Effects of Cover Crops and Tillage in a Muskmelon Production System John Hampton Krzton-Presson Iowa State University
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Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Graduate Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 2017 Effects of cover crops and tillage in a muskmelon production system John Hampton Krzton-Presson Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd Part of the Agriculture Commons, and the Horticulture Commons Recommended Citation Krzton-Presson, John Hampton, "Effects of cover crops and tillage in a muskmelon production system" (2017). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 15343. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd/15343 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Effects of cover crops and tillage in a muskmelon production system by John Hampton Krzton-Presson A thesis submitted to the graduate faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE Co-majors: Sustainable Agriculture; Horticulture Program of Study Committee: Ajay Nair, Major Professor Angela Shaw Shubin Saha Cynthia Cambardella The student and the program of study committee are solely responsible for the content of this thesis. The Graduate College will ensure this thesis is globally accessible and will not permit alterations after a degree is conferred. Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 2017 Copyright © John Hampton Krzton-Presson, 2017. All rights reserved. ii DEDICATION I dedicate this thesis to Rachel. Whose presence in my life compelled me to begin, and whose love, grace, and support saw me through until the very end. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................................. v LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................... vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................................... vii ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................... viii CHAPTER 1. GENERAL INTRODUCTION AND THESIS ORGANIZATION .................. 1 CHAPTER 2. EFFECTS OF COVER CROP BASED STRIP-TILLAGE ON PLANT GROWTH AND SOIL PROPERTIES IN A MUSKMELON PRODUCTION SYSTEM ... 13 Abstract ....................................................................................................................... 13 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 14 Materials and Methods ................................................................................................ 19 Site description................................................................................................ 19 Experimental design........................................................................................ 20 Field implementation ...................................................................................... 20 Cover crop and weed measurements............................................................... 23 Soil temperature and moisture ........................................................................ 24 Measurements of soil nutrients and chemical properties ................................ 24 Nitrate-nitrogen in leachate............................................................................. 25 Muskmelon plant growth ................................................................................ 26 Muskmelon yield ............................................................................................ 27 Microbial biomass carbon ............................................................................... 27 Microbial functional diversity......................................................................... 28 Statistical analysis ........................................................................................... 29 Results and Discussion ............................................................................................... 29 Weather ........................................................................................................... 29 Cover crop measurements ............................................................................... 30 Weed biomass ................................................................................................. 31 Soil temperature .............................................................................................. 32 Soil moisture ................................................................................................... 33 Soil nutrient measurements ............................................................................. 33 Nitrate-nitrogen in leachate............................................................................. 35 Muskmelon plant growth ................................................................................ 36 Muskmelon yield ............................................................................................ 38 Microbial biomass carbon ............................................................................... 39 Microbial functional diversity......................................................................... 39 Conclusion .................................................................................................................. 40 Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................... 42 References ................................................................................................................... 43 iv CHAPTER 3. COVER CROP BASED STRIP-TILLAGE FOR MUSKMELON PRODUCTION: YIELD, FRUIT QUALITY, AND FOOD SAFTY .................................... 61 Abstract ....................................................................................................................... 61 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 62 Materials and Methods ................................................................................................ 66 Site description................................................................................................ 66 Experimental design........................................................................................ 66 Field implementation ...................................................................................... 67 Muskmelon yield ............................................................................................ 70 Muskmelon fruit quality ................................................................................. 70 Listeria innocua inoculation and analysis ....................................................... 71 Economic analysis .......................................................................................... 73 Statistical analysis ........................................................................................... 74 Results ......................................................................................................................... 75 Weather ........................................................................................................... 75 Muskmelon yield ............................................................................................ 75 Muskmelon fruits quality ................................................................................ 76 Survival of soilborne Listeria innocua ............................................................ 76 Presence of Listeria innocua on fruit and cover crop mulch .......................... 77 Economic analysis .......................................................................................... 77 Discussion ................................................................................................................... 78 Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................... 83 References ................................................................................................................... 84 CHAPTER 4. CONCLUSIONS ........................................................................................... 100 v LIST OF FIGURES Fig. 1.1. Cereal rye and hairy vetch biculture at the Horticulture Research Station .............. 11 Fig. 1.2. Muskmelons planted into roller crimped cereal rye ................................................. 12 Fig. 2.1 Average monthly air temperature and total monthly precipitation ............................ 57 Fig. 2.2. Weed dry weight biomass......................................................................................... 58 Fig. 2.3. Interaction effects of nitrate-nitrogen and potassium ion concentrations in muskmelon petiole sap ................................................................................................ 59 Fig. 2.4 Microbial biomass carbon ......................................................................................... 60 Fig. 3.1 Average monthly air temperature and total monthly precipitation ............................ 98 Fig. 3.2 Sampling muskmelon rind for detection