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- Author or Editor: T.L. Kirkpatrick x
Fresh-market spinach production has risen in the United States in the past few years as well as total value of the crop. Increased crop value may be attributed to more “value added” spinach products being produced and marketed. Public awareness of nutrition is rising due to more information being distributed concerning cancer prevention, antioxidants, and neutraceuticals. Spinach is high in the carotenoids beta-carotene and lutein, a known antioxidant for the prevention of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). It is also high in vitamins A, C, E, and folate, fiber, and the mineral iron. In this respect, spinach producers have an advantage over growers of salad vegetables such as lettuce. While this is an advantage, more innovative “value added” methods of marketing this product to the consumer are needed. A dark-green, semi-savoy spinach type developed at the Univ. of Arkansas was studied to determine shelf-life and storage capabilities of root cut plants in transparent clamshell containers. Plants were held at temperatures ranging from 1 to 6 °C. Leaf turgidity and visual characteristics were rated on a 1 to 5 scale. Acceptable characteristics and shelf-life of spinach stored in clamshell containers were seen up to 14 to 21 days when plants were stored at or near 1 °C. These results indicate that spinach packaged in transparent clamshell containers will maintain an acceptable shelf-life and could be beneficial to fresh market spinach producers.
Studies were conducted for 2 years in root-knot-nematode-infested soils to determine growth and yield response of `Dasher II' cucumbers (Cucumis sativus L.) to double-cropping with nematode-resistant tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.), using nematode-free cucumber transplants and preplant treatment with ethoprop nematicide. Cucumbers grown following the nematode-resistant `Celebrity' tomato during the same season produced significantly more plant dry weight, more fruit per plant, and higher premium and total yields than did cucumbers double-cropped with the nematode-susceptible `Heatwave' tomato in both years. The cucumber produced longer stems in 1992 and fewer culls in 1993 following resistant tomatoes. Cucumber plants raised in nematode-free soilless mix for 3 weeks before transplanting produced significantly longer stems and more plant dry weight than did direct-seeded cucumbers in 1992, but not in 1993; however, they produced significantly higher premium yield in both years, and higher total yield, more fruit per plant, and fewer culls in 1993. Preplant treatment with ethoprop significantly increased cucumber stem length, dry weight, premium and total yield, and number of fruit per plant in 1992 but not in 1993. Ethoprop treatment had no effect on the percentage of culls in either year. Chemical name used: O-ethyl S,S-dipropyl phosphorodithioate (ethoprop).
Bacterial canker (BC), caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae van Hall, is a serious disease of stone fruits that occurs most commonly in young orchards. Many factors can predispose or increase the risk that trees develop BC such as sandy or compacted soils, low soil pH, inadequate tree nutrition, frost or cold injury, genetic susceptibility, and presence of ring nematode, Criconemella spp. However, questions still remain about how these factors influence disease incidence in `French' prune, Prunus domestica L. In 1991, we established a 3.64-ha plot in Winters, Calif., to determine the effects of nitrogen (N) fertigation on growth responses and yield of young prune trees. N was applied through a surface drip system at 0, 0.11, 0.23, and 0.45 kg actual N/tree per year as UN32 urea (Unocal, Sacramento Calif.) with 1/10th of the total amount delivered per application every other week from May through September starting in 1992. Two other treatments were also included: 0.064 kg N/tree per year through surface drip if % leaf N dropped below 2.3%, and 0.23 kg N/tree/year delivered in small amounts every irrigation via an automated buried drip system. Symptoms of BC began appearing primarily in the 0- and 0.064-N treatments in 1993. During 1995 and 1996, we demonstrated highly significant relationships between low N status measured in leaves and increased incidence of BC. Furthermore, we determined levels of N application via drip irrigation, which resulted in good yields, vigorous growth, and lack of BC in our test plots, but also minimized N use and potential for nitrate leaching into groundwater. These and additional results will be presented.