Robotic mowing systems have been increasingly adopted in sports turf management, yet their effects on turfgrass performance and interactions with plant growth regulator (PGR) applications are poorly understood. This study evaluated the effects of the mowing system type and PGR applications on turf quality, color, uniformity, and canopy height in ‘TifSport’ bermudagrass ( Cynodon dactylon × Cynodon transvaalensis ). Treatments combined two mowing systems, the robotic Nexmow M1S (URSROBOT, San Jose, CA, USA) and a conventional triplex reel mower, with the following three PGR treatments: trinexapac-ethyl (TE), prohexadione-calcium, and a nontreated control. Both PGRs improved visual quality and reduced vertical shoot growth relative to the nontreated control, with TE producing the strongest response in growth regulation. Turf quality ratings were statistically higher under robotic mowing, although the difference was practically negligible; however, color and uniformity did not differ statistically. Robotic mowing maintained greater canopy height before and after mowing, likely reflecting differences in cutting mechanisms between rotary blade and reel systems. No PGR × mowing system interaction was detected for visual quality, indicating consistent PGR efficacy regardless of the mowing system. For ‘TifSport’ bermudagrass athletic fields, these results indicate that established PGR programs can be maintained without modification when transitioning from conventional reel to robotic mowing, with both systems sustaining acceptable turf quality.
The amount of time for seven sweetpotato ( Ipomoea batatas ) genotypes to produce the maximum number of slips and the number of slips per root were measured in 2024 and 2025 under heated greenhouse conditions in northwest Washington. Overall, the number of slips produced per root tended to peak in 4 to 7 weeks for most genotypes and 10 weeks for ‘Cascade’. The amount of time to produce slips appears related to genotype root harvest maturity classification: 4 weeks for USDA-04-791 (early), 6 to 7 weeks for ‘Bayou Belle’, ‘Beauregard’, ‘Covington’, ‘Monaco’, and ‘Orleans’ (intermediate), and 10 weeks for ‘Cascade’ (late). On average for both years, USDA-04-791 and ‘Cascade’ produced the most slips per root (13.3 slips); ‘Bayou Belle’, ‘Beauregard’, ‘Covington’, and ‘Orleans’ were intermediate (7.1 to 7.7 slips); and ‘Monaco’ produced the fewest (4.3 slips). These results help growers plan when to start slip production and how many roots to start based on the target number of slips.
The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a place-based, hands-on educational service-learning activity on knowledge of invasive species and perceptions of their management. Volunteers completed Personal Meaning Maps (PMMs) before and after participating in an educational lesson and invasive species removal activity. PMM responses were categorized using Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy and analyzed to assess changes in knowledge and emotional responses related to invasive species management. Paired-samples t-tests revealed significant increases in overall knowledge, factual knowledge, and procedural knowledge following the intervention. Conceptual knowledge also increased and demonstrated a moderate effect size, although the change did not remain statistically significant following Bonferroni correction. No statistically significant changes were detected in emotional response categories after adjustment for multiple comparisons. These findings suggest that place-based, hands-on educational service-learning can effectively increase knowledge of invasive species and management practices. Educational programs that combine instruction with direct participation in management activities may help build the public knowledge necessary to support long-term invasive species management efforts.
Soilless substrate stratification entails layering two unique substrates with distinctive physiochemical properties atop each other to improve nursery and greenhouse production sustainability. Most stratified research to-date has explored a 50:50 (v/v) or equal top and bottom stratified depth layer ratio. To increase flexibility in stratified substrate and support industry adoption, more research is needed if the stratified depth layer influences plant growth and yield. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate different stratified depth layers using pine bark substrates when growing a popular woody nursery shrub (Knockout Double Red; Rosa ‘Radtko’), wherein screened fine (≤6.3 mm) pine bark was in the top strata at 6, 12, or 18 cm of depth in a 24-cm-tall container, while the remaining bottom strata contained a respective 18-, 12-, or 6-cm base of screened coarse (6.3 to 12.7 mm) pine bark. A nonstratified pine bark was included as control. This study examined different fertility application rates, top-dressing containers with a low, medium, or high application rate of controlled-release fertilizer. The results showed that the stratification depth layer (P = 0.067) or fertility program> (P = 0.609) did not negatively affect plant growth, where plants grown in stratified systems across fertilizer treatments grew similarly to a conventionally grown plant. Fertilizer application rate (P < 0.001) had a stronger impact on root zone fertilizer salt release than stratification depth layer (P > 0.395). Increasing fertilizer rate increased nitrogen (P < 0.001) and phosphorus (P < 0.001) tissue content, while stratification depth had no influence. In all, this study demonstrated that stratification practices can be used without injury to plant development. Moreover, understanding that depth layer did not negatively affect plant growth increases industry flexibility among those who are interested in adopting stratification management techniques.
Reducing irrigation inputs is essential for sustainable container crop production; however, the ability of biostimulants to mitigate the effects of deficit irrigation on ornamental crop quality and postharvest often may be crop-specific, product-specific, and application-specific. Two independent experiments were conducted to evaluate whether chitosan applied as a substrate amendment or arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) applied during germination could improve growth, physiology, and postharvest performance of petunia (Petunia milliflora ‘PicobellaTM Pink’) under sustained water content reduction. Plants were grown under three container capacity (CC) treatments (100%, 70%, and 40%) combined with chitosan application timing (no application, week 1, or week 3) or AMF application (with or without). After production, plants were exposed to postharvest environments at 30 °C or 40 °C for 2 weeks. The growth index and canopy area decreased by 10% to 40% relative to plants grown at 100% CC under 70% and 40% CC; however, flower coverage percentage remained unaffected during production. Water use reduced by 20% at 70% CC and by up to 50% at 40% CC, while irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) was maintained with all CC treatments. In the AMF experiment, plants grown at 40% CC with AMF exhibited the highest IWUE and increased root colonization under severe deficit irrigation. Photosynthetic pigment concentrations were generally maintained under deficit irrigation, whereas malondialdehyde concentrations temporarily increased at week 4 under 40% CC, indicating increased oxidative stress. Neither chitosan nor AMF consistently enhanced plant growth or reduced biochemical stress indicators under the evaluated conditions. Chitosan application timing strongly influenced plant responses, with week 3 applications reducing growth and increasing oxidative stress across CC treatments. During the postharvest evaluation, temperature was the primary factor affecting plant performance, with plants maintained at 40 °C exhibiting lower flower coverage and canopy area compared with plants maintained at 30 °C. The combination of deficit irrigation and chitosan application showed limited potential to improve postharvest heat tolerance, whereas AMF application did not improve postharvest performance. Overall, petunia demonstrated substantial tolerance to sustained deficit irrigation, and 70% CC appeared to be a practical strategy for reducing irrigation inputs while maintaining marketable crop quality.
Double cropping into plastic mulch film can be an economically efficient production method that reduces plastic waste, especially if mulch thickness does not need to be increased to accommodate a second crop. However, the effects of plastic mulch thickness on mulch function or double-cropping productivity are unclear, especially in the Midwest US region. Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) planted in the fall as a double crop following bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) or watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) summer crops was tested across two polyethylene mulch thicknesses (1 and 1.5 mil) and two fertilizer types (mineral or organic sources) between 2022 and 2024. Total large and small hole counts observed in the spring before strawberry harvest were greater in 1-mil compared with 1.5-mil plastic mulch. Strawberry winter survival rate was between 80% to 85% depending on year but was not influenced by previous crop, mulch thickness, or fertilizer type. Strawberry yield was similar across most treatments, except in the first season when yield was reduced by 33% after watermelon with mineral fertilizer compared with the average of all other treatments, which was possibly the result of greater biomass and nutrient removal in watermelon compared with bell pepper. Although 1-mil plastic mulch was less durable than 1.5 mil, soil temperature and crop yield were similar between mulch thicknesses, which suggests 1-mil plastic mulch may provide adequate function in this double-crop system, and growers can forgo the added cost of thicker mulch film. Using a thinner mulch film will reduce end-of-life mulch transportation and disposal costs proportionately, but the 1-mil mulch is also more difficult to remove from the field after use without tearing and polluting the soil with residual fragments. Organic fertilizers such as compost may be a useful preplant fertilizer for plasticulture double-crop systems because of the delayed nutrient mineralization that can sustain multiple crops and reduce demand for in-season fertigation below the plastic mulch barrier. Future research is needed to optimize fertilizer management in plasticulture double-cropping systems and to explore the feasibility of biodegradable plastic mulch films to further reduce plastic waste and soil contamination in double-cropping systems.
To address the problems of low sorting accuracy and poor operation stability caused by physical leaf entanglement in traditional drum screening of fresh tea leaves, a multiscale fresh tea leaf sorting system with drum-axial airflow coupling based on intelligent control was designed. The axial moving distances of fresh tea leaves of different scales at wind speeds of 5, 7, and 9 m/s were calibrated through bench tests, and the optimal wind speed parameter for secondary fine screening was determined. A numerical model of the axial airflow field inside the drum was established via Fluent software, and a coupled sorting test platform was built to compare the sorting performance of the traditional pure drum screening mode and that of the coupled intelligent sorting mode. The results showed that 7 m/s is the optimal axial airflow velocity for secondary fine screening of multiscale fresh tea leaves during this test, which can realize effective back-blowing of small-scale materials and accurate screening of large-scale materials. At this velocity, the flow field is evenly distributed, and the effective thrust area highly matched the sorting demand. The average sorting efficiency of the coupled intelligent sorting mode reached 84.8%, which is 25.6% higher than that of traditional pure drum screening, with favorable sorting accuracy and operation stability. These findings can provide a theoretical basis and technical reference for the optimization, upgrading, and intelligent transformation of high-efficiency fresh tea leaf sorting equipment.
To address the issues of airflow stagnation, uneven temperature and humidity distribution, high risk of disease outbreak, and the urgent demand for energy-saving heating in small- and medium-size solar greenhouses under closed winter operation in cold and arid regions of northern China, we constructed a multienergy complementary system coupling heat copper tube, double-vacuum solar collectors with an air–electric hybrid air source heat pump. Leveraging the operating characteristics of the air source heat pump, the system achieves “one energy for multiple uses,” covering energy storage heating, ventilation cooling, and indoor airflow circulation. In our study, Fluent software was adopted to perform numerical simulations on different air outlet schemes of the exhaust duct, and the optimal pipeline scheme was selected, with air volume uniformity as the evaluation index. A simplified greenhouse model was established to analyze the airflow field distribution characteristics in the crop canopy area. Meanwhile, combined with the heating and air exchange performance of the unit, greenhouse ventilation regulation strategies under different weather conditions were formulated. Our results show that the four-outlet scheme delivers more balanced air volume distribution in the pipeline, and its air supply uniformity better matches the spatial characteristics of the greenhouse. The wind speed at a crop canopy height of 0.2 to 1.0 m inside the greenhouse stabilizes at 0.32 to 0.56 m·s–1, which can effectively break the air stagnation state and improve the crop growth microenvironment without additional circulating fans. The system can simultaneously realize indoor airflow circulation and moderate cooling while heating and storing energy, reducing greenhouse operation costs and providing a technical reference for energy-saving environmental regulation of small- and medium-size solar greenhouses in northern China.
Reducing reliance on peat-based substrates is a growing priority in containerized horticulture, but viable alternatives must sustain water, nutrient, and plant performance under commercial irrigation. We evaluated three substrates: a conventional peat–perlite mix, a peat-free redwood bark–coco coir blend, and a palm fiber–peat blend using recycled palm biomass. Greenhouse experiments with Impatiens walleriana and Pentas lanceolata used a 3 × 3 factorial design (three substrates × three irrigation regimes) over two 8-week production cycles. Substrate hydraulic properties, moisture dynamics, plant growth, salability, water use, and nitrogen dynamics were assessed. Substrates differed substantially in hydraulic and chemical behavior. Redwood bark–coir exhibited greater air-filled porosity and a steeper decline in water content at low matric suctions, whereas palm fiber–peat showed intermediate container capacity but elevated electrical conductivity and evidence of nitrogen immobilization. Peat–perlite produced the greatest plant biomass and salability, particularly for the water-sensitive Impatiens. Both alternative substrates supported commercially viable Pentas across irrigation treatments, indicating potential suitability for more drought-tolerant crops. Nitrogen dynamics diverged among substrates. Unaccounted nitrogen was greatest in peat–perlite, whereas palm fiber–peat retained nitrogen, suggesting immobilization. Redwood bark–coir showed limited lateral water redistribution using single-emitter drip irrigation, indicating that this irrigation method may be particularly important for substrates with low unsaturated hydraulic conductivity. Overall, partial peat substitution with palm fiber produced viable plants at a lower cost, but substrate-specific irrigation and fertility management are required to account for contrasting hydraulic and nutrient dynamics.
Sweetfern (Comptonia peregrina) is a northeastern US native shrub with ornamental foliage and a mounding plant habit. Nursery production of sweetfern is limited because seed germination and vegetative propagation are challenging. Sweetfern may be stem cutting–propagated using young, recently emerged shoots from rhizomes; however, this method is labor-intensive and has not been widely adopted by producers. We found that sweetfern may be cutting-propagated at > 80% success using recently emerged shoots (length, 6–8 cm) from aboveground stems of containerized stock plants. These recently emerged shoots taken as cuttings and treated with 8000 ppm indole-3-butyric acid in talc rooted significantly better than similar-size cuttings taken from the tips of expanded (length, 20–23 cm) shoots when placed under mist or covered with propagation domes and set on lighted shelves. Rooted cuttings grow vigorously and produce salable, trade #1 containers in 8 to 12 weeks.
Ornamental millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R.Br.] is an annual bedding plant used in mixed combination containers and landscape plantings, and growth control is often needed during greenhouse production. Plant growth regulators (PGRs) offer growers a chemical option for suppressing excessive growth and producing compact, marketable plants, yet PGR recommendations are limited for ornamental millet. Therefore, the objective of this study was to quantify the efficacy of ancymidol, flurprimidol, paclobutrazol, and uniconazole substrate drenches for controlling growth of containerized ‘Jester’ ornamental millet. Plants were drenched 7 days after transplantation with 2-fl oz (59.1 mL) aliquots of solutions containing deionized water (0 mg·L−1; untreated control) or 1, 2, 4, 8, or 16 mg·L−1 ancymidol, flurprimidol, paclobutrazol, or uniconazole (0, 0.06, 0.12, 0.24, 0.47, or 0.95 mg a.i. per container). Plant height, plant diameter, tiller number, and shoot dry weight (SDW) were determined 28 days after drench application. Plant height, plant diameter, tiller number, and SDW were affected by PGR treatment. Substrate drenches containing ancymidol or paclobutrazol did not suppress plant height or plant diameter at the concentrations evaluated, although 16 mg·L−1 ancymidol or paclobutrazol reduced SDW by 38% (4.9 g) and 44% (5.6 g), respectively. Flurprimidol drenches containing 8 and 16 mg·L−1 reduced plant height by 31% (15.9 cm) and 51% (26.6 cm) and SDW by 42% (5.4 g) to 57% (7.3 g), whereas 16 mg·L−1 flurprimidol reduced plant diameter by 30% (18.8 cm). Uniconazole drenches containing 2 to 16 mg·L−1 reduced plant height by 42% to 73% (22.0 to 37.6 cm), 4 to 16 mg·L−1 reduced plant diameter by 26% to 43% (16.8 to 27.3 cm), and 1 to 16 mg·L−1 reduced SDW by 35% to 69% (4.5 to 8.8 g). However, plants drenched with ≥4 mg·L−1 uniconazole were excessively compact and exhibited epinasty and crinkled leaf margins, which would likely reduce ornamental quality. These results suggest that substrate drenches containing 8 mg·L−1 flurprimidol or 2 mg·L−1 uniconazole can control plant height of ‘Jester’ ornamental millet, whereas 16 mg·L−1 flurprimidol may be appropriate when greater control of plant height and plant diameter is desired, yet ornamental quality may be compromised.
Sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.] is a nutritionally valuable root crop rich in dietary fiber, β-carotene, and vitamin C, particularly in orange-fleshed cultivars. Despite these desirable attributes, preserving root quality during extended storage remains a major postharvest challenge. This study evaluated whether curing duration modulates the postharvest response of ‘Covington’ sweetpotato roots to controlled atmosphere (CA) storage, with emphasis on quality and shelf life. Roots from commercial farms in south Georgia, USA were cured at 29 °C and ∼85% relative humidity (RH) for 1 or 3 weeks, then stored at 13 °C and ∼85% RH for up to 6 months under four atmospheric conditions: air (21% O2, control), low oxygen (7% O2), low oxygen with low carbon dioxide (7% O2 + 2% CO2), and low oxygen with high carbon dioxide (7% O2 + 10% CO2). Gas concentrations were maintained within ±0.5% of target levels. After storage, roots were transferred to 21 °C and held for an additional 2 weeks to simulate retail conditions. Quality parameters including firmness, color, weight loss, respiration rate, and decay incidence were evaluated. After 6 months, 3-week–cured roots stored under high CO2 showed greater weight loss (34% vs. 15%), higher respiration rates (163 vs. 44 mL CO2·kg−1·h−1), lower firmness (99 vs. 134 N), and increased decay incidence compared with 1-week-cured roots. In contrast, CA storage with reduced O2 and low CO2 maintained firmness, weight loss, and decay relative to control samples. These findings indicate that prolonged curing increases susceptibility to high CO2 atmospheres and highlight the importance of optimizing curing duration and CA composition to preserve sweetpotato quality during long-term storage.
Soilless substrates exhibit low water retention capacity, necessitating frequent and precisely timed irrigation events, a critical limiting factor in greenhouse production systems, as well as during the postproduction transition of plants to retail environments. The ability of hydrogels to absorb water and release it slowly, while improving water retention, positions them among the most effective soil amendments for addressing this problem. Hydrogels can be classified as synthetic or bio-based, with the latter emerging as a promising product due to their reduced long-term environmental impact. AquaSteady (AS; Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY, USA) is a novel, bio-based hydrogel derived from alginate extracted from kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) and is available in various forms. This study evaluated the impact of spiral form AS hydrogel on irrigation interval length and growth in two ornamental plants, calibrachoa (Calibrachoa × hybrida ‘Rainbow Bermuda Blue’) and verbena (Verbena × hybrida ‘Empress Flair White’). A spiral AS hydrogel was applied at 3 g per container (5 mg·g−1 based on 600 g substrate). Experiments were conducted from Sep 2025 to Jan 2026 at the Fabian Garcia Research Center in Las Cruces, NM, USA. For each cultivar, there were two treatments: one with AS and one without AS. There were 112 replicates of calibrachoa, 56 per treatment. There were 48 replicates of verbena, 24 per treatment. Four irrigation events were applied throughout the experimental period. Parameters evaluated included irrigation interval, water use efficiency (WUE), chlorophyll content, aboveground and belowground biomass, and stomatal conductance. Plant types were evaluated independently due to inherent differences between species. The results show that pots with AS extended the final irrigation interval by 2 d in calibrachoa (and 1 d in verbena), indicating potential to reduce irrigation frequency in practice; actual applied water was equal (16 L per container) in this study. WUE did not differ for calibrachoa (AS 0.98 vs control 0.97 g·L−1) and was statistically similar for verbena (AS 0.85 vs control 0.91 g·L−1). No significant differences in aboveground dry biomass, root dry biomass (for calibrachoa), stomatal conductance, or chlorophyll content were detected between AS-treated and control plants. However, verbena root dry biomass was lower in AS than control (2.2 vs 2.7 g; P = 0.045) without affecting shoot biomass or visual quality. These findings demonstrate that the use of AS hydrogel in greenhouse production systems is an effective strategy to retain substrate water availability and reduce irrigation frequency, without negatively impacting plant health.
The demand for sustainable urban landscaping has increased the interest in native and endemic flora that offer high esthetic value with low maintenance requirements. This study evaluated the effects of different planting densities on the landscape performance of Thymus revolutus Celak., an endemic species of Southern Anatolia with significant potential as a sustainable groundcover. The research was conducted during the 2021–22 vegetation periods in Antalya, Turkey, under full sun conditions. Three different planting densities (10 × 10 cm, 15 × 15 cm, and 20 × 20 cm) were evaluated based on morphological growth characteristics and visual quality parameters, including groundcover rate and flowering performance, from April to June. Findings revealed a significant increase in all growth parameters during the second year (2022) following successful plant establishment. The density of 15 × 15 cm provided the optimal competitive balance, favoring vertical growth, whereas the density of 20 × 20 cm maximized lateral expansion, resulting in superior plant width and inflorescence production. Regarding visual quality, densities of 10 × 10 cm and 15 × 15 cm demonstrated the most effective groundcover performance, achieving full coverage by May 2022. In conclusion, T. revolutus exhibits high landscape value characterized by its showy pink flowers, intensive flowering period, and attractive gray-green foliage. The planting density of 15 × 15 cm was identified as the most suitable strategy for urban green spaces, establishing an ideal balance between esthetic success and economic establishment costs.
Microbial inoculants, both microbial biostimulants and microbial biopesticides, are widely used in horticultural crop production and especially in controlled environment agriculture. Producers may want to know the viability of microbial inoculants if they have been stored improperly, their efficacy is declining, or are curious to test their inoculants. In addition, horticulturists may need a method to test viability of microbial inoculants in the field or if they lack microbiology laboratory facilities. To develop a method to assess microbial inoculant viability on-farm, we first compared the efficacy of traditional dilution plating approaches on agar media with those on dehydrated agar products. These methods were highly comparable for fungal and bacterial inoculants and detected decreases in microbial populations following exposure to an elevated storage temperature event. A dilution method using purified bottled drinking water and dehydrated agar products was developed and found to be highly comparable to traditional dilution plating for both bacterial and fungal inoculants. This technique could be used by producers, Extension educators, or researchers to test the viability of microbial inoculants.
Previous soil amendment with 2.5% alkaline hardwood biochar (HB) was shown to inactivate foodborne pathogenic Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli , due to antimicrobial properties of biochar against pathogenic bacteria. However, the effect of this HB with antimicrobial properties on seed germination, nutrient uptake, and plant growth has not been fully characterized. The objectives of this research were to characterize elemental composition of antimicrobial HB and to determine the effect of HB soil amendment (2.5% w/w) on soil nutrient composition, seed germination, growth, and mineral nutrient uptake of five plant species (grape tomato, romaine lettuce, spinach, wheat, and leek) in a controlled environment (25 °C) in growth chamber. Based on scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray, the surface elemental composition of HB was 60% carbon, 15% oxygen, and 1% to 10% each of Mg, K, and Ca. Soil pH, electrical conductivity, cation exchange capacity and macroelements in soil all increased by HB amendment. HB amendment significantly ( P < 0.05) reduced germination of tomato but not the four other plant species. The soil amendment enhanced uptake of some macro- and micronutrients by plant species. Plant height (cm) varied among plant species, but shoot and root weights were similar in amended soil and control. As the goal of this research was to determine whether the HB soil amendment, capable of inactivating foodborne Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7, would affect germination and plant growth, we conclude that the HB soil amendment improved soil properties and had significant effects on reduction of tomato germination. Nevertheless, it significantly ( P < 0.05) reduced plant heights on lettuce, tomato, and wheat relative to the unamended control. HB amendment can improve soil nutrient and its uptake in plant species, while also inactivating foodborne bacterial pathogens, such as Salmonella and Shiga toxin–producing E. coli .
A 2-year study was conducted in Spring 2024 and 2025 in Cairo, GA, USA, to evaluate the crop yield and fruit size of jalapeno (Capsicum annuum) cultivars and to provide recommendations for growers in our area. The trials consisted of five cultivars: Megatron, Orizaba (grower standard), Soundwave, SVHJ5816, and Unicron. The trials were conducted in a commercial grower’s field each year and managed the same way as their crop. Cultivar treatments were replicated three times and arranged in a randomized complete block design. Two harvests were conducted in 2024 and three in 2025. Fruit were separated into marketable and unmarketable categories and weighed. Five representative marketable fruit per plot were used to determine average fruit length and width. ‘Soundwave’ and ‘Orizaba’ were the only cultivars that consistently produced more than 1000 boxes/acre in both years and achieved more than a 95% marketable yield. ‘Orizaba’ is already very popular among growers in southern Georgia, but now ‘Soundwave’ is another option for growers seeking a high-yielding cultivar with added resistance to bacterial leaf spot and Phytophthora compared with ‘Orizaba’. Although ‘SVHJ5816’ has a promising disease package, it had the greatest unmarketable fruit yield due to fruit cracking, resulting in the lowest marketable yield percentage of all cultivars tested. ‘Unicron’ had the largest fruit in both length and width, which might be important in markets where a larger size is preferred, but does not look like a typical jalapeno. Based on our trials, we recommend ‘Soundwave’ and ‘Orizaba’ for spring production in the southeastern United States because of its consistently high marketable yields and percentage of marketable fruit across both years of our study.
Salinity is a major constraint in soilless vegetable production, particularly in hydroponic systems in which the use of marginal water resources is increasingly common. Thus, the dose-dependent effects of liquid vermicompost on growth, yield, physiological performance were evaluated, along with the ionic balance of lettuce cultivated in a floating hydroponic system under 50 mM sodium chloride stress. A greenhouse experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design with three replications, and liquid vermicompost was applied at 0.5, 0.75, and 1.0 mL·L–1 under saline conditions. Salinity reduced lettuce yield by 32% compared with the nonsaline control. Vermicompost application alleviated this reduction significantly, increasing yield by 45.7%, 47.7%, and 46.2% at 0.5, 0.75, and 1.0 mL·L–1, respectively, relative to the salinity treatment. The 0.75- mL·L–1 dose produced the highest yield, and improved leaf area markedly along with stomatal conductance, with increases of up to 182% compared with salt-stressed plants. Vermicompost also enhanced antioxidant compounds and reduced nitrate accumulation. Ionic analysis revealed that the highest vermicompost dose enhanced potassium accumulation and improved the potassium-to-sodium ratio, primarily through a reduction in sodium accumulation. Taken together, these results suggest that liquid vermicompost mitigates salt stress in floating hydroponic lettuce in a dose-dependent manner. The 0.75-mL·L–1 treatment was the most suitable for sustaining yield, physiological performance, and antioxidant-related quality attributes, whereas the 1.0 mL·L–1 dose was more effective in improving ionic homeostasis by limiting sodium accumulation and promoting potassium uptake.
Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) is a biological alternative to fumigation for managing soilborne pests in specialty crops. A 2025 survey of US specialty crop producers assessed ASD awareness and perceived barriers to implementation. ASD adoption remains low, as 43% of respondents felt not at all informed about ASD, and major barriers included lack of knowledge and training (56%) and application or technical challenges (48%). Despite limited near-term adoption intent, many respondents expressed strong interest in Extension resources such as demonstrations, workshops, and webinars. Targeted outreach that addresses these specific technical and informational barriers is essential to advancing ASD adoption in sustainable specialty crop production.
