Vegetable Production Handbook Contents
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VegetablePRODUCTION HANDBOOK for FLORIDA 2013-2014 DR. BIELINSKI M. SANTOS DR. GARY E. VALLAD Associate Professor of Horticulture, — editors — Associate Professor of Plant Pathology, Gulf Coast REC, IFAS, University of Florida Gulf Coast REC, IFAS, University of Florida Authors Daniel A. Botts, Director, Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association - Maitland Peter J. Dittmar, Assistant Professor, Horticultural Sciences Department - Gainesville Nicholas S. Dufault, Assistant Professor, Plant Pathology Department - Gainesville Michael D. Dukes, Associate Professor, Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department - Gainesville Mary L. Lamberts, Extension Agent IV - Miami-Dade County - Homestead Guodong Liu, Assistant Professor, Horticultural Sciences Department - Gainesville Eugene McAvoy, Extension Agent IV, Hendry County, Labelle Joseph W. Noling, Professor, Citrus Research and Education Center - Lake Alfred Stephen M. Olson, Professor, North Florida Research and Education Center - Quincy Monica Ozores-Hampton, Assistant Professor, Southwest Florida Research and Education Center – Immokalee Mathews Paret, Assistant Professor, North Florida Research and Education Center - Quincy Natalia Peres, Associate Professor, Gulf Coast Research and Education Center - Wimauma Richard N. Raid, Professor, Everglades Research and Education Center - Belle Glade Pamela D. Roberts, Professor, Southwest Florida Research and Education Center - Immokalee Bielinski M. Santos, Assistant Professor, Gulf Coast Research and Education Center - Wimauma Eric H. Simonne, Professor, Office of District Extension Directors - Gainesville Hugh A. Smith, Assistant Professor, Gulf Coast Research and Education Center - Wimauma Scott A. Smith, Coordinator, Economic Analysis, Food and Resource Economics Department - Gainesville Crystal A. Snodgrass, Extension Agent I, Manatee County - Palmetto Gary E. Vallad, Associate Professor, Gulf Coast Research and Education Center - Wimauma Susan E. Webb, Associate Professor, Entomology and Nematology Department - Gainesville Alicia J. Whidden, Extension Agent II, Hillsborough County, Seffner Vance M. Whitaker, Assistant Professor, Gulf Coast Research and Education Center – Wimauma Shouan Zhang, Assistant Professor, Tropical Research and Education Center - Homestead Lincoln Zotarelli, Assistant Professor, Horticultural Sciences Department - Gainesville Cover photo: Tomato Chapter formatting and composition Cover photo: Emmanuel A. Torres Bielinski M. Santos and Michelle D. Middleton Acknowledgements The purpose of this book is to provide the best and most up-to-date information available to the primary users of this book - the Florida vege- table industry. This is possible because of the efforts of many University of Florida faculty in several locations around the state. The editors grate- fully acknowledge their contributions. The editors also wish to acknowledge the contributions of the following faculty who have retired or are no longer involved in extension: Richard P. Cromwell, Kent E. Cushman, Craig K. Chandler, James P. Gilreath, George Hochmuth, Chad Hutchinson, Freddie Johnson, Thomas A. Kucharek, Andrew MacRae, Donald N. Maynard, O.N. Nesheim, Kenneth Pernezny, James Price, Kenneth D. Shuler, Allen G. Smajstrla, William M. Stall, David Sui, Charles Vavrina. Disclaimer We appreciate the financial support of Dow AgroScience in the production of this publication. The use of trade names and advertisements in this publication is solely for the purpose of providing specific information. It is not a guarantee or warranty of the products named, and does not signify that they are approved to the exclusion of others of suitable composition. Use pesticides safely. Read and follow directions on the manufac- turer’s label. IFAS info The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer authorized to provide research, edu- cational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function without regard to race, color, sex, age, handi¬cap, or national origin. For information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension Service office, Florida Co- operative Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida (Nick Place, Dean). See our web sites with electronic extension publications at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu and for more information visit “Solutions for Your Life” at http://solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu. ii 2013 Vegetable Production Handbook Contents Chapter 1. Vegetable Production in Florida . Page 1 B.M. Santos, G.E. Vallad, S.M. Olson, G. Liu, E.H. Simonne, M.D. Dukes, L. Zotarelli, J.W. Noling, D.A. Botts, P.J. Dittmar and S.A. Smith Chapter 2. Cole Crop Production. .Page 7 L. Zotarelli, P.J. Dittmar, G.E. Vallad, S.E. Webb, S.M. Olson and N.S. Dufault Chapter 3. Cucurbit Production. .Page 19 E.J. McAvoy, L. Zotarelli, M. Ozores-Hampton, P.J. Dittmar, P.D. Roberts, S.E. Webb and S.M. Olson Chapter 4. Eggplant Production. .Page 37 B.M. Santos, E.J. McAvoy, M. Ozores-Hampton, P.J. Dittmar, S.E. Webb and M. Paret Chapter 5. Leafy Vegetable Production . Page 47 M. Ozores-Hampton, B.M. Santos, P.J. Dittmar, R.N. Raid, S.E. Webb and S.M. Olson Chapter 6. Legume Production . .Page 63 M. Ozores-Hampton, E.J. McAvoy, P.J. Dittmar, S.E. Webb and S. Zhang Chapter 7. Specialty and Minor Vegetable Crop Production. .Page 75 M.L. Lamberts, M. Ozores-Hampton, B.M. Santos, L. Zotarelli, E.J. McAvoy, P.J. Dittmar, S. Zhang, S.E. Webb, R.N. Raid, A.J. Whidden, C.A. Snodgrass, M. Paret and S.M. Olson Chapter 8. Pepper Production. .Page 121 B.M. Santos, E.J. McAvoy, M. Ozores-Hampton, P.J. Dittmar, G.E. Vallad, S.E. Webb and S.M. Olson Chapter 9. Potato Production . .Page 133 L. Zotarelli, B.M. Santos, P.J. Dittmar, P.D. Roberts and S.E. Webb Chapter 10. Strawberry Production . Page 145 B.M. Santos, N.A. Peres, V.M. Whitaker, P.J. Dittmar, H.A. Smith and S.M. Olson Chapter 11. Sweet Corn Production. Page 153 M. Ozores-Hampton, E.J. McAvoy, P.J. Dittmar, S.E. Webb, R.N. Raid and S.M. Olson Chapter 12. Tomato Production. Page 161 B.M. Santos, E.J. McAvoy, M. Ozores-Hampton, G.E. Vallad, P.J. Dittmar, S.E. Webb, H.A. Smith and S.M. Olson Appendix 1. Biopesticides . Page 181 G.E. Vallad, S.E. Webb and H.A. Smith 2013 Vegetable Production Handbook iii Page intentionally left blank Chapter 1. Vegetable Production in Florida Bielinski M. Santos, Gary E. Vallad, Stephen M. Olson, Guodong Liu, Eric H. Simonne, Michael D. Dukes, Lincoln Zotarelli, Joseph W. Noling, Daniel A. Botts, Peter J. Dittmar and Scott A. Smith Introduction and Objective non-regulatory, and incentive-based measures. Best Management Vegetable production in Florida, including melons and strawberry, Practices (BMP) are specific cultural practices aimed at reducing the occurred in approximately 176,000 acres and generated more than load of a specific compound, while maintaining or increasing econom- $1.5 billion in gross sales in 2011, which ranks second among all the ical yields. They are tools available to vegetable growers to achieve states (13% of the total U.S. value). Growing seasons are well defined the TMDL. BMP are intended to be educational, economically sound, by the peninsula geography, allowing Florida to serve as the main veg- environmentally effective, and based on science. It is important to etable supplier during late fall, winter, and early spring months to the recognize that BMP do not aim at becoming an obstacle to vegetable U.S. Although more than 40 vegetable crops are commercially-planted production. Instead, they should be viewed as a means to balance in the state, Florida ranks in the top three on production value of economical vegetable production with environmental responsibility. tomato, bell pepper, snap bean, squash, sweet corn, watermelon, cab- The BMP that will apply to vegetable production in Florida are bage, cucumber, and strawberry (Table 1.1). described in the ‘Agronomic and Vegetable Crop Water Quality/Wa- ter Quantity BMP Manual for Florida’. This manual was developed between 2000 and 2005 through a cooperative effort between state Table 1.1. Vegetable production acreage and value in Florida. agencies, water management districts and commodity groups, and Crop Planted acres Value (million US$) U.S. rank under the scientific leadership of the University of Florida’s Insti- Tomato 32,000 564.7 1 tute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). The manual has Strawberry 9,900 366.3 2 undergone a thorough scientific review in 2003 and was presented Bell pepper 18,700 247.7 2 to stakeholders and state commodity groups for feedback in 2004. Sweet corn 50,500 174.2 1 The manual was adopted by reference in 2006 and by rule in Florida Potato 36,400 144.8 n/a Statutes (5M-8 Florida Administrative Code) and may be consulted Snap bean 46,000 131.3 1 on-line at http://www.floridaagwaterpolicy.com/PDFs/BMPs/ Watermelon 25,900 111.9 1 vegetable&agronomicCrops.pdf. BMP are 1-to-3 page long chapters Squash 12,500 94.9 1 that include a picture, a working definition of the topic, list specific Cabbage 8,800 65.0 3 things to do (BMP) as well as things to avoid (pitfalls), and present ex- Cucumber 10,000 52.0 1 isting applicable technical criteria together with additional references. Source: Vegetables-2011 summary, NASS, USDA. Vegetable growers may get one-on-one information on1) the benefits for joining the BMP program, 2) how to join it, 3) how to The objective of this publication is to provide updated information select the BMP that apply to their operation and 4) record keeping on crop cultivars, pesticide labels, and certain practices for vegetable requirements by getting in con- tact with their county extension agent production in Florida. Suggested practices are guidelines for growers or their local implementation team. to plan farm activities and are always subjected to review using the The vegetable BMP have adopted all current UF/IFAS recom- latest scientific data available. mendations; including those for fertilizer and irrigation management (see BMP no.