The 2009 ASHS Annual Conference
2130:
Effects of Rye Cover Crop Mulch On Pumpkin Yield and Fruit Quality
2130:
Effects of Rye Cover Crop Mulch On Pumpkin Yield and Fruit Quality
Sunday, July 26, 2009: 5:15 PM
Laclede (Millennium Hotel St. Louis)
Grain rye (Secale cereale) is one of the cover crops widely used in the Midwest. It is planted in the fall after harvesting vegetables to provide ground cover during winter and early spring. In some parts of Illinois, it is mowed and tilled in, and some strips are left between vegetable rows to protect plants from sand blast.
An experiment was conducted in 2008 at St. Charles Horticulture Research Center in northern Illinois to assess the effects of rye cover crop seeded at the rates of 90 and 120 pounds per acre on pumpkin yield, fruit size, fruit cleanliness, spots on fruits, and fruit rots on ‘Howden’ and ‘Magic Lantern’ pumpkin varieties. The two rye seeding rates and conventional method where pumpkins are grown on bare ground without mulch between the rows (Control) were used as the treatments. These three treatments were replicated four times in complete randomized block design. The pumpkin seeds were planted in tilled bare ground strips between rye mulch and compared with pumpkins grown on bare ground without rye mulch in between rows (Control). Rye was killed at flowering stage by rolling. Each plot had two varieties of pumpkins.
The results showed that plots with rye mulch in between pumpkin rows had higher mature pumpkin fruit weight (21-25% higher) than Control plots in both varieties. The Control plots had larger fruits that weigh 15-20% more per fruit than fruits from plots with rye mulch between the rows in both varieties. There were significantly dirtier fruits (over 60%) in Control plots than in plots with rye mulch between the rows (17%). Pumpkin fruits from Control plots had significantly more (‘Howden’ – 37%; ‘Magic Lantern’ – 27%) fruit spots than from plots with rye mulch between the rows (‘Howden’ – 15%; ‘Magic Lantern’ – 14%). There were more fruit rots in Control plots (22%) than in plots with rye mulch between the rows (2%) in ‘Howden’ variety but there was no significant difference in fruits between Control plots (9%) and plots with rye mulch between the rows (1.4%) in ‘Magic Lantern’ variety. In summary, rye mulch between the rows did not affect pumpkin yield but led to lower weight per fruit. Plots with rye mulch had cleaner fruits, and lower incidences of spots on fruits, and fruit rots compared to Control plots.
An experiment was conducted in 2008 at St. Charles Horticulture Research Center in northern Illinois to assess the effects of rye cover crop seeded at the rates of 90 and 120 pounds per acre on pumpkin yield, fruit size, fruit cleanliness, spots on fruits, and fruit rots on ‘Howden’ and ‘Magic Lantern’ pumpkin varieties. The two rye seeding rates and conventional method where pumpkins are grown on bare ground without mulch between the rows (Control) were used as the treatments. These three treatments were replicated four times in complete randomized block design. The pumpkin seeds were planted in tilled bare ground strips between rye mulch and compared with pumpkins grown on bare ground without rye mulch in between rows (Control). Rye was killed at flowering stage by rolling. Each plot had two varieties of pumpkins.
The results showed that plots with rye mulch in between pumpkin rows had higher mature pumpkin fruit weight (21-25% higher) than Control plots in both varieties. The Control plots had larger fruits that weigh 15-20% more per fruit than fruits from plots with rye mulch between the rows in both varieties. There were significantly dirtier fruits (over 60%) in Control plots than in plots with rye mulch between the rows (17%). Pumpkin fruits from Control plots had significantly more (‘Howden’ – 37%; ‘Magic Lantern’ – 27%) fruit spots than from plots with rye mulch between the rows (‘Howden’ – 15%; ‘Magic Lantern’ – 14%). There were more fruit rots in Control plots (22%) than in plots with rye mulch between the rows (2%) in ‘Howden’ variety but there was no significant difference in fruits between Control plots (9%) and plots with rye mulch between the rows (1.4%) in ‘Magic Lantern’ variety. In summary, rye mulch between the rows did not affect pumpkin yield but led to lower weight per fruit. Plots with rye mulch had cleaner fruits, and lower incidences of spots on fruits, and fruit rots compared to Control plots.