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- Author or Editor: Mark. A. Bennett x
A significant portion of the Great Lakes region's processing tomato crop is used to make whole fruit and diced products, where fruit color and textural uniformity are important. Soil and fertilizer studies were undertaken to better understand the role of soil fertility and potassium application on the color disorder known as internal white tissue (IWT) under this region's conditions and in area soils. During 2 years of replicated potassium rate trials in Ohio, tomato yield was not significantly altered by broadcast potassium applications. Potassium application rate was inversely correlated with frequency and severity of IWT in each season, and positively correlated with titratable acidity. The ability of split applications to influence IWT severity was not significantly different than that of preplant applications. IWT symptom frequency and severity was correlated with elemental concentrations in the fruit, leaves, and soil. In 1998, severity of IWT symptoms was positively correlated with shoulder tissue calcium and sodium concentrations, and negatively correlated with concentrations of phosphorus, magnesium, and nitrogen. Correlations for other nutrients, including potassium, were less clear. A companion study of six grower fields during the second year, using grid sampling techniques and the IWT-susceptible Peto 696 cultivar, found significant variability of IWT symptoms within and among fields. Variability within fields was correlated with soil nutrient concentrations. These data indicate researchers may be able to develop recommendations for field mapping and precision management strategies that can reduce the levels of IWT for area growers.
Drum priming enhances seed performance without the waste and additional materials associated with conventional osmotic or matric priming techniques. Sweet corn (Zea mays L.) se (`White D' Lite') and sh2 (`WSS-4948') endosperm seeds were hydrated using drum priming at 25 °C for 6 hours. During each cycle, 125-g seed samples were exposed to 1.6, 3.2, 4.8, or 6.0 mL of distilled water and then rotated in a drum for 1 hour to ensure uniform uptake. At the end of this period, samples of 100 seeds (each) were removed and moisture content was determined. Drum priming hydrated all seedlots gradually, with increasing time required at reduced water levels for individual seedlots to achieve the desired moisture content (25% to 30%). Drum priming may provide a better alternative to conventional systems of priming.
Abstract
Three presowing seed hydration treatments and a control were compared for stand establishment with a normal (su) (‘Jubilee’) and two high-sugar (‘Sweetie’, ‘Sugar Loaf’) sweet corn (Zea mays L.) hybrids. Moisturizing (M) and soaking (S) improved early emergence, while an osmoconditioning (OC) treatment significantly reduced field emergence compared to control. Plant size was increased in the M and S treatments at an early (2- to 4-leaf) vegetative stage. The effectiveness of hydration treatments differed slightly with hybrid. Results from spring and fall plantings at several locations suggest that presowing seed hydration can be used to improve stands of sweet corn.
A mixture of rye, hairy vetch, barley, and crimson clover was seeded on raised beds at two locations in Ohio in August, 1992. The following May, the mixture was killed with an undercutter and left on the surface as a mulch. Processing tomatoes (OH 8245) were planted into the killed cover crop mulch immediately following undercutting. Four systems of production were evaluated including: conventional (without cover crop mulch), integrated (with reduced chemical input), organic, and no additional input. At the Columbus site, above ground biomass (AGB) was 9,465 kg ha-1 with 207 kg ha-1 N in to AGB. In Fremont, the AGB was 14,087 kg ha-1 with 382 kg ha-1 N in the AGB. Annual weeds were suppressed by the killed cover crop mulch, and no additional weed control for the annual weeds was necessary. Weed suppression by the mulch was equivalent to weed suppression by the herbicides used in the conventional system. Other data that will be reported include soil moistures and temperatures; impact on insects end diseases; and, tomato growth, development, and yield.
Processing tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) producers in the Great Lakes region have expressed interest in cutting crop establishment costs and improving profitability by reducing plant populations. This study compared plant development, fruit set, fruit size and yields using a range of single and twin-row plant populations (14,800 to 44,500 plants/ha) and four commercially important processing tomato cultivars (`OH8245', `H9036', `PS696', and `H7135') with differing vine types and maturities. The 3-year study was conducted at Fremont, Ohio, on a Colwood fine sandy loam, using raised beds and other standard cultural practices. Six- to seven-week-old transplants (288 cell size) were mechanically planted in middle to late May. Once-over harvest was timed to achieve 80%–90% red fruit, using a Johnson tomato harvester. Plant population had a significant effect on 1995 fruit yields for all cultivars tested. Optimum red fruit yields were observed at 37,100 plants/ha in twin-rows for `OH8245', which was similar to 1994 results. Optimum fruit yields for `PS696' were obtained at twin-row populations of 29,600-44,500 plants/ha in 1995. Three year results for `OH8245' (medium-sized vine) indicate no significant differences due to plant population or arrangement. Mean red fruit yields varied considerably by year in this field research (62.7, 95.2, and 44.8 MT/ha in 1993, 1994, 1995 respectively), but twin-row spacing of `OH8245' provided significant yield gains in 2 of 3 years for populations of 29,600 plants/ha or greater.
Abstract
Field studies were conducted to examine the effect of increasing the moisture content of lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus ‘Kingston 098’) seed prior to planting. Seed moisture was adjusted by combining seed, vermiculite, and varying amounts of water in plastic packets which were then sealed and incubated at 22°C for 3 days. Initial seed moisture ranged from 8% to 56%. Trials were planted at 2 locations in 1981 (Becker and Rochester, Minn.), and at 3 locations in 1982 (Becker, St. Paul and Waseca, Minn.). Seed moisture above the normal 8% to 10% range increased emergence and stand establishment at all locations. As a general trend, increased seed moisture up to about 40% improved percentage of emergence and stand establishment. Harvest data varied between locations. Results from one location in both years showed elevated seed moisture to increase pods per plant, total pod dry weight, and total plant dry weight. Results from harvest (yield) data did not show consistent increases in the variables measured.
Abstract
This research examines the potential of seed hydration for improving sweet corn (Zea mays L.) seed performance, especially for plantings in cool (10°–15°C) soils. In addition to the effect of hydration treatments, the influence of seed quality and cultivar was evaluated using electrolyte leakage tests and seedling growth cold tests. Seed hydration treatments included seed hardening (a wetting/drying cycle), seed moisturizing (placing seed in moist vermiculite), and osmoconditioning, which were compared to a dry seed control. Hardening and moisturizing treatments improved early emergence by as much as 20%, while osmoconditioning significantly lowered field emergence. Seed moisturizing and hardening also improved uniformity of emergence, and reduced the number of days required to attain 50% or 75% emergence. Seed hydration treatments were effective with the three levels (high, medium, and low) of seed quality and the three cultivars (‘Jubilee’, ‘Midway’, and ‘Reward’) studied.
Seeds of two shrunken-2 (sh2) sweet corn (Zea mays L.) cultivars, `Crisp'n Sweet 710' and `Camelot', were used to relate volatile production to seed quality and seedling establishment. The five seed treatments evaluated were a hydration and drying cycle, a biological control of Pythium, a hydration and drying cycle followed by a biological control, a fungicide treatment, and an untreated check. For the aldehyde assays, 50 seeds were germinated in a flask for 24 h with a test tube of a 3-methyl-2-benzo-thiazolinone hydrazone (MBTH) solution. One ml of the solution was then reacted with FeCl3, diluted with acetone, and absorbance read at 635 nm. A field study was run under cool soil conditions (10-16°C) for seedling emergence and growth. Aldehyde production from the seeds did not correlate with field results for seed treatments, but did show a distinct difference between cultivars. The biological control with the hydration and drying cycle significantly reduced aldehyde production. This may contribute to the effectiveness of biological treatments since Pythium spores can be stimulated by volatile compounds released from germinating seeds.
Among the factors affecting germinability of a seed lot are the environmental conditions under which the seeds are produced. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of temperature during seed development on seed quality of two Asteraceae species. Seeds of lettuce cv. Tango and Helianthus debilis cv. Vanilla Ice and sp. cucumerifolius were produced in a greenhouse under one of two treatments: i) hot (27, 40, and 20 °C temperatures average, max, and min, respectively), and ii) cool (23, 33, and 18 °C temperatures average, max, and min, respectively). In both species, heavier seeds were produced under the cool conditions and no differences were observed in standard germination. In lettuce, germination percentage and rate were both affected by increased levels of exogenous ABA concentrations and reduced water potential (PEG solutions), and, in both cases, seeds from cool treatments were more affected. Germination at 30 °C and constant light was higher for seeds from the hot treatment. Lettuce seed showed a strong light requirement for germination. However, seeds from the hot treatment gave better dark germination at 13 and 19 °C. Seeds of H. debilis did not required light for germination, and the germination percentage and rates were evaluated at 13, 21, and 29 °C. For both lines, seeds from each treatment behave similarly; however, the germination of H. debilis cv. Vanilla Ice at 29 °C was higher when seeds were produced in the hot conditions. The results showed that temperature during seed development affected aspects of seed quality that are not detectable by the standard germination, but by germination at suboptimal conditions. Within the Asteraceae family, differences varied among and within species.
Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) is an important vegetable crop worldwide, and its seed is commercially produced mainly under irrigation in arid and semiarid regions. The objective of this study was to determine how water availability during seed development affects lettuce seed productivity and quality. Three experiments were performed in the greenhouse and growth chambers using lettuce (cv. Tango) cultivated in pots. When watering volume was restricted (dry treatment) from bolting to seed harvest to 54% of the well-watered control (wet treatment), plants were shorter, had reduced dry weight, and produced fewer and heavier seeds. Water productivity (seed yield/watering volume) was nearly 50% higher in the dry treatment. Seeds from the dry treatment had a modest improvement in seed vigor (assessed by seedling growth) and decreased germinability (higher sensitivity to exogenous abscisic acid and water potential) compared with the wet treatment. In another experiment, water stress was applied abruptly to well-hydrated lettuce plants with developing seeds. Seeds that were at one-third and two-thirds of physiological maturity when water was withheld had lower germinability and greater storability than seeds with no water restriction. These results provide information that may be used for improvement of irrigation practices for lettuce seed production.