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A study was carried out to compare the effects of different colored plastic mulches (black smooth, red, black embossed, blue, olive, yellow, clear, white, and reflective) and bare ground on bell peppers (Capsicum annum) yield and fruit characteristics. Pepper varieties `Crusader' (2004 trial) and `Boynton Bell F1' (2005 trial) seeds were planted in flats filled with Jiffy Mix in a greenhouse in late Apr. 2004 and 2005, and the seedlings transplanted in early June 2004 and 2005, respectively. In 2004, pepper fruits were harvested once in early September, and reflective and black embossed plastic mulch treatments had higher U.S. No. 1 fruit weight than other treatments. Pepper fruits harvested from reflective plastic mulch treatment were longer and larger than fruits in other treatments. In 2005, pepper fruits were harvested three times in late September to early October, and plants grown in reflective and red plastic mulch treatments had higher Fancy fruit weights while olive and white plastic mulch treatments had higher U.S. No. 1 fruit weights than other treatments. Fruits from reflective and red plastic mulch treatments were longer and larger than fruits from other treatments. The total marketable yield (Fancy and U.S. No. 1 fruit weight combined) was higher in olive, reflective, white, and red plastic mulch treatments. In comparison with black embossed plastic mulch, plants grown in reflective and olive plastic mulches had higher yield in 2004. However, in 2005, yield followed the same trend, with plants grown in olive, white, and reflective plastic mulches having higher yield than other treatments.
Different colored plastic mulches can influence tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) growth and yield. A study was carried out to compare the effects of different colored plastic mulches and bare ground on growth and yield of tomato. Ten treatments, namely, control (bare ground), and plastic mulches (black smooth, red, black embossed, blue, olive, yellow, clear, white, and reflective) were replicated four times in a randomized complete-block design. Tomato variety `Sunstart' seeds were planted in flats filled with Jiffy Mix in a greenhouse in late Apr. 2004 and seedlings transplanted in early June 2004. The seedlings planted in white and reflective plastic mulches were taller than seedlings planted in black smooth, black embossed, clear, blue, red, and olive mulches by 24 July 2004. Weeds were growing underneath clear, yellow, and red plastic mulches, and squash bugs were observed in yellow plastic mulch treatment on 2 July. Cumulative marketable tomato yield was highest in plants grown in reflective and white plastic mulches, and lowest in plants grown in yellow plastic mulch. Marketable fruits from plants grown in reflective and white mulches were larger than fruits from other treatments. In comparison with black embossed plastic mulch, plants grown in reflective and white plastic mulches had 2 and 1.2 tons/acre higher marketable yields, respectively, than plants grown in black embossed plastic mulch.
Colored plastic mulches can influence muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) growth and yield. A study was carried out at the St. Charles Horticulture Research Center, St. Charles, Ill., to compare the effects of different colored plastic mulches on vine length and yield of muskmelons. An experiment was carried out with 10 treatments, namely, control (bare ground), and plastic mulches (black smooth, red, black embossed, blue, olive, yellow, clear, white, and reflective) in a complete randomized block and replicated four times. Muskmelon variety `Athena' seeds were started in the greenhouse in late Apr. 2004 in flats filled with Jiffy Mix, and transplanted in mid-May 2004. Seedlings planted in black embossed, olive, red, blue, and white plastic mulches had longer vines than seedlings transplanted in black smooth, reflective, clear, and yellow mulches by 24 July. Seedlings planted on the control (bare ground) had much shorter vines compared to seedlings in other treatments. The cumulative fruit number and weight was higher in blue, olive, red, and black embossed plastic mulches than in plants grown in clear, yellow, and reflective plastic mulch treatments. Plants grown in white and reflective mulch treatments had larger fruits than plants in other treatments. In comparison with black embossed plastic mulch, plants grown in blue, olive, and red plastic mulches had higher fruit number and yields.
Pumpkin is usually grown on bare ground. Weeds are controlled by pre-emergence herbicides and cultivation early in the season before pumpkin vines cover the ground. The pumpkin fruit lie on bare ground and covered with soil. In pick-your-own pumpkin operation it is impossible to walk on muddy fields to pick pumpkin fruits. Experiment was carried out using three treatments (Control-bare ground, Rye only mulch, and rye/hairy vetch mulch) replicated four times in complete randomized block design with plot sizes of 30 ft (9 m) by 30 ft (9 m). In each plot, two pumpkin rows were planted 8 ft (2.4 m) a part and 2 ft (0.6 m) a part within rows. In rye only, and rye/hairy vetch plots, two 2-ft wide strips 8-ft a part were mowed and rototilled in each plot. Cover crop in between the rows were rolled using a multi-culchler roller, and emergence of eastern black night shade (Solanum phytanthum Dun.), red root pig weed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.), and common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album L.) on cover crop plots between the rows were evaluated 4-10 weeks after transplanting. The effect of cover mulches on pumpkin fruit number, yield, fruit size, and fruit rots were assessed as well. Emergence of red root pigweed, black nightshade, and common lambsquarters was less than 2, 1, and 1/2 seedlings per 12-ft-2 (1-m-2) area respectively. There was no significant difference in marketable fruit number between control and strip tilled plots. Control plots had higher pumpkin fruit weight than rye/hairy vetch plots, and no significant difference between rye only and rye/hairy vetch plots. Control plots had significantly larger fruits and higher fruit rot incidence than strip tilled plots.
Greater plant diversity is associated with reduced insect pest pressure, but field-scale vegetable production systems incorporating plant diversity have been lacking. Cucumber was grown in 1998 and 1999 at the Virginia Tech Kentland experimental farm, by direct seeding or transplanting into rye/vetch mixture rolled to make a no-till mulch alternating with strips of vetch left to flower as a habitat for beneficial insects between cucumber rows, or direct-seeded into black plastic mulch between habitat strips or with bare soil between rows. Rye and hairy vetch were seeded at 56 kg·ha–1 each the preceding fall; only rye was planted in plots without habitats. A rippled coulter, cutting shank, and daisy wheels mounted on a tractor-drawn toolbar enabled a belt-driven seeder to seed cucumbers without pulling the no-till mulch. One hand weeding in cucumber rows at 3 weeks after planting (WAP) provided weed control equivalent to pre-emergence herbicide. At 3 WAP, no-till transplanted cucumbers had higher above-ground plant dry weights than no-till direct seeded cucumbers in both years, but, at 6 WAP, cucumber above-ground plant dry weights were equal (1999) or higher (1998) in direct seeded no-till than in transplanted no-till or black plastic mulch on bare soil. In 1999, Pennsylvania leatherwings, Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus DeG. (Coleoptera: Cantharidae), a cucumber beetle predator, had higher densities and cucumber beetles lower densities in no-till plots than in black plastic mulch plots, and bacterial wilt incidence was reduced in plots with habitat strips and no insecticide application compared to plots without habitat strips and four insecticide applications. Cumulative marketable yields in no-till were 59% higher in 1998 and 23% higher in 1999 compared to yields on black plastic mulch.