher with conventional tillage than with no-tillage. Residue levels of atrazine, metolachlor, mancozeb, esfenvalerate, metribuzin, and metalaxyl and concentrations of N, P, and K in runoff water were determined and varied with runoff event, pesticide, nutrient, crop, and tillage method.
`Silver Queen', `Incredible', and `Challenger' sweet corn (Zea mays L.) cultivars were evaluated at different nitrogen (N) fertilization rates at Springfield, Tenn., in 1993, 1994, and 1995. `Incredible' was more productive than `Silver Queen' and `Challenger'. Of the three cultivars, `Silver Queen' had the tallest plants, longest ears, and most attractive ears. Nitrogen fertilization rates were 0, 50, 100, and 150 (100 lb/acre at planting and 50 lb/acre sidedressed) lb/acre (0,56, 112, and 168 kg·ha-1). The 100 lb/acre rate of N applied at planting appeared to be sufficient for producing sweet corn in soils with an annual cropping frequency. Height of plants and ear diameters were larger at the higher fertilization rates, but differences among treatments were not great and were usually not significant. The cultivars of different genetic types did not differ in response to N fertilization rates. Cultivar × year interactions were significant for most factors evaluated, but most other interactions were not significant.