Production of Calabaza, Cucurbita Moschata Duchesne, for Direct Market Sale in Massachusetts Using Transplants, Plastic Mulch, and Row Cover
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University of Massachusetts Amherst ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014 2000 Production of calabaza, Cucurbita moschata Duchesne, for direct market sale in Massachusetts using transplants, plastic mulch, and row cover / Matthew T. Rulevich University of Massachusetts Amherst Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umass.edu/theses Rulevich, Matthew T., "Production of calabaza, Cucurbita moschata Duchesne, for direct market sale in Massachusetts using transplants, plastic mulch, and row cover /" (2000). Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014. 3486. Retrieved from https://scholarworks.umass.edu/theses/3486 This thesis is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. It has been accepted for inclusion in Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014 by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. For more information, please contact [email protected]. PRODUCTION OF CALABAZA, CUCURBIT A MOSCHATA DUCHESNE, FOR DIRECT MARKET SALE IN MASSACHUSETTS USING TRANSPLANTS, PLASTIC MULCH, AND ROW COVER A Thesis Presented by MATTHEW T. RULEVICH Submitted to the Graduate School of the University of Massachusetts Amherst in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE May 2000 Department of Plant and Soil Sciences © Copyright by Matthew T. Rulevich 2000 All Rights Reserved PRODUCTION OF CALABAZA, CUCURBITA MOSCHATA DUCHESNE, FOR DIRECT MARKET SALE IN MASSACHUSETTS USING TRANSPLANTS, PLASTIC MULCH, AND ROW COVER A Thesis Presented by MATTHEW T. RULEVICH Approved as to style and content by: MM Anne K esley R. Autio, Member Stephen^.rfl Herbert/Member 'Bramla^e, Department I le nt of Plant and Soil Science ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to thank Dr. Anne K. Carter for her tremendous input and aid in the refinement of the final product, as well as for her help in the field, Dr. Wesley R. Autio for his statistical insights throughout the project, Dr. Stephen J. Herbert for his objective review, and Dr. William J. Bramlage for aid in obtaining the funds necessary for me to complete the Master’s program. I would also like to acknowledge the Massachusetts Department of Food and Agriculture, the USDA Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program, the UMass Public Service Endowment Grant, and the New England Vegetable and Berry Growers Association for financial support, Ken-Bar and Johnny’s Selected Seeds for their donation of materials, and Mark Mazzola, Timothy Cote, Sara Alterisio, Bethany Roth, and Kathy Ready for their assistance in conducting the field experiments. IV TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.iv LIST OF TABLES.vi LIST OF FIGURES.viii CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION.1 Literature Review.2 Calabaza .2 Transplants.3 Plastic Mulch.6 Row covers.8 Transplants, Plastic Mulch, and Row Covers .11 Objectives .13 2. PRODUCTION OF CALABAZA, CUCURBIT A MOSCHATA DUCHESNE, FOR DIRECT MARKET SALE IN MASSACHUSETTS USING TRANSPLANTS, PLASTIC MULCH. AND ROW COVER Abstract .14 Introduction.15 Materials and Methods.18 Results.21 Discussion .27 3. CONCLUSION .51 APPENDIX: TABLES AND FIGURES.54 LITERATURE CITED .73 v LIST OF TABLES Table Page 2.1. Mean rainfall and temperature for Massachusetts growing seasons 1998 and 1999 (collected at the Amherst College weather station in Amherst, MA.).36 2.2. Calabaza and butternut: Treatment effect on plant population per hectare over 1998 and 1999. 37 2.3a. Calabaza and butternut number of fruit per plant, average fruit size, and total yield as effected by the use of transplants, plastic mulch, and row covers in 1998-1999.41 2.3b. ANOVA for calabaza and butternut number of fruit per plant, average fruit size, and total yield as effected by the use of transplants, plastic mulch, and row covers in 1998-1999. 42 2.4. Calabaza and butternut number of fruit per plant, average fruit size, and total yield as effected by the use of transplants, plastic mulch, and row covers in 1998 . 43 2.5. Calabaza and butternut number of fruit per plant, average fruit size, and total yield as effected by the use of transplants, plastic mulch, and row covers in 1999.44 2.6. Calabaza number of fruit per plant, average fruit size, and total yield as effected by the use of transplants, plastic mulch, and row covers in 1998-1999. 45 2.7. Butternut number of fruit per plant, average fruit size, and total yield as effected by the use of transplants, plastic mulch, and row covers in 1998-1999.46 2.8. Butternut number of fruit per plant, average fruit size, and total yield as effected by the use of transplants, plastic mulch, and row covers in 1998.47 2.9. Butternut number of fruit per plant, average fruit size, and total yield as effected by the use of transplants, plastic mulch, and row covers in 1999.48 2.10. Calabaza number of fruit per plant, average fruit size, and total yield as effected by the use of transplants, plastic mulch, and row covers in 1998. ..... 49 2.11 Calabaza number of fruit per plant, average fruit size, and total yield as effected by the use of transplants, plastic mulch, and row covers in 1999 vi A.l. Calabaza fruit set weekly progression by treatment main effect, 1998. 57 A.2. Calabaza fruit set weekly progression by treatment main effect, 1999. 58 A.3. Calabaza fruit set weekly progression by treatment combination 1998. 59 A.4. Calabaza fruit set weekly progression by treatment combination 1999. 60 A.5. Buttemut&Calabaza: Treatment combination effect on number of fruit per plant, fruit size (kg), and total yield (t-ha1) in 1998-1999. 61 A.6. Buttemut&Calabaza: Treatment combination effect on number of fruit per plant, fruit size (kg), and total yield (t-ha1) in 1998.62 A.7. Buttemut&Calabaza: Treatment combination effect on number of fruit per plant, fruit size (kg), and total yield (t-ha'1) in 1999. 63 A.8. Calabaza: Treatment combination effect on number of fruit per plant, fruit size (kg), and total yield (t-ha'1) in 1998-1999. 64 A.9. Calabaza: Treatment combination effect on number of fruit per plant, fruit size (kg), and total yield (t-ha'1) in 1998. 65 A. 10. Calabaza: Treatment combination effect on number of fruit per plant, fruit size (kg), and total yield (t-ha'1) in 1999. 66 A. 11. Butternut: Treatment combination effect on number of fruit per plant, fruit size (kg), and total yield (t-ha'1) in 1998-1999. 67 A. 12. Butternut: Treatment combination effect on number of fruit per plant, fruit size (kg), and total yield (t-ha'1) in 1998. 68 A. 13. Butternut: Treatment combination effect on number of fruit per plant, fruit size (kg), and total yield (t-ha'1) in 1999. 69 A. 14. Treatment combination effect on percentage of calabaza fruit that fall into the Caribbean Latino consumer preferred range in 1998-1999. 70 A. 15. Treatment combination effect on percentage of calabaza fruit that fall into the Caribbean Latino consumer preferred range in 1998. 71 A. 16. Treatment combination effect on percentage of calabaza fruit that fall into the Caribbean Latino consumer preferred range in 1999. 72 vii LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 2.1. Cumulative fruit set as effected by direct-seeding or transplanting in 1998 and 1999 . 38 2.2. Cumulative fruit set as effected by non-mulched or plastic mulched treatments in 1998 and 1999. 39 2.3. Cumulative fruit set as effected by non-covered or polyester spun-bonded row cover treatments for calabaza in 1998 and 1999.40 A. 1. Cumulative fruit set by treatment combination in 1998. 55 A.2. Cumulative fruit set by treatment combination 1999. 56 Vlll CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Latinos are the fastest growing ethnic group in the Commonwealth. The 1997 Census for Massachusetts estimated that Spanish-speaking peoples, representing many diverse Latin American countries and cultures, represent 5% of the population (US Census, 1997). Latino populations are concentrated in the larger cities of Massachusetts and have the potential to represent a large proportion of the consumer base at farmers’ markets, urban chain stores, and urban farm stands. Over the past few years, Latinos have addressed their interest in growing and purchasing vegetables native to their countries to members of the UMass Extension Vegetable and Small Fruit Team (F.X. Mangan, personal communication). After interviewing Latinos for food preferences, and searching the literature for suggested cultural practices, a collaborative project was initiated to identify a production research agenda for crops that have potential for being popular among Latino consumers and would be viable for production by local farmers. Due to a dominance of Puerto Ricans and Dominicans among Latinos in Massachusetts, the emphasis of the project was to grow crops specific to their respective cultures. One crop was identified that showed potential for consumer interest and was unfamiliar to most vegetable growers in Massachusetts: calabaza, Cucurbita moschata Duchesne, a winter-type squash. Calabaza is the most important non-root crop consumed in Puerto Rico (Maynard and Elmstrom, 1993 ). Production practices applicable to the Northeast were unknown to Extension professionals and growers and therefore research was conducted to provide appropriate growing recommendations. 1 Literature Review Calabaza Calabaza is a pumpkin of tropical origin. Calabaza is a general term applied by Latinos to many distinct variations of Cucurbita moschata that are grown throughout the world. Classification as a moschata is primarily due to the pronounced flaring of the woody peduncle at the junction of the stem and fruit. Although referred to as a ‘pumpkin’ (C. maxima), calabaza shares more common traits with butternut-type winter squashes (Cucurbita moschata Duchesne) commonly grown throughout the United States. Researchers in Florida conducted a market study to establish the consumer preferences of Caribbean Latinos for specific traits that would provide for a breeding strategy (Carbonnell et al., 1990).