Use of Aluminum-Foil and Oat-Straw Mulches for Controlling Aster Leafhopper, \u3ci\u3eMacrosteles Fascifrons\u3c/i\u3e (Homoptera: Cicadellidae), and Aster Yellows in Carrots.

Aluminum-foil and oat-straw mulches significantly (P \u3c 0.05) reduced aster leafhopper numbers on carrots compared to an untreated control and a malathion spray treatment during the first half of the growing season. The amount of reflected light was significantly higher in both aluminum-foil and oat-straw mulched plots compared to unmulched treatments. Mulch effectiveness decreased when the closing carrot canopy reduced surface area of reflective mulches and amount of reflected light The percentage of aster yellows-infected plants was significantly lower (P \u3c 0.05) in aluminum-foil and straw mulches and in the malathion spray plots compared to the untreated control. Results demonstrated that aluminum-foil and straw mulches gave control of aster leafhoppers and aster yellows in carrots equal to that of a conventional insecticide spray program

Effects of Aluminum Foil Mulch on Parasitism and Fecundity of Apterous \u3ci\u3eMyzus Persicae\u3c/i\u3e (Homoptera: Aphididae)

Chinese cabbage plants grown in flats containing either aluminum foil mulch or no mulch cover were uniformly infested with a single apterous adult Myzus persicae (Sulzer) and exposed in a greenhouse to a free-flying population of the parasite Aphidius ervi (Haliday). Aphid fecundity. plant growth, and temperature were greater in reflective mulch plots. Aphid pardSitism was lower over mulched plots until foliage growth obscured the mulch. Later. parasitism was more frequent in mulched plots. The effects upon parasitism, fecundity. and microclimate may explain instances where aluminum mulches have not reduced aphid populations

Organic mulches compared to black plastic in organic strawberry production: effects on ground beetles

There were no significant differences in the numbers of ground beetle species or in the pooled numbers of beetles between the treatments in either season

The Influence of Reflective Mulches and Lettuce Types on the Incidence of Aster Yellows and Abundance of its Vector, \u3ci\u3eMacrosteles Fascifrons\u3c/i\u3e (Homoptera: Cicadelidae), in Minnesota

Five commercial lettuce cultivars representing different genetic types were grown through aluminum-coated paper, through black polyethylene film, and on bare soil. For each variety, the aluminum mulch reduced the numbers of Macrosteles fascifrons (St~l), reduced the incidence of aster yellows, and increased yields when compared to uncovered controls. The head lettuce cultivar \u27Minetto\u27 was most susceptible on unmulched plots (74.3%) while the leaf cultivar \u27Grand Rapids\u27 was least susceptible (33.8%). The latter also had the greatest infestation of leafhoppers which may indicate either resistance to the aster yellows agent or shorter feeding times by the vector leafhopper. The abundance of aster leafhoppers on the romaine cultivar \u27Valmaine\u27, the butter head cultivar \u27Buttercrunch\u27, and the bibb cultivar \u27Summer Bibb\u27 was much lower than that of the other two and might explain the lower percentage of aster yellows on these types as compared with \u27Minetto\u27

Efeitos do solo e clima numa vinha de uva de mesa com cultura de cobertura. Gestão da rega utilizando redes de sensores

[ENG] TThe use of mulches in vineyards and orchards is a traditional agricultural practice used with the aim of saving moisture, reducing weed growth and improving organic matter content in the soil. In table grape vineyards trained to overhead system in Puglia region (Southeastern Italy), plastic sheets covering the canopy are often used to either advance ripening or delay harvest. In this environment, the living mulches could contribute to the modification of the microclimate around the canopy below the plastic sheets. This condition has an influence on the climatic demand and on both the vegetative and productive activities, mainly in stages with a high evapotranspiration. However, the presence of living mulches could increase the demand of available water and nutrient resources and this could cause a lower yield. The aim of this study was to acquire a suitable knowledge to manage irrigation and verify the influences of living mulches on the vine by using wireless sensor networks to measure the vapor pressure deficit, soil water potential and content.[POR] A utilização de coberturas do solo em vinhas e pomares é uma prática agrícola tradicional, utilizada com o objetivo de preservar a humidade do solo, reduzir o crescimento de infestantes e melhorar o teor de matéria orgânica no solo. Em vinhas de uva de mesa, conduzidas em sistema de pérgula na região de Puglia (sudeste da Itália), são frequentemente usadas coberturas de plástico para promover o avanço da maturação ou o atraso da colheita. Neste ambiente a utilização de enrelvamentos pode contribuir para a modificação do microclima do copado. Esta condição pode influenciar a demanda atmosférica, bem como a atividade vegetativa e reprodutiva da videira, principalmente em períodos de elevada evapotranspiração. No entanto, a presença do enrelvamento pode originar um aumento da demanda dos recursos disponíveis, nomeadamente água e nutrientes, o que poderá provocar uma quebra de produção. O objetivo deste estudo foi adquirir conhecimento para a gestão da rega e, simultaneamente, verificar a influência dos enrelvamentos na atividade da videira, usando para o efeito redes de sensores “sem fio” para medir o déficit de pressão de vapor, o potencial e o conteúdo de água no solo.The development of this work was supported by: The Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through the project RIDEFRUT (ref. AGL2013-49047-C2-1-R), the “Fundacion Seneca, Agencia de Ciencia y Tecnologia” of the Region of Murcia under the “Excelence Group Program”, and the Technical University of Cartagena under the PMPDI Program

Evaluation of greenwaste mulch to control runoff quality from landfill sites during frequent storms

This paper describes a preliminary evaluation of two types of greenwaste (fresh and aged) used as a mulch layer to control runoff from disturbed landfill areas. Fresh greenwaste refers to woody and herbaceous garden waste that has been recently collected, chopped and shredded. Aged greenwaste is greenwaste which has been stockpiled for 18 months. We used rainfall simulator tests to investigate two aspects: (1) the performance of greenwaste mulch in reducing runoff during designed storm events with a high frequency of occurrence and (2) the release of pollutants via runoff as total suspended solids (TSS) and total organic carbon (TOC) during rain. Rainfall of <5-year average recurrence interval (ARI) was generally applied, consistent with stormwater compliance requirements for many Australian landfills. TOC released from fresh greenwaste material was higher in concentration than from aged greenwaste. However when used as a 10cm-deep mulch layer, fresh greenwaste was able to completely prevent runoff, even when tested under rainfalls up to 50 year ARI duration. An equivalent mulch layer of aged greenwaste was also effective in reducing runoff volume and TSS concentration compared with the bare soil during a 3.5-year ARI rainfall, but mean TOC concentration was higher. Based on these preliminary results, fresh greenwaste mulching of bare soils is an attractive option to control runoff and erosion from areas subject to intermittent landfill operations and worthy of further investigations

D3_5.Yearly reports of biodiversity data 2018_2019

Dynamic sod mulching and use of recycled amendments to increase biodiversity, resilience and sustainability of intensive organic fruit orchards and vineyard

Performance of winter wheat varieties in white clover living mulch

The choice of variety for agricultural systems with multiple crops may differ from the one used in sole crop because of the changes in environmental conditions brought about by interspecific plant competition. Information about varietal performance under living mulch conditions as well as the suitability of the results of the official variety testing, conducted under conventional cropping conditions, for such systems is lacking for small grain cereals such as winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). In the current study, nine different winter wheat varieties were established in an existing living mulch of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) in three trials in the Swiss Midlands in the years 2003 and 2004. The winter wheat was directly sown in widely spaced rows (0.375 m) at a density of 450 viable grains m–2. Grain yield varied between 1.83 and 4.11 Mg ha–1. Plant height was correlated (r = 0.92, p < 0.001) with the grain yield, suggesting that varieties with long shoots may have an advantage because of the more ntense shading of the white clover plants. However, the best yielding varieties were also those with the most intense tillering. Recorded values of grain quality traits (grain weight, test weight and protein content) for the tested varieties were analogous under the living mulch conditions of the current trials to those obtained in the official variety testing. This analogy was not observed for the grain yield, except for one trial, where the competitive strength of the white clover was reduced by mechanical interference prior to the seeding of the wheat, which positively affected tillering and hence grain yield. Thus, the use of better yielding varieties of winter wheat in living mulches is at the cost of decreased grain quality. The combination of yield and quality goals in living mulch systems will rather depend on the minimization of the competition of the cover crop on the wheat plants than on the variety choice following recommendations based on trials conducted under conventional cropping conditions

Development of disease control strategies for organically grown field vegetables (DOVE) (OF0168)

This is the final report of Defra project OF0168 (DOVE). The attached main report starts with a more detailed and comprehensive Executive Summary, from which this text has been extracted. This project aimed to improve understanding and awareness of diseases in organic field vegetables. Diseases pose a threat to both quality and yield, and both must be managed if organic production is to expand and remain sustainable. Objective 1. To review the significance of diseases in organically grown field vegetables and the potential effectiveness of current control strategies when the scale of production is increased. Objective 2. To evaluate novel techniques and strategies for control of diseases in organically grown field vegetables Objective 3. To monitor disease development in organic crops in relation to rotation and size of enterprise. Objective 4. To update, produce and publicise advisory literature for disease control in organic field vegetables. Literature review The philosophy of disease control in organic systems was reviewed together with recent literature on diseases and disease control in organic field vegetables. A wider literature on disease control in conventional agriculture and horticulture was also considered in order to provide novel approaches for organic producers. Novel approaches The benefits of using wider plant spacing and mulches of paper or black, red or blue polythene for control of lettuce diseases was investigated in two replicated field experiments on cv. Saladin in 1999. Lettuce variety mixtures were used to investigate their value for control of downy mildew. Mixtures often have positive effects in addition against pests, weeds and abiotic stress. Glasshouse experiments with foliar spray treatments were carried out to determine the spectrum of activity of a range of organic treatments against lettuce downy mildew, grey mould of lettuce and dark leaf spot of brassicas. All treatments gave significant control of lettuce downy mildew and dark leaf spot, but none (except the conventional standard) showed activity against grey mould. Field evaluation of foliar treatments was carried out in 2000 and 2001. It would appear that some organic treatments can provide effective control of foliar diseases, but they need to be used as protectant sprays with a short interval between treatments. Soil amendments with green crop residues, composts, manures and other treatments were evaluated in glasshouse pot experiments against various soil-borne diseases with mixed results. Disease monitoring Disease observations were made on 5 organic farms selected to provide different scales of production and contrasting regional differences. The results provide new information to suggest that larger scale production is more prone to disease problems. This observation is consistent with other epidemiological studies, including the mixture effect, which suggest that increasing the diversity of potential disease hosts per unit area tends to reduce the probability of infection. The presence of the weed parasite spores and of semiochemicals released from the weeds could have some influence in restricting disease development in crops through induction of resistance. Growers reported that potato blight was the most frequent problem each year during 1999-2001, followed by downy mildews on onions, brassica seedlings and lettuce, celery leaf spot and leek rust. Conclusions Diseases are common in organic vegetable crops, but severe infection leading to significant losses of yield or quality affected few crops (11%). Seed-borne diseases are important and availability of healthy seed would reduce losses in vegetables. Soil-borne diseases continue to trouble organic growers and can be managed through rotation or avoiding badly infested areas. Organic growers can exploit genetic diversity through cultivar and species mixtures, but development and guidance is required to develop practical systems. Disease management using organic conditioners, biological control agents and soil amendments merit investigation in farm-scale experiments. Key components of disease management strategies for organic vegetables have been made available to growers in a booklet produced as part of this project