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Trenches 0, 25 and SO cm deep (d) and 15, 30 and 45 cm wide (w) were dug, refilled, and bedded-over in 1985. Tomatoes were planted in 1985, `86 and `88. Daorganite processed sludge was initially applied broadcast; in 50 cm deep × 45 cm wide trenches; and in 45 cm wide strips on beds, and rototilled 10 cm deep at rates of 0, 6.7, 13.4, and 26.8 t/ha. Three subsequent annual applications were strip rototilled at 0.5x the above rates to determine effects of initial and residual rates on tomato yields. In 1989, 0 and 9 t/ha of Daorganite or Bedminster Bioconversions compost were applied in trenches 0, 12.5, 25 or 50 cm deep and 45 cm wide; and 0, 6.7, or 13.4 t/ha of each were strip rototilled. Inorganic fert. was applied at approx. 0.5x recommended rate. Yields of large and marketable fruit increased with increasing depth and width of trenches. Tomatoes responded best to 6.7 and 13.4 t/ha annual sludge applications, and to rototilled strips or trench placements of sludge. Yields of large and marketable fruit increased with increasing depth of trenches. Yields were higher with 9 t/ha sludge in trenches plus 6.7 or 13.4 t/ha sludge strip rototilled, and with 13.4 t/ha of either sludge or compost strip rototilled in the bed.
The effects of amending soil with municipal soil waste (MSW) on growth, yield and heavy metal content of tomato were tested with different irrigation rates. The following MSW materials were incorporated into oolitic limestone soil: 1) Agrisoil compost (composted trash), 2) Daorganite compost (sewage sludge), 3) Eweson (composted trash and sewage sludge), and 4) no MSW (control). Two rates (high and low) were applied to the soil for each compost. There were no significant effects of irrigation rate on any of the variables tested for tomato in 1991 or 1992. Therefore, the lowest irrigation rate appeared to be adequate for optimum tomato production. Plants grown in Daorganite at the lowest rate of 8 t/ha had greater growth and yield than plants grown in the other MSW materials or the control. Agrisoil and Eweson composts did not increase growth or yield, which may have been due to suboptimal application rates of these materials. There were no differences in the concentration of heavy metals in fruit or leaves among MSW materials or rates. MSW rate generally had no effect on root heavy metal concentration, except for Eweson where the high rate resulted in a higher root zinc concentration than the low rate. There were signifant differences in root concentrations of lead, zinc, and copper among MSW materials. Leaf concentrations of all heavy metals tested were within normal ranges for tomato.
The effects of amending soil with processed municipal waste (PMW), and the interaction of PMW with trenching, irrigation rates, and fertilizer rates on growth, and yield of tomato plants were tested. In a series of experiments, two rates of each of the following PMWs were incorporated into calcareous limestone soil: 1) Agrisoil (processed trash), 2) Daorganite (processed sewage sludge), 3) Eweson compost (processed trash and sludge), and 4) no PMW (control). In some experiments, secondary applications of PMW were applied to the beds at either a high rate, a low rate or not applied (control). There was no effect of secondary PMW applications on growth or yield. Generally, plants grown on trenched plots had greater growth and yield than plants on non-trenched plots. Plants grown in Daorganite had greater growth and yield than plants grown in the other PMWs. Plants in Daorganite tended to have higher photosynthelic and transpiration rates than plants in the other treatments. For all treatments, plants grown at one-half the standard fertilizer rate had less growth than plants receiving higher fertilizer rates. There was no interaction between irrigation rate and PMW for photosynthesis, growth, or yield. Plants grown in Daorganite had the greatest growth and tended to have greater yields, regardless of the fertilizer or irrigation rate. Processed trash composts (Agrisoil and Eweson) did not increase growth and yield, which may have been due to suboptimal application rates of these materials. Further studies are underway incorporating higher rates of these materials into the soil.
Abstract
The rooting substances of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) explants during root regeneration were studied. The root-promoting substances of the basic, acidic, and bound ether-soluble fractions of the plant extracts after paper chromatography were determined by a tomato hypocotyl test. The basic root-promoting substances in the basal hypocotyl region changed qualitatively, while those of the acidic and bound fractions decreased with rooting. It was found that in 5-day-old explants, the highest root-promoting substances were in the bound fraction, and in the basal hypocotyl region. Histological evidence showed the presence of preformed root primordia in the rooting region of 10-day-old tomato explants.
Cover crops have become an integral part of vegetable production practices in south Florida for weed control and retaining nutrients during the heavy summer rains. A wide variety of plants are used as cover crops in south Florida. Obviously, legumes contribute more nitrogen by fixing N compared to nonlegumes such as sorghum sudan grass, which is a common cover crop in this area. We have evaluated 10 cover crops, where six were legumes in 1997. In 1998, four cover crops (sunnhemp, sorghum sudan, sesbania, and aeschynomene) were evaluated. The sunnhemp (Crotalaria juncea L.) stands out from other tested cover crops for 2 years. Sunnhemp produced 8960 to 11,400 kg dry weight/ha and fixed up to 285 kg N/ha. The evaluation of effects of sunnhemp and other cover crops on the following tomato growth and yield are still in progress and will be discussed.
Municipal solid waste compost was applied with a side delivery applicator on top of the bed as a mulch in May 1993, 6 months after transplanting at Homestead, Fla. Papaya (`Know You No 1') was grown with and without compost mulch. Compost was distributed on the surface of the bed ≈90 cm wide and 5 cm thick. There were no mulch effects on trunk diameter nor plant height. Plant height was affected by papaya sex 4 and 6 months after transplanting. Hermaphroditic plants were taller than female plants. There were no mulch effects on marketable yield per plant, marketable size, or number of cull fruit. Sex, however, influenced papaya size and total cull number. Hermaphroditic plants produced larger marketable fruit and more cull fruits than female plants. Lower plant mortality rates were found after 1.5 years in the mulched plants compared to unmulched plants. Soil and tissue analysis showed no differences in N, P, K, Mg, S, Mn, Fe, Cu, and B, except for Zn. Zinc contents in soil and tissue were higher in the mulched areas than unmulched areas.
At two locations MSW was incorporated into the soil at 0, 90, 134 t/ha. Bell pepper and eggplant were transplanted into the field. Total marketable and large size fruit yield of eggplant were significantly higher in the MSW compost treatments than in the control. There were no significant differences in the mean size of marketable and large size eggplant fruit. Total marketable bell pepper yield tended to be higher in the MSW compost treatments than the control, but differences were not significant. MSW compost treatments resulted in significantly higher large pepper yield than the control, but mean fruit size was not affected by MSW.. In general plants with MSW compost yielded higher than the control.