Subject: Re: Pumpkins

From: Kevin Gamble <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1993 14:20:45 -0400 (EDT)

SANeters:

> I was expounding on the merits of the internet today to a colleague, an
> extension specialist, who does not use computers.  He challenged me with
> the following:
>   "Can it tell me how to grow no-till pumpkins in eastern Virginia?"
> After determining that, in fact, he has a genuine need for this
> information, I said I would post the question.  Can anyone help?  --it may
> win a convert to information technology.

Never one to pass up a challenge I did a search of the SARE projects
database at NCSU. The search turned-up the following on no-till pumkins.
Where it doesn't necessariy address Virginia, the document certainly
could direct your colleague to a reliable source of information.

I haven't tried searching the other large agricultural databases, but
I'm sure we can uncover some additional information.

How's this for speed? I'm returning this message within minutes of the
original query.

Kevin Gamble ([email-masked])

*****************************************

LNE89-19:  REDUCED TILLAGE: ALTERNATIVE CROPPING SYSTEMS FOR
     VEGETABLE PRODUCTION IN THE NORTHEAST 

(Revised 1/14/91)

Major Participants:

Cornell University:  Robin R. Bellinder (Project Coordinator),
     research/extension, Dept. of Vegetable Crops, Ithaca, NY 
     14853.  Weed Science, overall project coordinator,
     responsible for the weed control and tillage aspects of the
     projects in New York State, collaborator with the Michigan
     project.  

Long Island Horticulture Research Lab:  Darlene Wilcox-Lee,
     research/extension, Dept. of Vegetable Crops, 39 Sound
     Avenue, Riverhead, NY  11901.  Coordinator of the Long
     Island projects and responsible for soil water aspects of
     all studies.  

University of Connecticut:  Richard Ashley, research/extension,
     Dept. of Plant Science, U-67, 1376 Storrs Road, Storrs, CT 
     06268.  Coordinator of Connecticut projects, specialist with
     regard to the cultural management of the living mulch
     aspects of the studies.  

Extension:  Laura Pedersen, Cooperative Extension Agent, Ontario
     County, 480 N. Main St., Canandaigua, NY  14424.  Ms.
     Pedersen has been a proponent of ridge-tillage for snap
     beans for number of years so when I approached her with this
     project she joined in willingly.  Thanks to her efforts Mr.
     Wafler joined the team.  She will be an active participant
     in all field days and extension activities.

New York State Agricultural Experiment Station:  Curt Petzoldt,
     Assistant Director, IPM Program, Geneva, NY.  Dr. Petzoldt
     has been interested in other reduced tillage work that has
     been done in the Vegetable Crops Weed Control Program and
     has acted as an adviser in the planning phase of the
     project.  He will actively participate in the demonstrations
     (to be done in growers' fields in 1990 and 1991) and
     educational events.

USDA/Soil Conservation Service:  Alan Connell, District
     Conservationist, Riverhead, NY.  Will provide technical
     expertise in soil water measurement and the determination of
     soil erosion potential under various ground covers.  In
     addition, he has provided valuable assistance in obtaining
     grower participation in this project.

Comstock Foods:  Gerry Ivison, Field Manager, Bergen, NY.  This
     is the company that processes Craig Yunker's organic
     vegetables for Earth's Best Baby Foods.  Mr. Ivison's
     expertise with both growing and processing concerns will
     make him an excellent consultant.  He is also providing us
     with the seed we need for the pea project.

Farmer Participants:  

Lyle Wells, Riverhead, NY, member of the Board of Directors of
     the New York State Vegetable Growers Association.  Mr. Wells
     has been particularly interested in producing no-till
     pumpkins and approached us with his interest.  He has been
     invaluable in the early discussion phase of the project and
     will be a participant in the field trial phase.

Paul Wafler, Wolcott, NY.  Mr. Wafler is one of the courageous
     few willing to experiment with the idea of reduced tillage
     vegetable production.  He has participated in the early
     planning phases of the snap bean studies and has already
     planted wheat and hairy vetch mulches for this first trial
     in 1989.

Craig Yunker, CY Farms, Elba, NY.  He has an interest in growing
     vegetables organically.  He has grown both snap beans and
     peas for several years using organic methods.  He will act
     as a consultant to our organic peas study and will grow two
     14-acre plantings of peas in a plowed down alfalfa sod in
     1991.

                            Overview

     We are proposing to investigate the use of reduced and
strip-tillage with interrow cover crops for vegetable production
in the northeast.  The research will be conducted at research
facilities and growers' fields in upstate New York and on Long
Island, and in Connecticut.

     We will evaluate different grass and legume mulch/cover crop
species for their ability to suppress weeds, conserve soil
moisture and control soil erosion.  Crop performance in each of
the mulch systems will be determined and herbicide rates will be
reduced utilizing the weed-suppressing potential of the mulches.

     The studies will be conducted on a wide range of crops that
are grown throughout the northeast and north central regions of
the US.  We will include tomatoes, cabbage or cauliflower, snap
beans, sweet corn and pumpkins at multiple locations.  The
proposed research will help to define the specific requirements
for reduced-tillage vegetable production that will be necessary
if growers are to consider using such systems.  Formulation of
such recommendations in combination with the extension and
education efforts involved in this project should provide
commercial interest and participation in a system with both
economic and environmental advantages.  

                           Objectives

     We are proposing to investigate the use of reduced and
strip-tillage with interrow cover crops for vegetable production
in the northeast.  The specific objectives of the proposed work
are:  

(1)  Evaluate potential cover crop/mulch species for their
     ability to suppress weeds, conserve moisture and reduce
     erosion.  Growth characteristics like rate of growth,
     biomass production, degree of tillering and plant
     architecture will have a significant impact on the degree of
     weed suppression and soil and water conservation achieved. 
     For example, the vertical architecture of the grass mulches
     may allow more water evaporation than the horizontal covers
     provided by legumes. Conversely, the potentially greater
     moisture under the legume mulch may enhance weed
     germination.  Differences in light penetration in the two
     mulch types may result in changes in the species of weeds
     that germinate and develop.  

(2)  Determine the yield potential of numerous vegetable crops
     grown throughout the northeast when produced in strip or
     reduced tillage systems.  Numerous problems have been
     reported when vegetables are grown in no-tillage systems. 
     Three of the commonly reported problems are poor seed-soil
     contact or coverage; cold soils preventing germination; and
     reduced root development.  We feel that the use of strip
     tillage, particularly coupled with the use of a chisel tine
     in the strip, will alleviate these problems.  Our goal is
     not to obtain increased yields in these systems but to
     obtain yields equivalent to those currently produced with
     traditional plow/disc cultivation systems.

(3)  Utilize the weed suppressing potential of a mulch to reduce
     rates of applied herbicides.  In order to significantly
     reduce the chemical load on the environment we must convince
     large-scale commercial vegetable growers that herbicide use
     can be reduced without a reduction in yields (profits). 
     Through a combination of physical and allelopathic
     characteristics some mulches prevent or suppress weed
     germination and/or growth.  Delaying weed emergence by four
     to six weeks would eliminate the need for most soil-applied
     preemergence herbicides.  Coupled with the currently
     labeled, highly selective post-emergence herbicides, growers
     can begin to apply herbicides at low dose on an as-needed
     basis as is done with insecticides and fungicides in
     traditional Integrated Pest Management Programs.

(4)  Compare costs involved with each mulch/tillage/herbicide
     system.  Each mulch used will require a different management
     approach; spring oats will winter-kill; hairy vetch will be
     mowed; and the remainder will require chemical regulation. 
     It will be necessary to calculate all inputs into the
     system:  man and machine time, fuel and chemical inputs,
     etc.  It may prove that reducing the chemical inputs in
     dollars will be offset by increases in the other areas,
     however the benefit of reducing the chemical load on the
     environment and of reducing soil loss must also be factored
     into the economic equation.

Project Duration:  Two years:  1991-1993 

Funding:  $10,000 in 1989; $37,300 in 1990.  Matching, $108,327.