Pumpkins are Ohio's third-largest fresh-market vegetable crop. Many non-traditional growers are planting pumpkins to increase gross income. Experienced growers have noticed that new producers are successful with low input. Are intensive production practices needed for a good crop? High and low input production schemes were studied, over 3 years on pumpkin yield and quality. High input consisted of Furadan at planting, reflective mulch, trickle irrigation, and a routine fungicide and insecticide spray program. Low input consisted of no mulch, no supplemental irrigation, and a reduced fungicide and insecticide program. The number of insecticide plus fungicide sprays for high vs. low input were: 10 vs. 5 in year 1; 5 vs. 3 in year 2; and 12 vs. 8 in year 3. Number and weight of marketable orange fruit in high-input plots were significantly higher than low input plots in year 1 and 3. Plastic mulch conserved soil moisture and resulted in 91% plant stand in high input vs. 57% in low input in year 1. The only year without a significant yield difference was when the difference in pesticide sprays was two. High input is suited for retail markets where the expectation is good yields of high quality pumpkins. Wholesale producers can probably get by with reduced inputs in certain areas.
installation, a mixture of methyl bromide (67%)–chloropicrin (33%) was applied at a broadcast rate of 392 kg·ha −1 to the bed area. Plastic mulches were all 91.4 cm wide and included black mulch, highly ultraviolet-reflective metalized mulch (Reflectek Foils
Plastic (polyethylene) mulches have been used in vegetable production in the United States since the 1950s. Black polyethylene plastic mulch is the standard plastic mulch used in vegetable production. Black plastic alters the plant's growing
plastic mulches affect the field temperature regime J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 118 188 193 Hutton, M.G. Handley, D.T. 2007 Effects of silver reflective mulch, white inter-row mulch, and plant density on yields of
et al., 2017 ; RodrÃguez-Seijo and Pereira, 2019 ). Of particular concern are the environmental impacts associated with the use and disposal of low-density polyethylene plastic mulch films for crop production ( He et al., 2015 ; Kasirajan and
production and higher yields of warm-season vegetable crops such as watermelon ( Bhella, 1988 ; Brinen et al., 1979 ; Sanders et al., 1999 ). In addition, plastic mulch reduces water evaporation and controls weeds. Wavelength-selective or -reflective
savings equated to 81.8% for BP and 90.6% for WP treatments compared with the NT treatment, as determined by soil moisture sensors. White plastic mulch saved 52% of the irrigation volume compared with BP possibly because of the reflective nature of white
better experimental control of the surface reflection properties than if white plastic was used (because white plastics have different reflective properties depending on the manufacturer and formulation). The black mulch treatment was unpainted. The
the mulch material, and each material has a different reflectivity and absorptivity ( Pramanik et al., 2015 ). Dark-colored mulches will absorb more solar radiation and emit longwave radiation toward both the air and soil. Plastic mulches, regardless
-density polyethylene (LDPE) or high-density polyethylene (HDPE) mulches, which are extensively used in vegetable crops in Florida. Another type of film is the metallized mulch, which is covered with a reflective aluminum-based coat on the surface. This type of film is