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- Author or Editor: Robert J. Dufault x
The first objective of this paper is to review and characterize the published research in refereed journals pertaining to the nutritional practices used to grow vegetable transplants. The second objective is to note those studies that indicated a direct relationship between transplant nutritional practices and field performance. The third objective is to suggest some approaches that are needed in future vegetable transplant nutrition research. Even after review of the plethora of available information in journals, it is not possible to summarize the one best way to grow any vegetable transplant simply because of many interacting and confounding factors that moderate the effects of nutritional treatments. It is, however, important to recognize that all these confounding factors must be considered when developing guidelines for producing transplants. After thorough review of this information, it is concluded that transplant nutrition generally has a long term effect on influencing yield potential. Therefore, derivation of a nutritional regime to grow transplants needs to be carefully planned. It is hoped that the information that follows can be used to help guide this process.
The purpose of this 5-year study was to investigate the effects of different cutting pressures (3, 6, 9, or 12 spears/plant) on aspargus harvested in spring or forced in July or August. `UC 157 F1' seedlings were transplanted in 1987 and clear-cut harvested1 from 1989 to 1993. Forcing plots were not spring-harvested, but allowed to produce fern in spring. Summer spear production was forced by mowing all fern and stalks at ground level on the 1st day of each forcing month. Harvested spears were graded and harvesting ended if either 1) 80% of the plants within each plot reached cutting pressure treatment levels or 2) 30 harvests had elapsed: Yields in 1989 were highest and equivalent for the following: spring-harvested at 9 to 12 spears/plant, July-forced at 12 spears/plant, or August-forced at 9 spears/plant. In 1991, forcing in July at 12 spears/plant yielded more than harvesting in spring or August at all cutting pressures. In 1993, August forcing at 9 to 12 spears/plant produced the highest yields with significantly lower yields from July forcing at all cutting pressures. The 1993 spring yields were very poor due to plant death. Stand losses from 1988 to 1993 were 60%, 40%, and 30% in spring, July and August plots, respectively. Cumulative yields over the 5-year-period were greatest and equivalent for July forcing at 12 spears/plant and August forcing at 9 to 12 spears/plant.
The objective of this study was to determine the effect of cutting pressures on fern and crown growth of spring- and summer-harvested asparagus (Asparagus officinalis). Two-year-old `UC 157 F1' asparagus seedlings, grown outdoors in 57-liter pots, were harvested for the first time in spring (Mar. 1988) or summer (July 1988) at cutting pressures of three, six, nine, or 12 spears/plant. Fern was mowed to encourage spear emergence in summer. Cutting pressures had no effect on spear diameter in either season. Summer harvesting required 52% less time to complete than spring harvesting. Fern of spring-harvested plants lived 63 days longer than fern emerging after summer harvests; cutting pressure had no effect on fern lifespan. By Nov. 1988, crown quality and growth, harvest times, and storage root carbohydrates were similar among all cutting pressures; however, carbohydrate content was higher in summer-harvested than spring-harvested crowns. Crowns were cold-stored during Winter 1988 and planted in the field in Spring 1989. Plants harvested in Summer 1988 produced 21% more fern in Summer 1989 than those harvested in Spring 1988. Fern production in 1989 was similar for all cutting pressures.
Short productive lifespan is a major problem with asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.), whether harvested in the spring or forced in late summer in coastal South Carolina. A modification of the Taiwanese system of mother stalk (MS) culture might enhance asparagus longevity and yield. The objective of this research was to determine if modified MS culture improved plant survival and yields in spring or summer-forced harvests compared with conventional spring clear-cut (CC) harvesting or with nonconventional summer-forced CC harvesting. `Jersey Giant' asparagus was harvested for 3 years (1994-96) using the following harvest systems: 1) spring CC (normal emergence in February in this location); 2) spring MS followed by summer MS (mow fern down on 1 Aug. and establish new mothers); 3) spring MS only; 4) summer CC only (mow fern on 1 Aug. and harvest); and 5) summer MS only. All systems were harvested for ≈7 weeks. All MS plots produced 40 mother stalks per 12-m row length each year before harvesting began. All mother stalks were trellised and tied to prevent lodging. Three-year total yields (kg·ha-1) and stand reduction (%) for nonharvested controls, spring CC harvesting, spring MS culture, spring MS combined with summer MS, summer CC, and summer MS were: 0 and 54%, 1621 and 96%, 779 and 99%, 1949 and 86%, 4001 and 58%, 3945 and 58%, respectively. All spring harvesting systems failed because by midsummer, aged fern, harvest pressures, and, apparently, higher rates of crown respiration reduced crown carbohydrate reserves. Yearly repetition of these stresses ultimately killed the spring-harvested plants. The MS culture did not ameliorate stand loss by significantly increasing carbohydrate reserves. Yields of summer-forced asparagus were consistently acceptable because aged ferns were removed at about the time they apparently became inefficient photosynthetically. After termination of the summer harvest season and with recovery in the following spring, ample carbohydrates were produced well before summer forcing began again in August the following year. Therefore, plant longevity was better sustained by summer forcing than by traditional spring harvesting.
Tomato (L.ycopersicon esculentum Mill.) seedlings were nutritionally conditioned with solutions containing factorial combinations of N at 25, 75, and 225 mg·liter -1, P at 5, 15, and 45 mg·liter-1, and K at 25, 75, and 225 mg·liter -1 to determine the effect of nutritional regimes on tomato transplant growth and quality. As N increased from 25 to 225 mg·liter-1, fresh shoot weight, plant height, stem diameter, leaf number, leaf area, shoot and root dry weights, and total chlorophyll increased. Nitrogen accounted for the major source of variation. Phosphorus effects were significant only in 1988; Pat 45 mg·liter-1 increased fresh shoot weight, plant height, stem diameter, leaf number, and leaf area in comparison to 5 and 15 mg·liter -1. Potassium did not significantly influence any of the growth variables measured in the study. For quality transplant production, nutrient solutions should contain at least N at 225 mg·liter-1, P at 45 mg·liter-1, and K at 25 mg·liter-1.
Cantaloupe seedlings may be repeatedly exposed in the field soon after transplanting to temperatures alternating between almost freezing and optimal temperatures. In the first year of a 2-year study, `Athena' cantaloupe seedlings were exposed in walk-in coolers to temperatures cycling from 2 °C for 3, 6, and 9 hours daily to 25 °C for the rest of the 24-h period. Cold stress was repeated for 1, 3, 6, and 9 days before field planting. In the second year, transplants were exposed to 2 °C for 3, 6, and 9 hours for 3, 6, and 9 days before field transplanting. The objective of this study was to determine the long-term effect of early season cold temperature exposure on seedling growth, earliness, yield and quality by simulating the cold/warm alternations possible in the field in coolers. Cold-stressed transplants were planted in the field after all risk of ambient cold stress was negligible. In both years, exposure to cycling cold temperatures generally did not effect total productivity and fruit quality, although seedling growth characteristics were reduced in response to longer cold-stress treatments. In the second year, early yield was reduced by exposure to increasing hours of cold stress, but this was not significant in the first year. Therefore, cold temperature stresses occurring in the field at transplanting have negligible effect on yield potential of `Athena' cantaloupe.
Watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb) Matsum. & Nakai.] seedlings may be repeatedly exposed to temperatures alternating between almost freezing and optimum soon after field transplanting. `Carnival', `Crimson Sweet', `Millionaire' and `Crimson Trio' watermelon transplants were exposed to cold temperature stress at 2 ± 1 °C in a walk-in cooler and then to 29 ± 5 °C in a greenhouse immediately before field planting to simulate temperature alternations that may occur after field transplanting. Cold-stressed transplants were field planted after all risk of ambient cold stress passed. In 1998, transplants were exposed to 2 °C from 9 hours to 54 hours, and in 1999 from 9 to 81 hours. Early yields of all cultivars, except Carnival, significantly decreased with increasing hours of cold stress in both years. Total yields of `Carnival' decreased linearly in both years with a 10% yield reduction occurring from 14 to 15 hours of cold stress. `Crimson Sweet' yields were reduced in 1999 only, with 16 hours of cold stress reducing yield 10%.
Excessive cutting pressure (CP) early in the lifespan of an asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) plantation may weaken and reduce yields and quality. The objective of this research was to determine how increasing CP affects yield, quality, and survival of spring-harvested and summer-forced asparagus. `Jersey Gem' asparagus was harvested for 4 years (1999–2002) in spring or summer-forced on 1 Aug. using the following CP (weeks/year from 1st to 4th years, respectively): 2, 3, 4, 6 (low), 3, 4, 5, 7 (medium), and 4, 5, 8, 10 (high). In all harvest years, as CP increased, marketable number and weight increased. Yield in spring harvest seasons significantly increased with each increase in CP. In summer, yield significantly increased only when high CP was used with equivalent yields at low and medium CP. With summer forcing, there were 48% and 55% fewer large spears at medium and high CP, respectively, compared to the same CP used during spring harvest seasons. Stands tended to decrease with CP from 1997 to 2003, but these differences were not significant and not severe enough to kill the plants. Yearly root fructose concentrations (RFC) with all CP increased yearly from 1999 to 2001 and plateaued from 2002 to 2003. From 1999 to 2002, RFC increased 53%, 27%, 13%, and 13% in unharvested control, low, medium, and high CP, respectively, indicating that with a greater CP, RFC decreased. RFC in summer-forced asparagus was significantly less than spring-harvested in 83% of all sample months. RFC in spring-harvested asparagus was similar to unharvested asparagus in February, March, April, November, and December; however, in all other sample months, spring-harvested RFC was significantly lower than unharvested control plants. The highest CP scheme is appropriate for spring-harvested asparagus based on greatest marketable yields and acceptable cull losses. For summer-forced asparagus, the lowest CP scheme is more appropriate based on acceptable marketable yields and to avoid undue plant stress verified by unacceptably large cull losses mostly attributed to spindly spear size and lower RFC.