Tillage and cover residue affects on vegetable yields
1999
Hoyt, G.D.
The availability of various conservation tillage (CT) practices along with a variety of cover residues creates an opportunity for farm managers to create new systems for vegetable production. We established various tillage practices and cover crop residues for CT use to determine which systems would continue to deliver high vegetable productivity. Recommendations for using CT based only on a yield perspective would lead us to conclude that full season crops could be grown with some form of CT and respectable yields would be obtainable. Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) production with CT is successfully being practiced in North Carolina in both the mountain valleys and Piedmont region. Because of the cooler soil temperatures with cover residue, summer and especially fall harvested tomatoes produce the least risk in obtaining similar yields as plow/disc production. Our experiments with short season vegetable crops and CT have had mixed results. Cole crops (Brassica L.) grown with CT in early spring or late fall experience soil temperatures cool enough to delay growth compared to plow/disc management. Proper selection of a cover crop residue type and the amount of cover residue can increase yield. Growing short season vegetable crops with CT during the warmest season of the year will reduce the risk of delayed plant growth and thus, decrease the time to harvest.
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