Horticultural Studies 1998 John R

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville ScholarWorks@UARK Research Series Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station 5-1-1999 Horticultural Studies 1998 John R. Clark University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Michael D. Richardson University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.uark.edu/aaesser Part of the Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, and the Horticulture Commons Recommended Citation Clark, John R. and Richardson, Michael D., "Horticultural Studies 1998" (1999). Research Series. 137. https://scholarworks.uark.edu/aaesser/137 This Report is brought to you for free and open access by the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station at ScholarWorks@UARK. It has been accepted for inclusion in Research Series by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UARK. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. HORTICULTURAL STUDIES 1998 Edited by John R. Clark and Michael D. Richardson ARKANSAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION Division of Agriculture University of Arkansas May 1999 Research Series 466 Editing and cover design by Karen Eskew Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, Fayetteville. Milo J. Shult, Vice President for Agriculture and Director; Charles J. Scifres, Associate Vice President for Agriculture. PS1.20599PM65.The Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station follows a nondiscriminatory policy in programs and employment. ISSN:0099-5010 CODEN:AKAMA6 HORTICULTURAL STUDIES 1998 John R. Clark, editor Associate Professor Horticulture University of Arkansas Michael D. Richardson, editor Assistant Professor Horticulture University of Arkansas Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701 PREFACE This initial volume of Horticultural Studies reports results of numerous investiga- tions on a range of horticultural crops in Arkansas. This publication is intended to give the reader increased information on current activities underway in the Division of Ag- riculture in the area of horticulture and its many related disciplines. Our goals with this publication include; 1) informing the citizens of Arkansas about ongoing investiga- tions in the area of horticulture, and 2) providing recent findings of research that can be utilized in production or use of horticultural crops. Our hope is that the information in Horticultural Studies 1998 will be of value to all interested in horticultural crops in Arkansas. These reports, along with new and continuing research, teaching, and extension programs, are intended to serve the citizens of the state by improving quality of life, enhancing food supplies, and providing safe and enjoyable recreational areas. You may find this publication on the internet at the following web address: www.uark.edu/depts/agripub/Publications/researchseries/ John R. Clark and Michael D. Richardson, Editors SPECIAL THANKS Thanks are expressed to the donors listed below who contributed to Horticulture programs in 1998. External support of all programs is critical to the continuing en- hancement of Horticulture industries in Arkansas. 4-H Adult Leaders Assn. Kalo Inc. Alf Christianson Seed Co. Keeling Irrigation Co. Allen Canning Co. Lofts Seed Co. Ampac Seed Co. McClinton Anchor Inc. Alternative Pest Control Center National Science Foundation Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation National Turfgrass Evaluation Program Arkansas Science and Technology Authority Novartis Crop Protection Inc. Arkansas Greenhouse Growers Assn. Ocean Organics Inc. Arkansas Nurserymen’s Assn. PickSeed West Arkansas State Horticultural Society Pinnacle Country Club Arkansas Golf Course Superintendents Assn. Pure-Seed Testing Arkansas Turfgrass Assn. Quail Valley Farm Inc. Asgrow Seed Co. Roger Pace Bayer Corp. Rohm & Haas Co. California Spinach Mildew Committee Soil Testing and Research Board California Spinach Committee Stone Bridge Meadows Golf Club Cascade International Seed Co. Strong-Lite Products Corp. Chenal Country Club Terra Industries Classic Groundcovers Inc. Texarkana Country Club Cleary Chemical Toyota Foundation Crescent Hotel Turf Merchants Inc. Dow AgroSciences Turf Diagnostics and Design Drake Farms Uniroyal Chemical Co. Fianna Hills Country Club University of Arkansas Teaching Gerber Products Co. and Learning Support Center Golf Cars of Arkansas Wal-Mart Inc. Gowan Co. Warren Tomato Market Greenleaf Nurseries Water-Rings Inc. Griffin Corp. Westwood Gardens Indiana Berry Co. Willamette Valley Plant Breeders International Sulfur Inc. Williams Lawn Seed Co. International Seed Co. Winrock Grass Farm ISK Biotech Corp. Winter Garden Spinach Growers Assn. Jeff Smith Zeneca Inc. FRUIT AND VEGETABLE HORTICULTURE 1998 HIGHLIGHTS Horticulture connects with people in many ways including an enhanced awareness concerning the importance of fruits and vegetables in our diet. The health benefits of such a diet is gaining wide recognition throughout the public and will likely provide tremendous opportunities for research, education and business development. Significant faculty additions and programmatic efforts were made to the university’s fruit and vegetable programs in 1998. Keith Striegler joined the department as Extension Specialist -- commercial fruit crops. He has degrees from the University of Arkansas and Michigan State University. He was previously on faculty at Oklahoma State University. Most recently he was on faculty at Fresno State where he held the Julio Gallo Chair for Viticulture Research. He now assumes statewide leadership for extension fruit programs and will focus on development of the fruit industry. Phytochemicals, naturally-occurring compounds found in a wide range of fruits and vegetables, are now being researched relative to their positive impact on human health. Researchers, in collaboration with UA-Medical Sciences faculty, are using conventional breeding, biochemical, and biotechnological methods to enhance the phytochemical characteristics of fruit and vegetable cultivars. Fruit crop acreage has the potential to expand as the demand for fresh fruit continues to climb, particularly relative to direct marketing. Plasticulture strawberry trials were established at three locations across the state to better evaluate the system under Arkansas conditions. These locations were UA-Fayetteville, a commercial site in Searcy, and at the Southwest Research and Extension Center in Hope. Fruit Breeding Program released ‘Summit’ southern highbush blueberry in 1998 which, along with 1996 release ‘Ozarkblue’, offers high-yielding cultivars that ripen later than midseason northern and southern highbush cultivars but earlier than rabbiteye cultivars. These new cultivars are adapted to areas similar to central Arkansas and southward with adaptability confirmed in trials at the Southwest Research and Extension Center, Hope. Additionally, two blackberry and two table grape cultivars were approved for release and are under propagation for public availability for 1999-2000. Advanced selections of nectarines are under final evaluation for release in the near future. The “Arkansas Fruit Green Newsletter” was redesigned in a collaboration between horticulture faculty and staff in the Cooperative Extension’s Communications Department. This newsletter disseminates timely information on a range of topics important to commercial fruit producers in the state. Fresh-market vegetable crops include melons, squash, peppers, sweet corn, sweet potatoes, cabbage, greens, spinach and southern peas. The use of drip irrigation and black plastic has increased to near 100% for the tomato industry, and nearly 40% for the melon industry. The introduction of this technology was promoted extensively by extension specialists with a new Agricultural and Natural Resource Plasticulture Emphasis Program. Multi-disciplinary collaboration with tomato growers, extension personnel, researchers, and students worked toward solving problems critical to the state’s 1,100 acres of tomatoes in Bradley, Drew, and Ashley counties. An on-farm research project in collaboration with grower Roger Pace provided faculty a site maintained under industry conditions. The project was viewed during a Tomato Study Day in May. A tomato marketing newsletter from the Southeast Research and Extension Center, Monticello, was sent to growers in 11 counties from May through July. The Spinach Program at the University of Arkansas is an example of multi- disciplinary and multi-state effort with participation of research and extension faculty. A formal agreement was signed between the University of Arkansas and Texas A&M University to facilitate collaboration between faculty relative to extension and research programs. Collaborative research between the UA Division of Agriculture and UA-Pine Bluff was conducted at the Cotton Branch Station, Marianna. Trials involved new technology relative to use of transplants and drip irrigation to increase early okra production. Vegetable Breeding Program releases in recent years include ‘Excel’, ‘Early Scarlet’, and ‘Arkansas Blackeye #1’ southernpeas. ‘Excel’ is a new pinkeye purple hull southernpea which has a compact bush plant and shells easily at the green mature stage. ‘Early Scarlet’ is a pinkeye purple hull type, medium sized plant that shells easily at the green mature stage. ‘Arkansas Blackeye #1’ produces a bush plant that shells easily at the green mature stage. All of these new varieties are more adapted to mechanical harvesting. A Multi-state Educational Program between Arkansas (University of Arkansas, Arkansas

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