Agriculture Commons^™

Flowering Of Spring-Planted Greens, Elizabeth Maynard, Marian M. Rodriguez-Soto, Rebecca Koetz

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

Greens for salad or cooking are a significant part of the spring crop mix sold at Indiana farmers' markets. The harvest period for many spring-planted greens is shortened because they flower in response to environmental conditions. This paper reports on flowering response of two varieties of arugula, collards, mizuna, two types of mustard, and shungiku, planted in mid-April through May in northern Indiana.

High Tunnel Bell Pepper Spacing Trial, Bronwyn Aly

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

The objective of this trial is to determine an optimum spacing for bell peppers grown in a high tunnel production system. Six different spacing treatments were evaluated in this trial. Results from this study suggest that tighter plant spacing increased yield per unit area (100 feet of linear row) but decreased the yield per plant.

High Tunnel Broccoli Cultivar Evaluations, Lewis Jett

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

Broccoli is a potentially profitable crop for high tunnel production. Updated information on yield and quality of new cultivars is important for producers making planting decisions. This evaluation of 11 cultivars was conducted within a high tunnel in Fall 2023.

2023 Evaluation Of Pumpkin Cultivars In West Virginia, Lewis Jett

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

Pumpkins are a popular, commercial vegetable crop in West Virginia. Each year, many new hybrid cultivars are released by commercial seed companies. In 2023, we trialed 16 cultivars. Pumpkins were grown using conventional tillage, and each cultivar was replicated 4 times. ‘Griffin’ ‘Justify’, ‘Hawk’, ‘Bellatrix’ and ‘Hermes’ produced high yields with both fruit count and average weight per pumpkin.

Research Report: Radicchio Cultivar Performance In New Hampshire, Rebecca G. Sideman, Ella Lukacz, Lilly Hartman

Faculty Publications

Radicchio (Cichorium intybus var. latifolium) is grown widely throughout Europe, especially northern Italy. In addition to having interesting color and flavor profiles, they are rich in phenolics and other bioactive compounds. While increasingly popular as a niche vegetable in the region, there is little research-based information to guide growers. The New England growing climate is very different from that of major production regions, and it presents unique challenges. There is tremendous phenotypic variation among and within groups and cultivars. The availability of varieties to commercial growers in the U.S. has expanded greatly, but there remains a need for reliable …

Hop Cone Drying For The Small Grower: Temperature And Airflow Considerations, Stacy A. Adams, David M. Mabie, Michael F. Kocher, David Jones

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Small hop growers without nearby processors for cone stripping and drying must attempt to do so on their own farm. Challenges exist for self-built drying systems, including drying capacity, processing speed, airflow direction, and maintaining quality during drying. Research-based recommendations are given for optimal temperature, sizing of drying vessel, maximum cone depth, and influences associated with airflow on processing uniformity and cone quality are presented.

Colored Sweet Bell And Tapered Pepper Cultivar Evaluation For High Tunnel Production In West-Central Indiana, 2023, Petrus Langenhoven, Dennis Gustavo Toc Mo

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

Colored sweet bell-shaped and tapered pepper is a summer crop that is grown by many small and medium-sized farming operations in Indiana. Growers can choose to grow peppers out in the field or plant them under a protective structure. Sweet peppers, in particular, benefit from the unique growing environment created by a high tunnel. Planting of peppers can start at least 2-4 weeks earlier in the spring, and production can continue into the fall until the first hard freeze. Pepper variety performance data for Indiana is not readily available. We are working hard to change that. To date, we have …

Understanding Cut Flower Consumers, Makaylie Langford, Kynda R. Curtis, Melanie Stock

All Current Publications

This fact sheet provides information on cut flower consumers, such as floral preferences and consumer demographics and psychographics. It discusses possible ways to enhance perceived value and interest in cut flowers.

An Overview Of The Cut Flower Industry, Makaylie Langford, Kynda R. Curtis, Melanie Stock

All Current Publications

This fact sheet provides an overview of the cut flower industry. It provides information about traditional and specialty cut flowers, comparing flowers sourced locally in Utah and internationally.

Cut Flower Markets And Marketing In The Intermountain West, Makylie Langford, Kynda R. Curtis, Melanie Stock

All Current Publications

This fact sheet discusses different markets for cut flowers in the Intermountain West, including wholesale and direct-to-consumer markets. Farmers markets, community-supported agriculture and subscription services, u-pick operations, farm venues, and online options are explored, as well as using social media to advertise and build clientele.

Evaluation Of 13 Round Tomato Cultivars In Southwest Michigan In 2023, Ben Phillips, Jenny Schoonmaker

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

A round tomato cultivar trial was planted at the Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center (42.081985, -86.354087, Benton Harbor, Michigan). Bejo (BJ), Enza Zaden (EZ), Seminis (SM), Sakata (SK), and Seedway (SW) seed companies donated round tomato cultivars for plastic-mulch bedded and trellised hand harvest. Overall trial quality was excellent, despite a dry start that brought in insects, and hard rains that flared bacterial diseases.

Evaluation Of Five Roma Tomato Cultivars In Southwest Michigan In 2023, Ben Phillips, Jenny Schoonmaker

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

A Roma tomato cultivar trial was planted at the Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center (42.081985, -86.354087, Benton Harbor, Michigan). HM Claus (HM), PanAmerican (PA), and Sakata (SK) seed companies donated five Roma tomato cultivars for plastic-mulch bedded and trellised hand harvest. Overall trial quality was excellent, despite a dry start that brought in insects, and hard rains that flared bacterial diseases.

Evaluation Of 23 Pickling Cucumber Cultivars For Machine Harvest In Southwest Michigan In 2023, Ben Phillips, Jenny Schoonmaker

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

A pickling cucumber cultivar trial was planted at the Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center (42.088261, -86.351980, Benton Harbor, Michigan). Bejo (BJ), Nunhems (NU), Rijk Zwaan (RZ), and US AgriSeed (UA) seed companies donated parthenocarpic (seedless) cultivars for mechanical once-over harvest. Overall trial quality was good despite a droughty start, though picking could have started sooner.

Evaluation Of 11 Broccoli Cultivars For Summer Harvest In Southwest Michigan In 2023, Ben Phillips, Leah Freeman

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

A broccoli cultivar trial was planted at the Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center (42.081985, -86.354087, Benton Harbor, Michigan). Bejo (BJ), Clifton (CL), Sakata (SK), and Tozer (TZ) seed companies donated 11 broccoli cultivars for plastic-mulch bedded hand harvest. The trial quality was good for collecting data on stressed plants. A dry start and cabbage maggot attack reduced stand with replacement plants lagging behind, and heat around head formation created a high proportion of non-marketable heads.

Evaluation Of Five Cauliflower Cultivars For Summer Harvest In Southwest Michigan In 2023, Ben Phillips, Leah Freeman

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

A cauliflower cultivar trial was planted at the Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center (42.081985, -86.354087, Benton Harbor, Michigan). Bejo (BJ), Clifton (CL), Sakata (SK), and Tozer (TZ) seed companies donated five cauliflower cultivars for plastic-mulch bedded hand harvest. The trial quality was good for collecting data on stressed plants. A dry start and cabbage maggot attack reduced stand with replacement plants lagging behind, and heat around head formation created a high proportion of non-marketable heads.

Evaluation Of Six Slicing Cucumber Cultivars In Southwest Michigan In 2023, Ben Phillips, Jenny Schoonmaker

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

A slicing cucumber cultivar trial was planted at the Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center (42.081985, -86.354087, Benton Harbor, Michigan). Clifton (CL), Seedway (SW), Seminis (SM), and Syngenta (SY) seed companies donated five slicing cucumber cultivars for plastic-mulch bedded hand harvest. The trial quality was OK, with a dry start that created an uneven stand, and some deer browse.

2020-2021 Field Seasons Of Maize Gxe Project Within The Genomes To Fields Initiative, Dayane Cristina Lima, Alejandro Castro Aviles, Ryan Timothy Alpers, Alden Perkins, Dylan L. Schoemaker, Martin Costa, Kathryn J. Michel, Shawn Kaeppler, David Ertl, Maria Cinta Romay, Joseph L. Gage, James Holland, Timothy Beissinger, Martin Bohn, Edward Buckler, Jode Edwards, Sherry Flint-Garcia, Michael A. Gore, Candice N. Hirsch, Joseph E. Knoll, John Mckay, Richard Minyo, Seth C. Murray, James Schnable, Rajandeep S. Sekhon, Maninder P. Singh, Erin E. Sparks, Peter Thomison, Addie Thompson, Mitchell Tuinstra, Jason Wallace, Jacob D. Washburn, Teclemariam Weldekidan, Wenwei Xu, Natalia De Leon

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Objectives: This release note describes the Maize GxE project datasets within the Genomes to Fields (G2F) Initiative. The Maize GxE project aims to understand genotype by environment (GxE) interactions and use the information collected to improve resource allocation efficiency and increase genotype predictability and stability, particularly in scenarios of variable environmental patterns. Hybrids and inbreds are evaluated across multiple environments and phenotypic, genotypic, environmental, and metadata information are made publicly available. Data description: The datasets include phenotypic data of the hybrids and inbreds evaluated in 30 locations across the US and one location in Germany in 2020 and 2021, soil …

Vulnerabilities Of Greater Prairie Chicken And Tier 1 At-Risk Species In Nebraska Caused By Grassland Transition To Woody Dominance, Robert Peterson

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Woody plant encroachment is a global threat and has been transitioning grasslands to woody dominance at a biome scale. This threat is present in the Great Plains grassland biome which is currently experiencing grassland biome collapse as the alternative woody biome advances northwest. Nebraska, which contains the most intact temperate grassland in the world, is currently at the front lines of this large-scale transition making this state’s management decisions vital for the remaining grasslands and the species which rely on these ecosystems. In this study, we assess the vulnerability of Greater Prairie Chicken and Tier 1 at-risk species in Nebraska …

Surveying And Evaluating Pests And Beneficial Insects In Utah's Vegetable Production, Nick Volesky, Amelia Olds, Marion Murray

All Current Publications

The Utah State University (USU) Extension Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program conducted a season-long survey evaluating arthropod pests, plant diseases, pollinators, and other beneficials on a ¼-acre vegetable farm and adjacent pollinator habitat located in Logan, Utah. Understanding the roles of these groups on plant health and the efficacy of nonchemical pest management approaches critically impacts the sustainability of Utah’s vegetable industry. Survey findings have been used as a reference for developing video content, fact sheets, and presentations to educate Utah’s commercial and small-acreage farmers.

Does Selection For Seedling Tiller Number In Perennial Biomass Feedstocks Translate To Yield And Quality Improvements In Mature Swards?, Robert B. Mitchell, Kenneth P. Vogel, Susan Tunnell, James Stubbendieck

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Breeding for seedling traits in herbaceous perennial biomass feedstocks that translate into increased biomass yield or quality in established swards could accelerate the development of perennial grass cultivars for bioenergy or forage. In previously reported research, breeding for single large tillers (ST) or multiple tillers (MT, ≥3) six weeks after planting for two generations in big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman) and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) base populations produced ST and MT populations that differed significantly for seedling and mature plant traits including biomass yield in spaced planted nurseries. Our objective was to evaluate these ST and MT populations in sward …

2023 Standard-Sized Seedless Watermelon Cultivar Evaluation In Indiana, Wenjing Guan, Dennis Nowaskie

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

The annual watermelon cultivar evaluation trial is conducted at Southwest Purdue Agricultural Center (SWPAC), in Vincennes, Indiana. The trial evaluates yield, fruit quality, and overall plant performance of commercial watermelon cultivars and advanced breeding lines. The trial is financially supported by Purdue Extension and seed companies. The 2023 standard-sized triploid watermelon cultivar trial had 35 cultivars, including six with solid dark-green rind patterns, and one with a solid light-green rind pattern.

2023 Seeded Watermelon Cultivar Evaluation In Indiana, Wenjing Guan, Dennis Nowaskie

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

Watermelons grown in Indiana are primarily red flesh seedless, and a small portion of personal-sized red flesh seedless. Seeded watermelons are typically not grown in large acreages, but they may be used as pollenizer plants for growing seedless watermelons. The 2023 seeded watermelon cultivar trial included 15 seeded watermelon cultivars.

2023 Cantaloupe Cultivar Evaluation In Indiana, Wenjing Guan, Dennis Nowaskie

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

Traditionally, eastern-type cantaloupe is produced in Indiana. Longer shelf-life cultivars were developed and have been grown in Indiana. This report includes 11 cantaloupe cultivars, including some newly developed ones.

2023 Personal-Sized Seedless Watermelon Cultivar Evaluation In Indiana, Wenjing Guan, Dennis Nowaskie

Midwest Vegetable Trial Reports

Indiana ranks sixth in watermelon production in the U.S., following Florida, Georgia, Texas, California, and North Carolina in 2022. A total of 7,000 acres of watermelons were planted, with a production value of $71 million (USDA, 2023). Watermelons grown in Indiana are primarily red flesh seedless, and around 10% are personal-sized seedless watermelons (6-8 lbs).

Genetic Analysis Of Basal Stalk Rot Resistance Introgressed From Wild Helianthus Petiolaris Into Cultivated Sunflower (Helianthus Annuus L.) Using An Advanced Backcross Population, Zahirul I. Talukder, William Underwood, Christopher G. Misar, Xuehui Li, Gerald J. Seiler, Xiwen Cai, Lili Qi

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Introduction: Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a serious pathogen causing severe basal stalk rot (BSR) disease on cultivated sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) that leads to significant yield losses due to insufficient resistance. The wild annual sunflower species H. petiolaris, commonly known as prairie sunflower is known for its resistance against this pathogen. Sunflower resistance to BSR is quantitative and determined by many genes with small effects on the resistance phenotype. The objective of this study was to identify loci governing BSR resistance derived from H. petiolaris using a quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping approach.

Methods: BSR …

Effects Of Rootstock And Location On Open Field ‘Bhn 589’ And ‘Nebraska Wedding’ Grafted Tomato Yield, Raihanah H. Shonerd, Ashley A. Thompson, Samuel E. Wortman

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Grafted tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) production is popular, particularly in high tunnels, because grafted plants can mitigate soilborne disease incidence in highly infested soils and increase water and nutrient use efficiency and crop yield and quality. However, these potential benefits are not as well documented in open field production systems with less disease pressure. The objective of this study was to quantify the effect of tomato grafting on fruit yield, number, and size across 2 years (2018 and 2019) and three diverse open-field production environments in Nebraska (Lincoln, North Platte, and Dwight). At each location, a scion from one …

Evaluation Of Land Preparation Methods For Soil Stabilization, Revegetation, And Renewed Productivity In Semi-Arid Climates, Jarrett Lardy, North Dakota State University, Miranda Meehan, Aaron L. M. Daigh, James Staricka, Nathan Derby

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

In the Williston Basin, land-preparation treatments have not been compared in side-by-side trials to evaluate performance for parameters such as runoff, erosion, and vegetation establishment. Thus, four treatments of wheat-straw crimping, land imprinting, wood-fiber hydromulch, and the combination of land imprinting and hydromulch were evaluated against a bare soil control in a replicated and randomized completed block field experiment near Williston, ND. Rainfall simulations were performed in September 2020 and June 2021 to examine the effectiveness of the treatments to reduce runoff and sediment losses. Vegetation establishment was also evaluated in August 2021. The wheat straw treatment reduced the equivalent …

Deleterious Mutations Predicted In The Sorghum (Sorghum Bicolor) Maturity (Ma) And Dwarf (Dw) Genes From Whole‑Genome Resequencing, Nathan P. Grant, John J. Toy, Deanna L. Funnell, Scott E. Sattler

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

In sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] the Maturity (Ma1, Ma2, Ma3, Ma4, Ma5, Ma6) and Dwarf (Dw1, Dw2, Dw3, Dw4) loci, encode genes controlling flowering time and plant height, respectively, which are critical for designing sorghum ideotypes for a maturity timeframe and a harvest method. Publicly available whole-genome resequencing data from 860 sorghum accessions was analyzed in silico to identify genomic variants at 8 of these loci (Ma1, Ma2, Ma3, Ma5, Ma6, Dw1, Dw2, Dw3) to identify novel loss …

Arkansas Wheat Performance Tests 2022-2023, J. F. Carlin, R. B. Mulloy, R. D. Bond

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

Wheat variety performance tests are conducted each year in Arkansas by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s Arkansas Crop Variety Improvement Program.

The tests provide information to companies developing cultivars and marketing seed within the state and aid the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service in formulating variety recommendations for small-grain producers. The tests were conducted at the Northeast Research and Extension Center at Keiser, the Vegetable Substation near Kibler, the Lon Mann Cotton Research Station near Marianna, the Pine Tree Research Station near Colt, and the Rohwer Research Station near Rohwer. Specific location and cultural practice information accompany each …

Did Cover Crop Or Animal Manure Ameliorate Corn Residue Removal Effects On Soil Mechanical Properties After 10 Years?, Hans W. Klopp, Humberto Blanco-Canqui, Michael Sindelar, Virginia L. Jin, Marty R. Schmer, Richard B. Ferguson

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Crop residue removal may negatively affect soil mechanical properties, which are key components of soil quality. To evaluate potential long-term effects, we assessed the 10-yr impact of corn (Zea mays L.) residue removal (59 % of non-grain biomass annually) on surface soil mechanical properties (0–20 cm). We also evaluated whether adding carbon (C) amendments, such as using a winter rye (Secale cereale L.) cover crop or surface-applying cattle manure (24 Mg ha− 1 biannually) can ameliorate the effects of crop residue removal. This long-term study was under irrigated no-till continuous corn on a silt loam soil in south-central …