Commercial egetable Variety Trials Regional Bulletin 04 Auburn University Mississippi State University University of Missouri-Columbia Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama Luther Waters, Director June 2000 FALL 1999 Contents Authors ____ __ __ 3 Introduction: Interpreting Results of Vegetable Variety Performance_ 4 'Summer Sweet #890' and 'Enterprise' Top Bell Pepper Varieties 6 Variety Evaluation of Greenhouse Bell Peppers in South Mississippi 8 'Nomad' and 'Legacy' Top Broccoli Varieties in 1999 _ 9 'Tendersweet' Cabbage in Top Three at Wiregrass and Sand Mountain 10 Trellising Improves Marketability but notYield of 'Thunder' Cucumber 12 Variety Evaluation of Greenhouse Cucumbers in South Mississippi 13 'Mesilla' Jalapeno Sizzles atTwo Locations __15 'Florida Broadleaf' Performs Well Among Mustard Green Varieties 17 Okra Cultivar Evaluation for Fall Production in North Mississippi 18 Latest Pumpkin Varieties Show Tolerance to Powdery Mildew 19 Pumpkin Variety Trial in Southeast Virginia __ ____ 22 'Quick Pic' Performs Best in Southernpea Nitrogen and Tillage Study 23 Southernpea Cooperative Trials in North Mississippi 24 Results of 1999 National Sweetpotato Collaborator's Trials 26 Fall Tomatoes in South Alabama 28 Variety Evaluation of Spring Greenhouse Tomatoes in South Mississippi 30 Variety Evaluation of Fall Greenhouse Tomatoes in South Mississippi 32 Mississippi Medallion Field Tomato Trial, Fall 1999 34 Watermelon Cultivars for the Missouri Bootheel 35 Seed and Plant Sources for Alabama Trials 37 Seed Sources for Virginia Pumpkin Trial 38 Names of chemicals are mentioned only for describing the production practices used. This represents neither a recommendation nor an endorsement of these products. Information contained herein is available to all persons without regard to race, color, sex, or national origin. Authors Randy Akridge Superintendent Brewton Research Field Brewton, AL (334) 867-3139 Jim Bannon Director E.V. Smith Research Center Shorter, AL (334) 727-7403 Bob Bevacqua Former Extension Agent Southampton Extension Office, Courtland, VA (757) 653-2572 Bobby Boozer Area Horticulturist Department of Horticulture Auburn University, AL (205) 646-4123 Jason Burkett Superintendent, Horticulture Unit E.V. Smith Research Center Shorter, AL (334) 727-6159 Arnold Caylor Superintendent North Alabama Horticulture Research Center Cullman, AL (256) 734-5820 Kent Cushman Assistant Research Scientist North Mississippi Research And Extension Center Verona, MS (601) 566-2201 Tony Dawkins Superintendent Sand Mountain Research and Extension Center Crossville, AL (256) 528-7133 Brian Gamble Associate Superintendent Wiregrass Research and Extension Center Headland, AL (334) 693-2363 Lewis W. Jett Assistant Professor and State Vegetable Crops Specialist University of Missouri-Columbia Columbia, MO Ronald McDaniel Superintendent Gulf Coast Research and Extension Center Fairhope, AL (334) 928-2740 Malcomb Pegues Assistant Superintendent Gulf Coast Research and Extension Center Fairhope, AL (334) 928-2740 Jim Pitts Superintendent Chilton Area Horticulture Station Clanton, AL (205) 646-3610 Randal Rawls Superintendent Upper Coastal Plain Research Center Winfield, AL (256) 487-2150 Eric Simonne Assistant Professor Department of Horticulture Auburn University, AL (334) 844-3018 Richard G. Snyder Vegetable Specialist Mississippi State University Truck Crops Research and Extension Center Crystal Springs, MS Edgar Vinson, Ill Research Assistant Department of Horticulture Auburn University, AL (334) 844-3041 Larry Wells Superintendent Wiregrass Research and Extension Center Headland, AL (334) 693-2363 4 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION Introduction: Interpreting Results of Vegetable Variety Performance Eric Simonne and Edgar Vinson The fall 1999 variety trial regional bulletin includes results from Alabama (Auburn University), Mississippi (Mississippi State University), Missouri (Missouri State University), and Virginia (Virginia Polytechnic and State University). Trials conducted at various locations offer a wealth of information to growers, extension special- ists, and seed companies. These trials also provide infor- mation such as how well a particular variety is perform- ing throughout the southern United States as well as in- dicate favorite vegetable variety choices in a given area. The main purpose of vegetable variety evaluation, however, is to give growers and seed retailers practical information on varieties and to assist them in selecting a "good" variety. Here are a few tips for interpreting the results of vegetable variety performance. Open Pollinated or Hybrid Varieties In general, hybrids (also referred to as Fl) mature earlier and produce a more uniform crop. They have im- proved disease, pest, or virus tolerance/resistance. Fl va- rieties are often more expensive than open pollinated (OP) varieties, and seeds cannot be collected from one crop to plant the next. Despite the advantages hybrids offer, OP varieties are still often planted in Alabama. Se- lecting a hybrid variety is the first step toward earliness and quality. Yield Potential Yields reported in variety trial results are extrapo- lated from small plots. Depending on the vegetable crop, plot sizes range from 100 to 500 square feet. Yields per acre are estimated by multiplying plot yields by correc- tive factors ranging from 100 to 1,000. Small errors are thus amplified, and estimated yields per acre may not be realistic. Therefore, locations cannot be compared to one another by just looking at the range of yields actually reported. However, the relative differences in perfor- mance among varieties within a location are realistic and can be used to identify the best-performing varieties. Statistical Interpretation The coefficient of determination (R2), coefficient of variation (CV), and least significant difference (lsd, 5%) are reported for each test. These numbers are helpful in separating the differences due to small plots (sampling error) and true (but unknown) differences among entries. R 2 values range between 0 and 1. Values close to I suggest that the test was conducted under good condi- tions and most of the variability observed was mainly due to the effect of variety and replication. Random, uncontrolled errors were of lesser importance. CV is an expression of yield variability relative to yield mean. Low CVs (under 20%) are desirable, but are not always achieved. There must be a minimum yield difference between two varieties before one can statistically conclude that one variety actually performs better than another. This is known as the least significant difference (lsd). When the difference in yield is less than the Isd value, one cannot conclude that there is any real difference between two varieties. For example, in the 1999 pumpkin trial at the Wiregrass Research and Extension Center, 'Spirit' yielded 20,129 pounds per acre, while 'Big Autumn' and 'EX4622827' yielded 19,060 and 12,364 pounds per acre, respectively. Since there was less than a 5,299 dif- ference (the lsd for this test) between 'Spitit' and 'Big Autumn', there is no statistical difference between these two variety's performance. However, the yield difference between 'Spirit' and 'EX4622827' was 7,765, indicating that there is a real difference between these two variet- ies. From a practical point of view, producers should place the greatest importance on lsd values when inter- preting results. Testing Conditions AU vegetable variety trials are conducted under stan- dard, recommended commercial production practices. If the cropping system to be used is different from that used in the trials, the results from the trials may not ap- ply. Information on soil type (Table 1), planting dates, fertilizer rates, and detailed spray schedule is provided to help producers compare their own practices to the standard practices used in the trials, and make relevant adjustments. FALL 1999 VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 5 Ratings of Trials At each location of the Alabama tests, variety trials were rated on a 1 to 5 scale, based on weather condi- tions, fertilization, irrigation, pest pressure, and overall performance (Table 2). Results from trials with ratings of 2 and under are not reported. These numbers may be used to interpret differences in performance from loca- tion to location. The overall rating may be used to give more importance to the results of variety performance under good growing conditions. Where to Get Seeds Because seeds are alive, their performance and ger- mination rate depend on how old they are, where and how they were collected, and how they have been handled and stored. It is always preferable to get certified seeds from a reputable source, such as the ones listed in this publication. Several factors other than yield have to be consid- ered when choosing a vegetable variety from a variety trial report. The main factors are type, resistance and tolerance to diseases, earliness, and, of course, avail- ability and cost of seeds. It is always better to try two to three varieties on a small scale before making a large planting of a single variety. Vegetable Trials on the Web For more vegetable variety information, visit the AU vegetable variety web page at www.ag.auburn.edu/ dept/hf/faculty/esimonne. This web site provides prac- tical information such as variety types, variety ratings, and seed sources. More detailed information on how to use the site may be found in the Alabama Cooperative Extension System circular ANR-1166 "AU Vegetable Va- rieties Online." TABLE 1. SOIL TYPES AT THE LOCATIONS OF THE ALABAMATRIALS Location Water-holding Soil type capacity (inJin.) Gulf Coast Research and Extension Center (Fairhope) 0.09-0.19 Malbis fine sandy loam Brewton Research Field (Brewton) 0.12 -0.14 Benndale fine sandy loam Wiregrass Research and Extension Center (Headland) 0.14 -0.15 Dothan sandy loam Lower Coastal Plain Research Center (Camden) 0.13 -0.15 Forkland fine sandy loam Horticultural Unit, EV Smith Research Center (Shorter) 0.15 -0.17 Norfolk-orangeburg loamy sand Chilton Area Horticultural Station (Clanton) 0.13 -0.15 Luvernue sandy loam Upper Coastal Plain Research Center (Winfield) 0.13 -0.20 Savannah loam North Alabama Horticultural Research Center(Cullman) 0.16 -0.20 Hartsells-Albertville fine sandy loam Sand Mountain Research and Extension Center (Crossville) 0.16 -0.18 Wynnville fine sandy loam TABLE 2. DESCRIPTION OF RATINGS Rating Weather Fertilizer Irrigation Pests Overall 5 Very Good Very Good Very Good None Excellent 4 Favorable Good Good Light Good 3 Acceptable Acceptable Acceptable Tolerable Acceptable 2 Adverse Low Low Adverse Questionable 1 Destructive Very Low Insufficient Destructive Useless 6 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION 'Summer Sweet #890' and 'Enterprise' Top Bell Pepper Varieties Eric Simonne, Edgar Vinson, and Randal Rawls A bell pepper variety trial was conducted at the Upper Coastal Plain Research Center in Winfield, Ala- bama (Tables 1 and 2). On May 26, six-week-old pep- pers were planted in 20-foot-long, double row plots with a within-row spacing of 12 inches. Black plastic and drip irrigation were used. Following soil test recommendations, fertilization consisted of an injection of 20-20-20 (at a rate of 12 pounds per acre) on June 2, June 16, June 30, August 25, and September 15. Potassium nitrate was applied at a rate of 17 pounds per acre on June 9 and June 23. Potas- sium nitrate was also applied weekly from July 7 through August 18. No pesticide sprays were used. TABLE 1. RATINGS OF THE 1999 BELL PEPPER VARIETY TRIALS' Location UCPRC Weather 5 Fertility 5 Irrigation 5 Pests 4 Overall 5 'See introduction for a description of rating scales. Bell peppers were harvested on July 26, August 3, August 18, August 30, September 15, October 4, and TABLE 2. SEED SOURCE, FRUIT CHARACTERISTICS, AND RELATIVE EARLINESS OF SELECTED BELL PEPPER VARIETIES Variety Type' Seed Color 2 Days to Disease Years source harvest tolerance/resistance 3 evaluated Ace Fl Johnny's G-R 60 BD 94,99 ACX 209 Fl A & C G-R 86 BLS(l,23) 99 Aladdin XR3 Fl Petoseed G-Y 73 BLS(l,2,3),TBV,ThEV 98,99 Bamoa Fl Petoseed G-R 74 TBVPVY 99 CamelotX3R Fl Petoseed G-R 74 BLS(l,2,3),TbMV 94-97,99 Capistrano OP Petoseed G-R 74 TbMV 96,97,99 Colosal Fl Novartis G-R - - 99 Enterprise Fl Asgrow G-R 77 BLS(l,2,3),TbMV 95-97,99 KingArthur Fl Petoseed G-R 72 BLS(2),J'VYbEV[[bMV 94-97,99 Lafayette F1 Novartis G-R - - 99 Lilac Fl Novartis P-R 68 TbMV 94-97,99 Merlin Fl Seedway G-R 68 TMV 99 Purple Beauty OP Petoseed G-Bk 74 TbMV 96,97,99 Rpp 61l0-vp Fl1 Novartis G-R - -- 99 Sentry Fl Novartis G-R 70 BSL(l,2),PVY,Stip,ThMV 97,99 Spp 6112 Fl Asgrow G-R - - 99 Var. #890 Fl A & C G-R 89 BLS(1,2,3),PVYTMV 99 Yankee Bell OP Johnny's G-R 70 99 'Type: Fl=hybrid; OP=open pollinated. 2 Color: Bk=Black; G='Green; R =Red; Ph"Purple; Y=Yellow. 3 ies tolerance/resistance; BD=Blossom Drop; BLS=Bacterial Leaf Spot; PVY=Potato Virus Y; T hEV=TobaccoEtch Virus TbMV=Tobacco Mosaic Virus; TB Tobamovirus;-=not found in seed catalogs;" = none. October 21. Fruits were harvested at the mature green color stage, weighed, and graded using the stan- dards of the Sweet Pepper Grader's Guide (Circular ANR-784 of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System). Early yield was determined by adding the yields of the first three harvests (Table 3), and total yield was deter- mined by adding the yields of all harvests (Table 4). During earlyharvests, Summer Sweet#890' gave higher yields than the stan- dard varieties like 'Enter- prise' (Table 3). However total yield for 'Summer Sweet #890' was not sig- nificantly different than that of 'Enterprise' (Table 6 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION mot ,,".... " .:. "ti4 1 o .' d-L j . . . .. 1, . . L " t FALL 1999 VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 7 4). Other varieties that performed well were 'Rpp 6110- eties during the early and late harvests while Rpp 6l10- vp', an experimental variety, 'Merlin', and 'Sentry'. 'Mer- vp' placed in the top three during the late harvests. Yields lin' and 'Sentry' consistently placed in the top five vari- of the standard 'Kimg Arthur' were lower than expected. TABLE 3. EARLY PRODUCTION AND GRADE DISTRIBUTION OF SELECTED BEu PEPPER VARIETIES AT THE UPPER COASTAL PLAIN RESEARCH CENTER Earlymarket- Early Early Early Early Early Early Variety Stand able wt. fancy wt. US#1 wt. US#2 wt. fancy no. US#1 no. US#2 no. % lbs/a lbs/a lbs/a lbs/a no/a no/a no/a Summer Sweet #890 100 28,815 5,293 23,522 4,816 12,441 71,775 20,815 Enterprise 99 22,913 6,226 16,686 6,549 17,944 52,874 24,164 Merlin 99 19,906 8,928 10,978 8,026 21,772 38,998 28,949 Sentry 100 18,099 7,489 10,611 5,163 19,619 27,753 18,662 Ace 99 17,714 3,024 14,690 7,955 9,570 50,243 32,299 Aladdin X3R 100 16,221 3,651 12,570 5,462 8,852 39,237 20,815 Capistrano 95 15,599 2,422 13,177 4,813 5,742 39,955 16,748 ACX 209 99 15,411 4,859 10,552 3,492 14,355 36,127 12,202 Yankee Bell 100 14,685 2,928 11,757 7,070 5,981 36,127 26,078 Rpp 611Ovp 99 14,566 1,392 13,173 932 3,350 39,955 3,350 Purple Beauty 98 11,083 3,530 7,553 3,579 11,963 23,207 14,355 Colossal 96 10,144 2,302 7,843 5,960 6,460 27,275 22,968 CamelotX3R 95 8,990 3,067 5,923 2,123 8,135 23,925 10,049 Spp 61 12 99 7,759 2,583 5,176 2,755 6,460 18,183 11,723 Lafayette 96 7,453 1,299 6,154 4,184 2,632 16,508 15,312 King Arthur 96 7,371 311 7,060 2,298 1,196 18,901 8,374 Bamoa 99 5,303 1,292 4,011 2,682 3,589 22,250 10,049 R 2 0.44 0.41 0.42 CV 55 86 85 lsd 5,046 1,983 5,172 TABLE 4. TOTAL PRODUCTION AND GRADE DISTRIBUTION OF SELECTED BELL PEPPER VARIETIES AT THE UPPER COASTAL PLAIN RESEARCH CENTER Variety Total market- Total Total Total Total Total Total Individual Stand able wt. fancy wt. US#l1 wt. US#2 wt. fancy no. US#1l no. US#2 no. fancy lhjit wk % lbs/a lbs/a lbs/a lbs/a no/a no/a no/a lb Summer Sweet#890 100 41,506 Enterprise 99 37,782 Rpp6110-vp 99 32,739 Sentry 100 30,465 Merlin 99 29,092 Purple Beauty 98 28,611 Aladdin X3R 100 28,153 Yankee Bell 100 26,554 Ace 99 26,115 Capistrano 95 24,670 Colossal 96 22,142 Lafayette 96 18,885 CamelotX3R 95 17,717 Spp 61 12 99 16,696 King Arthur 96 15,375 Bamoa 99 14,941 R 2 0.43 CV 38 lsd 6,264 5,728 35,779 9,262 14,355 257,194 96,418 6,226 31,556 12,444 17,944 235,901 113,405 1,392 31,347 23,803 3,350 209,344 136,373 8,018 22,446 9,694 21,772 220,828 85,652 8,928 20,164 14,716 21,772 170,346 118,190 3,530 25,081 24,002 11,963 196,664 133,502 3,651 24,502 17,880 8,852 232,073 129,434 2,928 23,626 19,560 5,981 176,567 124,171 3,024 23,091 13,294 9,570 199,056 105,988 2,422 22,248 12,033 5,742 166,040 104,074 2,302 19,840 20,631 6,460 172,260 118,190 1,373 17,512 21,836 3,828 134,698 123,453 3,067 14,649 16,3581 8,135 146,182 133,262 2,966 13,730 16,047 7,656 120,343 96,179 311 15,064 13,563 1,196 116,993 90,437 1,292 13,649 12,353 3,589 179,438 66,272 0.43 0.44 84 82 1,979 5,172 0.41 0.36 0.40 0.39 0.40 0.28 0.40 0.42 0.30 0.42 0.37 0.36 0.37 0.41 0.22 0.38 - ---- -- ---- ---- ---- L)1 4,i2; 8 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION Variety Evaluation of Greenhouse Bell Peppers in South Mississippi Richard G. Snyder and Jim Curtis A trial of six hybrid greenhouse bell peppers variet- ies was performe at the Truck Crops Branch Experiment Station at Crystal Springs, Mississippi, in the fall of 1996. Seedlings were transplanted on August 13. There were four plants per bag, and 16 plants per plot, with four replications. The experimental design was a ran- domized complete block. Data collected included mar- ketable numbers and weights of fruit, and cull numbers and weights of fruit. Total weight of fruit was calculated by adding marketable and cull fruit. Percent marketable fruit was determined from fruit weights. Data were ana- lyzed by analysis of variance, with mean separation by Duncan's New Multiple Range Test. 'Alberto' had significantly higher marketable weight than any other pepper variety (see table). 'Alberto' also had significantly higher marketable number and mar- ketable weight of fruit than 'Reflex', 'Locas', or 'Evi- dent'. 'Alberto', 'Samanta', and 'Gold Flame' had sig- nificantly lower cull weight and number than the other varieties. 'Reflex' and 'Evident' were the highest in cull weights and numbers. 'Alberto' also had the highest per cent marketableweight of fruit. There were no signifi- cant differences in total numbers or weights of fruit. However, both 'Alberto' and Evident' had a tendency to be highest in both factors. Overall, 'Alberto' appears to be the best choice of these newer hybrid pepper varieties. YIELD AND QUALITY OF FRUIT FROM A FALL GREENHOUSE PEPPER VARIETY TRIAL AT THE TRUCK CROPS BRANCH EXPERIMENT STATION Variety Marketable Marketable Cull Cull Percent market- Total number' weight number weight able weight weight lbs lbs lbs Alberto 168a 87 a 160c 55 c 61 a 142 Reflex 112 c 47 c 300 a 81 a 37 d 128 Samanta 152 ab 68 b 179 c 58 c 54 b 126 Gold Flame 147 ab 67 b 187 c 55 c 54 b 122 Locas 133bc 59bbe 259b 72 b 45 c 131 Evident 134bc 60 be 315 a 84 a 41 cd 145 Signficance 2 ** ** ** ** ** ns 'Fruit was harvested from 16 plants. 2 Numbers followedby different letters are significantly different according to Duncan's New Multiple Range Test; ** indicates significant at p< or =0.01; * indicates p< or =0.05; ns indicates not significant at p=0.05. r:: ,- PK ' - } .. ,. .3..?F" t -}f Y;f,. n ; f ' i 1 .. '?i -.. .. .1' . _,. ' ,$ i' FALL 1999 VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 9 'Nomad' and 'Legacy' Top Broccoli Varieties in 1999 Eric Simonne, Edgar Vinson, Larry Wells, and Brian Gamble A broccoli variety trial was conducted using plastic mulch and drip irrigation at theWiregrass Research and Extension Center in Headland, Alabama (Tables 1 and 2). Broccoli was transplanted in staggered double rows on August 12. This created a stand of approximately 27,000 plants per acre. Fertilizer was applied according to the recommen- dations of the Auburn University Soil Testing Labora- tory. Pesticides were applied according to current rec- ommendations for pest and weed control in vegetable production found in IPM Commercial Vegetables: In- sect, Disease, Nematode and Weed Control Recommen- dations (Publication 2000IPM-2 from the Alabama Co- operative Extension System). TABLE 2. SEED SOURCE, EARLINESS, AND DISEASE CLAIMS OF SELECTED BROCCOLI VARIETIES Variety Type Seed Earliness Disease source claims 2 Packman F1 Petoseed/ 78 - Stokes Nomad F1 Sakata - - Legacy Fl Asgrow - - RBR-45-vp F1 Novartis - - Coronado OP Asgrow - - Laguna Fl Novartis 88 DM Everest F1 Novartis 85 DM Signal Fl Novartis 80 DM Windsor F1 Novartis 85 DM Type: Fl=hybrid; OP=open pollinated, 2 Disease claims: DM=Downy Mildew. -= not found; from seed catalogs. Between August 30 and November 25, fertilization consisted of injections of seven pounds of N per acre alternatively from a liquid Ca(NO3) 2 solution (9-0-0-11) and 20-10-20. Insect control consisted of weekly appli- cations of Dipel (two pints per acre) from August 30 through October 11 and one application of Asana XL (9.6 ounces per acre) on August 30. TABLE 1. RATINGS OF THE 1999 BROCCOLI VARIETY TRIALS 1 Location WREC Weather 5 Fertility 5 Irrigation 5 Pests 5 Overall 5 'See introduction for a description of rating scales. Heads were harvested when they reached six inches in diameter. Plants were harvested twice weekly between October 19 and November 29. Marketable weight (in numbers of 23-pound cartons) and corresponding num- ber of heads were recorded (Table 3). Several varieties performed better than 'Packman' which is the standard variety. Among those varieties are 'Nomad', 'Legacy', and an experimental variety, 'RBR- 45-vp' by Novartis. TABLE 3. YIELD OF SELECTED BROCCOLI VARIETIES Variety Marketable Marketable Marketable 23-lb cart yield heads' Stand no/a lbs/a no/a % Nomad 674 15,503 35,928 100 Legacy 659 15,177 19,379 100 RBR-45-vp 568 13,065 31,138 99 Coronado 502 11,566 22,646 100 Laguna 460 10,600 20,033 99 Packman 456 10,495 23,734 96 Everest 416 9,581 18,944 87 Signal 391 8,993 20,468 83 Windsor 362 8,339 20,250 99 R 2 0.59 0.72 CV 20 17 lsd 3,388 5,748 'Number of marketable heads maybe greater than the 27,000 plants per acre ideals stand when lateral florets develop to a marketable size. FALL 1999 VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 9 i_..': F 1' , ' f "f ' .. i + . j be 'Tendersweet' Cabbage in Top Three at Wiregrass and Sand Mountain Eric Simonne, Edgar Vinson, Larry Wells, Brian Gamble, and Tony Dawkins A cabbage variety trial was conducted at the Horti- culture Unit at the Wiregrass Research and Extension Center (WGREC) in Headland, Alabama, and at the Sand Mountain Research and Extension Center (SMREC) in Crossville, Alabama (Tables 1 and 2). At both locations seven-week-old transplants were planted onto 20-foot- long double-row plots on August 24 at WGREC and on August 19 at SMREC. Within-row spacing was one foot. This resulted in a stand of 17,400 plants per acre. At WGREC, 500 pounds of 13-13-13 and two tons of broiler litter per acre were preplant applied on August 13. Seven pounds per acre ofN as potassium nitrate were injected weekly on September 7, September 17, October 8, October 15, and October 30. Asana XL insecticide at a rate of nine ounces per acre and Bravo 720 fungicide at a rate of three pints per acre were applied on September 10, September16, and October 2. At SMREC preplant fertilization consisted an ap- plication of 13-13-13 at a rate of 300 pounds per acre on TABLE 1. RATINGS OF THE 1999 CABBAGE VARIETY TRIALS 1 Location WGREC SMREC Weather 5 5 Fertility 5 5 Irrigation 5 5 Pests 5 5 Overall 5 4 'See introduction for a description of rating scales. August 19. Sidedresses were made by injecting calcium nitrate at a rate of 180 pounds per acre on September 8. Devrinol herbicide was applied at rate of four pounds per acre on August 19. Insecticides used were Asana (at a rate of eight ounces per acre) on September 9, October 12, and October 22. Fungicides used were Belate (at a rate of 0.5 pound per acre) and Bravo (at a rate of one quart per acre) on Sep- TABLE 2. SEED SOURCE, EARLINESS, AND DISEASE RESISTANCE/TOLERANCE OF SELECTED hEAD CABBAGEVARIETIES Variety Type' Head Seed Days to Disease color source harvest tolerance/resistance Emblem Rio Verde Augusta Tendersweet Blue Dynasty Fl Fl F1 Fl Fl Green Green Green Green Green Rupp Seeds Novartis Novartis Johnny's Asgrow 85 92 82 71 75 BR, FY, TB BLS, FY FY BR, FY tember 8. When they reached marketable size, cabbage heads were harvested with four wrapper leaves and graded according to United States Standards for Grades of Cabbage (U.S. Department of Ag- riculture 46 FR 63203). 10 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION FALL 1999 VEGETABLE VARIETYTRL'\LS 11 3). 'Blue Thunder', 'Blue Dynasty', and 'Tendersweet' were the top three varieties though several other vari- eties showed similaryiekis. At SMREC 'Rio Verdi', August', andTeneisweet' were the top three varieties followedby 'Blue Dynasty' and 'Constanza'. These varieties had significantly higher marketable yields than the remaining variet- ies. TABLE 3. PERFORMANCE OF SELECTED CABBAGE VARIETIES Variety Marketable Marketable Marketable 50-lb cart yield heads' Stand no/a lbs/a no/a Wiregrass Research and Extension Center Blue Thunder 564 25,952 6,162 Blue Dynasty 551 25,344 8,468 Tendersweet 540 24,868 4,014 Pennant 514 23,674 7,594 Constanza 490 22,568 8,462 Izalco 468 21,612 7,680 Rio Verde 427 19,660 5,294 Bayou Dynasty 412 19,572 6,292 Augusta 366 16,926 6,076 Cardinal 299 13,790 4,448 Emblem 286 13,258 9,112 Red Dynasty 214 9,860 3,688 R2 0.53 0.52 0.50 CV 28 28 31 lsd 171 7,854 2,734 Sand Mountain Research and Extension Center Rio Verde 584 29,222 6,968 100 Augusta 457 22,842 6,968 100 Tendersweet 453 22,668 5,444 100 Blue Dynasty 434 21,710 6,750 100 Constanza 405 20,251 6,097 100 Izalco 274 13,718 5,226 100 Bayou Dynasty 241 12,042 5,879 100 Emblem 217 10,866 2,831 100 Blue Thunder 204 10,212 3,920 100 Pennant 184 9,211 3,920 100 Red Dynasty 106 5,291 3,266 100 Cardinal 68 3,419 1,524 100 R20.53 0.53 0.50 CV 28 28 31 Isd 343 7,873 2, 740 "= none. FALL 1999 VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 11 12 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION Trellising Improves Mar- ketability but not Yield of 'Thunder' Cucumber Kent Cushman and Thomas Horgan 'Thunder' cucumber plants were grown in a repli- cated trial using ground or trellis culture at the Horticul- ture Research and Education Unit in Verona, Mississippi. There was no significant difference between treatments for total marketable yield or for any of the cull catego- ries. The additional labor and expense of constructing trellising, therefore, may not be justified. However, per- cent marketable fruit and average weight per cucumber were significantly greater for trellis-grown plants. Plots were direct seeded by hand on June 22 in con- structed, raised plant beds. Seed were planted one inch deep and six inches apart and then thinned to one plant per foot. Beds consisted of a sandy topsoil amended with ammoniated pine bark mulch the previous year. Before planting, pellitized lime was applied at the rate of one ton per acre. Preplant fertilizer was broadcast at the rate of 80 pounds of N, 150 pounds ofP 2 05, and 200 pounds of K 2 0 per acre. Soluble fertilizer was applied through the drip irrigation system by injecting a concentrated solution of CaNO 3 , which contributed an additional 40 pounds of N per acre during the growing season. Plots were 24 feet long by six feet wide. The experi- mental design was a randomized complete block design with four replications. Trellising was constructed with a six-foot-high plastic mesh netting attached to wooden poles placed every six feet. Water was applied as needed to provide approximately one acre-inch per week. Pesticides were applied with a backpack-type mis- ter on a seven- to ten-day schedule. Curbit EC herbicide was applied at the rate of 3.5 pints per acre (1.1 pound of ethalfluaralin per acre). The insecticides Asana XL at 9.6 ounces per acre (0.05 pound of esfenvalerate per acre) or Thiodan 3EC at two quarts per acre (1.5 pounds of en- dosulfan per acre) were sprayed as needed for insect con- trol. The fungicides Quadris at six ounces per acre (0.1 pound of azoxystrobin per acre) or Bravo Weather Stik at two pints per acre (1.5 pounds of chlorothalonil per acre) were applied as a tank-mix insecticide for disease control. Harvest began on August 11 and ended September 10 for a total of 13 harvests. Plants were normally picked on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Fruit from each plot was separated into marketable and cull and then counted and weighed. Slicing cucumbers are normally grown on the ground with no attempt to support vines on a trellis. Results of this study showed that trellised cucumbers had a signifi- cantly greater percent marketable fruit and greater fruit weight than those grown on the ground (see table). Har- vest and spray operations for trellised cucumbers were more convenient than for those grown on the ground. Trellising, however, did not result in greater yields and, therefore, may not justify the additional labor and ex- pense of constructing trellises. CUCUMBER YIELD: GROUND Vs. TRELLIS CULTURE, HORTICULTURE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION UNIT, VERONA, MISSISSIPPI _ Marketable Cull Variety Yield Percent Weight Misshapen' Poor pollination 2 Small 3 lbs/a oz/fruit % % % Ground 64,170 65 11.3 18.9 7.5 7.1 Trellis 64,150 71 11.8 13.8 7.2 5.8 lsd ns 5 0.2 ns ns ns R 2 0.93 0.96 CV 3 0.8 'Curved or crooked. 2 Poorpollination, bottleneck-shaped fruit. 3 Short, mature, but unmarketable. ns=not significant. 12 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION FALL 1999 VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 13 Variety Evaluation of Greenhouse Cucumbers in South Mississippi Richard G. Snyder, Jim Curtis, and Larry Harkins In the spring of 1997, a greenhouse cucumber vari- ety trial was conducted at the Truck Crops Branch Ex- periment Station in Crystal Springs, Mississippi. Seedlings were transplanted on January 7. There were two plants per two-cubic-foot pine bark-filled bag, and eight plants per plot, with four replications. The experi- mental design was completely randomized. Data col- lected included marketable number, marketable weight, cull number, and cull weight. In addition culls were sepa- rated into several categories of common physiological disorders. Percent marketable fruit by weight of fruit was calculated. Data were analyzed by analysis of variance, with mean separation by Duncan's New Multiple Range Test. 'Picobello' had the highest marketable number of fruit (Table 1). This is most likely due to the fact that this is a smaller fruit type than the other types tested, thereby producing many more fruit. 'CA230' and 'CA774' tended to have the highest number of fruit among the larger fruited types, though this was not statistically sig- nificant. 'Picobello' also had significantly higher marketable weight of fruit than 'Falco, 'Titleist', or 'Pinnacle'. This is inter- esting in light of the fact that the fruit of 'Picobello' are much smaller. 'Picobello', 'Pin- nacle', and 'CA774' had significantly fewer culls than the others, both by weight and number. 'Picobello' also clearly had the highest percent marketable by fruit weight, followed by 'CA774'. 'Picobello' also performed much better than the other varieties in terms of physiological disorders of the fruit (Table 2). This small variety had significantly fewer bent or curved fruit, bottleneck fruit, tapered fruit, and small fruit than the other varieties. However, 'Picobello' had more fruit with poor skin than the others. There were no significant differences in radial ribbing among vari- eties, although 'Picobello' and 'Pinnacle' tended to have the fewest fruit with this disorder. All of these variables are based on fruit number. Overall, 'Picobello' performed the best of these cu- cumber varieties. It should be considered when choos- ing a variety of European cucumber, especially in a mar- ket where a smaller variety may be preferred. TABLE 1. YIELD AND QUALITY OF FRUIT FROM A SPRING GREENHOUSE CUCUMBERVARIETY TRIAL AT THE TRUCK CROPS BRANCH EXPERIMENT STATION IN CRYSTAL SPRINGS, MISSISSIPPI' Marketable Marketable Cull Cull Percent marketable Variety number weight number weight by weight no/plot lbs/plot no/plot lbs/plot Falco 173 b 160 b 257 a 186 a 46 d CA 230 209 b 195 ab 275 a 188 a 51 cd CA 774 206 b 193 ab 207 b 145 c 57 b Titleist 185 b 168 b 256 a 17 ab 49 cd Picobello 620 b 216 a 207 b 74 d 75 a Pinnacle 183 b 169 b 216b 153 bc 52 bc Significance 2 ** * ** ** ** 1 Yields are based on eight plants per plot. 2 Numbers followed by different letters are significantly different according to Duncan's New Multiple Range Test; ** indicates significant at p< or-0.01; * indicates p< or=-0.05; ns indicates not significant at p-=.05. FALL 1999 VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 13 r:, f ' ... ^ 4 f :T' "? t " .. .. "^ .F f _ . i{ i . .E - f _ .' ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION TABLE 2. PIYSIOLOGICAL DISORDERS AND SIZE OF FRUIT FROM A SPRING GREENHOUSE CUCUMBER VARI- ETY TRIAl AT THE TRUCK CROPS BRANCH EXPERIMENT STATION IN CRYSTAL SPRINGS, MISSISSIPPI' Variety Bent or Bottleneck Tapered Radial Poor Small Large curved fruit fruit fruit ribbing skin fruit fruit no no no no no no no Falco 174 a 41 a 75 abc 2 5bll6 bc 2b CA230 167a 24b 94a 3 6b 142a 3b CA 774 128 b 26 b 62 c 8 4 b 102 c 4 b Titleist 169 a 21 b 86 ab 6.5 6 b 128 ab 2 b Picobello 93 c lo c 40 d 2 11 a 22 d 48 a Pinnacle 121 b 42 a 66 be 2 3 b 96 c 3 b Sigmjficance 2 ** ** ** ns * ** ** ' Yields are based on eight plants per plot. 2 Numbers followed by different letters are significantly different according to Duncan's New Multiple Range Test; ** indicates significant at p< or =0.01; * indicates p< or =0.05; ns indicates not significant at p=0.05. 14 FALL 1999 VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 15 'Mesilla' Jalapeno Sizzles at Two Locations Eric Simonne, Edgar Vinson, Bobby Boozer, Arnold Caylor, and Jim Pitts Hot pepper varieties trials were conducted at the E.V. Smith Research Center (EVSRC) in Shorter, Ala- bama, and at the Chilton Area Horticulture Station (CAHS) in Clanton, Alabama (Tables 1 and 2). At both locations, hot peppers were planted in four-foot-long, double-row plots with a within-row spacing of 12 inches. Each plot contained eight plants. Plants were grown on plastic mulch with drip irrigation. White plastic was used at EVSRC and black at CAHS. Six-week-old peppers were transplanted on June 1 at EVSRC and April 27 at CAHlS. At EVSRC, beds were fumigated with 400 pounds per acre of Pic Brom 25 on April 8. Preplant fertilizer applied was 15.5-0-0 calcium nitrate at a rate of 387 pounds per acre on March 24. Fertilization consisted of weekly, alternate injections of 9-0-0-11 and 20-20-20 at TABLE 1. RATINGS OF THE 1999 JALAPENO VARIETY TRIALS 1 Location EVSRC CAHS Weather 4 5 Fertility 5 5 Irrigation 5 5 Pests 4 5 Overall 4 4 'See introduction for a description of rating scales. a rate of 3.5 pounds of nitrogen per acre. Insect control consisted of applications of Manex (at a rate of 1.6 quarts per acre) on June 10, June 29, July 3, July 9, July 17, and TABLE 2. SEED SOURCE, FRUIT CHARACTERISTICS, AND RELATIVE EARLINESS OF SELECTED HOT PEPPER VARIETIES Variety Type' Classification Seed Days to Pod Color 2 RSR 2 Disease source harvest shape claims 4 Ancho San Luis OP Ancho Petoseod 78 Heart-shaped; G-R 1,500-4,000 - Blunt point Cherry Bomb Fl1 Hot Cherry Petoseed 78 Oblate or G-R 2,500-5,000 TbMV Globe-shaped Mesilla Fl Cayenne Petoseed 87 2-celled; G-R 2000-4000 TbPPVYTEV Wrinkled, long Mitla Fl1 Jalapeno Petoseed 74 BulletShaped G-R 4,000-5,000 - Mulato Isleno OP Poblano Petoseed 89 Taperedend G-Br 500-1000 - Ole OP Jumbo Jalapeno Ferry-Morse 80 Taperedend G-R - - Papri King OP Paprika Petoseed 100 Flat-tapered G-R 500-1,000 - Passilla Bajio OP Cayenne Petoseed 77 Long.2-celled G-Br 100-250 TbMV Picante Fl Jalapeno Hamris Seeds 80 Cylindrical; G-R - TbMV Blunt end Santa Fe Grande OP Jalapeno Petoseed 77 Large,Conical Y-O 5,000-8,000 TbMV Taperingjlluntend Thai Dragon Fl Thai Burpee 70 Tapered end G-R - - Volcano Fl1 Hungarian Wax Ferry-Morse 63 Tapered Y-R - TbMV 'Type: OP--openpollinated; F1=hybrid. 2 Color:(= green; R== red; Br=brown. 3 RSR =Relative Scoville Rating; the higher the rating, the hotter the variety. 4 Disease claims: TbMV= Tobacco Mosaic Virus; TEV= Tobacco Etch Virus; PVPotato Virus Y; -not found; from seed catalogs. FALL 1999 VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 15 +:.. c" - P . s. a .... -- - :;f. .e i 1. "ii. .' r s... } .. +- gib. . _ 16 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION July 24; Dipel 4L (at a rate of two pints per acre) on June 29 and July 24; and Endosulfan (at a rate of 2.5 pints per acre) on June 10 and July 23 and (at a rate of two pints per acre) on June 7. At CAHS, fertilization consisted of a pre-plant ap- plication of 50 pounds of nitrogen per acre as 13-13-13. After planting, six pounds of nitrogen per acre were in- jected weekly as calcium nitrate [Ca(NO 3 ) 2 ] beginning TABLE 3. PERFORMANCE OF SELECTED HOT PEPPER VARIETIES Total market- 25-pod Variety Type Stand able weight weight % lbs/a lb E.V. Smith Research Center Santa Fe Grande Jalapeno 47,448 0.60 Mesilla Jalapeno 20,466 0.20 Mitla Jalapeno 20,427 0.20 Picante Jalapeno 15,399 0.20 Volcano Wax 38,339 0.40 Thai Dragon Cayenne 34,209 0.10 Mesilla Cayenne 20,466 0.20 PasillalBajio Cayenne 5,690 0.10 Cherry Bomb Cherry 18,258 0.20 Papri King Paprika 15,104 0.20 Mulato Isleno Ancho 10,158 0.30 Ancho San Luis Ancho 8,325 0.30 R2 0.47 CV 74 lsd 10,788 Chilton Area Horticulture Substation Volcano Wax 100 32,920 0.15 Mesilla Cayenne 100 31,569 0.15 Thai Dragon Cayenne 98 9,840 0.02 PasillaBajio Cayenne 96 9,571 0.07 Mitla Jalapeno 100 26,654 0.10 Picante Jalapeno 96 21,734 0.09 Santa Fe Jalapeno 94 17,265 0.07 Ole Jalapeno 98 8,460 0.07 Papri King Paprika 94 19,670 0.10 Ancho San Luis Ancho 100 15,047 0.17 Mulato Isleno Ancho 94 12,292 0.11 Cherry Bomb Cherry 100 14,688 0.09 R 2 0.24 0.85 CV 5.2 20 Isd 0.88 7,965 on May 6 and ending Au- gust 16. Insect control was provided by applications of Spintor (at a rate of four ounces per acre). Fungi- cides used were Kocide (at a rate of two pounds per acre) and Manneb (at a rate of 1.5 pounds per acre). Insecticides and fungicides were applied on May 24, May 27, June 4, June 10, and June 18. Peppers were hand harvested on July 13 at EVSRC and on July 16, July 23, August 5, August 18, September 15, and September 28 at CAHS. Total yield and the weight of 25 pods were deter- mined (Table 3). 16 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION FALL 1999 VEGETABLE VARIETYTRIALS 17 'Florida Broadleaf' Performs Well Among Mustard Green Varieties Eric Simonne, Edgar Vinson, and Randy Akridge re "f 3F ;w . i - " ; i F " _ . ;,.3 w a. .. ... ,... i 1 - .7' t Leafy green variety trials were conducted at the Brewton Research Field (BRF) in Brewton, Alabama (Tables 1 and 2). Turnip, mustard, kale, and collards were direct seeded on September 16 onto 20-foot-long, five- foot-wide plots. Plant population was approximately 500,000 plants per acre. Soils were fertilized according to the recommenda- tions of the Auburn University Soil Testing Laboratory. Fertilization consisted of preplant applications of 400 pounds of 5-10-15 with micronutrients per acre. After planting, leafy greens received 60 pounds of nitrogen per acre as ammonium nitrate (NH 4 NO,) on September 28 and October 15. Leafy greens were harvested when they reached mar- ketable size (Table 3). Harvest dates were November 3 for turnips, mustards, and kale, and December 8 for collards. Leaf yields were expressed in 30-pound bushels. TABLE 2. SEED SOURCE AND EARLINESS OF SELECTED LEAFY GREEN VARIETIES Variety Type Crop Seed Days to source harvest WhiteEgg OP Turnip Rupps 50 Tokyo Cross FI Turnip Takii 35 Purple top White Globe OP Tumrnip Asgrow,Stokes 60 Seven Top OP Tumrnip Asgrow,Stokes 45 Shogoin OP Tumrnip Rupps 45 Red Giant OP Mustard Harris Seed 40 Green Wave OP Mustard Stokes 45 Florida Broad Leaf OP Mustard Asgrow,Stokes 50 SouthemGiantCurled OP Mustard Petoseed 45 Flash Hybrid Fl Collard A&C,Stokes 73 Georgia OP Collard Stokes 80 Top Bunch Fl Collard Sakata 70 Vates OP Collard Stokes 56 Champion OP Collard Harris Seed 75 Morris Heading OP Collard Asgrow 80 Dwarf Siberian OP Kale Abbott and Cobb - 1 Type: OP--open pollinated; Fl=hybrid. -- = not found; from seed catalogs. TABLE 1. RATINGS OF 1998 LEAFY GREENS VARIETY TRIAL1 Location BRF Weather 5 Fertility 5 Irrigation 5 Pests 4 Overall 5 'See introduction for a description of rating scales. Collards and kale varieties showed no significant differences in yield. Mustard and turnip varieties showed little differences. Of the four turnip varieties tested, 'To- kyo Cross' had a significantly lower yield than the other varieties. TABLE 3. 1999 LEAF YIELD OF LEAFY GREEN VEGETABLES, BREWTON EXPERIMENTAL FIELD Variety Crop Flash Hybrid Vates-collard Champion Dwarf Siberian Dwarf Blue Vates-Kale Florida Broadleaf Southern Giant Curled Green Wave Red Giant Seven Top Shogoin Purple Top White Globe Tokyo Cross cv lsd Collard Collard Collard Kale Kale Kale Mustard Mustard Mustard Mustard Turnip Tumrnip Tumrnip Tumnip Leaf yield' bu/a 1,401 1,216 937 816 589 510 1,223 921 896 777 975 922 866 592 0.78 16 368 ' Yield is given as 30-pound bushels. ,, e I~A FALL 1 999 VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 17 18 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION Okra Cultivar Evaluation for Fall Production in North Mississippi Kent Cushman and Thomas Horgan Seven okra cultivars were grown in a replicated study at the Horticulture Research and Education Unit in Verona, Mississippi. Seeds were direct seeded by hand on July 8 in raised, constructed plant beds. Beds consisted of a sandy top- soil amended with ammoniated pine bark mulch the pre- vious year. Seed were planted one inch deep and three inches apart and then thinned to one plant per foot two weeks later. The experimental design was a randomized com- plete block design with four replications. Plots were 10 feet long and three feet wide. Water was applied as needed to provide approximately one acre-inch per week. Before planting, lime was applied at the rate of 1.5 tons per acre and preplant fertilizer was broadcast at the rate of 40 pounds of nitrogen (N), 150 pounds of phos- phorus (P 2 0 5 ), and 200 pounds of potassium (K20) per acre. Soluble fertilizer was applied as a sidedress during the growing season. It was injected as a concentrated fertilizer solution of calcium nitrate through the drip irrigation system and contributed an additional 40 pounds of N per acre. Boron was applied once through the drip irrigation system at the rate of one pound per acre. Trifluralin 4EC herbicide was applied at 1.5 pints per acre (0.75 pound of trifluralin per acre) with a back- pack sprayer before seeding. The plots were tilled prior to seeding and all remaining weeds were hoed or pulled by hand. Pesticides were applied with a backpack-type mis- ter on a seven- to 10-day schedule. The insecticides Asana XL at 9.6 ounces per acre (0.05 pounds of esfenvalerate per acre) or Thiodan 3EC at a rate of two quarts per acre (1.5 pounds of endosulfan per acre) were sprayed as needed for insect control. Harvest began August 31 and ended October 20 for a total of 19 harvests. Pods were harvested when they reached about 3.5 inches in length. Larger pods were removed from plants and counted as culls. Plants were normally picked on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Pods from each plot were separated into marketable and cull and then counted and weighed. 'Annie Oakley II', 'Cajun Delight', and 'Green Best' performed well in the trials when planted late in the sea- son (see table). Early yield of 'Annie Oakley II' was sig- nificantly greater than that of 'Clemson Spineless' but not significantly different than that of 'Cajun Delight', 'Green Best', and 'Burgundy.' There were no significant differences in total yield for any of the entries. In trials conducted by Auburn University at two locations in Ala- bama, 'Annie Oakley II' and 'Cajun Delight' had the greatest early and total yields in 1999. EARLY AND TOTAL MARKETABLE YIELD OF SEVEN OKRA CULTIVARS GROWN IN NORTH MISSISSIPPI Variety Earlymarket- Total marketable 2 able yield' Yield 3 Weight lbs/a % oz/pod Annie Oakley II 6,090 97 0.34 CajunDelight 5,120 96 0.35 Green Best 5,080 94 0.39 Burgundy 4,400 96 0.38 Dwarf Green Long Pod 3,680 93 0.38 Clemson Spineless 3,130 97 0.40 La. Green Velvet 2,610 93 0.33 R2 0.56 0.61 0.83 LSD 2,010 2.3 0.025 CV 31 2 5 Total of 11 harvests. 2 Total of 19 harvests. 3 Relative number of marketable fruit as the percentage of total number harvested (marketable plus culls). 18 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION ,< .. L t ... .. -. _ .. .. , .t .. "t 1 f '1 .. .'i -. , -. .... FALL 1 999 VEGETABLE VARITY TRIALS 1 Latest Pumpkin Varieties 3Show Tolerance to owdryMildew toP w eyEric Simonne, Edgar Vinson, Ronald McDaniel, Malcomb Pegues, Larry Wells, Brian Gamble, Arnold Caylor, and Tony Dawkins Pumpkin variety trials were conducted at the Gulf Coast Research and Extension Center (GCREC) in Fairhope, Wiregrass Research and Extension Center (WREC) in Headland, North Alabama Horticulture Re- search Center (NAHRC) in Cullman, and Sand Moun- tain Research and Extension (SMREC) in Crossville (Tables I and 2). Planting dates were July 16 at GCREC, July 2 at WREC, June 23 and July 1 at NAHRC, and July 21 at SMREC. Pumpkins were direct seeded in hills five feet apart onto 60-foot-long plots. Soils were fertilized according to the recommenda- tions of the Auburn University Soil Testing Laboratory. Current recommendations for pest and weed control in TABLE 1. RATINGS OF 1999 PUMPKIN VARIETY TRIALS' Location GCREC WREC NAHRC SMREC Weather 5 5 5 5 Fertility 5 5 5 5 Irrigation 5 5 5 5 Pests 4 5 5 5 Overall 5 5 4 5 'See introduction for a description of rating scales. vegetable production in Alabama may be found in 1PM Commercial Vegetables: Insect, Disease, Nematode and TABLE 2. SEED SOURCE, RELATIVE EARLINESS, AN FRUIT SIZE OF SELECTED PUMPKIN VARIETIES Variety Type' Seed source Maturity Fruit weight Variety Type Seed source Maturity Fruit weight days lbs/a days lbs/a Appalachian Fl Baby Bear OP Big Autumn F1 EarlyAutumn OP EXT-1853 Fl1 EXT-1854 Fl1 EXT-4612297 Fl EXI7-4622827 Fl Gold Fever OP Gold Rush OP Gold Strike Fl1 HMX-4696 Fl1 Hybrid Pam Fl Jack-of-all-Trades Fl1 Jack-Be-Quick OP Little Lantern OP Long Island Cheese* OP Magic Lantern Fl1 Rupp Seeds Rupp Seeds Novartis Rupp Seeds Asgrow Asgrow Asgrow Asgrow Rupp Seeds Rupp Seeds Rupp Seeds Harris Seeds Seedway Rupp Seeds Rupp Seeds Stokes Johnny's Harris Seeds 90 105 90 100 90 120 110 90 90 95 100 0-25 1-2 15-20 10-14 3-4 3-4 3-7 10-14 19-29 30-40 25-40 3-7 10-12 0.25 1-2 108 8-10 115 16-24 Merlin Peek-A-Boo Racer Rocket RWS-6260-vp RWS-5668 Small Sugar Spirit Spookie SugarTreat SVR-4962333 SVR-962342 Talinman Tom Fox Trick-or-Treat Valenciano* Wee-Be-Little Fl Fl Fl Fl Fl Fl Fl Fl OP Fl Fl Fl OP OP Fl OP Fl Harris Seeds Rupp Seeds Johnny's Johnny's Novartis Novartis Stokes, Asgrow Stokes Harris Seeds Rupp Seeds Asgrow Asgrow Stokes Johnny's Petoseed Johnny's Novartis 115 90 85 100 105 110 110 98 110 15-25 3-4 12-18 15-25 7 15-25 5-6 1-10 10-12 10-12 15-25 15-25 10-12 1-10 0.25 ' Type: Fl=hybrid; OP=open pollinated. - = not found; from seed cataloges. * white-skinned varieties. FALL 1999 VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 19 20 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION Weed Control Recommendations (Publication 2000IPM- 2 from the Alabama Cooperative Extension System). At GCREC, preplant fertilization consisted of 500 pound per acre of 4-12-12 applied on July 6. Fertiliza- tion consisted of two applications of ammonium nitrate on July 30 and August 11 at rates of 40 and 60 pounds per acre of nitrogen, respectively. Insect control was pro- vided by applications of Sevin (at a rate of two pints per acre) on August 13 and August 26, and Asana XL (at a rate of six ounces per acre) on September 8 and Septem- ber13. Fungicides used were Bravo (at a rate of 1.5 pints per acre) on August 13, and weekly applications of Benlate 50 WP (at a rate of 0.5 pound per acre) from August 6 through September 13. Weed control consisted of applications of Poast (at a rate of 1.5 pints per acre), Finale (at a rate of four quarts per acre) on July 30 and August 6, and Curbit (at a rate of two quarts per acre) on July 16. At WREC, preplant fertilization consisted of 600 pounds per acre of 13-13-13 applied on June 7. Plants were sidedressed with 60 pounds of N per acre as ammo- nium nitrate on August 2. Insecticides used were Asana XL (at a rate of nine ounces per acre) on August 30, September 6, September 14, and September 28. Bravo 720 fungicide was applied (at a rate of 1.5 pints per acre) on August 5, August 11, August 30, September 4, Sep- tember 9, and September 25. At NAHRC, fertilization consisted of weekly appli- cations of ammonium nitrate (at a rate of 15 pounds per acre) from July 8 through August 20. Command and Gramoxone herbicides were applied on July 12 at rates of two and three pints per acre, respectively. Insect con- trol consisted of applications of Ambush (at a rate of 12 ounces per acre) on July 15 and July 22, and Asana XL (at a rate of 9.6 ounces per acre) on August 5, August 16, August 26, September 3, and September 17. Fungicides used were Bravo (at a rate of 32 ounces per acre) on July 15 and July 22: Bravo/Ridomil (at rate of one pound per acre) on August 5 and August 16: Bravo-Ultrex (at a rate of 2.5 pounds per acre) on August 26, September 3, and Septemberl0; Bayleton (at a rate of four ounces per acre on July 15, August 5, September 3, and September 10; and Benlate (at a rate of eight ounces per acre) on July 22 and September 10. Preplant fertilization at SMREC consisted of one application of 5-10-15 (at a rate of 1000 pounds per acre) on July 21. Sidedress fertilization consisted of an application of 193 pounds per acre of calcium nitrate on August 10. Insect control consisted of applications of TABLE 3. PERFORMANCE OF SELECTED PUMPKIN VARIETIES IN ALABAMA Marketable Marketable Individual Variety yield number fruit weight lbs/a no/a lbs Gulf Coast Research and Extension Center Rocket 30,735 3,474 8.8 Long Island Cheese 27,207 2,952 9.1 Gold Fever 20,610 2,106 9.9 Spirit 18,180 1,836 9.7 Hybrid Pam 18,018 4,194 4.3 HMX-4696 12,798 7,200 1.7 Appalachian 7,884 612 11.9 Valenciano 6,282 792 7.5 R 2 0.86 0.94 0.83 CV 25 19 2.5 lsd 6,912 892 2.5 Wiregrass Research and Extension Center Spirit 20,129 1,871 11 BigAutumn 19,060 1,784 11 EX-4622827 12,364 1,109 11 EXT-1854 11,984 3,241 4 EXT1853 11,468 3,023 4 EXT-4612297 8,761 1,697 6 RWS-6260-vp 7,256 3,763 2 SVR-4962333 7,210 479 13 Magic Lantemn 6,576 653 10 Merlin 6,064 1,044 9 SVR-49662342 5,352 522 11 Wee-Be-Little 145 326 0.5 R 2 0.66 0.67 0.74 CV 46 45 46 Isd 5,299 905 9 North Alabama Horticulture Research Center SVR-4962333 SVR-4962342 Appalachian Magic Lantern Tom Fox RWS 5668 Gold Strike Gold Rush Long Island Cheese Merlin Gold Fever Tallman R2 CV lsd 35,070 23,659 23,114 22,406 21,657 20,428 19,130 18,787 18,684 17,106 15,708 12,636 0.52 28 8,200 2,826 2,880 2,448 2,196 1,728 1,602 1,548 1,404 2,052 2,394 1,818 1,116 0.52 28 695 12 9 9 10 12 13 13 14 9 7 8 11 0.61 17 1 continued _~1 cotiue 20 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION FALL 1999 VEGETABLE VARIETYTRIALS 21 TABLE 3, CONTINUED. PERFORMANCE OF SELECTED PUMPKIN VARIETIES IN ALABAMA Marketable Marketable Individual Variety yield number fruit weight lbs/a no/a lbs Sand Mountain Research and Extension Center Spirit Trick-or-Treat Racer EX4622827 Appalachian Jack-of-All-Trades Hybird Pam Spookie Peek-A-Boo Small Sugar Jack- Be- Quick EarlyAutumn Lil' Goblin Sugar Treat Little Lantemrn Baby Bear Wee-Be-Little R 2 CV lsd 22,220 20,800 19,043 18,381 17,075 15,974 12,065 10,709 10,008 9,900 9,716 9,225 7,952 4,877 3,311 1,942 1,184 0.61 60 4,032 2,738 2,356 2,228 1,974 1,401 1,846 3,311 2,929 3,756 2,992 10,250 1,210 9,614 1,210 446 1,210 2,610 0.77 61 1,108 8 10 9 10 13 9 4 4 3 3 1 7 1 5 8 2 0.6 0.83 38 4 Asana (at a rate of eight ounces per acre) on August 19 and September 8, Sevin (at a rate of one quart per acre) on August 13, and Dipel (at a rate of one quart per acre) on August 13. Fungal diseases were controlled with ap- plications of Benlate (at a rate of 0.5 pound per acre) on August 19, September 2, September 8, and September 25; and Bravo (at a rate of two pints per acre) on Septem- ber 2 and September 8. Harvest dates were September 28 at GCREC, No- vember 3 at WREC, September 28 at NAHRC, and Octo- ber 6 at SMREC. Because color development stops after harvest, pumpkins were harvested at the full-color stage and graded as marketable or nonmarketable (Table 3). High night temperatures resulted in early maturity which resulted in small fruits. 'Spirit', for example, which is in the 15 to 25 pounds class weighed an average of 9.5 pounds. Experimental lines that have powdery mildew resistance performed well compared to the other variet- ies. At NAHRC, 'SVR 4962333' had significantly higher yields than standard, well-known varieties, some of which exhibit powdery mildew resistance. At SMREC, 'EX-4622827' ranked fourth though it out performed other varieties of comparable weight such as 'Appala- chian' and 'Jack-Of-All-Trades'. 18,:C6: u~vvluv IVIIV/ FALL 1999 VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 21 ch i ,--- Ibs,n ResMor - , 22 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION Y- .a. Pumpkin Variety Trial in Southeast Virginia Bob Bevacqua Pumpkin has excellent potential for increased pro- duction in southeast Virginia. The crop is grown for use as jack-o-lanterns during the Halloween season. In 1998, 90% of the 136 acres planted on seven farms was of the 'Howden' variety. It is the standard for the U.S. industry; however, it has a history of erratic and unsatisfactory production in southeast Virginia. This led to the present effort to identify varieties that could be grown in place of'Howden'. Nine pumpkin varieties were evaluated during the 1999 growing season on the farm of M.L. Everett in Southampton County, Virginia. The trial was laid out as a randomized block design with three replications. 'Magic Lantern' and 'Appalachian' were found to be the two most promising varieties (see table). Both have a dark orange color, a round, upright shape, a strong handle or stem, relative disease resistance, and were high yielding. The yields of both were 6.5 times the yield of 'Howden'. They were found to be profitable alternatives to'Howden'. In summary, the pumpkin varieties recommended for commercial production in southeast Virginia, based on the results of this trial, are 'Magic Lantern' and 'Ap- palachian'. YIELD FOR NINE PUMPKIN VARIETIES EVALUATED FOR USE AS JACK-O-LANTERNS Days to Fruit/ Range fruit Avg fruit Variety maturity vine weight weight Yield lbs lbs lbs/a Howden 73-87 0.27 13-15 13.5 2,942 Magic Lantern 73-80 2.00 5-18 11.9 19,267 HMX 6689 73-80 1.08 4-18 13.0 1,330 Gold Rush 80-87 0.58 12-22 18.0 8,425 Mother Lode 73-80 0.83 6-20 11.3 7,567 Pro Gold 500 73-80 1.08 5-24 11.7 10,197 Pro Gold 510 73-87 1.25 8-18 12.7 12,811 Appalachian 80-87 1.75 9-19 13.6 19,207 Tom Fox 73-87 0.97 8-13 10.3 8,063 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION22 FALL 1999 VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 23 'Quick Pic' Performs Best in Southernpea Nitrogen and Tillage Study Kent Cushman and Thomas Horgan A nitrogen and tillage study was conducted at the Horti- culture Research and Education Unit in Verona, Mississippi. Plots were four rows wide and 100 to 150 feet long. Yield was adjusted to account for differences in row length. Rows were spaced 30 inches apart. Only the cen- ter two rows were harvested for data. The soil type was a Quitman silt loam. Preplant fer- tilizer was applied to all plots at the rate of 32 pounds per acre phosphorus (P 2 0O), and 90 pounds per acre po- tassium (1(20). Nitrogen from ammonium nitrate was applied to the appropriate treatments at the rate of 30 pounds per acre. Three cultivars of southernpea-'Quick Pick' (QP), 'Texas Pinkeye' (TxPE), and 'Mississippi Pinkeye' (MsPE)--were planted on June 5. The cultivars were planted into either raised or flat beds using either 30 pounds per acre ammonium nitrate without seed inocu- lation or no ammonium nitrate with Rhizobium seed in- oculation. QP and TxPE were planted at 88,800 seeds per acre and MsPE was planted at 48,000 seeds per acre. All seed was certified at an 85% germination rate. Plots were not irrigated. Precipitation was 7.8 inches in June, 1.7 inches in July, and 0.43 inches in August. The following herbicides were applied on June 5, Pursuit DG at 1.44 ounces per acre (0.062 pound imazethapyr per acre), Dual 8E at 1.5 pints per acre (1.5 pounds metolachlor per acre), Gramaxone Extra at three pints per acre (one pound paraquat per acre), and SurfAc surfactant. Additional herbicides applied were Poast at two pints per acre (0.375 pound sethoxydim per acre) with two pints per acre crop oil on June 19, and Basagran at two pints per acre (one pound bentazon salt per acre) also with two pints per acre crop oil on July 3. Pests were controlled with Asana XL at 9.6 fluid ounces per acre (0.05 pound esfenvalerate per acre) or Thiodan 3EC at two pounds per acre (1.5 pounds endosulfan per acre). SOUTHERNPEA YIELD AND SHELLOUT Treatment Shelled pea yield Shellout lbs./a % Cultivar 'Quick Pick' 12081 49 'Texas Pinkeye' 962 51 'Mississippi Pinkeye' 981 63 Nitrogen source (N) NH4NO 3 1067 54 Inoculum 1033 55 Bed architecture (B) Raised 1123 55 Flat 978 54 'Numbers in bold are significantly higher than other numbers within the same column, constituting a real difference among treatments. Some numbers within a column may be higher but statistically they are no different from the other numbers. QP and TxPE were machine harvested on August 29 and August 30. MsPE was harvested once by hand on September 5 and September 6 due to dry conditions and less-than-ideal yields. After harvest, pods were left to dry slightly overnight before shelling. Yields were re- duced due to drought conditions during pod fill. QP produced significantly greater yield than TxPE or MsPE. The twopnitrogentreatments, ammonium nitrate with- out seed inoculation or no ammonium nitrate with Rhizo- bium seed inoculation, were not significantly different. QP and TxPE were not affected by bed architecture, but MsPE on raised beds yielded significantly more than on flat beds. As with a similar study in 1998, MsPE had a significantly greater shellout than QP or TxPE. There were no significant interactions for yield or shellout. FALL 1999 VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 23 24 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION ... m..... .... . I .1 S; i ' " , .,.. r Southernpea Cooperative Trials in North Mississippi Kent Cushman and Thomas Horgan Advanced selections of pinkeye, blackeye, cream, and snap southernpeas produced in southern plant-breed- ing programs were compared to standard, named culti- vars of each type. Some of the selections were planted in a replicated trial while others were planted in an obser- vational trial. Plots were seeded on June 4 with a small garden planter. Irrigation was not applied at any time during the trial. Precipitation was 7.8 inches in June, 1.7 inches in July, and a mere 0.43 inches in August. The soil type was a Quitman silt-loam. Plots were disced and preplant fer- tilizer was broadcast at the rate of 30 pounds per acre of nitrogen (N), 32 pounds per acre of phosphorus (P 2 0 5 ), and 90 pounds per acre of potassium (K 2 0). Beds were then established and spaced 30 inches apart. The following herbicides were applied on June 5: Pursuit DG at 1.44 ounces per acre (0.062 pound imazethapyr per acre), Dual 8E at 1.5 pints per acre (1.5 pounds metolachlor per acre), Gramaxone Extra at three pints per acre (one pound paraquat per acre), and SurfAc surfactant. Additional herbicides were applied later: Poast at two pints per acre (0.375 pound sethoxydim per acre) with two pints per acre crop oil on June 19, and Basagran at two pints per acre (one pound bentazon salt per acre) with two pints per acre crop oil on July 3. Insect pests were controlled with Asana XL at 9.6 fluid ounces per acre (0.05 pound esfenvalerate per acre) or Thiodan 3EC at two pounds per acre (1.5 pounds en- dosulfan per acre). Plots were 10 feet long with no space or guard plants between plots. Pods were allowed to dry before harvest- ing by hand on August 20. Peas were shelled with a small TABLE 1. SOUTHERNPEA COOPERATIVE REPLICATED TRIAL Pea yield, Signifi- Variety Pea type imbibed cance' lbs/a (P=0.05) ARK Blackeye #1 Blackeye 3,710 a ARK-87-435-68 Pinkeye 3,360 a Coronet Pinkeye 2,701 b ARK-574 Blackeye 2,430 be ARK-552 Pinkeye 2,340 bed US-905 Snap 2,310 bed TX-38 Pinkeye ge/ge 2,290 bed TX-60 Pinkeye gc/gc 2,190 cde EarlyAcre Cream 2,160 cde ARK-551 Pinkeye 2,030 cdef ARK-95-104 Cream 1,950 defg US-880 Cream ggc ggt 1,770 efg US-881 Cream gc t 1,620 fg US-910 Cream sgjC 1,500 g SValues sharing at least one letter in common are not significantly different. commercial sheller. Yield of green-mature, shelled peas was estimated by imbibing a known weight of dry seeds from each entry and replication. Only one of the pinkeye entries in the replicated trial, 'Ark-87-435-68', yielded significantly more than the standard cultivar 'Coronet' (Table 1). None of the other entries yielded significantly more than their re- spective standards; however, some of the entries yielded as well as the standards and were well suited to mechani- cal harvest. Several pinkeye and cream entries in the ob- 24 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION FALL 1999 VEGETABLE VARIETYTRIALS 25 servational trial yielded as well as, or better, than their re- spective standards and these entries may be advanced to the replicated trial in the 2000 growing season (Table 2). Entries labeled with a "gclgc" subscript, such as pinkeyegcgc, have a unique genetic characteristic called "green cotyledon." Peas with this characteristic have a light green color when dry instead of the more common straw-colored appearance. Entries labeled with a "gt/gt" subscript have a unique genetic characteristic called "green testa." Peas with this characteristic have a green- colored seed coat while the underlying seed may be ei- ther straw or green colored. Some entries have both char- acteistics: a green-colored seed and a green-colored seed coat. TABLE 2. SOUTHERNPEA COOPERATIVE OBSERVATIONAL TRIAL Variety Pea type Peayield, imbibed lbs/a LA-96-21 Pinkeye 3,620 LA-95-98 Pinkeye 3,360 LA-94-97 Pinkeye 3,230 LA-96-98 Cream 3,230 LA-95-64 Cream 3,020 ARK-95-195 Pinkeye 2,960 Coronet Pinkeye 2,700 US-904 Snap 2,470 TX-76 Pinkeyegcigc 2,240 TX-49 Pinkeyeg 1 g 0 2,210 Early Acre Cream 2,210 US-903 Snap 2,170 ARK-95-105 Cream 1,680 ARK-96-91 8 Cream 1,630 US-909 Snap 1,500 US-908 Snap 1,160 FALL 1999 VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 25 26 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION ... { - . i. i =i..... . f r i? , i "} i .: Results of 1999 National Sweetpotato Collaborator's Trials Edgar Vinson, Eric Simonne, Jason Burkett, Jim Bannon, and Arnold Caylor National sweetpotato collaborator's trials were con- ducted at the E.V. Smith Research Center (EVSRC) in Shorter, Alabama, and the North Alabama Horticulture Research Center (NAHRC) in Cullman, Alabama (Table 1). Sweetpotato seed roots from selected commercial varieties and breeding lines were planted in a heated bed at NAHRC on March 17 for slip production. At both locations, plots contained two rows that were 30 feet long and 3.5 feet wide. Within row spacing was one foot. Slips were planted on June 15 at EVSRC and NAHRC. At EVSRC, calcium nitrate (15.5-0-0 at a rate of255 pounds per acre), muriate of potash (0-0-60 at a rate of 133 pounds per acre) and Triple Superphosphate (0-46- 0 at a rate of 173 pounds per acre) were broadcast ap- plied on June 14. A sidedress of ammonium of nitrate (176 pounds per acre) was applied on July 21. Weeds were controlled with an application of Dacthal 75W (nine pounds per acre) and Poast 1.5E (1.5 pints per acre) on June 21 and September 7, respectively. TABLE 1. RATINGS OF THE 1999 SWEETPOTATO VARIETY TRIALS' Location EVSRC NAHRC Weather 5 5 Fertility 5 5 Irrigation 5 5 Pests 5 5 Overall 5 5 'See introduction for a description of rating scales. At NAHRC, ammonium nitrate (34-0-0 at a rate of 80 pounds of nitrogen per acre) was broadcast applied on June 14. Weed control was provided by an applica- tion of Command (at a rate of three pints per acre) on June 15. Weed control was provided by an application of Command (at a rate of three pints per acre) on June 15. Overhead irrigation was used once a week from June 22 through August 31 and also on September 7 and 15. TABLE 2. TOTAL PRODUCTION AND GRADE DISTRIBUTION OF 1999 SWEETPOTATO SELECTIONS Total Percent Variety US#1' Canner 3 Jumbo 4 Cull 5 marketable 6 US#1 7 bu/a 2 bula bula bula bula % E.V. Smith Research Center L94-96 692a 199b 126a 121b 1017a 68a s Beauregard 488b 245ab 85ab 154b 817ab 59b W337 384b 190b 120a 338a 694b 55bc NC 93-17 376b 355a 35b 159b 766ab 50c R2 0.61 0.51 0.44 0.73 0.40 0.709 CV 24 30 52 31 21 8 continued Sweetpotatoes were harvested on October 22 at EVSRC and on Octo- ber 19 at NAHRC (Table 2). Roots were graded as US#1 (roots two to 3.5 inches in diameter, three to nine inches in length, well shaped and free of defects), canner (roots one to two inches in di- ameter, two to seven inches in length), jumbo (roots that exceed the di- ameter, length, and 26 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION FALL 1999 VEGETABLE VARIElYTRIALS 27 weight requirements of the US#1 grade, but that are of marketable qual- ity), or cull (roots a least one inch in diameter but so misshapen of unattrac- tive that they could not be classified as market- able roots). Marketable yield was calculated by adding the yields of the US#1, canner, and jumbo grades. Percent US#1 was calculated by dividing the yield of the US#1 grade by the marketable yield. TABLE 2, CONTINUED. TOTAL PRODUCTION AND GRADE DISTRIBUTION OF 1999 SWEETPOTATO SELECTIONS Total Percent Variety US#1' Canner 3 Jumbo 4 Culls marketable 6 US#1 7 bu/a 2 bu/a bula bu/a bula North Alabama Horticulture Research Center Beauregard 669a 207a 26ab 120a 902a 73 NC 93-17 468a 238a 8b 144a 714a 64 L 94-96 454a 192a 61a 172a 708a 64 W-377 451a 199a 2b 86a 652a 69 W-334 118b 72b Ob 136a 190a 59 W-352 52b 87b Ob 23a 140b 34 R2 0.70 0.60 0.40 0.24 0.74 0.71 CV 42 32 197 86 95 15 ' US#l - Roots 2" to 31'" diameter, 3" to 9" in length, well shaped and free of defects. 2 40-pound bushels. 3 Canners - Roots 1" to 2" diameter, 2" to 7" in length. ' Jumbo or oversized -Roots that exceed the diameter, length, and weight requirements of the above two grades, but are ofmarketable quality. 5 Cull - Roots 1" or larger in diameter and so misshapen or unattractive that they could not fit as marketable roots in any of the above three grades. 6'akbedefined as the sum of US #1, canner and Jumbo grades. 7 ecn US#l - Calculated by dividing the weight of US#1 by the total marketable weight (Culls not included) 8'Numbers followed by different letters are significantly different according to Duncan's Multiple Range Test. ' Means followed by different letters are significantly different according to Duncan's Multiple Range Test. FALL 1999 VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 27 28 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION Fall Tomatoes in South Alabama Edgar Vinson, Eric Simonne, and Randy Akridge A tomato variety trial was conducted at the Brewton Reseavch Field in Brewton, Alabama (Tables 1 and2). Seven- week-old tomato transplants were established on August 22 onto 204foot-long plots, at a within-row spacing of 1.5 feet. Tomatoes were grown on silver, reflective plastic mulch and drip irrigation following a spring squash crop. Preplant fertilizer consisted of an injection of 60 pounds of nitrogen per acre. After planting, fertilization consisted of weekly injections of either calcium nitrate (at a rate of 10 pounds of nitrogen per acre) or potassium nitrate (at a rate of 20 pounds of nitrogen per acre) be- tween August 22 and November 10. Fungicides used were Terraclor 75WP at arate of three pounds per 100 gallons of water (each plant received 0.5 pint of the mixture on October 4 and 25); Benlate 5OWP (at a rate of one pound per acre) on September 20 and October 3; and, Bravo 720 (at a rate of two pints per acre) on Sep- tember 20, October 3, October 17, and October 31. Due to cool fall temperatures, tomatoes were har- vested only once. Tomatoes were harvested, weighed, and graded on November 10 (Table 3). Grades and corre- sponding fruit diameters (D) of fresh market tomato were adapted from the Tomato Grader's Guide (Circular ANR TABLE 1. RATINGS OF 1998 SOUTHERN PEA VARIETY TRIAL' Location BRF Weather 4 Fertility 5 Irrigation 5 Pests 5 Overall 4 'See introduction for a description of rating scales. 643 from the Alabama Cooperative Extension System) and were Jumbo (D > 3.5 inch), Extra-Large (D >2.9 inch), Large (D >2.5 inch) and Medium (D >2.3 inch). Market- able yield was calculated by combining the Jumbo, Ex- tra-Large, and Large grades (Table 3). Cool temperatures in October delayed color devel- opment of the tomatoes. 'Carolina Gold', a yellow vari- ety, began ripening earlier than the other varieties though its total yield was surpassed by many other varieties. 'Voyager' ranked the highest, out performing varieties such as 'Agriset 761' and 'Florida 47'. TALE~ 2. Si~ SoujicE, FRuIT CHAnAcrEmusTcs, AND REI &mTE EARINE1Ss S S r Toiw~ro VAlE'n Variety Type' Seed source Planthabit 2 Fruit color Days to Disease Years harvest claims 3 evaluated Agriset 761 Fl FM Agrisales/UFI Det Red- - 97-99 Carolina Gold Fl FM Novartis/N.C.State Det Yellow 75 FW,VW 99 Florida 47 Fl FM Asgrow Det Red 75 ASCFWStVW 97,98 Red Sun Fl FM Johnny's Det Red 72 FW, NE, TM VW 99 RFT-6116 Fl FM Novartis Det Red - - 98,99 Sunbelt Fl FM Petoseed Det Red 72 ASC,FW,NE,St,VW 96,97 Ultra Magnum Fl FM Stokes Det Red 68 FWTbMVVW 94-98 Voyager Fl FM Johnny's Det Red 78 FW,VM 99 XP-10089 Fl FM Asgrow Det Red -- -- 99 ' Type: F1 = Hybrid; OP = Open pollinated. FM = Fresh Market. 2 Plant habit: Det = Determinate. 3 Disease claims: FW =Fusarium Wilt; VW = Verticillium Wilt; ASC = Altemnaria Stem Canker; St = Stemiphylium (gray leaf spot); NE = Root--knot Nematedes; ThMV = Tobacco Mosaic Virus. -- = not available; from seed catalogs. 28 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION 4" i " a ^ . .. A._ t ~ V r } " .i, , 9. i~ r" -", . I f, r TABLE 3. FALL PERFORMANCE OF SELECTED TOMATO VARIETIES AT THE BREWTON EXPERIMENT FIELD, BREWTON, ALBM Market- Jumbo Sland able weiglit weight % lbs./a lbs./a Jumbo X -large X-large Large Large Medium Medium Individual number weight number weight number weight number Gull fruit weight no/a lbs/a no/a lbs/a no/a lbs/a no/a lbs/a lbs Voyager 100 14,208 1,267 1,414 7,025 14,355 4,084 10,331 1,735 5,981 2, Agriset 761 100 13,425 321 326 6,693 14,899 4,665 11,854 1,767 6,199 3, Red Sun 90 12,898 1,930 2,175 6,866 13,811 2,311 5,873 1,104 3,915 5, Sunbelt 100 12,800 1,909 2,175 6,292 13,485 2,958 7,721 1,691 5,981 3,97;5 Ultra Magnum 100 12,615 1,729 1,849 6,206 13,268 3,061 7,939 1,202 4,241 7,0405 XP 10089 100 11,560 674 761 6,232 13,159 3,029 8,809 2,077 7,613 2,4905 RFT 6116 100 10,511 413 435 5,580 11,745 3,061 7,830 1,566 5,438 2,1705 CarolinaGold 90 9,032 359 435 4,765 10,114 2,664 6,960 1,794 6,525 3,6705 Florida 47 80 8,483 620 653 4,011 8,591 2,806 7,178 1,561 5,438 1,577 0.55 3 CV 36 101 Lsd 6,090 1,479 Variety -n m m 4 r, NO 30 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION Variety Evaluation of Spring Greenhouse Tomatoes in South Mississippi Richard G. Snyder, Jim Curtis, and Larry Harkins In the spring of 1998, a trial of six hybrid, indeter- minate greenhouse tomato varieties was performed at the Truck Crops Branch Experiment Station in Crystal Springs, Mississippi. Tomato varieties were seeded on December 8, 1997, and seedlings were transplanted on January 13, 1998 into two-cubic-foot, pine-bark-filled polyethylene bags. There were four plants per bag, and 16 plants per plot with four replications. The experimental design was a randomized complete block. Data collected included marketable number, marketable weights, cull number, and cull weight (Table 1). In addition, culls were sepa- rated into a large number of physiological disorder cat- egories to determine possible quality problems with some of the new varieties and breeding lines (Table 2a and 2b). Data were analyzed by analysis of variance, with mean separation by Duncan's New Multiple Range Test. Of the varieties and lines included, both 'Grace' and 'DRW5007' have strong tolerance to powdery mildew, which has become a serious disease problem in some Mississippi greenhouses in the past two years. Either of these new varieties would be of great value, providing TABLE 1. YIELD AND QUALITY OF FRUIT FROM A Si TOMATO VARIETY TRIAL AT THE TRUCK CROPS E CRYSTAL SPRINGS, MISSISSIP Variety Marketable number' Marketable weight lbs Trust 247 b 115 b Blitz (3558) 223 b 103 b Grace (4409) 168 c 79 c DRW5007 (Style) 218 b 104 b DRW5016 248 b 113 b DRW5018 (Quest) 302 a 138 a Signigicance 2 ** ** ' Yields are based on 16-plant plots. 2 Numbers followed by differen according to Duncan's New Multiple Range Test; ** indicates signif < or =0.05; ns indicates not significant at p=0.05. that the yield and quality are comparable to current vari- eties being grown. 'DRW5018' had significantly higher marketable number and weight of fruit than the other varieties in this evaluation (Table 1). 'Grace' had significantly lower weights and numbers. The other varieties were interme- diate in values. Cull numbers and weights were highest with 'Grace', closely followed by 'Blitz'. 'DRW5018' had the lowest cull weights and numbers (Table 2a). Fruit size and physi- ological disorders, by number, were separated into 17 cat- egories. There were no significant differences in jumbo culls, small fruit, striped fruit, catfacing, or irregular ripening among the varieties in this evaluation. 'DRW5018' had the most fruit with rough shape, closely followed by 'Blitz'. 'DRW5007' and 'Grace' had the lowest number of rough fruit. 'Grace' and 'DRW5007' had the highest number of fruit with poor skin quality. 'DRW5018', 'Blitz', and 'DRW5016' had the least. Radial cracking was significantly higher in 'Grace' and 'DRW5007' than the other varieties. 'DRW5016' hadthe leastradial cracking. Concentric crack- ing, however, was worst in 'Blitz' fruit, closely followed by 'DRW5007' and 'Trust'. The other varieties had sig- BRING 1998 GREENHOUSE nificantly less concentric XPERIMENT STATION IN cracking,with 'DRW5018' PI numerically the lowest. Cull number Cull weight Russetting was highest in lbs both 'Grace' and 'DRW 5007'. 'DRW5018' had the 376 abc 133 bc least russetted fruit. Zipper 422 ab 146ab scar (anther scar) was sig- 364bc 133 b nificantly higher in 'Blitz' 358 bc 121 c than any other variety in 303 c 95 d this evaluation. Split skins ** ** were higher in 'Trust', t letters are significantly different Grace', Blitz',and ficant at p< or =0.01; * indicates p DRW5007' than in the other new breeding lines. 30 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION FALL 1999 VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 31 Green shoulder was more of a problem with 'Grace' than any other variety (Table 2b). 'Blitz' had more puffy fruit than any other variety. 'DRW5007' had the least puffy fruit. Blossom end rot was worst in 'DRW5OI6', followed by 'DRW5007'. 'Trust' was very low in blos- som end rot. 'Trust' had significantly more soft fruit than any other variety tried. At the end of the growing season, remaining green fruit were removed and counted. 'Grace' had the most green fruit on this date, closely followed by 'DRW5O18' and 'Blitz'. In conclusion, the new variety 'Grace' did not per- form as well as anticipated in this trial. In spite of its powdery mildew tolerance, it had low numbers and weights of marketable fruit yet high numbers and weights of cull fruit. Inparticular 'Grace' suffered from poor skin quality, radial cracking, russetting, split skins, and green shoulder. In addition, there were a larger number of un- ripe fruit at the end of the season, suggesting that it is slower in ripening. Looking at yield alone, 'DRW5O18' performed the best. It also had the lowest total cull weights and num- bers. It did, however, have some problems with rough fruit and green fruit remaining at the end of the season. This line should be evaluated further and considered for future commercial production. 'Trust', the leading variety in North America at this writing, performed satisfactorily, yet had some problems with skin splits and soft fruit. TABLE 2A. SIZE AND PHYSIOLOGICAL DISORDERS OF FRUIT FROM A SPRING 1998 GREENHOUSE TOMA&TO VARIETY TRIAL AT THE TRUCK CROPS BRANCH EXPERIMENT STATION IN CLEARi SPRINGS, MISSISSIPPI' Jumbo Rough Poor Radial Concentric Russetted Zipper Split Variety culls Small shape skin cracks cracks skin scar skin no no no no no no no no no Trust 6 215 l8 bc 34 bc 62 ab 17 ab 112b 3 b 28 a Blitz (3558) 2 245 26 ab 32 bcd 63 ab 20 a 107b 8 a 24 a Grace (4409) 9 245 10 cd 49 a 92 a 9 bc 192 a 3 b 26 a DRW5007 (Style) 3 188 6 d 42 ab 81 a 18ab 160 a 4 b 20 a DRW5O16 1 229 19 bc 31lcd 24 c 8 c 115b l b 4 b DRW5I8 (Quest) 2 197 30 a 22 d 39 bc 2c 36 c 3 b 4 a significance 2 Is ins * * ** ** ** ** ** 'Yields are based on 16-plant plots. 2 Numbers followed by different letters are signiflcantly different according to Duncan's New Multiple Range Test; ** indicates significant at p< or x,0.01; * indicates p< or =0.05; as indicates not significant at p=0.05. TABLE 2B. SIZE AND PHYSIOLOGICAL DISORDERS OF FRUIT FROM A SPRING 1998 GREENHOUSE TOMATO VARIETY TRIAL AT THE TRUCK CROPS BRANCH EXPERIMENT STATION IN CLEAR SPRINGS, Mississippi' Green Striped Cat Irregular Blossom Variety shoulder fluit face ripening Puffy end rot Soft Green no no no no no no no no Trust 58bc 1 1 11 94b lb 8a 7bc Blitz (3558) 55bc 1 5 7 138a lb lb b9ab Grace (4409) l15a 1 4 10 102b 4b 2b 24a DRW5007 (Style) 78b 0 1 6 66c 6ab lb 9 bc DRW5OI6 43bc 2 3 10 104 b 13a lb5c DRW5018 (Quest) 27c 1 1 8 109b 3b 2b 2Oab Significance ** ns its ns ** * ** 1'Yields are based on 16-plant plots. 2 Numnbers followed by different letters are significantly different according to Duncan'sNew Multiple Range Test; ** indicates significant at p< or =0.01; * indicates p< or =0.05; ns indicates not significant at p=0.05. FALL 1999 VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 31 32 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION Variety Evaluation of Fall Greenhouse Tomatoes in South Mississippi Richard G. Snyder, Jim Curtis, and Larry Hawkins A trial of 12 hybrid indeterminate greenhouse to- mato varieties was performed at the Truck Crops Branch Experiment Station in Crystal Springs, Mississippi, in the fall of 1998. Seeds were planted on July 20, 1998, and seedlings were transplanted on August 24 into two-cubic-foot, pine- bark-filled, white-on-black laminated polyethylene bags. Of the varieties and lines included, both 'Grace' and 'DRW5007' have strong tolerance to powdery mildew. Although powdery mildew has become a serious disease problem in some Mississippi greenhouses in the past two years, it was not a problem on any variety in this fall trial. There were four plants per bag, and 16 plants per plot, with four replications. The experimental design was a randomized complete block, with two blocks in each greenhouse (divided north vs. south). Data collected included marketable number, mar- ketable weight, cull number, and cull weight (Table 1). In addition, culls were graded severely and separated into a large number of physiological disorder categories to determine possible quality problems with some of the new varieties and breeding lines. Data were analyzed by analysis of variance, with mean separation by Duncan's New Multiple Range Test. 'Attention' had the highest marketable number of fruit, closely followed by 'Switch'. 'Baronie' (7452RZ) and 'DRW5007' had the lowest marketable numbers. There were no significant differences in marketable weights, although the trend was for 'Attention' and 'Switch' to have the highest weights. Fruit were graded severely into a large number of physiological disorders. In general, this fall crop had TABLE 1. YIELD AND QUALITY OF FRUIT FROM A FALL 1998 GREENHOUSE TOMATO VARIETY TRIAL AT THE TRUCK CROPS BRANCH EXPERIMENT STA- TION IN CRYSTAL SPRINGS, MISSISSIPPI Variety Marketable number' Marketable weight Cull number Cull weight lbs lbs Grace (4409) 52 bc 24 252 cd 80 MS-RZ 50 be 23 255 bed 91 Attention 74 a 31 288 ab 84 Zoltano 50 be 23 251 cd 81 Estancia 63 abc 26 304 a 87 DRW 5007 46 c 21 228 d 77 Switch 71 ab 27 262 bed 81 7452-RZ 43 c 19 234 d 82 Trust 55 abc 23 251 cd 78 Gironda 64 abc 25 298 a 83 Blitz (3558) 56 abc 24 258 bed 82 Glo 54 abe 22 284 abc 85 Significance 2 * ns ** ns ' Yields are based on 16-plant plots. 2 Numbers followed by different letters are significantly different according to Duncan's New Multiple Range Test; ** indicates significant at p