J. M. Dangler

Lime applications to aged pine media increase early-season sweet potato transplant production in heated beds

Abstract Aged pine sawdust and bark are likely to be the most widely used media for sweet potato transplant production in heated beds in north Alabama. Transplant production in these media, however, may be limited by acid conditions. This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of the application of lime (0.0, 2.2, and 4.4 kg/m3) on early‐season production of ‘Georgia Jet’ sweet potato transplants. Differences in transplant yield and quality due to media were not obtained at the first harvest, but heavier total early‐season transplants were obtained with aged pine bark than with aged pine sawdust. At the first harvest, the highest transplant number (936 transplants/m2) and weight (1.685 kg/m2), and the greatest mean transplant length (23.4 cm) were obtained with 2.2 kg/m3 of lime, but the total early‐season transplant numbers increased linearly from 1025 to 1154 transplants/m2 with the addition of lime. Total early‐season transplant quality parameters, however, did not respond to the addition of...

Effects of media on early‐season sweet potato transplant production in heated beds

Abstract ‘Georgia Jet’ sweet potato transplants were produced in heated beds to determine the effects of aged pine sawdust and builders’ sand (traditional media) and fresh and aged pine bark, and fresh pine sawdust (alternative media), on early‐season transplant production and media characteristics. At the first harvest, higher transplant numbers were obtained with the fresh pine sawdust or pine bark (mean 1,053 transplants/m2) than with the other media (mean 619 transplants/m2). Transplant fresh weights at the first harvest responded in a similar manner. The total early‐season number of transplants obtained with fresh pine bark (1,455 transplants/m2) was also greater than the total number of transplants obtained with the traditional media and aged pine bark (mean 951 transplants/m2), but not greater than the total number of transplants obtained with fresh pine sawdust. Mean lengths and weights of transplants obtained with the alternative media were at least as great as the values obtained with transplant...

Media evaluated for extended sweetpotato transplant production in heated beds 1

Abstract ‘Georgia Jet’ sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam] transplants were produced in heated beds to compare aged pine sawdust or builders’ sand (traditional media) to fresh pine bark and aged pine bark, or fresh pine sawdust (alternative media), with regard to transplant production and quality over an extended harvest period. At the first harvest, highest transplant numbers (mean 1400 transplants/m2) were obtained with fresh pine sawdust or fresh pine bark. Media effects on transplant numbers at the first harvest agree with the results of an earlier experiment. The greater productivity of fresh pine bark compared to aged pine media and builders’ sand at the early‐harvest (two harvests) in the previous experiment was not confirmed in this experiment. Extended‐harvest (four harvests) transplant production was greater with fresh pine sawdust (2030 transplants/m2) than with aged pine sawdust (1380 transplants/m2), but was not greater than the number of transplants produced with the other media. Transpla...

Tomato fruit yield response to nitrogen source and percentage of drip- or band-applied nitrogen associated with leaf potassium concentration

Abstract Field experiments were conducted during the spring and fall of 1994 to evaluate two nitrogen (N) sources [ammonium nitrate (AN) and polymer‐coated urea (PCU)] and five levels of drip‐ or band‐applied N on the yield of drip irrigated ‘Solar Set’ tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill). Early‐season yields obtained with PCU were similar to or greater than yields obtained with AN. Highest yields of large fruit early in the season were produced with 100% preplant‐applied AN or 100% band‐applied PCU. Total‐season yields were greater with AN than PCU and were not affected by placement of N. Increasing the percentage of drip‐ or band‐applied N resulted in leaf N concentrations that were inconsistent with trends in marketable fruit production; however, trends in leaf K concentration early in the season were similar to those of early‐season large fruit yields.

Lime applications increase extended sweetpotato transplant production in heated beds

Abstract This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of aged pine media (sawdust and bark) and lime amendments (0.0, 2.2, and 4.4 kg/m3) on the production of ‘Georgia Jet’ sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.] transplants at four harvests. At the first harvest, transplant production with aged pine sawdust and aged pine bark increased quadraticaly and linearly, respectively, with increasing lime rates. Aged pine media did not differ in their effects on transplant number or mean transplant weight and length at the early (first two harvests) or extended (four harvests) harvest periods. Transplant numbers increased linearly, but mean transplant length decreased linearly with lime application during both periods. A reduction in mean transplant weight was also observed. The results of this experiment provide evidence that the positive effect of amending aged pine sawdust and bark with lime continues through an extended harvest period. Transplant production, however, decreased considerably following...

Leaf mineral nutrient concentrations or media pH affect Georgia Jet sweetpotato transplant number, length, and weight 1

Abstract The results of four experiments were combined to determine the relationships between leaf mineral nutrients or media pH and sweetpotato transplant production. The relative number of transplants and the relative mean transplant lengths or weights were determined by comparing the values obtained with unamended aged pine sawdust, a traditional medium. These values were regressed against leaf mineral concentrations and media pH. There was no relationship between relative transplant production and leaf nitrogen (N), potassium (K), or manganese (Mn) concentrations. Compared to sufficiency ranges for nearly mature sweetpotatoes, concentrations of N and K were low and Mn was sufficient. An upper value of 1210 mg/L leaf iron (Fe) was obtained for relative mean transplant weight, but concentrations of this mineral were not associated with relative transplant numbers or relative mean transplant lengths. Leaf calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) concentrations were related to all three transplant characteristics ...