, bedding, and nursery crops, as well as mushrooms and all other food crops grown under protected culture, so the actual increases in vegetables grown under protection are likely larger than 28%. In 2014, the highest value of sales in millions of dollars was
12 ORAL SESSION 1 (Abstr. 001-008) Vegetables: Cover Crops/Culture and Management
in soil ( Hoagland et al. 2008 ; Yang and Lu 2010 ). The overall goal of this research was to develop novel BSM films using locally available biomaterials that are optimized for weed suppression and vegetable crop performance. To accomplish this
Abstract
Although there are several ways to discuss mechanization of crop production, I have chosen the evolutionary approach. Mechanization goes through evolutionary stages. As new crops are mechanized, the intermediate steps could be by-passed if the evolutionary pattern is understood. Let us examine some of the steps taken in mechanization with various vegetable crops.
Abstract
I welcome this opportunity to discuss this topic but would preface the discussion by giving some information as to how far along we are in vegetable mechanization. We shall be talking primarily about mechanization at harvest because with all vegetables there is mechanized planting and subsequent culture, but with various degrees of precision, depending upon the crop and its environment
Oral Sesssion 12—Vegetable Crops Culture & Management 1 Moderator: Albert Sutherland 19 July 2005, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Room 106
Oral Sesssion 12—Vegetable Crops Culture & Management 1 Moderator: Albert Sutherland 19 July 2005, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Room 106
A distance learning homepage at: http://www.bsi.vt.edu/welbaum/hort4764/ was created to teach an introductory college-level course on vegetable crops to students at Virginia Tech. The course was created to serve students in the horticulture program at Virginia Beach, Va., students in the Commonwealth who cannot take classes on the Blacksburg campus, and students on the Blacksburg campus who could not schedule the classroom-based course. The course is not selfpaced, but directs students through 44 lessons on various topics including detailed descriptions of 28 different vegetables. The site is primarily in HTML format with archived student projects and old exams in PDF format. Audio clips are used to emphasis key information and to add a personal touch. There are >550 pictures and descriptions of vegetables and vegetable crop production linked to the website. Students can be examined using a computer testing system call Whizquiz that grades and corrects each exam. “Web Forum” software enables online discussion among students and the instructor. Discussion sessions have been successfully conducted between students and guests at distant locations. Links are provided to over 25 other websites with information on vegetable crops. The project was funded by a USDA/CSREES Higher Education Challenge Grant.
Abstract
Bacterial pathogens cause destructive diseases on many important vegetable crops throughout the world. Satisfactory chemical control measures for bacterial pathogens have not been achieved. Recommended control measures are: use of disease-free seed and transplants; hot water treatment of seed if feasible; suitable rotations; deep plowing of plant debris; and use of resistant cultivars if available (13, 50, 51, 53, 73, 75, 76, 77).
The review of effects of excessive soil water on performance of various vegetable crops and selected field crops indicates that in areas where temporary flooding hazards are expected during the growing season, crops can be selected on their relative ability to tolerate excessive moisture. Field crops are generally less sensitive than vegetable crops in terms of yield. In addition to the choice of crop species, planting dates could be shifted when possible by delaying dates of sowing or planting to avoid probable periods of flooding during the sensitive growth stages. In most instances, crops are more sensitive at their early developmental phase than at the later stages in terms of yield. Soil management practices like ridging and furrowing or making raised beds before planting is recommended. In addition, amelioration with foliar application of chemicals like nutrients, growth hormones and fungicides is also recommended to overcome nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalances and disease infections. Every effort of amelioration should be exerted at the earliest opportunity, since water damage to crops becomes more severe with longer flooding duration.