2018 ASHS Annual Conference

No-till production systems are gaining attention as a practical way to produce vegetables sustainably and improve soil quality. Growing and managing cover crops to provide ground cover mulches is an important component of these production systems. The combination of cover crop mulches on the surface, and reduced tillage practices can have numerous benefits to soil health and vegetable quality, while positively impacting yields. Non-chemical methods, such as strip tillage, mowing, and rolling and crimping, of cover crop termination to provide a killed cover crop mulch for a no-till production system can be used with great success. Thus, the objective of this research project were to determine the benefits of no-till production system on summer squash and tomato yield and quality Cover crops were established in September 2016. Cover crop plots consisted of cereal rye, hairy vetch, a combination of cereal rye and hairy vetch, and a no cover crop control. Cereal rye was seeded at 150 lbs/ac, hairy vetch at 120 lbs/ac, and the combination of at 75 and 60 lbs/ac, respectively. Plots were 12 x 50 ft and were fertilized with 60 lbs/ac of a composted chicken litter. Cover crop biomass and weed population data were taken just before termination. Weed populations were taken every two weeks throughout the growing season. In April 2017, the cover crops were terminated with a roller-crimper. Seeds of “Skyway” tomato were sown into Pro-Mix BX soilless medium and germinated in greenhouse conditions at 25/20 °C (day/night). Zucchini squash “Yellow Fin” were direct seeded into the killed cover crop plots. Tomato plants were transplanted with a modified no-till vegetable transplanter. Plants of tomato and zucchini were arranged in randomized complete block design with four replications. Tomato and Zucchini fruit were harvested and graded by size according to USDA standards. Results indicated that the cereal rye and the combination of cereal rye and hairy vetch cover crop plots had significantly lower weed densities. Cereal rye also had a positive impact on total tomato and zucchini fruit number and weight when compared to the control treatment. Cereal rye and the combination of cereal rye and vetch the number of large and extra-large tomato fruit and weight. Additionally, all cover crops had a significant increase in medium zucchini fruit and weight when compared to the control treatment. Overall, tomato and zucchini fruit yields were positively impacted by a no-till cover crop production system.