Spring 2011 Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Variety Trials January 2012 Regional Bulletin 23 Auburn University North Carolina State University University of Tennessee Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station William Batchelor, Director Auburn University, Alabama Special thanks is extended to the following companies who generously donated seed for the research reported in this regional bulletin: Harris Moran, Kelly Seed Company, Sakata Seed America, and Syngenta Seeds, Inc. Auburn University is an equal opportunity educational institution/employee. http:www.auburn.edu http:www.aaes.auburn.edu This report can be found on the Web at www.aaes.auburn.edu/comm/pubs/vegetables/spring11rb23.pdf Printed in cooperation with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University) Contents page Authors ................................................................................................................................................................................................4 Introduction: Interpreting Vegetable Varieties Performance Results ........................................................................................5 Alabama Trials Several Cantaloupe Varieties Perform As Well As Market Standard .........................................................................................7 New Summer Squash Entries Perform Well Early .......................................................................................................................9 New Bell Pepper Varieties Perform Well .....................................................................................................................................13 Experimental Tomato Line Produces High Yield of Large Fruit ............................................................................................16 Several Differences in Yield Found Among Roma Tomato Varieties .....................................................................................19 Seeded and Seedless Watermelon Trials Continue......................................................................................................................21 Peach Rootstock Cultivar Evaluation, 2010 .................................................................................................................................23 North Carolina Trials Replicated Asparagus Cultivar Evaluation, 2007-2011...............................................................................................................24 Replicated Seedless Table Grape Cultivar Trial ...........................................................................................................................30 Tennessee Trials Roma Tomato Variety Evaluation, 2011.......................................................................................................................................33 Speciality Melon Variety Trial, 2011 ..............................................................................................................................................35 Seed Sources for Alabama Trials ...................................................................................................................................................40 Guidelines for Contributions to the Vegetable Variety Regional Bulletin Names of chemicals are mentioned only for describing the production practices used. This represents neither a recommendation nor an endorsement of these products. Authors Randy Akridge Director Brewton Agriculture Research Unit Brewton, AL (251) 867-3139 Susannah Amundson Extension Assistant Department of Plant Sciences University of Tennessee Knoxville, TN (865) 974-7324 Jason Burkett Associate Director E.V. Smith Research Center, Horticulture Unit Shorter, AL (334) 727-6159 Arnold Caylor Director North Alabama Horticulture Research Center Cullman, AL (256) 734-5820 Carl Cantaluppi Extension Area Agent, Horticulture North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service Person County Center Roxboro, NC (336) 599-1195 carl_cantaluppi@ncsu.edu Elina Coneva Assistant Professor and Extension Fruit Specialist Department of Horticulture Auburn University, AL (334) 844-7230 edc0001@auburn.edu Michael Hannah Senior Sales Representative Harris Moran Walt Hitch Director UT Plateau AgResearch and Education Center Crossville, TN 38571 (931) 484-0034 Joe Kemble Professor and Extension Vegetable Specialist Department of Horticulture Auburn University, AL (334) 844-3050 kembljm@auburn.edu Jim Pitts Director Chilton Research and Extension Center Clanton, AL (205) 646-3610 Mary Rogers Research Associate Department of Plant Sciences University of Tennessee Knoxville, TN (865) 974-7324 Heather Toler Research Associate Department of Plant Sciences University of Tennessee Knoxville, TN (865) 974-7324 Edgar Vinson Research Associate IV Department of Horticulture Auburn University, AL (334) 844-8494 vinsoed@auburn.edu Annette Wszelaki Assistant Professor and Commerial Vegetable Extension Specialist Department of Plant Sciences University of Tennessee Knoxville, TN (806) 974-7208 Introduction: Interpreting Vegetable Varieties Performance Results Edgar Vinson and Joe Kemble he spring 2011 fruit and vegetable regional bulletin includes research results from Auburn University and North Carolina State University. The information provided by this report must be studied carefully in order to make the best selections possible. Although yield is a good indicator of varietal performance, other information must be studied. The following provides a few tips to help producers adequately interpret results in this report. T Open pollinated or hybrid varieties. In general, hybrids (also referred to as F1) are earlier and produce a more uniform crop. They have improved disease, pest, or virus tolerance/resistance. F1 varieties are often more expensive than open pollinated varieties (OP), and seeds cannot be collected from one crop to plant the next. Despite the advantages hybrids offer, OP are still often planted in Alabama. Selecting a hybrid variety is the first step toward earliness and quality. Yield potential. Yields reported in variety trial results are extrapolated from small plots. Depending on the vegetable crop, plot sizes range between 100 to 500 square feet. Yields per acre are estimated by multiplying plot yields by corrective 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 by just looking at the range of yields actually reported. However, the relative differences in performance among varieties are realistic, and can be used to identify best-performing varieties. 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 LSD value, one cannot conclude that there is any real difference between two varieties. For example, in the cantaloupe trial conducted at the E.V. Smith Research Center (see page 8) ‘Eclipse’ yielded 48,165 pounds per acre while ‘Athena’ and ‘Ariel’ yielded 35,860 and 32,553 pounds per acre, respectively. Since there was less than a 12,449 difference between ‘Athena’ and ‘Ariel’, there is no statistical difference between these two varieties. However, the yield difference between ‘Eclipse’ and ‘Ariel’ was 15,612, indicating that there is a real difference between these two varieties. From a practical point of view, producers should place the most importance on LSD values when interpreting results. Testing conditions. AU vegetable variety trials are conducted under standard, recommended commercial production practices. All of Auburn University’s commercial vegetable production recommendations can be found in the current edition of the Southeastern U.S. Vegetable Crop Handbook. Copies are available from your county Extension office or online at www.thegrower.com/south-eastvegetable-guide. Additional information on any aspect of vegetable production can be obtained from your county Extension office or online at www.aces.edu. Information on soil type (Table 1), planting dates, fertilizer rates, and Statistical interpretation. The coefficient of determination detailed spray schedule are provided to help producers (R2), coefficient of variation (CV) and least significant dif- compare their own practices to the standard one used in ference (LSD, 5 percent) are reported for each test. These the trials and make relevant adjustments. numbers are helpful in separating the differences due to small plots (sampling error) and true (but unknown) differences Ratings of trials. At each location, variety trials were rated among entries. on a 1 to 5 scale, based on weather conditions, fertilization, R2 values range between 0 and 1. Values close to 1 sug- irrigation, pest pressure, and overall performance (Table 2). gest that the test was conducted under good conditions and Results from trials with ratings of 2 and under are not remost of the variability observed was mainly due to the effect ported. These numbers may be used to interpret differences of variety and replication. Random, uncontrolled errors were in performance from location to location. The overall rating of lesser importance. CV is an expression of yield variability may be used to give more importance to the results of varirelative to yield mean. Low CVs (under 20 percent) are desir- ety performance under good growing conditions. able but are not always achieved. Where to get seeds. Because seeds are alive, their performance and germination rate depends 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 Seed Sources, page 40. Several factors other than yield have to be considered when choosing a vegetable variety from a variety trial report. TABLE 1. SOIL TYPES AT THE LOCATION OF THE TRIAL Location Gulf Coast Research and Extension Center (Fairhope) Brewton Agricultural Research Unit (Brewton) Wiregrass Research and Extension Center (Headland) Lower Coastal Plain Research and Extension (Camden) EV Smith Research Center, Horticultural Unit (Shorter) Chilton Area Horticultural Substation (Clanton) Upper Coastal Plain Research and Extension Center (Winfield) North Alabama Horticultural Research Center (Cullman) Sand Mountain Research and Extension Center (Crossville) TABLE 2. DESCRIPTION OF RATINGS Rating 5 4 3 2 1 Weather Very Good Favorable Acceptable Adverse Destructive Fertilizer Very Good Good Acceptable Low Very Low The main factors are type, resistance and tolerance to diseases, earliness, and, of course, availability 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. Fruit and vegetable trials on the Web. For more vegetable variety information be sure to visit our Web page at www.aaes.auburn.edu/comm/pubs/pubs-by-subject/fruitsnutsvegs.php Water holding capacity (in/in) 0.09-0.19 0.12-0.14 0.14-0.15 0.13-0.15 0.15-0.17 0.13-0.15 0.13-0.20 0.16-0.20 0.16-0.18 Soil type Malbis fine sandy loam Benndale fine sandy loam Dothan sandy loam Forkland fine sandy loam Norfolk-orangeburg loamy sand Luvernue sandy loam Savannah loam Hartsells-Albertville fine sandy loam Wynnville fine sandy loam Irrigation Very Good Good Acceptable Low Insufficient Pests None Light Tolerable Adverse Destructive Overall Excellent Good Acceptable Questionable Useless 6 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION CANTALOUPE Cantaloupe Varieties Perform As Well As Market Standard Joe Kemble, Edgar Vinson, and Jason Burkett A small melon trial was conducted at the E.V. Smith Research Center (EVSRC) in Shorter, Alabama, (Tables 1 and 2). Soils were fertilized according to the recommendations of the Auburn University Soil Testing Laboratory. Current commercial cantaloupe production information for Alabama—including insect, disease, and weed management as well as recommended fertigation and spray schedules— is TABLE 1. RATINGS OF THE 2011 CANTEOUPE VARIETY TRIAL1 Location Weather Fertility Irrigation Pests Overall 1 EVSRC 5 5 5 5 5 See introduction for description of ratings scales. available in the Southeastern U. S. Vegetable Crop Handbook. Copies are available from your county Extension office or online at www.thegrower.com/south-east-vegetable-guide. Cantaloupe varieties were direct seeded on May 4 into 30-foot rows with 6 feet between rows and a within row spacing of 2 feet. Drip irrigation and black plastic mulch were used. Melons were harvested four times from July 11 through July 27. Melons were harvested at the half slip stage of maturity (Table 3) The market standard ‘Athena’ was among the top performers in the total marketable yield category producing a yield statistically similar to the top producers ‘Eclipse’ and ‘Strike’. Four varieties—‘Wrangler’, ‘Earlichamp’, ‘Odyssey’, and ‘Halona’—produced total marketable fruit yields significantly lower than ‘Athena’. All varieties in this year’s trial have been included in previous trials with the exception of ‘Origami’, which produced a total marketable yield similar to ‘Athena’. TABLE 2. SEED SOURCE, FRUIT CHARACTERISTICS, AND RELATIVE EARLINESS OF SELECTED CANTALOUPE VARIETIES Variety Athena Atlantis Ariel Earlichamp Eclipse Goddess Halona Home Run Odyssey Origami Strike Wrangler 1 Type1 F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 2 Seed source Seedway/Novartis Sakata/Siegers Stokes Hollar Seminis Seedway Johnny’s Hollar Nunhems Harris Moran Hollar Hollar Rind aspect2 E E E E E E E E E E E E 3 Flesh color3 O O O O O O O O O O O O 4 Days to harvest Disease claims4 80 74 83 78 85 70 73 82 75 — 85 85 FW 0-2, PM 1-2 FW 0-2, PM 1-2 FW 0-2, PM 0-2 FW 0,2, PM FW, PM FW 0-2, PM 1-2 FW, PM FW 0-2,PM FW FW 0-2, PM 1-2 FW 0-2, PM FW, PM Type: F1 = Hybrid variety. Rind aspect: E= Eastern. Flesh color: O = Orange. Disease claims: FW = Fusarium Wilt, PM = Powdery Mildew. Note: Numbers following disease claims indicate races. SPRING 2011 COMMERCIAL VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 7 ‘Eclipse’, ‘Strike’, and ‘Athena’ also produced the greatest number fruit per acre. Most varieties produced a number of marketable fruit per acre that was statistically similar to ‘Athena’. Other varieties such as ‘Origami’, ‘Earlichamp’, ‘Odyssey’, and ‘Halona’ did not. In a commercial setting, individual melons should weigh in the range of 4 to 6 pounds. ‘Athena’ at 5.9 pounds is within in this range along with ‘Wrangler’, ‘Earlichamp’, and ‘Halona’ at 4.6 pounds, 5.6 pounds, and 4.6 pounds, respectively. TABLE 3. YIELD OF SELECTED CANTELOUPE VARIETIES Total Total Individual marketable marketable fruit Variety yield number weight lb/A Eclipse Strike Athena Ariel Homerun Atlantis Origami Wrangler Earlichamp Odyssey Halona R2 CV LSD 48,165 40,205 35,860 32,553 30,830 26,951 26,697 22,551 21,619 18,090 7,726 0.68 31 12,449 no/A 6,171 6,262 5,990 4,356 4,810 4,628 3,086 4,719 3,902 2,904 1,634 0.68 28 1,724 lb 7.8 6.4 5.9 7.5 6.6 6.0 8.4 4.6 5.6 6.2 4.6 0.70 14 1.4 Cull lb/A 4,082 6,468 7,612 5,539 8,920 7,297 22,450 9,207 15,605 9,444 23,462 0.60 54 2,181 8 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION SQUASH New Summer Squash Entries Perform Well Early Joe Kemble, Edgar Vinson, Randy Akridge, and Jason Burkett A summer squash variety trial was conducted at the E.V. Smith Research Center (EVSRC) in Shorter, Alabama, and the Brewton Area Research Unit (BARU) in Brewton, Alabama, (Tables 1 and 2). TABLE 1. RATINGS OF THE 2011 SUMMER SQUASH VARIETY TRIAL1 Location Weather Fertility Irrigation Pests Overall 1 BARU 5 5 5 5 5 EVSRC 5 5 5 4 5 See introduction for description of ratings scales. At both locations, beds were formed and plastic mulch and drip irrigation were used. Squash varieties were direct seeded on white plastic mulch on May 4 at EVSRC and on May at BARU . Beds were 20 feet long on 6 foot centers. Spacing within a row was 1.5 feet. Soils were fertilized according to the recommendations of the Auburn University Soil Testing Laboratory. Current commercial summer squash production information for Alabama—including insect, disease, and weed management as well as recommended fertigation and spray schedules— is available in the Southeastern U. S. Vegetable Crop Handbook. Copies are available from your county Extension office or online at www.thegrower.com/south-east-vegetableguide. TABLE 2. SEED SOURCE, FRUIT TYPE, AND RELATIVE EARLINESS OF SELECTED SQUASH VARIETIES Variety Enterprise Fortune Gentry Goldprize Gold Star Lazor Lioness Multipik Sunray Ocelot XPT 1832 III Cashflow Leopard Spineless Perfection (RSQ 5184) Spineless Beauty Zucchini Elite Elegance 1 3 3 Type1 F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 Seed source Days to harvest Disease claims2 Years evaluated 97,99,07,10,11 99,04-07,10, 11 97-99,02-08,10,11 10,11 10,11 2011 04-08,11 2011 99,03,04,07,08,11 2011 06-08,11 10,11 2011 10,11 95-97,99,10 95-97,11 10,11 Yellow squash (straightneck, semi crookneck, and crookneck) Rogers Syngenta 41 — Rogers Syngenta Rogers Syngenta Rogers Syngenta Rogers Syngenta Seedway Harris Seeds Harris Seeds Seminis Harris Moran Seminis Rogers Syngenta Harris Moran Rogers Syngenta Rogers Syngenta Harris Moran Harris Moran 39 43 42 42 42 50 50 43 — 44 Zucchini 45 — 44 43 — — — — WMV,ZYMV CMV,PM ZYMV CMV, PRSV, WMV II, ZYMV CMV,WMV — — CMV,WMV,ZYMV ZYMV PRSV,ZYMV PM, WMV, ZYMV — — PM, WMV, ZYMV 3 Type: F1 = Hybrid. 2 Disease claims: CMV = Cucumber Mosaic Virus; PRSV = Papaya Ring Spot; PM = Powdery Mildew; ZYMV = Zucchini Yellow Mosaic Virus ; WMV = Watermelon Mosaic Virus. 3 Precocious Variety. — = none; from seed catalogues. SPRING 2011 COMMERCIAL VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 9 Squash were harvested seven times between June 6 and June 20 at BARU and nine times between May 25 and June 20 at EVSRC. Squash were graded according to the United Stated Standards for Grades of Summer Squash (U.S. Dept. Agr. G.P.O 1987-180-916:40730 AMS) (Table 3). At EVS- RC grades were combined and categorized as marketable or non-marketable. At BARU, ‘Multipik’, ‘Sunray’, and ‘Ocelot’ produced the highest early marketable yields which were similar to the market standard ‘Gentry’ (Table 3). These varieties were also similar to TABLE 3. EARLY YIELD OF SELECTED YELLOW SUMMER SQUASH AND ZUCCHINI VARIETIES Early marketEarly nonmar- US No.1 US No.2 Variety Type1 Early marketable yield able number ketable yield weight weight lb/A Multipik Sunray Ocelot Gentry Enterprise Goldprize Lazor Gold Star Lioness R 2 US No.1 number no/A 14,029 13,485 16,530 14,899 8,483 11,843 9,896 10,658 6,090 0.70 22 3,797 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • US No.2 number no/A 7,504 5,438 6,851 6,416 6,416 4,024 4,676 5,003 5,111 0.40 40 2,433 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • no/A • • • • • • • • • • • lb/A • • • • • • • • • • • lb/A 4,290 4,196 4,111 4,152 2,828 3,653 2,990 2,843 2,116 0.56 25 1,260 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • lb/A 4,032 3,090 3,094 2,966 3,249 2,328 2,717 2,592 3,060 0.40 27 1,187 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Brewton Agricultural Research Unit Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 8,323 7,285 7,205 7,118 6,077 5,981 5,706 5,434 5,177 0.56 18 1,739 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 4,454 4,251 4,093 4,071 3,843 3,626 3,115 0.31 21 1,234 Z Z Z Z Z Z Z 7,469 5,982 5,620 5,237 4,836 4,081 3,737 0.54 26 2,052 CV LSD Lazor XPT 1832 III Gentry GoldStar Multipik Ocelot Lioness R 2 • • E.V. Smith Research Center 12,524 16,335 16,789 13,794 13,522 15,609 10,164 0.51 19 8,939 10,255 9,892 9,892 8,621 8,077 11,344 5,445 0.55 26 7,067 3,919 6,163 6,249 3,871 6,634 7,495 4,185 0.58 29 2,409 16,817 7,974 8,850 8,363 8,311 4,263 7,758 0.41 63 8,406 CV LSD Zucchini Elite Cashflow Elegance Spineless Perfection Leopard Goldprize Spineless Beauty R 2 CV LSD 1 Type: Z = Zucchini; Y = Yellow squash (straightneck, semi crookneck, and crookneck). • = information not available. 10 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION the market standard in the number 1 yields. In total marketable yield ‘Gentry’ produced yields that were statistically higher than all other varieties with the exception of ‘Ocelot’. At EVSRC, yellow and zucchini varieties were included the trial. Among the yellow squash, ‘Lazor’ and XPT 1832 III produced the two highest yields in the early marketable yield category. These yields were similar to the market standard ‘Gentry’. The varieties ‘Goldstar’ and ‘Multipik’ were also similar to ‘Gentry’. In total yield, there were very few differences observed. The market standard ‘Gentry’ topped the list and was statistically similar to all other varieties with the exception of ‘Lioness’. US No.2 number no/A 12,720 12,823 12,128 10,534 8,804 8,252 7,478 8,834 7,722 0.53 24 3,478 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 11,448 6,748 13,524 10,406 11,043 9,070 6,644 0.63 25 3,672 32,046 13,566 16,671 15,814 14,860 7,024 11,412 0.57 50 11,927 TABLE 4. TOTAL YIELD OF SELECTED YELLOW SUMMER SQUASH AND ZUCCHINI VARIETIES Total marketUS No.1 US No.2 US No.1 Variety Type1 Total marketable yield able number weight weight number lb/A Gentry Ocelot Multipik Enterprise Sunray Lioness Goldprize Lazor Gold Star R2 CV LSD Gentry Lazor Ocelot XPT 1832 III Multipik Gold Star Lioness R2 CV LSD Zucchini Elite Cashflow Spineless Perfection Elegance Leopard Goldprize Spineless Beauty R 2 Cull lb/A • • • • • • • • • no/A • • • • • • • • • • • lb/A 27,092 24,904 19,724 19,252 13,749 14,248 13,910 12,794 12,282 0.73 22 lb/A 11,542 9,488 10,730 10,704 8,459 7,628 6,753 7,498 6,833 0.63 23 2,907 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • no/A 24,213 27,579 23,261 15,601 21,012 11,910 21,099 18,309 18,572 0.75 16 4,612 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Brewton Agricultural Research Unit Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 38,633 34,392 30,454 29,956 22,208 21,876 20,664 20,293 19,115 0.75 19 7,215 Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 13,438 12,851 12,484 11,731 11,701 11,029 9,919 0.40 18 3,287 Z Z Z Z Z Z Z 28,730 17,673 16,978 16,305 14,692 10,542 9,823 0.40 61 15,062 • 5,719 E.V. Smith Research Center 63,434 44,377 63,525 45,829 44,831 44,468 37,480 0.70 16 26,195 25,138 30,401 28,496 27,316 24,956 37,752 15,337 0.70 19 17,286 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • CV LSD 1 Type: Z = Zucchini; Y = Yellow squash (straightneck, semi crookneck, and crookneck). • = information not available. SPRING 2011 COMMERCIAL VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 11 Among the zucchini varieties, ‘Zucchini Elite’ produced the highest early yield. This yield was similar to ‘Cashflow’ and ‘Elegance’ but statistically higher than the market standard ‘Spineless Beauty’ and the remaining varieties. ‘Zucchini Elite’ produced a total marketable yield that was statistically higher than ‘Spineless Beauty’. Varieties that produced the highest early marketable yields tended to be among the top producers throughout the season. Several varieties performed as well as or better than the market standards in both the zucchini and yellow squash varieties and in both locations. 12 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION BELL PEPPER New Bell Pepper Varieties Perform Well Joe Kemble, Edgar Vinson, and Randy Akridge A spring bell pepper variety trial was conducted at the Brewton Agricultural Research Unit (BARU) in Brewton, Alabama, and the North Alabama Horticulture Research Center (NAHRC) in Cullman, Alabama. Five-week-old bell pepper transplants were set onto 20-foot long plots at a within-row spacing of 1.5 feet on May 3 at BARU and May 24 at NAHRC. White plastic mulch and drip irrigation were used. Soils were fertilized according to the recommendations of the Auburn University Soil Testing Laboratory. Current commercial bell pepper production information for Alabama— including insect, disease, and weed management as well as recommended fertigation and spray schedules— is available in the Southeastern U. S. Vegetable Crop Handbook. Copies are available from your county Extension office or online at www.thegrower.com/south-east-vegetable-guide. Bell peppers were harvested, weighed, and graded three times between July 11 and July 25 at BARU and on August 2 and 9 at NAHRC. Grades and corresponding fruit diameters (D) of fresh market bell pepper were adapted from the Sweet pepper Grader’s Guide (Circular ANR 783 from the Alabama Cooperative Extension System Marketable yield was the sum of Fancy, No.1, and No.2 grades (Table 3). There were few differences in total marketable yield and total marketable number. Two experimental lines—PS TABLE 1. RATINGS OF THE 2011 BELL PEPPER VARIETY TRIAL1 Location Weather Fertility Irrigation Pests Overall 1 NAHRC 5 5 5 5 5 BARU 5 5 5 5 5 See introduction for description of ratings scales. TABLE 2. SEED SOURCE, FRUIT CHARACTERISTICS, AND RELATIVE EARLINESS OF SELECTED BELL PEPPER VARIETIES Variety Allegiance Aristotle X3R Camelot X3R Colossal Declaration Del Rio Hunter Intruder Sirius Stiletto Tomcat Vanguard Wizard X3R 1 Type1 F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 Seed source Harris Moran Seminis Seminis Rogers/Syngenta Harris Moran Siegers Rogers/Syngenta Rogers/Syngenta Sieger/Western Seeds Rogers/Syngenta Rogers/Syngenta Harris Moran Seminis Fruit color2 G-R G-R G-R G-R G-R G-O G-R G-R G-Y G-R G-R G-R G-rR Days to harvest 61 74 74 70 75 — — — — 70 — — 74 Disease claims3 BSp1-5,PVY 0, TbMV BSp1-3,PVY,Stip TbMV — CMV,PRR,TSWV, BSp1-3,5 TMV0-3, TSWV BSp 1-5, TEV, TMV BSp 1-3,TEV,TMV BSp1-2,TSWV BSp1-3,TSWV Bsp1-5, TEV,TMV BSp1-5,CMV,PRR BSp1-3, TMV Years evaluated 2011 01,10,11 94-7,99,01,10,11 99,01,11 10,11 2011 2011 2011 10,11 10,11 2011 10,11 01,11 Type: F1 = hybrid variety. 2 Fruit color: G-R = Green to Red; G-Y = Green to Yellow. 3 Disease Claims: BSp = Bacterial Spot; CMV = Cucumber Mosaic Virus; PRR = Phytophthora Root Rot; PVY = Potato Virus Y; Stip = Stip or Pepper spot; TbMV = Tobamo Virus; TSWV = Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus. Note: Numbers following disease claims indicate races. — = none; from seed catalogues. SPRING 2011 COMMERCIAL VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 13 9915776 and PS 9927141—topped the list in both categories. Both experimental lines had yields that were significantly higher than the standard variety ‘Camelot X3R’. Total marketable number of these two lines was statistically similar to ‘Camelot X3R’ while PS 09942815 had the highest production in the number of US Fancy fruit. Two other experimental lines—PS 9915776 and PS 9927141—produced fruit numbers in the category that was statistically similar to PS 09942815. At BARU, ‘Vanguard’ and ‘Colossal’ produced significantly higher yields than the market standard ‘Camelot X3R’ in the total marketable fruit category. Several varieties did not produce fruit in the U.S. Fancy category. Among the varieties that produced U.S. Fancy fruit, ‘Vanguard’ produced TABLE 3. YIELD AND QUALITY OF SELECTED BELL PEPPER VARIETIES Total Total U.S. U.S. U.S. U.S. marketable marketable fancy fancy No.1 No.1 Variety yield number number weight number weight lb/A no/A no/A lb/A no/A lb/A U.S. No.2 number no/A U.S. No.2 weight lb/A Fruit Cull weight weight lb/A lb/A North Alabama Horticulture Research Center Declaration Sirius Wizard X3R Vanguard Colossal Allegiance Stiletto Tomcat Camelot X3R Intruder Aristotle Delirio Hunter R 2 24,465 22,530 21,641 20,960 20,048 19,440 19,341 19,210 19,047 18,368 16,746 14,433 11,332 0.56 20 6,435 9,404 9,272 8,933 8,793 8,677 7,869 7,700 7,623 7,536 7,069 0.67 13 1,566 51,546 52,393 61,710 49,005 50,215 50,457 52,635 49,005 47,916 47,432 44,770 47,311 30,129 0.46 20 16,799 35,211 35,846 35,574 38,206 32,216 45,194 30,674 33,396 27,770 37,208 0.71 13 6,958 18,634 12,705 10,043 15,851 14,399 9,196 9,438 13,673 11,374 9,438 10,527 3,993 6,655 0.75 26 12,265 7,318 5,519 9,287 8,279 5,551 5,038 7,633 5,957 5,376 5,712 1,647 3,767 0.77 29 20,812 27,588 33,154 20,933 24,805 28,193 27,951 24,200 26,015 26,499 22,869 25,652 14,278 0.54 24 8,164 12,153 11,794 8,192 8,745 10,584 10,216 8,573 9,454 9,773 8,125 8,524 5,306 0.50 25 12,100 12,100 18,513 12,221 11,011 13,068 15,246 11,132 10,527 11,495 11,374 17,666 9,196 0.45 34 7,423 16,063 15,791 20,963 22,052 13,250 38,841 19,058 20,600 12,161 31,309 0.82 22 6,777 4,037 3,059 4,328 3,481 3,025 3,305 4,086 3,004 3,636 3,219 2,909 4,262 2,259 0.40 33 1,911 3,229 3,071 4,502 4,205 2,729 6,253 4,042 3,941 2,444 5,548 0.76 20 1,196 0.48 0.43 0.35 0.43 0.40 0.39 0.37 0.39 0.40 0.39 0.38 0.31 0.38 0.84 6 0.04 0.27 0.26 0.25 0.23 0.27 0.18 0.25 0.23 0.27 0.19 0.84 7 0.02 1,862 1,250 1,056 2,214 1,404 1,557 812 964 728 1,690 1,488 2,300 705 0.67 33 565 892 829 734 2,144 1,023 1,107 1,370 780 1,194 2,379 0.60 50 916 CV LSD Vanguard Colossal Wizard X3R Sirius Aristotle Stiletto Allegiance Camelot X3R Declaration Delrio R 2 4,993 3,178 10,127 3,957 Brewton Agriculture Research Unit 1,331 1,452 .• • 908 • 726 • 968 • 0.65 40 496 594 620 • • 396 • 294 • 463 • 0.64 122 122 18,150 18,967 14,611 16,154 18,059 6,353 11,435 12,796 14,883 5,899 0.80 21 4,301 5,729 5,736 4,430 4,587 5,552 1,616 3,585 3,682 4,744 1,520 0.81 22 1,329 CV LSD • = information not available. 14 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION a significantly higher yield than all other varieties. Varieties ‘Wizard X3R’, ‘Aristotle’, ‘Allegiance’, and ‘Declaration’ produced individual fruit weights that were significantly higher than ‘Camelot X3R’. In cull fruit production, ‘Delrio’ produced significantly more cull fruit than all other varieties with the exception of ‘Sirius’. At NAHRC, there were few differences in total marketable yield. All varieties performed as well as the market standard. The variety ‘Declaration’ produced significantly greater U.S. Fancy yield than all other varieties except for ‘Vanguard’. ‘Declaration’ also produced significantly larger individual fruit than all other varieties. The market standard ‘Camelot X3R’ produced among the lowest yield of cull fruit. SPRING 2011 COMMERCIAL VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 15 TOMATO Experimental Tomato Line Produces High Yield of Large Fruit Joe Kemble, Edgar Vinson, Randy Akridge, and Arnold Caylor Spring tomato variety trials were conducted at the Brewton Agricultural Research Unit (BARU) in Brewton, Alabama, and the North Alabama Horticulture Research Center (NAHRC) in Cullman, Alabama (Tables 1 and 2). Five-weekold tomato transplants were set on May 3 at BARU and May 19 at NAHRC onto 20-foot long plots at a within-row spacing of 1.5 feet. White plastic mulch and drip irrigation were used at both locations. Soils were fertilized according to the recommendations of the Auburn University Soil Testing Laboratory and pesticides were applied. Current commercial tomato production information for Alabama—including insect, disease, and weed management as well as recommended fertigation and spray schedules— is available in the Southeastern U. S. Vegetable Crop Handbook. Copies are available from your county Extension office or online at www.thegrower.com/ south-east-vegetable-guide. Tomatoes were harvested, weighed, and graded four times between July 6 and July 24 at BARU and four times between July 22 through August 16 at NAHRC. Grades and corresponding fruit diameters (D) of fresh market tomato were adapted from the Tomato Grader’s Guide (Circular ANR 643 from the Alabama Cooperative Extension System) and were extra-large (D>2.9 inch), large (D>2.5 inch) and medium (D>2.3 inch). Marketable yield was the sum of extra-large, large and medium grades (Table 3). At NAHRC, ‘Primo Red’ produced the highest total marketable fruit yield. These yields, however, are similar to BHN 602, ‘Red Defender’, XTM 5356, and ‘Trinity’. The market standard used in this trial performed significantly lower than most other varieties with the exceptions of ‘Linda’, ‘Sunkeeper’, and Security 28. The experimental variety XTM 5356 produced a higher yield of extra large fruit than all other va- rieties with the exception of ‘Primo Red’ and BHN 602. Similar results are noted in the large fruit yield category where the XTM 5356 produced a higher yield of large than most other varieties except ‘Primo Red’, BHN 602, and ‘Red Defender’. The experimental variety XTM 5356 also produced the among the lowest cull fruit yield. At BARU, the three highest producers in total marketable yield were ‘Trinity’, ‘Primo Red’, and ‘Red Defender’. These yields were significantly higher than the market standard ‘Florida 47’. All other varieties had yields that were statistically similar to ‘Florida 47’. The variety HMX 8847 produced a yield that topped the list in the large fruit category. This yield was statistically similar to approximately half of the entries in the trial. Several varieties were included in trials at both locations. In total marketable yield, ‘Primo Red’, ‘Red Defender’, BHN 602, and ‘Trinity’ topped the list at both locations. The experimental variety XTM 5356 topped the list at NAHRC while producing among the lowers total marketable yields at BARU. It is important that tomato trials be conducted at both a northern and southern location as some varieties are better adapted for either a more northern or more southern locations. TABLE 1. RATINGS OF THE 2011 TOMATO VARIETY TRIAL1 Location Weather Fertility Irrigation Pests Overall 1 BARU 5 5 5 5 5 NAHRC 5 5 5 5 5 See introduction for description of ratings scales. 16 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION TABLE 2. SEED SOURCE, FRUIT TYPE, AND RELATIVE EARLINESS OF SELECTED TOMATO VARIETIES Variety Amelia Bella Rosa BHN 602 BHN 640 Carolina Gold Crista Finishline Fletcher Florida 47 HMX 8847 Linda Mt. Glory Mt. Magic Primo Red Red Defender Rocky Top Security 28 Sunkeeper Sunguard Tribeca Tribute Trinity XTM 5356 1 Type1 F1/FM F1/FM F1/FM F1/FM F1/FM F1/FM F1/FM F1/FM F1/FM F1/FM F1/FM F1/FM F1/FM F1/FM F1/FM F1/FM F1/FM F1/FM F1/FM F1/FM F1/FM F1/FM F1/FM Seed source Harris Moran Sakata BHN BHN Harris Harris Moran Syngenta/Rogers Bejo Seminis Harris Moran Sakata Harris Johnny’s Select Harris Moran Harris Syngenta/Rogers Harris Syngenta/Rogers Seminis Vimorin Sakata Harris Moran Sakata Plant habit2 Det Det Det Det Det Det Det Det Det Det Det Det Det Det Det Det Det Det Det Det Det Det Det Fruit color3 Red Red Red Red Yellow Red Red Red Red Red Red Red Red Red Red Red Red Red Red Red Red Red Red Days to harvest 80 74 75 75 75 74 75 74 75 — 75 70 66 68 75 74 70 — 75 — — — — Disease claims3 FW 1-3,TSWV,VW FW 1-2,TSWV,VW FW 1-3,TSWV,VW FW 1-3,TSWV,VW FW, VW FW 1-3,NE,TSWV,VW FW 1-3,St,TSWV,VW NE,TSWV,VW ASC, FW 1-2,St,VW — ASC,FW 1-2, St,VW FW 1-2,St,TSWV,VW EB, FW 0-2,LB,VW FW 1-2,ToMV,TSWV,VW — FW 1-2,TYLCV, VW — ASC, FW 1-3,St,VW 1 FW 1-2,VW,TSWV — FW 1-2,NE,TSWV,VW 1 — Years evaluated 03-08,10,11 07-08, 10,11 10,11 03-11 99,03,04,11 06-11 10,11 10,11 97-99,02-08, 10, 11 2011 10,11 10,11 2011 10,11 10,11 2011 10,11 2011 2011 10,11 2011 2011 ASC, FW 1-2,St,TSWV, VW 07,11 Type: F1 = Hybrid, FM = Fresh market; 2 Plant habit: Det. = Determinate; 3 Disease claims: ASC = Alternaria Stem Canker; FW = Fusarium Wilt; VW = Verticillium Wilt; St = Stemphylium (grey leaf spot), TSWV = Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus; ToMV = Tomato Mosaic Virus; NE = Root-knot Nematode; TYLCV = Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl. Note: Numbers following disease claims indicate races. — = not found, from seed catalog. SPRING 2011 COMMERCIAL VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 17 TABLE 3, YIELD OF SELECTED TOMATO VARIETIES Total Total market- marketExtra Extra able able large large Variety yield number wt. no. lb/A Primo Red BHN 602 Red Defender XTM 5356 Trinity Tribute Bell Rosa Carolina Gold Mt. Glory Finishline Amelia HMX 8847 Crista Linda BHN 640 Sunkeeper Security 28 R2 CV LSD Trinity Primo Red Red Defender BHN 602 Sungard HMX 8847 Finishline Rockytop Tribute Florida 47 XTM 5356 Bella Rosa Fletcher Tribeca R2 CV LSD 59,876 59,464 58,882 58,308 55,640 53,264 52,983 52,422 50,884 50,162 50,144 49,765 48,944 46,357 44,062 43,241 42,397 0.70 12 6,594 21,764 18,677 18,400 18,142 17,778 17,592 16,254 15,661 14,099 13,947 13,416 12,488 12,411 11,419 0.64 19 4,363 no/A 103,807 111,487 120,252 102,203 116,421 108,237 96,409 110,654 105,658 95,037 94,656 92,343 88,128 87,686 84,427 84,876 78,614 0.72 12 12,525 43,923 44,740 42,380 41,201 41,110 37,208 36,754 35,846 33,124 32,035 31,672 28,859 27,770 27,679 0.56 20 10,511 lb/A 5,766 5,012 2,202 6,186 1,938 1,512 4,000 2,564 2,235 4,238 1,768 4,037 2,860 3,773 1,468 1,031 4,518 0.62 49 1,592 7,513 6,532 7,472 7,135 6,873 9,358 6,598 6,476 5,210 5,863 4,517 5,236 5,139 3,949 0.54 31 2,801 no/A 6,080 5,173 2,904 6,897 2,087 1,815 4,628 2,904 2,632 4,810 2,087 4,628 3,267 4,175 1,634 1,271 4,961 0.60 48 1,766 12,796 10,890 11,798 11,525 11,435 15,065 10,981 10,981 8,803 9,801 7,805 8,803 8,531 6,716 0.53 30 4,560 Large wt. lb/A 28,104 28,443 24,641 31,569 19,477 21,176 25,613 14,915 17,712 22,571 23,629 24,059 24,049 20,532 17,788 20,314 18,724 0.73 18 4,193 7,881 7,333 7,273 7,051 6,903 5,789 6,435 6,182 6,120 5,226 5,636 4,617 4,914 4,716 0.47 24 2,114 Large no. no/A 33,204 43,788 38,305 45,484 30,935 33,005 38,874 22,990 25,979 35,051 33,037 35,987 33,497 31,512 23,806 31,696 27,189 0.72 18 6,196 18,967 17,696 17,424 16,517 16,335 13,976 15,337 14,702 14,792 12,614 13,159 10,890 11,344 11,344 0.47 25 5,304 Medium Medium wt. no. lb/A 16,303 16,788 18,959 14,339 19,327 18,361 17,832 20,391 17,998 16,206 15,692 13,430 14,309 14,432 17,366 15,138 11,818 0.61 16 2,603 6,370 4,812 3,655 3,956 4,001 2,445 3,222 3,003 2,769 2,858 3,263 2,634 2,358 2,753 0.440 50 2,457 no/A 35,302 36,119 41,291 31,400 42,199 40,112 37,117 43,742 40,475 34,576 34,304 28,677 30,220 30,311 37,480 33,215 25,652 0.63 16 5,628 12,161 16,154 13,159 13,159 13,340 8,168 10,436 10,164 9,529 9,620 10,709 9,166 7,895 9,620 0.40 33 5,249 Small wt. lb/A 9,702 9,221 13,081 6,213 14,898 12,216 5,538 14,553 12,939 7,147 9,054 8,240 7,726 7,619 7,440 6,757 7,337 0.73 26 2,457 1,401 2,173 991 1,310 1,471 726 1,101 1,124 1,130 1,573 1,476 1,055 1,095 1,323 0.33 62 802 Individual fruit wt. lb 0.58 0.54 0.49 0.57 0.48 0.49 0.54 0.47 0.48 0.53 0.53 0.54 0.55 0.53 0.52 0.51 0.54 0.66 6 0.03 0.50 0.42 0.45 0.44 0.43 0.47 0.44 0.44 0.43 0.43 0.42 0.44 0.45 0.42 0.24 11 0.07 Cull wt. lb/A 18,410 16,178 21,624 13,891 21,248 20,069 14,300 23,488 17,782 14,875 16,476 12,168 13,969 14,201 15,565 16,227 14,461 0.66 20 3,387 7,628 4,393 5,289 6,857 6,133 6,804 5,575 7,635 7,560 7,577 8,421 8,058 7,173 6,257 0.34 28 2,769 North Alabama Horticulture Research Center Brewton Agricultural Research Unit 18 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION TOMATO Several Differences Found in Yield Among Roma Tomatoes Joe Kemble, Edgar Vinson, and Jason Burkett A spring roma tomato variety trial was conducted at the E.V. Smith Research Center (EVSRC) in Shorter, Alabama, (Tables 1 and 2). Five-week-old roma tomato transplants were set May 2 onto 20-foot long plots at a within-row spacing of 1.5 feet. White plastic mulch and drip irrigation were used. Soils were fertilized according to the recommendations of the Auburn University Soil Testing Laboratory. Current commercial roma tomato production information for Alabama—including insect, disease, and weed management as well as recommended fertigation and spray schedules— is available in the Southeastern U. S. Vegetable Crop Handbook. Copies are available from your county Extension office or online at www.thegrower.com/south-east-vegetable-guide. Roma tomatoes were harvested five times between July 11 and August 9. Roma tomatoes were graded as marketable or non-marketable and weighed (Table 3). There were a number of differences in marketable yield among the roma tomatoes. The varieties seemed to be divided into two groups with the varieties in the first group all having fruit yields significantly higher than each variety in the second group. For instance, ‘Monticello’, ‘Picus’ and ‘Tachi’ produced marketable yields that were each significantly higher than BHN685 and ‘Plum Regal’ and the marTABLE 1. RATINGS OF THE 2011 ROMA TOMATO VARIETY TRIAL1 Location Weather Fertility Irrigation Pests Overall 1 EVSRC 5 5 5 4 5 See introduction for description of ratings scales. ket standard ‘Plum Crimson’. BHN 685 and ‘Plum Regal’ produced yields similar to the market standard. In other categories, ‘Plum Regal’ produced significantly larger fruit than all other varieties and had the lowest production of cull fruit. At the top of the list in marketable yield, ‘Monticello’ produced one of the highest yields in the cull fruit category and had the highest incidence of fruit affected with blossom-end rot. The market standard ‘Plum Crimson’ had the lowest incidence of blossom-end rot while ‘Plum Regal’ produced no fruit with the condition. Blossomend rot is a nutritional disorder that results in decay at the blossom end of the fruit. Though this condition is present in other tomato types, roma tomatoes are disproportionally affected TABLE 2. SEED SOURCE, FRUIT TYPE, AND RELATIVE EARLINESS OF SELECTED TOMATO VARIETIES Variety BNN 685 Monticello Picus Plum Crimson Plum Regal Tachi 1 Type1 F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 F1 2 Seed source BHN Syngenta/Rogers Seminis Harris Moran Johnny’s Select Sakata Plant habit2 Det. Det. Det. Det. Det. Det. 3 Fruit color Red Red Red Red Red Red Days to harvest 75 — Midseason Midseason 68 Mid to late season Disease claims3 FW 1-3,TSWV,VW BSp 1-3, NE, TEV,TMV FW 1, St, TSWV,VW ASC, FW 1-2,St,TSWV, VW ASC,FW 1-2, LB, TSWV, VW ASC, FW 1-2, NE, VW,TSWV Type: F1 = Hybrid; Plant habit: Det. = Determinate; Disease claims: FW = Fusarium Wilt; VW = Verticillium Wilt; ASC = Alternaria Stem Canker; St = Stemphylium (grey leaf spot), TSWV = Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus; NE = Root-knot Nematode; LB = Late blight; TEV = Tobacco Etch Virus. Note: Numbers following disease claims indicate races. — = not found, from seed catalog. SPRING 2011 COMMERCIAL VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 19 TABLE 3, YIELD OF SELECTED ROMA TOMATO VARIETIES Marketable Marketable Fruit Variety yield number weight lb/A Monticello Picus Tachi Plum Crimson BHN 685 Plum Regal R2 CV LSD 31,167 27,055 25,949 16,473 15,098 12,646 0.64 36 5,329 no/A 122,240 121,968 111,441 73,054 61,529 32,216 0.71 32 42,471 lb 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.7 0.32 136 0.29 Cull lb/A 14,401 9,757 12,264 14,644 12,053 6,389 0.35 50 4,038 Blossom-end rot lb/A 994 232 345 88 599 • • • • • = information not available. 20 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION WATERMELON Seeded and Seedless Watermelon Trials Continue Joe Kemble, Edgar Vinson, and Arnold Caylor A seeded watermelon trial was conducted at the North Alabama Horticulture Research Center (NAHRC) in Cullman, Alabama, (Tables 1 and 2). Four-week-old seedless watermelon transplants were set on May 10 onto plots that were 30 feet long on 10-foot centers. Drip irrigation and black plastic mulch were used. Soils were fertilized according to the recommendations of the Auburn University Soil Testing Laboratory. Current commercial watermelon production information for Alabama—including insect, disease, and weed management as well as recommended fertigation and spray schedules— is available in the Southeastern U. S. Vegetable Crop Handbook. Copies are available from your county Extension office or online at www.thegrower.com/south-east-vegetable-guide. Watermelons were harvested on July 19 and 20. Watermelon were graded according to the Watermelon Grader’s Guide (Circular ANR-681 from the Alabama Cooperative Extension System) and marketable yield was determined (Table 3). Two melons from each plot were used to measure soluble solids (sweetness), hollow heart, and rind thickness. A hand-held digital refractometer was used to measure solTABLE 1. RATINGS OF THE 2011 WATERMELON VARIETY TRIAL1 Location Weather Fertility Irrigation Pests Overall 1 NAHRC 5 5 5 4 5 See introduction for description of ratings scales. uble solids. Watermelons with a reading below 10 percent are not considered sweet. This year’s watermelon trial consisted of four seeded and eight seedless varieties. Among the seeded varieties the market standard used for comparison was ‘Starbrite’. Two of the four varieties—‘Tropical’ and ‘Shakira’—produced total marketable yields similar to the market standard. Both ‘Starbrite’ and ‘Tropical’ produced total marketable yields that were statistically higher than ‘Legacy’. Individual fruit weight of ‘Legacy’ was statistically higher than all varieties TABLE 2. SEED SOURCE, FRUIT CHARACTERISTICS, AND RELATIVE EARLINESS OF SELECTED WATERMELON VARIETIES Seed source Fruit shape Flesh Days to Disease Years Variety Type1 color2 harvest claims2 evaluated Legacy Lamar QV776 Sweet Treasure Starbrite Millennium Bold Ruler Affirmed Distinction Fascination Tropical Shakira 1 OP, AS, 2X F1, IB, 3X F1, CS, 3X F1, CS, 3X F1, CS, 2X F1,CS,3X F1, P, 3X F1, CS, 3X F1, CS, 3X F1, AS, 3X F1, AS, 2X F1, AS, 2X Willhite Hollar/Seedway Sakata Sakata Seminis Harris Moran Harris Moran Sakata Rogers/Syngenta Rogers/Syngenta Harris Moran Harris Moran Elongated Round Oblong Oval Elongated Oval Oval Oblong Round Oblong Elongated Elongated Red Red Red Red Red Red Red Red Red Red Red Red 85 83 90 90 — — — 90 — — — — — — Ant 1 Ant 1 Ant 1 Ant 1 — Ant 1, FW 0-1 Ant 1, FW 0-1 Ant 1, FW 0-1 Ant 1, FW 0-1 10,11 10,11 10,11 10,11 97-02, 11 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 Type: F1 = Hybrid, OP = Open Pollinated, CS = Crimson Sweet, IB =Icebox; P = Peacock; AS = Allsweet; 2X = Seeded; 3X = Seedless. 2 Disease claims: Ant = Anthracnose; FW = Fusarium Wilt. Note: Numbers following disease claims indicate races. — = not found, from seed catalog. SPRING 2011 COMMERCIAL VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 21 except ‘Starbrite’. ‘Tropical’ produced watermelon fruit with the greatest rind thickness followed by ‘Shakira’, ‘Starbrite’ ,and ‘Legacy’. Rind thickness values among these watermelon varieties were not statistically different. Soluble solids readings were within an acceptable range of 10 percent and above for all varieties. ‘Starbrite’ had a statistically higher incidence of hollow heart than ‘Tropical’ and ‘Shakria’. There were no incidences of hollow heart found in ‘Legacy’. In the seedless varieties, ‘Distinction’ topped the list in total marketable yield. The yield of ‘Distinction’ was simi- lar to QV 776, ‘Affirmed’ and ‘Millenium’. ‘Distinction’ produced watermelon fruit with the smallest rind thickness. Rind thickness values among seedless varieties were not statistically different. Soluble solid readings were within an acceptable range for all varieties. Watermelons with readings below 10 percent are not considered sweet. All varieties were above 10 percent with the exception of ‘Distinction’. In the samples collected there were a few incidences of hollow heart. Incidence of hollow heart was found in QV 776, ‘Bold Ruler’, ‘Sweet Treasure’, and ‘Lamar’. Hollow heart values were a fraction of an inch in most cases and of little consequence. TABLE 3. YIELD AND QUALITY OF SELECTED WATERMELON VARIETIES Total Total Individual marketable marketable fruit Fruit Variety number yield weight length no/A Starbrite Tropical Shakira Legacy Distinction QV 776 Affirmed Millennium Bold Ruler Sweet Treasure Lamar Fascination R 2 Fruit width in 9.08 8.17 9.09 8.92 9.34 8.67 8.46 8.17 8.29 8.76 8.17 8.75 0.53 5 0.79 Rind thickness in 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.58 0.50 0.50 0.58 0.58 0.67 0.50 0.40 16 0.15 Hollow heart in 1.33 0.33 0.33 0.00 0.00 0.33 0.00 0.00 0.17 0.33 0.33 0.00 0.57 150 0.67 Soluble solids brix 10.80 12.00 11.00 10.47 9.83 10.67 11.33 10.67 10.07 10.33 11.33 11.07 32 10 1.82 lb/A 1,788 2,272 1,547 967 2,030 2,368 2,320 2,610 1,933 1,837 2,417 2,320 0.54 26 925 lb Seeded 22.73 19.55 20.97 27.13 18.62 15.57 15.17 11.54 15.12 15.74 11.11 12.14 0.76 20 5 in 15.29 16.13 14.25 16.63 10.25 11.13 10.84 8.67 10.29 11.17 8.38 10.88 0.94 7 1.5 39,946 38,201 31,886 25,802 37,787 36,878 34,621 29,876 29,114 28,707 26,683 25,710 0.65 15 8,406 Seedless CV LSD 22 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION PEACH Peach Rootstock Cultivar Evaluation, 2010 Elina Coneva, Edgar Vinson, and Jim Pitts A peach rootstock trial that compares 14 newly developed or imported rootstocks was planted in 2009 at the Chilton Research and Extension Center (CREC) near Clanton, Alabama. The trial is part of the cooperative regional project NC-140 “Improving Economic and Environmental Sustainability in Tree-Fruit Production through Changes in Rootstock Use.” The main project objective is to evaluate the influence of various rootstocks on peach tree characteristics and investigate the rootstock/scion interactions in peach trees. An experimental plot consisting of 14 peach rootstocks included ‘Guardian’ and ‘Lovell’ (standards), ‘Viking’, ‘Atlas’, BH-5 (Bacterial canker resistant), Krymsk 86 (wet feet tolerant), KV010123, KV010127(USDA breeding program), ‘Empyrean 2’, HBOK 10, HBOK 32, Krymsk 1, and ‘Controller 5’ (size controlling rootstocks) and was planted in February 2009 CREC with ‘Redhaven’ as a scion cultivar. The experimental design was a completely randomized block with eight single-tree replications. Data on peach tree vegetative plant growth, including trunk circumference, number of suckers per trunk, and survivability, were collected in 2009 and 2010. Although one tree grafted on HBOK 32 did not survive its first season, no additional trees died in 2010 (see table). Trees on ‘Guardian’ were found to have the highest number of suckers in their second growing season (0.25 on average). BH-5 was also found to produce a few root suckers. Trees on ‘Mirobac’, ‘Guardian’, and BH-5 grew the most vigorously in 2010, based on their trunk cross sectional area (TCSA) . For the second consecutive season, HBOK 32 and HBOK 10 demonstrated the least tree vigor of 14.5 and 9.2 cm2 TCSA, respectively. The Julian date of 90 percent open flowers did not differ significantly among the fourteen rootstocks in the rootstock trial. FIELD PERFORMANCE OF ‘REDHAVEN’ PEACH ON 14 NC-140 ROOTSTOCKS, 2010 Root Julian date Trunk cross suckers Survival Rootstock cultivar of 90% sectional area no % bloom cm2 Controller 5 (K146-46) Mirobac HBOK 10 BH-5 Guardian Lovell HBOK 32 Krymsk ®1 (VVA-1) Empyrean®2 (Penta) Viking Atlas Krymsk®86 (Kuban 86) KV010123 KV010127 Mean LSD (5%) 85.1 84.4 85.1 84.1 84.5 84.9 84.9 84.5 85.3 84.3 84.1 84.1 84.6 85. 0 84.6 0.88 20.5 gh 53.8 a 9.2 i 46.5 ab 51.4 a 34.7 cde 14.5 hi 24.8 fg 30.7 def 42.4 bc 39.9 bc 35.2 cde 26.7 efg 26.8 efg 32.8 8.24 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.13 0.25 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.21 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 0.88 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 0.99 0.09 SPRING 2011 COMMERCIAL VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 23 ASPARAGUS Replicated Asparagus Cultivar Evaluation, 2007-2011 Carl J. Cantaluppi As more people move into North Carolina from northern states, where asparagus is commonly grown, the demand for local sources increases. Asparagus is a highvalue horticultural crop that is easy to grow and can bring in extra income for growers. Proper variety selection is important for grower success, so a 1/4 acre replicated asparagus cultivar trial was planted at the Garnett Carr farm in Roxboro, North Carolina, with 13 cultivars (Table 1). Seeds were used to establish this trial because most of the cultivars were not available as crowns. Seeds were sown in the greenhouses of Aarons Creek Greenhouses in Buffalo Junction, Virginia, on January 20, 2005, and 15-week-old seedling transplants were planted into the field on May 4, 2005 in an Appling Sandy Loam soil. A randomized complete block design with 12 plants per plot and four replications was used. Transplants were spaced one foot between plants in the row and 5 feet between rows and planted in the bottom of a 6-inch deep furrow as recommended by Cantaluppi and Motes. As new spears emerged and as new ferns were formed, the furrows were filled in below the lowest fern branchlets until the furrows were completely filled in at ground level. Since the trial was planted using seedling transplants, no harvest was taken in 2006 in order to build food reserves in the crown of the plant and to strengthen the plant for a two-week harvest in 2007. The transplants were irrigated as needed during the first growing season only. Irrigation is normally not needed during field establishment and beyond, if establishing a field from crowns (roots) from one-year-old plants in states where the rainfall is 30 inches or more per year. However, irrigation is imperative during the establishment year with seedling transplants since they do not have a one-year-old established root system that can tolerate periods of drought. Irrigation is needed for all transplants in areas where less than 30 inches of rainfall occur per year. The trial was harvested for two weeks, in 2007, four weeks in 2008, six weeks in 2009, and eight weeks in 2010, and will be harvested for eight-week periods in each succeeding year. This harvesting frequency was chosen because harvesting asparagus that was established by planting oneyear-old crowns, one year after planting (the second year), caused no reduction in subsequent yield, but provided the 24 grower with an income one year earlier than did harvesting two years after planting. Also, in the second year after planting (the third year), the average spear weight is significantly greater in plants that were harvested the previous year than in plants not harvested the previous year. The increase in spear production may be due to the release of buds from suppression by older shoots. Asparagus spears can be cut or snapped to produce spears of marketable length, which is usually between 7 and 9 inches, depending on tip tightness. Asparagus spears may be cut below the soil surface with a knife, or they may be hand-snapped above the soil surface. Cutting asparagus requires more labor, but increases yield 20 to 25 percent because spears are longer. However, cutting spears below the soil greatly increases the chance of the knife injuring a bud or emerging spear on the same crown. When hand-snapping, the spear usually breaks above the area containing fiber. In other words, the portion of the spear left in the field will be fibrous, while the harvested spear is tender and is completely edible. The small stub left above the soil after snapping dries up and disintegrates. A new spear does not come up at that spot but comes up from another bud that enlarges on another part of the crown. Snapped asparagus has no trim-off waste and should command a higher price than cut asparagus with white butts. In this trial, it was decided to snap spears instead of cutting because of the above reasons and because it is the preferred and accepted method by most growers. RESULTS Yield data were recorded in pounds per acre, which was obtained by dividing the total square feet of one plot row (60), into 43,560 (the number of square feet in one acre) to get 726 60-square-foot rows in one acre. Data that were recorded included total yield per cultivar, the yield (and percentage) of spears per cultivar that were greater than 3/8 inch in diameter, the yield of spears that were less than 3/8 inch in diameter, and the number of spears per plant that each cultivar produced. Recording yield data in terms of spear diameter (an industry standard) also allows growers to select a cultivar that would be suitable to them and their customers’ preferences. Recording the number of spears produced per plant per cultivar lets growers compare spear ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION output per cultivar over time. The harvesting frequency was based on how fast the spears grew, which is based on air temperatures, resulting in harvested spears that had tight tips, before they started to fern out. 2007 Trial. Harvest started on March 15, 2007, with just a few spears each of ‘Grande’, UC 157, and UC 115. A frost occurred on March 19 which delayed future spear emergence until March 26. The other cultivars then started to emerge with the exception of ‘Purple Passion’, ‘Dulce Verde’, and ‘Guelph Millennium’, which did not emerge until April 2 (Table 2). The last harvest was taken on April 5 because on April 6, 7, and 8 severe frosts occurred. A decision was made to end the 2007 harvest at this time, as the harvest period lasted three weeks, with an actual harvest of two weeks for most cultivars, with one week being lost to frost. A total of 10 harvests were made. ‘Guelph Millennium’ was one of the latest cultivars to emerge before the second frost occurrence in TABLE 1. BREEDING LOCATION, PARENTAGE AND COMMENTS FOR SELECTED ASPARAGUS CULTIVARS Variety Jersey Giant Jersey Supreme Jersey Gem Jersey Knight Jersey King UC 157 UC 115 (DePaoli) Atlas Apollo Grande Purple Passion Dulce Verde Guelph Milennium Breeding location Rutgers Univ. Rutgers Univ. Rutgers Univ. Rutgers Univ. Rutgers Univ. UC Riverside UC Riverside California California California California California Univ. of Guelph Parentage NJ 56 female, NJ 22-8 super male NJ 44P female, NJ 22-8 super male NJ G27 female, NJ 22-8 super male NJ 277C female,NJ 22-8 super male MD 10 female, NJ 22-8 super male F 109 female, M120 male F 600 female, M256 male clone F 109 female, unspecified Rutgers male F 109 female, unspecified Rutgers male F 109 female, unspecified Rutgers male — — — Comments — — — — — Dioecious hybrid Dioecious hybrid Dioecious hybrid Dioecious hybrid Dioecious hybrid Open pollinated, burgundy, sweeter than other types Higher sugar than other green cultivars; Discontinued Male hybrid TABLE 2. ASPARAGUS YIELD IN POUNDS PER ACRE, 2007 Cultivar UC 157 (F1) Jersey Giant Jersey King Jersey Supreme UC 115 Jersey Gem Atlas Grande Apollo Jersery Knight Purple Passion Guelph Millennium Dulce Verde 1 Total yield1 1,155 a 944 ab 883 abc 860 abc 821 abc 734 bcd 717 bcd 703 bcd 555 cd 456 de 151 ef 86 f 71 f Yield > 3/8- in. diameter 1,071 a 93%2 752 b 80% 712 b 81% 722 b 84% 697 b 85% 581 b 79% 684 b 95% 684 b 97% 481 b 87% 414 b 91% 104 c 69% 42 c 49% 69 c 97% Yield < 3/8-in. diameter 84 bcd 192 a 171 a 138 abc 124 abc 153 ab 33 de 19 de 74 cde 42 de 47 de 44 de 2e Spears/ plant 3.1 a 3.2 a 2.9 a 2.9 a 2.2 abc 2.6 ab 1.4 cde 1.7 cde 1.5 cde 1.2 def 0.6 ef 0.4 f 0.2 f Yields with the same letter within columns are not statistically significant, Duncan’s Multiple Range Test, 0.05 level. 2 Percentage of total yield SPRING 2011 COMMERCIAL VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 25 2007, and it did not get a chance to fully perform before the harvest was terminated; hence it had low yields. 2008 Trial. The drought of 2007 seemed to have no impact on asparagus yields in 2008 (Table 3). In 2008, harvest started on March 22 for most cultivars with the exception of ‘Guelph Millennium’. Cool temperatures occurred below 70 degrees F until April 11 when yields accelerated and ‘Guelph Millennium’ started to emerge. A single frost in mid-April set yields back for one week. Then yields increased until the harvest was ended on April 26. The harvest period lasted five weeks, with an actual harvest of four weeks for most cultivars, with a one-week slump in yield due to frost. A total of 21 harvests were made. 2009 Trial. The 2009 harvest went smoothly, with only one light frost on April 6 that brought temperatures down to 31 to 32 degrees F without a harvest delay after the frost (Table 4). Harvest started on March 24 with ‘Guelph Millennium’ not showing the 20-day delay in emergence compared to other cultivars as it showed in 2008. Instead, two out of four ‘Guelph Milennium’ replications had spears emerging on March 24, with the other two replications starting four and ten days later, respectively. TABLE 3. ASPARAGUS YIELD IN POUNDS PER ACRE, 2008 Cultivar Grande Jersey Giant Atlas Jersey Supreme Jersey King UC 157 (F1) Guelph Mill. UC 115 Jersery Gen Purple Passion Apollo Jersey Knight 1 Total yield1 3,030 a 2,737 ab 2,523 abc 2,485 abc 2,458 abc 2,385 abc 2,332 abc 2,314 abc 2,071 bc 1,915 bc 1,781 c 1,604 c Yield > 3/8- in. diameter 2,821 a 93% 2 2,263 ab 82% 2,298 ab 91% 2,064 ab 83% 1,915 b 78% 2,078 ab 87% 1,653 b 71% 1,875 b 81% 1,579 b 76% 1,723 b 90% 1,501 b 84% 1,401 b 87% Yield < 3/8-in. diameter 209 e 474 bc 225 e 421 bcd 543 ab 307cde 679 a 439 bcd 492 b 192 e 280 de 203 e Spears/ plant 7.6 bc 10.2 a 6.8 cd 8.7 abc 9.3 ab 7.2 bcd 8.7 abc 7.8 bc 7.7 bc 4.4 e 5.4 de 5.3 de Yields with the same letter within columns are not statistically significant, Duncan’s Multiple Range Test, 0.05 level. 2 Percentage of total yield TABLE 4. ASPARAGUS YIELD IN POUNDS PER ACRE, 2009 Cultivar Grande Guelph Mill. Jersey Giant Jersey Supreme Atlas Jersey King UC 157 (F1) Apollo Jersey Gem Purple Passion Jersey Knight UC 115 1 Total yield1 4,935 a 4,868 ab 4,494 abc 4,211 abc 3,987 abc 3,937 abc 3,848 abc 3,550 abc 3,442 abc 3,287 bc 3,233 bc 3,175 c Yield > 3/8- in. diameter 4,293 a 87% 2 2,438 b 50% 3,136 ab 70% 2,948 b 70% 3,316 ab 83% 2,815 b 72% 2,962 b 77% 2,879 b 81% 2,386 b 69% 2,888 b 88% 2,476 b 77% 2,136 b 67% Yield < 3/8-in. diameter 642 d 2,430 a 1,358 b 1,263 bc 671 bcd 1,122 bc 886 bcd 671 bcd 1,056 bcd 399 d 757 bcd 1,039 bcd Spears/ plant 12.8 d 19.5 a 16.2 ab 14.9 abc 10.9 bcd 13.9 bc 11.7 bcd 10.2 cd 12.8 bcd 7.6 d 10.8 cd 10.9 cd Yields with the same letter within columns are not statistically significant, Duncan’s Multiple Range Test, 0.05 level. 2 Percentage of total yield ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION 26 Temperatures were cool for a few days with temperatures rarely getting over 85 degrees F, so there were no growth flushes that would cause a large number of spears to be produced in a short period of time. The harvest period lasted six weeks with a total of 36 harvests. 2010 Trial. Harvest started on March 26, 2010, with one frost on March 28 that brought temperatures down to 30 degrees F and delayed the next harvest for five days TABLE 5. ASPARAGUS YIELD IN POUNDS PER ACRE, 2010 Cultivar Guelph Mill. Jersery Giant Grande Jersey Supreme Atlas UC 157 (F1) Us 115 Apollo Jersey King Purple Passion Jersey Knight Jersey Gem 1 (Table 5). There were no other frosts during the season. Two ‘Guelph Millennium’ replications had spears emerging on March 26, and the other two replications had spears emerging seven days later. Temperatures were cool but most days were above 70 degrees with very little rainfall, which made the number of growth flushes minimal. The harvest period lasted eight weeks with a total of 41 harvests. Total yield1 6,029 a 5,304 a 5,195 a 4,759 a 4,716 a 4,397 a 4,204 a 4,204 a 3,992 a 3,884 a 3,821 a 3,712 a Yield > 3/8- in. diameter 2,931 a 49% 2 3,282 a 62% 3,933 a 76% 2,993 a 63% 3,799 a 81% 3,068 a 70% 2,803 a 67% 3,071 a 73% 2,344 a 59% 3,100 a 80% 2,665 a 70% 2,187 a 59% Yield < 3/8-in. diameter 3,098 a 2,022 b 1,262 bcd 1,766 bc 917 cd 1,329 bcd 1,401 bcd 1,133 cd 1,648 bcd 784 d 1,156 bcd 1,525 bcd Spears/ plant 29.2 a 23.2 ab 19.3 bc 20.7 bc 15.4 bc 17.8 bc 16.2 bc 15.8 bc 17.5 bc 12.3 c 15.2 bc 16.3 bc Yields with the same letter within columns are not statistically significant, Duncan’s Multiple Range Test, 0.05 level. 2 Percentage of total yield TABLE 6. ASPARAGUS YIELD IN POUNDS PER ACRE, 2011 Cultivar Grande Guelph Mill. Jersey Giant Jersey Supreme Atlas UC 115 Jersey King UC 157 Purple Passion Jersey Knight Apollo Jersey Gem 1 Total yield1 6654 a 6560 ab 6021 ab 5696 ab 5630 ab 5102 ab 4902 ab 4897 ab 4436 ab 4233 ab 4220 ab 3770 b Yield > 3/8- in. diameter 5703 a 86% 2 3926 ab 60% 4926 ab 82% 4302 ab 76% 5178 a 92% 3951 ab 77% 3463 ab 71% 3852 ab 79% 4049 ab 91% 3496 ab 83% 3546 ab 84% 2799 b 74% Yield < 3/8-in. diameter 951 bc 2634 a 1095 bc 1394 bc 452 bc 1151 bc 1439 b 1045 bc 387 c 737 bc 674 bc 971 bc Spears/ plant 19.6 ab 28.0 a 21.1 ab 30.0 ab 15.4 b 17.2 b 19.0 ab 16.7 b 11.3 b 14.6 b 13.8 b 14.8 b Yields with the same letter within columns are not statistically significant, Duncan’s Multiple Range Test, 0.05 level. 2 Percentage of total yield SPRING 2011 COMMERCIAL VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 27 2011 Trial. Harvest started on March 21, 2011, with one frost on March 29 that brought the temperature down to 29 degrees and delayed the next harvest for seven days (Table 6). There were no other frosts during the season. ‘Guelph Millennium’ spears emerged as follows by each replication: March 21, March 23, March 24, and April 7. It was a cool growing season with ample rainfall throughout. The harvest period lasted six weeks with a total of 32 harvests. Yields were starting to decline after the sixth week, so harvesting was ended at that time rather than continued for a full eight weeks, which could stress the planting, causing yield reductions next year. Spear diameters increased for all cultivars with Guelph Millennium spear diameters increasing from 49 percent in 2010 to 60 percent in 2011. Summary of Observations 2007-2011. The cultivars with yield stability during the last five years are ‘Jersey Giant’ and ‘Jersey Supreme’ (Table 7). ‘Jersey Giant’ still yields well and has a wide geographic adaptability across the U.S. ‘Grande’ is back in first place in 2011. ‘Guelph Millennium’ has hovered between first and second place during the past three years. Yields of some of the California hybrids have decreased, while others have moved up and down. More time is needed to properly evaluate these cultivars. ‘Purple Passion’ yields have remained fairly stable. Yields are low but growers should be able to get higher prices because of its purple color and higher sugar content than green asparagus. TABLE 7. ASPARAGUS CULTIVAR EVALUATION, FOURYEAR RANKING Cultivar UC 157 (F1) Jersey Giant Jersey King Jersey Supreme UC 115 Jersey Gem Atlas Grande Apollo Jersery Knight Purple Passion Guelph Mill, 1 ‘Guelph Millennium’ yields have steadily increased each year from twelth place to first place to second place in five years, and spears greater than 3/8 inch in diameter increased from 50 percent to 60 percent in 2011. In a soil free of Fusarium, the expected productive life of any asparagus cultivar is 15 to 20 years. Growers feel that peak production occurs in the sixth or seventh year, with the best production occurring during years 7 to 12. There is a decline of production of about 5 percent per year in the tenth year and every year thereafter. After the fifteenth year, the field may no longer be economically profitable. Established asparagus growers recover their investment after the fifth year and years 5 to 10 are their most profitable years. Data collection in this trial will be on-going for at least another eight years to evaluate the longevity of these cultivars. During this time, total yields between cultivars can be compared by getting a more realistic picture of how they perform over a period of 12 years. NEW REPLICATED ASPARAGUS CULTIVAR EVALUATION To evaluate new cultivars and experimental lines from plant breeders, another replicated trial was planted adjacent to the original asparagus trial. Seeds were sown in the greenhouses of Aarons Creek Greenhouses in Buffalo Junction, Virginia, in late January 2009 and transplants were planted into the field on April 28, 2009 in an Appling Sandy Loam soil. A randomized complete block design with 12 plants per plot and fourreplications was used. Seven culitvars were included in the trial: ‘NJ 953’—an all-male hybrid from Rutgers University, which should be more adaptable to warmer climates as compared with ‘Jersey Giant’. ‘Jaleo’—a clonal hybrid from Vilmorin Seed Co., adaptable to warm climates. ‘Brock Imperial’ and ‘Early California’—hybrids from Brock Seed Co. Hybrids #1, 2, and 3—clonal hybrids from Neil Stone, University of California,Riverside, bred to maintain good spear qualities with tight tips. 2011 Trial. For the first year of production, yields were similar to the 2007 yields in the original trial. ‘Brock Imperial’ and Hybrid #3 produced spear lengths of 12 and 15 inches, respectively, while retaining spear tip tightness (Table 8). ‘Early California’ had spear diameters of up to 1 1/8 inches. ‘Early California’, ‘Jaleo’, and Hybrid #3 had 91 percent, 91 percent, and 93 percent of spears greater than 3/8 inches in diameter, respectively. The harvest period lasted for two weeks, starting on March 31, and ending on April 5, for a total of five harvests. ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION 2007 1 1 2008 6 2 5 4 8 9 3 1 11 12 10 7 2009 7 3 6 4 12 9 5 1 8 11 10 2 2010 6 2 9 4 7 12 5 3 8 11 10 1 2011 8 3 7 4 6 12 5 1 11 10 9 2 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 = Highest yielding; 12 = lowest yielding. 28 TABLE 8. NEW ASPARAGUS TRIAL YIELD IN POUNDS PER ACRE, 20111 Cultivar Early California Hybrid #3 Brock Imperial Hybrid #2 Jaleo NJ 953 Hybrid #1 1 2 Total yield2 1129 a 880 ab 722 ab 672 ab 657 ab 614 ab 416 b Yield > 3/8- in. diameter 1025 a 91% 3 819 ab 93% 626 abc 87% 552 abc 82% 614 abc 93% 474 bc 77% 254 c Yield < 3/8-in. diameter 104 a 61 a 96 a 120 a 43 a 140 a 162 a Spears/ plant 2.3 a 1.8 a 1.6 a 1.8 a 1.3 a 1.8 a 1.3 a Trial was planted in 2009; first havest was made in 2011. Yields with the same letter within columns are not statistically significant, Duncan’s Multiple Range Test, 0.05 level. 3 Percentage of total yield SPRING 2011 COMMERCIAL VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 29 GRAPE Replicated Seedless Table Grape Cultivar Trial Carl J. Cantaluppi A study was initiated in 2005 to look at the possibility of growing seedless, fresh market table grapes (Vitis labrusca) in the northern Piedmont of North Carolina. Fresh market table grapes have never been grown commercially in the North Carolina Piedmont, and research on these grapes is scant. To see what cultivars would perform best in the Piedmont, a replicated cultivar trial of table grapes for the fresh market was established on the farm of specialty crop grower Doreathy Booth north of Oxford, North Carolina. Establishment costs were funded through a grant and by the grower (Table 1). The trial consisted of a 1-acre planting of 14 different table grapes varieties from from the breeding programs at Cornell University and the University of Arkansas. A randomized complete block design with five plants per plot and five replications was used. Vines were spaced 10 feet apart in the row with 10 feet between rows. A total of 360 vines were planted on May 18, 2005 in a clay loam soil. During 2005 and 2006, the vines were trained and pruned to prepare for a first harvest in 2007. Despite a freeze on Easter weekend in 2007, which killed the primary buds, the secondary buds emerged and produced a small crop. In 2008, hail destroyed most of the grape crop so yield data was not taken. In 2009, a much larger crop was harvested. TRIAL CULTIVAR DESCRIPTIONS A wide range of flavors and appearances are available among seedless table grapes; Vitis labrusca is the parent species of many of the flavorful eastern grapes. Fruit of V. labrusca have a pronounced fruity, some say “foxy” flavor. Since North Carolina has warmer winters than the Northeastern United States, these cultivars should perform well in our climate (Table 2). Berry color is usually classified as white, red, blue, or black. White grapes usually range in color from light green to amber or light orange. Red varieties may vary from pink to deep red and their coloration may vary with degree of ripeness and exposure of fruit to sunlight. The blue range includes types that have a reddish-blue color. Black grapes are typified by a dark purplish-black color. The degree of seedlessness varies greatly among seedless grape varieties. Most seedless grapes have vestigial seed traces that range in size from very small to large and noticeable. Seed traces in berries of the same variety may vary greatly in size and in the hardness of seed coats. Climate is also known to affect seed trace size. Occasionally the seed traces in some seedless grapes are large enough to be bothersome to consumers. TABLE 1. VINEYARD ESTABLISHMENT COSTS Procedure Installation of deer fence, grape trellis, and labor 1 Bamboo stakes Fiberglass stakes Drip Irrigation pump, pipe hookups, faucets Grape vines 2 Snap and grow tubes Tapener guns to attach vines to trellis Fungicides Round-Up for 3 years Vegetable wash Protective gear for spraying Grape lugs for harvesting Fertilizer Private pesticide applicator license Marking spray for vine placement Grass seed for row middles Diesel fuel Gasoline for lawn mower Reflective tape to exclude birds Labor (800 hours, three people) Other irrigation installation help Total 1 Cost $15,000.00 121.00 462.00 2,340.00 1,462.00 2,460.00 133.00 540.00 387.00 49.00 214.00 308.00 234.00 6.00 11.00 358.00 200.00 210.00 108.00 — 1,000.00 $25,603.00 An Innovative Program Grant, sponsored by NC A&T State University was used to purchase the trellis wire and electric fence around the 1-acre perimeter to control the deer and to pay for labor to install the wire and fence. 2 Vines were purchased from Double A Vineyards, 10277 Christy Road, Fredonia, NY (North Carolina State University does not endorse nor guarantee grape vines from Double A Vineyards instead of another source.) Note: Trial cultivar descriptions were adapted from Dr. Bruce Reisch, Grape Breeder, Cornell University. 30 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION White Grapes. ‘Marquis’, a cross of ‘Athens’ x ‘Emerald Seedless’ released in 1996, is a white seedless grape with excellent mild American flavor. The berries are large with a juicy, melting texture. Clusters are large and attractive, while the vines are very productive. Ripe fruit holds well on the vine, with the flavors going from a mild fruity flavor when first ripe, to a stronger labrusca flavor two weeks later. Vines are very vigorous and productive. ‘Himrod’, produced from a cross between ‘Ontario’ and ‘Thompson Seedless’, is the most successful table grape released from the Cornell University grape breeding program (1952). It produces large bunches of white seedless grapes with excellent, honey-like flavor and melting, juicy texture. The clusters are loosely filled. ‘Lakemont’ was also produced from the same cross as ‘Himrod’ but has a milder flavor and more compact clusters of small to medium-sized berries. Cluster thinning prevents overcropping. ‘Interlaken’ is a sister seedling of ‘Himrod’ (same parents) with seedless green to golden berries. The clusters are medium sized and compact with small, white berries that ripen very early. Red Grapes. ‘Einset Seedless’ resulted from the cross of ‘Fredonia’ x ‘Canner’ (‘Hunisa’ x ‘Sultanina’) made in 1963 by G.W. Remaily. The berries are oval and bright red with a light waxy bloom (powdery covering on the fruit). TABLE 2. SEEDLESS TABLE GRAPE CULTIVAR TRIAL1 Cluster Cultivar Mars Marquis Venus Jupiter Lakemont Glenora Einset Canadice Vanessa Concord Seedless Suffolk Red Himrod Reliance 5 Interlaken 1 2 5 The medium-soft seed remnant is not usually noticeable. Berries are medium sized. The skin is slightly tough and adheres to the tender flesh. The flavor is fruity with a mild note of labrusca and sweet strawberry-like taste. ‘Vanessa’ was developed by the Horticultural Research Institute of Ontario, Canada, and is a red dessert grape of excellent quality. The seed remnant is usually large and soft when noticeable. Berries are medium in size on medium, well-filled clusters. The flavor is mild and fruity, and berry texture is firm to crisp. The fruit quality is among the best of the red seedless types. ‘Canadice’ produces medium, excessively compact clusters with small red berries. ‘Reliance’ comes from the University of Arkansas and produces large clusters of round, red, medium-sized berries. The skin is tender, and the flesh is melting in texture, with a sweet labrusca flavor. Cold hardiness is among the highest of the seedless varieties. ‘Suffolk Red’ produces medium to large clusters of mild-flavored red berries. The clusters are loose. Blue Grapes. ‘Mars’ is a release from the University of Arkansas and is a vigorous, blue seedless grape. The flavor is mildly labrusca and the berries are slipskin (having a tough skin which separates readily from the pulpy flesh). Clusters are medium-sized, cylindrical, and well filled. A very highyielding cultivar, it has a long ripening season. Berry weight gr 3.0 3.5-5.0 2.9 5.0 1.7 — 2.3 1.6 — — 2.7 2.1 2.3 1.5 2007 4329 a 4295 a 1972 b 1686 b 970 b 705 b 668 b 559 b 503 b 341 b 250 b 241 b — — Yield (lb/A) 3,4 2009 11954 a 4341 b 4344 b 1795 b 4256 b 2450 b 3228 b 1847 b 3668 b — 1064 b 1536 b — — 2010 3818a 2645 b 1623 c 411d 545 d 739 cd 347 d 1579 c 1126 cd — 222 d 486 d — — Sugar % 17 18 18 19 20 19 17 18 21 19 22 17 — — Harvest dates Oxford, NC 7/27, 8/2, 8/10 8/2, 8/10 7/20, 7/27, 8/3 7/20, 7/26 7/26, 8/3 7/20, 7/27 7/20, 7/26 7/26 8/10 8/10 8/10 7/20, 7/27 — — Color B W B B W B R R R B R W R W 2 weight lb/cluster 0.40 — 0.60 0.50 0.48 — 0.32 0.50 — — 0.32 0.36 0.62 0.27 The trial was conducted at Angels Nest Farm in Oxford, North Carolina. Color: B = Blue; W = White; R = Red. 3 Yields with the same letter within columns are not statistically significant, Duncan’s Multiple Range Test, 0.05 level. 4 The actual yield from each row is extrapolated to come up with yield per acre. 5 Was not harvested due to vines not being planted until 2006 SPRING 2011 COMMERCIAL VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 31 ‘Venus’, also from the University of Arkansas, is a vigorous and productive blue-black grape. The medium-large clusters produce large berries with mild labrusca flavors. Seed traces may be noticeable. ‘Glenora’ produces medium-sized blue berries. The clusters are extremely loose. The taste is very bland and not as flavorful as the other varieties. ‘Jupiter’ was released from the University of Arkansas in 1998. It is an early maturing reddish-blue to blue variety when mature. It has large, firm, non-slipskin berries on medium-sized clusters. Fruit has a distinct muscat flavor. ‘Concord Seedless’ is similar in flavor and texture to ‘Concord’. The clusters and berries are much smaller than those of ‘Concord’. Productivity is erratic due to its uneven ripening under hot temperatures. When grown in hot climates, the berries produce seeds; hence, it is not seedless. RESULTS 2009 Yields. Yields from ‘Jupiter’ did not increase much in 2009 due to severe pressure from a raccoon that devoured the grapes. Yields from ‘Marquis’ increased only slightly due to its heavy leaf canopy, which created a humid environment around the fruit. This humid environment was enhanced by heavy rains that made timely spraying difficult. The thick canopy held moisture and without fungicide protection, the ‘Marquis’ variety developed sour rot, a fungus disease, which rotted many grapes in the cluster. ‘Concord Seedless’ was taken out of the trial in 2009 because of the actual presence of seeds and its uneven ripening characteristics. ‘Reliance’ and ‘Interlaken’ were taken out because of many missing vines. These varieties were not planted until 2006 and never became fully established. 2010 Yields. Decreased yields in 2010 were probably due to a combination of Pierce’s Disease (Xylella fastidiosa) and the presence of Armillaria. Armillaria mellea, a soil fungus, which kills grapes by killing the cambium and xylem tissue of the grape roots, was found in the soil where it killed trees that were probably growing on the land many years ago. There is no evidence of the trees on the land now, but the fungus has survived in the soil for many years without a host plant. Grapes are very susceptible to the fungus. As a result, 30 vines (8.5 percent) were dug up from the vineyard in November 2010 and the roots were examined to find the presence of the white mycelial growth of the fungus. It is impractical to re-plant vines in those areas, because they will become infected with the Armillaria and die due to the longevity of the fungus in the soil. Yields were also reduced by Pierce’s Disease of grape (Xylella fastidiosa), a very destructive bacterial disease of grapes in the south. Pierce’s is vectored by a leafhopper that injects the bacterium into the leaves as it feeds. The bacterium resides in the water-conductive system (xylem) of plants. The bacteria multiply in the xylem and block water movement in the plant. Donald Hopkins, plant pathologist with the University of Florida, has discovered a benign strain of the bacterium that causes Pierce’s Disease, which can protect or “vaccinate” the plant so that it does not contact Pierce’s Disease when the virulent strain of the bacterium is transmitted by the leafhopper. In 2008 and 2009 Hopkins inoculated the bacterium in the grape vine trunks. His evaluation of the vines in August of 2009 and 2010 indicated that about 10 percent of the vines have symptoms of Pierce’s Disease. The fresh take grape variety trial will continue in order to monitor the yields and determine how the above factors are contributing to yield decline or yield stability. 32 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION TOMATO Roma Tomato Variety Evaluation, 2011 Annette Wszelaki, Michael Hannah, Mary Rogers, Heather Toler, and Susannah Amundson A roma tomato variety trial was conducted on-farm in Evensville, Tennessee, in the spring of 2011. Two replications of thirteen tomato varieties were transplanted on May 24 on 6-foot centers with an in-row spacing of 20 inches. A preplant fertilizer of 1000-1300 poundss of 10-20-23 was applied. Soil was fumigated with 80 pounds of Pic-Clor 60. Tomatoes were harvested and graded on August 12, 22, and September 1. Number and weights of marketable and unmarketable fruit were recorded. Vine strength, vine cover, and susceptibility to bacterial disease were noted on August 12. Yield in pounds per acre was calculated on a plant spacing of 20 inches in-row with 6-foot centers, totaling 4,235 plants per acre. NC10202 and XS3073 were the top producers by marketable weight with more than 1,400 boxes per acre and proTABLE 1. ROMA TOMATO VARIETY TRIAL YIELD1 RESULTS, 2011 Variety Seed source Market weight boxes/A 2 1,609 a 4 1,410 a 1,391 ab 1,347 abc 1,338 abc 1,304 abcd 1,284 abcd 1,149 abcd 898 bcd 866 cd 862 cd 819 d 811 d 0.038 Market number no/A 172,365 a 145,896 ab 150,131 ab 162,413 a 162,413 ab 140,179 ab 142,508 ab 148,649 ab 107,358 bc 86,183 c 85,735 c 104,746 bc 78,772 c 0.018 Avg. frt. size lb 0.23 bcd 0.24 abc 0.22 cde 0.21 def 0.25 ab 0.24 abc 0.23 cde 0.18 g 0.20 efg 0.25 ab 0.25 a 0.19 fg 0.25 a 0.021 Total weight tons/A 3 29 a 25 abcd 25 abcd 28 f 26 abc 29 a 25 abcd 24 bcdef 22 cdef 24 abcde 19 f 20 ef 21 def 0.010 Total number no/A 276,758 ab 248,171 abcd 272,946 abc 308,520 a 249,442 abcd 243,089 abcd 247,960 abcd 306,191 a 235,466 bcde 203,704 cde 166,812 e 228,102 bcde 180,412 de 0.018 Cull % by no 30.8 29.5 30.0 39.7 36.6 44.8 35.7 39.4 49.0 55.9 42.4 48.1 51.0 0.224 duced some of the larger sized fruits at 0.23 and 0.24 pounds. NC10202 and ‘Plum Crimson’ were the top producers by marketable number of fruit with more than 160,000 fruit per acre. BHN 768, BHN 685, and NC10200 had the largest fruit (0.25 pounds) but were some of the lowest yielding varieties with less than 870 boxes per acre. NC10202 and NC10203 yielded the most total fruit by weight with 29 tons per acre; ‘Plum Crimson’ and NC10201 yielded the most total fruit by number with more than 306,000 fruit per acre. While not statistically significant, XS3073, ‘Patria’, and NC10202 had a tendency to produce the lowest percentage of culls with around 30 percent (Table 1).Vine strength of NC10203 was very strong and this variety also had very good vine cover along with ‘Plum Regal’ and NC10200. ‘Plum Regal’ and ‘Picus’ were the least susceptible to bacterial disease (Table 2). NC10202 XS3073 Patria Plum Crimson Plum Regal NC10203 Picus NC10201 Monticello NC10200 BHN 685 Sonoma BHN768 P-value 1 2 NCSU Syngenta Harris Moran Harris Moran Seedway NCSU Seedway NCSU Seedway NCSU Seedway Seedway Seedway Yield per acre was calculated by assuming 4,235 plants per acre with an in-row spacing of 20 inches on 6-foot centers. Marketable weight is reported as 25-pound boxes/acre. 3 Total weight and number consisted of marketable and unmarketable fruit yield combined. 4 Means within columns followed by the same letter are not significantly different at P < 0.05 by LSD. SPRING 2011 COMMERCIAL VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 33 TABLE 2. ROMA TOMATO VARIETY TRIAL PLANT CHARACTERISTICS, 20111 Variety NC10202 XS3073 Patria Plum Crimson Plum Regal NC10203 Picus NC10201 Monticello NC10200 BHN 685 Sonoma BHN768 1 2 Vine strength 1 Average Average Average Weak Strong Very strong Strong Average Average Strong Average Weak Average Vine cover 2 Medium Medium Medium Open Very good Very good Good Open Open Very good Medium Open Open Bacterial susceptibility 3 Sensitive Sensitive Sensitive Very sensitive Tolerant Medium Tolerant Very sensitive Medium Medium Medium Medium Very sensitive Vine strength scale: very weak, weak, average, strong, very strong. Vine cover scale: very open, open, medium, good, very good. 3 Bacterial susceptibility scale: very sensitive, sensitive, medium, tolerant, very tolerant. 34 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION SPECIALTY MELON Specialty Melon Variety Trial, 2011 Annette Wszelaki, Susannah Amundson, and Walt Hitch Thirty specialty melon varieties were evaluated for field performance and fruit quality at the University of Tennessee Plateau AgResearch and Education Center in Crossville, Tennessee. Varieties included cantaloupe, galia, canary, asian, crenshaw, ananas, honeydew, and charentais. Melons were evaluated for yield, quality, and taste. Varieties were direct seeded into black plastic mulch on June 7, 2011. Each variety was replicated four times in a randomized complete block design. Plots were 20 feet long with 10 plants per plot at an in-row spacing of 2 feet and a between row spacing of 7 feet. Plots were spaced 10 feet apart in each row. Three hundred pounds per acre of 15-15-15 was applied and incorporated into the field prior to planting. Drip irrigation was used to provide water and fertilizer every 2 to 4 days as needed. The first two fertilizer applications of 1616-16 delivered 4 pounds N per acre; subsequent fertilizer applications of 20-20-20 delivered 5 pounds N per acre for a total of 15 applications over the season. One application of potassium nitrate and magnesium sulfate was applied on August 9. Pre-emergent herbicides—Command, Curbit, and Roundup—were applied and incorporated between rows one day after planting. Admire Pro at a rate of 12 ounces per acre was applied through the drip line on June 10 and again on July 16. A rotation of foliar insecticides was applied five times throughout the season beginning on July 9 (Sevin XLR (applied July 9, July 26, and August 19), Asana XL (applied August 5), and Capture 2EC (applied August 12)). Weekly foliar fungicides applications rotating between Quadris and Bravo Ridomil Gold began on July 26. The germination rate was determined on June 20, 13 days after planting. Disease ratings were taken weekly, beginning on July 7, until general plant dieback made it too difficult to distinguish diseases. Harvest began on August 8 and was done twice weekly until September 7. Three fruit from each replication were assessed for taste, soluble solids, flesh color, rind color, fruit shape, and net type. For taste evaluations, ten untrained panelists evaluated the melon samples in random order. For each sample, panelists scored taste using a fivepoint scale (1=dislike extremely, 3=neither like nor dislike, and 5=like extremely). RESULTS Melon varieties are discussed by type and are organized in Tables 1 and 2 from highest to lowest yielding within each type. Asian. ‘Sun Jewel’ was the only Asian variety of melon included in the trial and produced a large number of fruit; however, it is very susceptible to cracking, which accounts for the high percentage of culls. Despite its high sugar content, it was rated only mildly favorable in taste tests. Ananas. Ananas varieties ranged in size from 4 to more than 7 pounds per fruit. Large in size, 1816AN OF and ‘Antoinette’ were the highest yielding Ananas melons by weight, but had poor taste ratings. ‘San Juan’, while lowest yielding with a shorter harvest period, was higher in sugar content and along with ACX 2268G was rated the highest among all melons in taste tests. ‘San Juan’ also had more culls, which may be attributed to over-ripening. Ananas melons ripen quickly and have a short shelf-life and, therefore, should be harvested daily. Canary. Canary varieties ranged in size from 2 to nearly 6 pounds per fruit. ACX 2047CN, a small to medium fruit, was the highest yielding of all melons by weight and number with good sugar content equal to that of ACR 1056CN and less than that of ‘Brilliant’, which scored well in taste tests. Ripeness is difficult to determine for this melon type. Harvest should be done when rind is dark yellow; melons do not slip from vine. Crenshaw. ‘Lilly’ had the largest fruit of all melons in the trial (8 pounds per fruit) and was a high yielding melon that was well favored in taste tests for its sweet mild flavor. Melons are harvested yellow at the forced-slip stage. Galia. Galia varieties ranged from 2 to 6 pounds per fruit. ACX 425G and ACX2268G were similar in both yield by weight and sugar content, with ACX 2268G being more favorable in taste tests. However, at 3.2 pounds per fruit versus 5.8 pounds per fruit, ACX 425G yielded almost twice as many fruit as ACX 2268G. In taste tests ACX 2268G, along with ‘San Juan’, was rated the highest for taste among all melons. ‘Diplomat’ did not rate well in taste tests and had the highest percentage of culls. Honeydew. Honeydew varieties ranged from 3 to 6 pounds per fruit. XLT 9276 was the top yielding hybrid honeydew by weight and the second top yielding melon in the trial. SPRING 2011 COMMERCIAL VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 35 TABLE 1. SPECIALTY MELON VARIETY TRIAL YIELD RESULTS, 2011 Variety 1816AN OF Antoinette Anastasia San Juan Sun Jewel ACX 2047CN ACR 1056CN Brilliant Savor Lilly ACX 425G ACX 2268G Diplomat Gallipoli Honey Yellow Honey Orange Honey Pearl Snow Leopard XLT 9276 Summer Dew 262 HQ ACX 145HD XOF Summer Dew 252 HQ Summer Dew 3000 OF Edens Gem Samoa XLT 9000 Origami ACR-4249 ACR-7609 Sweet Granite 1 Melon type1 AN AN AN AN AS CA CA CA CH CR GA GA GA GA HD HD HD HD HH HH HH HH HH MM COHL COL COEL COWL COWL CO Seed source 2 AC AC AC JS JS AC AC JS JS JS AC AC JO AC JS JS JS JS AC AC AC AC AC JS HM AC HM AC AC JS Germ. rate 97.5 97.5 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 97.5 100 100 95 97.5 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 95 100 97.5 100 97.5 Days to harvest 72 66 66 66 66 80 76 80 76 72 76 76 66 72 72 76 72 72 76 80 87 80 80 72 80 80 69 80 76 66 Yield3 cwt/A 448.6 bcdef 4 440.1 bcdefg 315.1 ghijkl 312.5 ghijkl 271.3 ijkl 599.6 a 412.9 bcdefgh 305.7 hijkl 218.3 l 500.1 abcd 395.3 cdefghij 381.6 defghij 355.1 efghijk 248.6 kl 436.1 bcdefg 423.0 bcdefgh 348.6 efghijk 320.1 fghijkl 541.5 ab 452.3 bcde 366.6 efghijk 359.6 efghijk 343.2 efghijkl 267.7 jkl 521.6 abc 421.5 bcdefgh 398.6 cdefghi 385.4 defghij 323.9 efghijkl 294.9 hijkl Average no/A 8573 5980 8750 6533 13572 15477 7069 5833 9644 6455 12211 6591 7553 13879 9411 8322 7233 11217 9722 7622 8244 6222 11121 17733 8555 9178 6844 10828 6844 7121 Average wt/fruit (lb) 5.7 7.3 4.2 4.9 2.0 3.9 5.9 5.2 2.3 8.0 3.2 5.8 4.7 1.8 4.6 5.1 4.8 3.0 5.6 6.0 4.5 5.6 3.2 1.5 6.0 4.5 5.8 3.5 4.7 4.4 Culls 5 % 7.5 9.9 15.6 18.3 32.0 7.8 22.8 12.9 30.1 14.1 12.5 16.9 20.2 18.4 7.6 8.8 15.6 11.6 7.7 5.0 14.3 13.0 6.5 9.2 16.1 6.2 16.1 2.9 12.0 22.7 Melon type: AN = Ananas, AS = Asian, CA = Canary, CR = Crenshaw, GA = Galia, HD = Honeydew, MM = Muskmelon, CH = Charentais, HH = Hybrid Honeydew, CO = Cantaloupe (W=Western Shipper, E=Eastern Shipper, L=LSL, H=Harper) 2 Seed source: HM = Harris Moran, AC = Abbott and Cobb, JS = Johnny’s Selected Seed Company 3 Yield per acre was calculated assuming 3,111 plants per acre with an in-row spacing of 2 feet and a between row spacing of 7 feet. 4 Yield means followed by the same letter are not significantly different at P < 0.05 by LSD 5 Cull percent by weight 36 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION ‘Snow Leopard’, a specialty honeydew with variegated cream and speckled dark green rind, was the highest yielder by number of fruit with more than 11,000 fruit per acre. ‘Honey Yellow’ and ‘Honey Orange’ had the highest yields by weight for the specialty honeydews with the lowest percentage of culls. ‘Honey Yellow’ and ‘Honey Pearl’ had exceptional sugar content and rated well in taste tests. It was difficult to determine ripeness on all honeydew varieties tested, so actual days to harvest may be sooner than what is reported here. When ripe, melons turn from a light green to white to a darkish cream color that is difficult to discern. They do not slip from vine. Muskmelon. ‘Edens Gem’, a small attractive fruit (1.5 pounds per fruit) with low soluble solids content, was rated the poorest tasting melon in the trial. However, it was the highest yielding melon by number of fruit per acre (17,733 fruit per acre) in the trial. Determining harvest timing is difficult. When melons easily slip from vine, they are yellowishorange in color but at this point are past the edible ripe stage. Muskmelons should be harvested when the green heavily netted fruit are just beginning to lighten and have to be forced from vine. Charentais. ‘Savor’, a small attractive fruit (approximately 2 pounds per acre), had good sugar content and was favored in taste tests. However, it had a high percentage of culls. Determining optimum harvest timing for ‘Savor’ was difficult. Once it slips easily from the vine it is cream in color with light green sutures and over-ripe with mushy bland flesh. Charentais should be harvested done when rind is grayish green with dark green sutures, slightly lighter in color than its unripe stage. Cantaloupe (Eastern and Western Shippers, LSL, and Harper). Cantaloupe varieties ranged from 3.5 to 6 pounds per fruit. ‘Samoa’, a Harper Long Shelf Life (LSL) type, had the largest fruit and was the highest yielding cantaloupe by weight, as well as one of the top yielding melons overall. But ‘Samoa’, along with ‘Origami’, had the lowest taste ratings among cantaloupes. ACR-4249 had the highest yield by number with more than 10,000 fruit per acre and along with ACR-7609 ranked the highest among LSL types for taste. ‘Sweet Granite’, while low yielding and not a LSL, was rated the best tasting cantaloupe and one of the top tasting melons overall. DISEASE RATINGS With the spray schedule, disease and insect pressure was minimal until the last two weeks of the season when powdery mildew greatly impacted some varieties, notably ‘Lilly’, ‘Edens Gem’, ‘Sweet Granite’, and ‘Honey Pearl’ (Table 3). Ten varieties showed tolerance to powdery mildew throughout the season: 1816AN OF, ‘San Juan’, ‘Gallipoli’, XLT 9276, ACX 145HD XOF, ‘Samoa’, XLT 9000, ‘Origami’, ACR-4249, and ACR-7609. Bacterial wilt was present in a few varieties (‘San Juan,’ ‘Honey Orange’, and ACR-7609) beginning mid-season; however, it was not statistically significant and did not greatly affect the overall plot or yield. Septoria leaf spot damage remained minor (<5%) throughout the season and did not progress after the second evaluation day on July 13. SPRING 2011 COMMERCIAL VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 37 TABLE 2. SPECIALTY MELON VARIETY TRIAL QUALITY ATTRIBUTES 2011 Variety 1816AN OF Antoinette Anastasia San Juan Sun Jewel ACX 2047CN ACR 1056CN Taste ratings (1-5) 2.9 4.0 1.6 4.8 3.0 3.2 3.0 Soluble solids (%) 6.9 9.0 6.9 10.9 13.3 11.7 11.7 Flesh color Lt. or. Lt. or. Lt. or. Cr. with or. tint Wh. Wh. Lt. gr. with or. tint Wh. with or. tint Or. Lt. or. Wh. Wh. with or. tint Lt. gr. - wh. Lt. gr. Lt. or. Lt. or. Cr. Wh. Or. Lt. gr. Or. Lt. gr. - cr. or. Lt. or. Or. Or. Or. Or. Or. Or. Rind color Or. with gr. mottling Yl-or. Yl. Yl-or. Dk. yl. Dk. yl. Dk. yl. Fruit shape Oblong Oblong Oblong Round to oval Oblong Oval-round Round but slight point at end Round oval Round Oblong Oval Oval Round-oval Oval Round Oval Round-oval Oval Oval Oval Oval Round-oval Oval-round Round Oval Round Oval Round Round-oval Oval Net type Medium to heavy Medium Fine Medium None None None Brilliant Savor Lilly ACX 425G ACX 2268G Diplomat Gallipoli Honey Yellow Honey Orange Honey Pearl Snow Leopard XLT 9276 Summer Dew 262 HQ ACX 145HD XOF Summer Dew 252 HQ Summer Dew 3000 OF Edens Gem Samoa XLT 9000 Origami ACR-4249 ACR-7609 Sweet Granite 4.0 4.0 4.5 3.8 4.8 2.3 3.2 3.8 3.0 4.3 3.5 3.3 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.0 1.0 1.7 2 1.7 3.3 3.5 4.0 14.6 9.8 10.5 10.1 9.6 8.8 7.9 15.3 11.1 16.0 9.0 10.1 12.1 14.1 14.5 11.8 6.2 7.8 11.6 8.5 11.6 10.0 9.9 Dk. yl. Cr. gr. Yl. Yl-or. Lt. yl. Yl. Yl-or. Dk. yl. Cr. Cr. Cr. with gr. specks Gr. Cr. Cr. Cr. Cr. Lt. gr.-yl. Cr. Green Cr. Cr. Cr. Yl-or. None None, green sutures None Medium Medium Fine-medium Fine-medium None None Light markings on end None Heavy None None None None Heavy Heavy Heavy/thick Medium-heavy Heavy Heavy Medium-heavy 38 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION TABLE 3. SPECIALTY MELON VARIETY TRIAL POWDERY MILDEW RATINGS, 2011 Variety 1816AN OF Antoinette Anastasia San Juan Sun Jewel ACX 2047CN ACR 1056CN Brilliant Savor Lilly ACX 425G ACX 2268G Diplomat Gallipoli Honey Yellow Honey Orange Honey Pearl Snow Leopard XLT 9276 Summer Dew 262 HQ ACX 145HD XOF Summer Dew 252 HQ Summer Dew 3000 OF Edens Gem Samoa XLT 9000 Origami ACR-4249 ACR-7609 Sweet Granite 1 Melon type1 AN AN AN AN AS CA CA CA CH CR GA GA GA GA HD HD HD HD HH HH HH HH HH MM COHL COL COEL COWL COWL CO —————Powdery Mildew % severity————— July 13 2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 July 20 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 July 28 0.0 d 3 August 3 0.0 c 1.1 bc 0.0 c 0.0 c 0.5 c 1.1 bc 1.0 bc 1.0 bc 0.0 c 1.1 bc 0.5 c 1.0 bc 2.6 b 0.0 c 0.0 c 1.1 bc 1.1 bc 1.1 bc 0.0 c 1.5 bc 0.5 c 4.4 a 1.0 bc 0.0 c 0.0 c 0.0 c 0.0 c 0.5 c 0.5 c 0.5 c August 18 0.0 f 0.0 f 15.6 def 0.0 f 18.7 def 0.0 f 0.0 f 15.1 def 25.6 cde 65.5 a 0.0 f 0.0 f 9.4 ef 0.0 f 29.6 bcde 18.7 def 43.7 abc 36.6 bcd 0.0 f 0.0 f 2.2 f 0.0 f 0.0 f 51.5 ab 0.0 f 0.0 f 0.0 f 0.0 f 0.0 f 47.5 abc 1.1 bcd 0.0 d 0.0 d 1.1 bcd 1.1 bcd 1.0 bcd 1.0 bcd 0.0 d 1.1 bcd 1.0 bcd 1.0 bcd 2.6 b 0.0 d 0.0 d 1.1 bcd 1.1 bcd 1.1 bcd 0.0 d 2.1 bc 0.5 cd 5.6 a 1.0 bcd 0.0 d 0.0 d 0.0 d 0.0 d 0.5 cd 2.3 bc 0.5 cd Melon type: AN = Ananas, AS = Asian, CA = Canary, CR = Crenshaw, GA = Galia, HD = Honeydew, MM = Muskmelon, CH = Charentais, HH = Hybrid Honeydew, CO = Cantaloupe (W=Western Shipper, E=Eastern Shipper, L=LSL, H=Harper) 2 Disease evaluation dates 3 Means within columns followed by the same letter are not significantly different at P < 0.05 by LSD SPRING 2011 COMMERCIAL VEGETABLE VARIETY TRIALS 39 Seed Sources for Alabama Trials, 2011 Bejo Seeds 1972 Silver Spur Place Oceano, CA 93445 Phone: (805) 473-2199 E-mail: info@bejoseeds.com BHN 1310 McGee Avenue Berkeley, CA 94703 Phone: (510) 526-4704 E-mail: mail@berkeleyhort.com Harris Moran Contact: Bob Conrad P.O. Box 4938 Modesto, CA 95352 Mobile: (239) 370-5893 (209) 527-8684 E-mail: b.conrad@hmclause.com Harris Seeds To order: (800) 544-7938 P.O. Box 22966 Rochester, NY 14624-0966 Hollar To order: (719) 254-7411 P.O. Box 106 Rocky Ford, CO 81067-0106 Phone: (719) 254-7411 Fax: (719) 254-3539 Website: www.hollarseeds.com Johnny’s Select Seeds To order: (207) 437-4395 Contact: Steve Woodward 955 Benton Ave Winslow, ME 04901 Phone: (207) 861-3900 E-mail: info@johnnyseeds.com Kelly Seed Company Distributor for Seminis Vegetable Seeds, Inc. Contact: Jack Stuckey 420 South Shiloh Road Hartford, AL 36344 Phone: (334) 588-3821 E-mail: jfsseedman@aol.com Nunhems Contact: Chris Hogg Mobile: (478) 456-2450 E-mail: chris.hogg@bayer.com Website: www.nunhemsusa.com Sakata Seed America Contact: Jerry Moore 755 Isabelle Nashville Rd. Tifton, GA Mobile: (229) 821-0399 E-mail: jmoore@sakata.com Seedway To order: (800) 952-7333 Contact: James J. Pullins 1225 Zeager Road Elizabethtown, PA 17022 Ph: (717) 367-1075 Fax: (717) 367-0387 E-mail: info@seedway.com Siegers Seed Company 13031 Reflections Drive Holland, MI 49424 Phone: (800) 962-4999 Fax: (616) 994-0333 Syngenta Seeds, Inc Rogers Brand Vegetable Seeds Contact: Butch Brady 600 North Armstorng Place P.O. Box 4188 Boise, ID 85711-4180 Phone: (208) 322-7272 E-mail: butch.brady@syngenta.com Tifton Seed Distribution Center Distributor for Seminis Vegetable Seeds, Inc. Contact: Van Lindsey Phone: (912) 382-1815 Vilmorin, Inc. 2551 North Dragoon, 131 Tucson, AZ 85745 Phone: (520) 844-0011 Website: www.vilmorin.com Willhite P.O. Box 23 Poolville, TX 76487 Phone: (800) 828-1840 Website: www.willhite.com 40 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION Guidelines for Contributions to the Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Variety Trials Regional Bulletin Fruit and vegetable variety evaluation and selection is an essential part of production horticulture. The fruit and vegetable variety regional bulletin is intended to report results of variety trials conducted by research institutions in the Southeast in a timely manner. Its intended audience includes growers, research/extension personnel, and members of the seed industry. Timeliness and rapid turnaround are essential to better serve our audience. Hence, two bulletins are printed each year: one in November with results from spring crops, and another one in April or May with results from summer and fall crops. It is essential that trial results are available before variety decisions for the next growing season are made. Here are a few useful guidelines to speed up the publications process for the next regional bulletin (fall 2010). When: April 25, 2012 Deadline for fall 2011 variety trial report submissions. What: Results pertaining to variety evaluation in a broad sense. This includes field performance, quality evaluation, and disease resistance. Here are a few tips: • Follow the format used in the other regional bulletins. • Include each author’s complete mailing address, e-mail address, and phone number. • Follow your own unit’s internal review process. Contributions will be edited, but not formally reviewed. How: Send a disk and hard copy to Edgar Vinson or Joe Kemble Department of Horticulture 101 Funchess Hall Auburn University, AL 36849-5408 Or send e-mail to vinsoed@auburn.edu kembljm@auburn.edu