High Tunnel Crops Shubin K. Saha D.P.M., Ph.D., Extension Vegetable Specialist Department of Horticulture University of Kentucky
High Tunnel Crops Tomatoes #1 Specialty Cucumbers Colored Bell Peppers Lettuce
Structure Rimol Nor Easter Dimensions 30 ft x 96 ft Construction 4 ft bow spacing, truss at every bow
Passive Ventilation: -Ridge Vent - Roll-up Sides - Roll-up endwalls **Consider Orientation Automated via thermostat: Ridge vent and sides Covering: - Endwall (Woven Poly) - Roof and Sides (6 mil clear poly) Structure
Inner curtain lowered
Endwall and Ridge Vent
Ridge Vent
Cooling Shading - shade cloth on roof - application of shade paint to roof
Cooling
Trellis
Trellis
Cucumber Experiment (Double-Crop) RCBD 4 replicates (two in each tunnel), 6 varieties evaluated Transplanted: July 29, 2012 (20 DAS) Plots 5 ft x 18 ft, 9 plants/plot, 24 inch in-row spacing Fertigation 4 times daily (150 gallons/house) Approximately 1 lb Nitrogen and 3 lbs Potassium/acre/day
High Tunnel Temperatures for 2012 (July October) MONTH LOW TEMPERATURE (Fahrenheit) HIGH TEMPERATURE (Fahrenheit) AVERAGE TEMPERATURE (Fahrenheit) July 69.96 120.12 92.98 August 55.54 123.57 82.98 September 41.99 111.58 72.86 October 37.49 97.92 63.49
Varieties Two main types evaluated (Seedless) - English Cucumbers: Long (12-18 in), Diameter (1.5 2 in), Price ($1.50 - $2.00 each) - Beit Alpha Cucumbers: Short (4 6 in) and thin skinned, Diameter (about 1 in), Price (4-pack, $2.00 - $3.00) Traditional Field Slicer: $0.50 each
Beit Alpha English
Pruning Umbrella System English all lateral shoots removed Fruit set on main stem one fruit per node Beit Alpha lateral shoots pruned beyond 1 st node Fruit set on main stem and on 1 st node of lateral multiple fruit per node
Beit Alpha English
Varieties Variety Kalunga Verdon Bomber Kasja Sarig Manar Type English English English English Beit Alpha Beit Alpha
Total Cucumber Harvest 2012 Variety Marketable Fruit Number per plot z Cull Fruit Number per plot Marketable Total Weight (lb) per plot Cull Fruit Weight (lb) per plot Average Weight Marketable Fruit (oz) per plot Marketable Fruit per ft 2 Marketable Fruit Weight (lb) per ft 2 Manar 704.0 a y 81.8 b 110.2 d 16.8 c 2.50 c 10.06 a 1.57 d Sarig 702.3 a 145.3 a 107.5 d 26.5 bc 2.45 c 10.03 a 1.53 d Kalunga 172.5 b 28.0 c 148.4 a 22.1 bc 13.81 a 2.46 b 2.12 a Verdon 171.3 b 36.0 c 138.4 ab 26.6 bc 12.95 b 2.45 b 1.98 ab Bomber 156.0 b 37.0 c 127.7 bc 32.4 b 13.13 b 2.23 b 1.82 bc Kasja 153.3 b 42.8 c 126.3 c 44.1 a 13.19 b 2.19 b 1.80 c z Plot size: 70 ft 2 y Means in columns separated by Fisher s least significant test (P 0.05), means with same letter are not significantly different.
Summary of harvest data Beit Alpha produced more fruit compared to English Total Weight however was greater in the English type Sarig was first to show signs of PM and DM Kalunga had the largest individual fruit weight Beit Alpha types were ready for harvest sooner Yield and quality diminished for all cucumbers in the late harvest period
Abiotic and Biotic Crop Problems
Two Spotted Spider Mites Predatory Mite Neoseiulus californicus
Looper and Yellow-Striped Armyworm Bt
Downy Mildew Ranman- 0 day PHI Previcur Flex 2 day PHI Rampart 0 day PHI Disease development slowed as temperatures dropped
Downy Mildew
Powdery Mildew Rally 1 day PHI After first application, conducive conditions diminished
Physiological Problem aborted fruit
Physiological Problem cracking and leaking
Orange Bell Pepper Trial 2013
RCBD 4 replicates (two in each tunnel), 6 varieties Transplanted: April 17, 2013 Plots 5 ft x 18 ft, 9 plants/plot, 24 inch in-row spacing Pre-plant application: - 30 lbs N/Acre, 200 lbs pelletized lime/acre - Fertigation: ¼ lb to 1lb KNO 3 /tunnel/day two weeks post transplanting. Pepper Experiment
Pruning Remove Crown Fruit Remove lateral shoots up to branching point on plant
Spanish Trellis
Spanish Trellis
Spanish Trellis
C- Clip
Spanish Trellis
Harvest Harvest Photo Credit: Elio Jovicich
Varieties
High Tunnel Peppers Harvest, 2013 Total (July 2 August 29, 18 harvests) Variety Total Mkt Fruit Weight (lb) per plot z Total Non- Mkt Fruit Weight (lb) per plot Mkt Fruit Number per plot Non- Mkt Fruit Number per plot Average Mkt Fruit Weight (lb) Average Non-Mkt Fruit Weight (lb) Average Yield per plant (lb) PPO710 62.6 12.3 133.0 28.0 0.49 0.44 9.04 Sympathy 58.0 12.3 123.5 30.5 0.49 0.40 8.38 Magno 52.7 19.6 113.0 46.0 0.46 0.42 7.50 Sig NS y NS NS NS NS NS NS
Weed Management
High Tunnel Sprayer
Pollination Electric bees (vibrating rods) Only for small operations Bumblebees Synthetic wind (Leaf blower)
Questions? Contact: Shubin K. Saha Shubin.saha@uky.edu 859-257-3374