1. Crops Working Group Progress Report
Biodegradable Mulches for Specialty Crops Produced
Under Protective Covers
Crops Working Group
Progress Report
Annette Wszelaki and Jeff Martin, TN Russ Wallace and Joel Webb, TX
Carol Miles, Tom Walters, Debbie Inglis, Jonathan Roozen, Babette Gundersen, Jacky King and Jeremy Cowan, WA

2. Crops WG key objectives:
Evaluate high-value crops commonly used in high tunnel production in relation to productivity, environmental conditions, pest/disease threats, and profitability.
Evaluate tomatoes grown in HT versus open field settings with five BDM treatments and a bareground control.

3. Tomatoes

4. Tomato Results HT plots out-yielded OF plots in all 3 locations
For total yield, Celebrity and Early Girl out-yielded Cherokee Purple in HTs in TX (‘10) and TN (’10 and ‘11); Celebrity out-yielded both varieties in the OF plots (‘10)
In WA, Early Girl and Cherokee Purple out-yielded Celebrity (‘11) for total yields
Early Girl had higher marketable yields in both the OF and HT plots than the other varieties

5. Marketable Yield (kg/plot)
 TOMATO
Total Yield (kg/plot)
Marketable Yield (kg/plot)
2010
2011
Knoxville
Production System
0.0004
<0.0001
Variety
0.0079
0.0003
PS * V
0.0032
0.0641
0.4903
Lubbock
0.2249
0.0831
0.0181
Mount Vernon
0.0103
0.0009
0.9591
0.0013
0.0020
0.1222
0.3923
0.1948
0.2168

6. Marketable Yield (kg/plot)
 TOMATO
Total Yield (kg/plot)
Marketable Yield (kg/plot)
2010
2011
Knoxville
High Tunnel
48.7 a
50.0 a
11.7 a
25.6 a
Open Field
25.5 b
29.4 b
1.0 b
13.4 b
Significance
0.0004
<0.0001
Lubbock
56.3 a
29.9 a
18.1 a
17.0 a
0.0 b
2.9 b
Mount Vernon
26.5 a
35.6 a
4.2 a
21.0 a
5.9 b
7.3 b
0.5 b
3.3 b
0.0103
0.0009

7. Marketable Yield (kg/plot)
 TOMATO
Total Yield (kg/plot)
Marketable Yield (kg/plot)
High Tunnels
Open Field
2010
2011
Knoxville
Early Girl
58.8 a
60.9 a
23.3 b
32.9 a
24.8 a
37.4 a
2.0 a
21.8 a
Celebrity
50.6 a
55.5 a
31.4 a
34.2 a
9.7 b
23.6 b
0.8 b
12.0 b
Ch. Purple
36.5 b
33.5 b
21.7 b
21.2 b
0.6 c
15.8 b
0.2 b
6.5 c
Significance
0.0064
0.0032
0.011
<0.0001
0.0051
0.0024
0.001
Lubbock
69.7 a
26.7
11.9 b
40.0 a
20.1
4.8 a
67.0 a
36.3
23.6 a
10.7 b
19.2
3.6 ab
32.2 b
26.8
4.8 b
3.6 b
11.8
0.3 b
0.029
0.1459
0.0063
1.0
0.002
0.1302
0.05
Mount Vernon
27.4
37.9 a
5.7
6.9
8.9 a
32.7 a
1.4
5.7 a
25.4
23.1 b
4.7
5.2
2.9 a
10.5 c
0.2
1.9 b
45.8 a
7.2
9.8
0.7 b
20.0 b
0.0
2.4 b
0.483
0.0036
0.1354 NS
0.0331
0.0007
0.0657
0.0222

8. Lettuce

9. Lettuce Results
No difference between HTs and OFs yields in TX or WA; TN results varied by year and weather conditions
Romaines were top performing type in all three locations

10. Marketable Yield (kg/plot)
 LETTUCE
Total Yield (kg/plot)
Marketable Yield (kg/plot)
2010
2011
Knoxville
Production System
0.0129
0.4178
0.0038
<0.0001
Variety
0.0702
0.0003
0.0553
PS * V
0.0057
0.0531
Lubbock
0.2004
0.1775
0.2006
0.2699
0.0006
0.0195
0.0167
0.1946
0.1992
Mount Vernon
0.9749
0.7367
0.1377
0.7825
0.5142
0.6682
0.7022
0.1535
0.3939
0.0025

11. Marketable Yield (kg/plot)
 LETTUCE
Total Yield (kg/plot)
Marketable Yield (kg/plot)
2010
2011
Knoxville
High Tunnel
15.4 a
15.0
4.3 b
10.5 a
Open Field
11.9 b
14.1
8.5 a
6.7 b
Significance
0.0129
0.4178
0.0038
<0.0001
Lubbock
17.0
18.1
16.7
17.5
16.3
15.4
15.8
0.2004
0.2006
0.1775
0.2699
Mount Vernon
16.6
19.6
8.4
8.7
19.8
10.5
0.9749
0.7367
0.1377
0.7825

12. Lettuce Total Yield (kg/plot) Lettuce Marketable Yield (kg/plot)
Knoxville
Lubbock
Mount Vernon HT OF
Variety
2010*
2011
2010
Coastal Star
13.2
19.8 a
16.6 a
22.9 b
23.0 a
21.1 a
24.0 b
22.2 a
17.4
26.5 a
17.9
29.0 ab
Jericho Star
15.2
21.8 a
14.6 ab
27.9 a
23.6 a
22.3 a
28.7 a
20.2
29.5 a
23.1
23.7 b
Ermosa
22.7
13.3 b
10.9 c
9.2 cd
14.3 b
18.8 ab
12.4 d
12.4 bc
14.0
29.6 a
9.5
32.6 a
Adriana
16.6
14.8 b
10.4 c
10.7 c
15.2 b
19.4 a
11.2 d
11.6 c
21.5
8.9 c
15.7
8.9 d
New Red Fire
8.0 c
6.4 d
5.8 e
11.6 b
10.7 b
12.0 d
12.8 bc
10.6
13.9 b
21.9
13.6 c
Greenstar
11.5
12.5 b
12.3 bc
7.9 de
14.4 b
16.2 ab
20.3 c
16.5 b
16.0
9.0 c
14.1
10.8 cd
Significance
0.1026
<.0001
0.0017
0.7563
0.6321
Lettuce Marketable Yield (kg/plot)
Knoxville
Lubbock
Mount Vernon HT OF
Variety
2010*
2011
2010
Coastal Star
6.5
18.6 a
14.7 a
5.0 bc
23.0
17.8
23.1 b
21.6 a
10.2
11.5 b
12.5
10.0 b
Jericho Star
5.1
9.8 bc
2.6 c
23.6
22.3
27.9 a
20.2 ab
6.2
19.0 a
10.3
13.3 a
Ermosa
2.7
7.2 c
7.6 bc
9.0 a
14.3
18.8
3.1 d
12.2 cd
10.8
4.3 c
8.1
8.5 b
Adriana
8.2 bc
7.4 bc
10.0 a
15.2
19.4
6.2 d
11.4 d
5.0
5.0 c
5.4 c
New Red Fire
3.9
7.9 bc
3.9 c
5.8 b
11.6
10.7
12.0 c
12.8 cd
6.9
6.3 c
12.1
7.5 bc
Greenstar
4.7
7.9 ab
12.7
16.2
20.3 b
16.5 bc
11.1
6.2 c
9.5
5.7 c
Significance
0.0637
0.0001
0.0024
0.0013
0.2360
<.0001
0.0012
0.3600
0.8194
0.0003

13. Strawberries

14. Strawberry Results
High tunnel plots out-yield open field plots in TX and TN
Spring planting did not work well in TX and TN
Plugs out-performed bare-rooted plants
Festival top performer in HTs in TX and TN; Albion in WA
In general, dayneutral varieties Albion and San Andreas were more productive in WA, while the June-bearing varieties, like Strawberry Festival had higher marketable yields in TX and TN

15. Marketable Yield (kg/plot)
 STRAWBERRY
Total Yield (kg/plot)
Marketable Yield (kg/plot)
2010
2011
Knoxville
Production System
<0.0001
Variety
0.0007
0.0005
0.0012
0.0008
PS * V
0.0020
0.0605
0.0021
0.0402
Lubbock NA
Mount Vernon
0.0646
0.6913
0.6409
0.1479
0.0159
0.0879
0.0698
0.1600
0.1923
0.3457

16. Marketable Yield (kg/plot)
 STRAWBERRY
Total Yield (kg/plot)
Marketable Yield (kg/plot)
2010
2011
Knoxville
High Tunnel
1.1 a
8.3 a
0.9 a
6.2 a
Open Field
0.1 b
2.5 b
1.6 b
Significance
<0.0001
Lubbock
10.1 a
9.3 a
1.5 b
1.1 b
NA 
 NA
Mount Vernon
10.8
7.6
8.2
6.8
12.8
7.8
8.0
6.5
0.0635
0.6913
0.6409
0.1479

17. 2011 Strawberry Total Yield (kg/plot)
 2010 Total Strawberry Yield (kg/plot)
Knoxville
Lubbock
Mount Vernon
Variety HT OF
San Andreas (B)
0.9 b
0.05 b
10.5
10.8 b
Albion (B)
0.09 b
11.0
13.0 a
Seascape (B)
1.6 a
0.22 a 
14.6 a
Significance
0.0031
0.0018
 NA
0.8564
0.0038
2011 Strawberry Total Yield (kg/plot)
Knoxville
Lubbock
Mount Vernon
Variety HT OF
San Andreas (B)
7.6 ab
1.8 bc
6.1 d
0.4 c
11.6 b
13.3 c
Albion (P)
10.2 a
5.0 a
9.6 c
3.5 a
20.5 a
21.0 a
Albion (B)
5.4 b
1.6 c
5.3 d
13.4 b
16.3 b
Chandler (P)
9.8 a
1.5 c 
10.8 bc
1.4 c
1.1 e
Festival (P)
11.1 a
3.0 b
15.4 a
2.4 a
3.5 c
2.3 de
LCN (P)
5.9 b
1.9 bc
13.5 ab
1.7 b
4.4 c
4.1 d
Significance
0.0168
0.0002
<0.0001

18. 2011 Marketable Strawberry Yield (kg/plot)
Knoxville
Lubbock
Mount Vernon
Variety HT OF
San Andreas (B)
0.6 b
0.01 b
8.0
6.7 c
Albion (B)
0.8 b
0.04 b
8.4
8.1 b
Seascape (B)
1.3 a
 0.13 a
8.3
9.3 a
Significance
0.0037
0.0026
 NA
0.9371
0.0043
2011 Marketable Strawberry Yield (kg/plot)
Knoxville
Lubbock
Mount Vernon
Variety HT OF
San Andreas (B)
5.5 bcd
1.4 bc
12.3 d
0.6 c
8.4 b
8.7 c
Albion (P)
7.5 ab
3.4 a
19.4 c
6.4 a
15.1 a
14.3 a
Albion (B)
4.0 d
1.2 bc
10.8 d
0.7 c
9.9 ab
10.8 b
Chandler (P)
7.0 abc
0.9 c
22.2 bc
0.6 d
0.5 f
Festival (P)
8.6 a
1.8 b
31.4 a
3.8 b
2.9 c
1.8 e
LCN (P)
4.5 cd
1.0 bc
26.2 ab
2.9 b
3.4 c
2.5 d
Significance
0.0156
0.0003
<0.0001

19. Slide courtesy of Russ Wallace,
Texas A & M

20. Strawberry vs. Blackberry

21. BDMs

22. BDM Results
WeedGuardPlus, BioTelo and BioBag had the greatest number of RTH, PVD, AUMDC values at all three sites
Values were greater in OF than HTs
SB-PLA-10 showed no deterioration at all sites and was equivalent to black plastic
Weed growth at Knoxville and Mount Vernon was greatest under SB-PLA-10
Total # and total fruit weight were lowest for bare ground at both Knoxville and Mount Vernon; BioBag tended to have the highest yield in WA

23. # of RTH/bed in WA High Tunnel 16-Jun 30-Jun 14-Jul 28-Jul 16-Aug
2-Sep
15-Sep
29-Sep
BioBag
1.8
3.0 a
2.5 a
7.3 a
7.8 b
12.8 b
14.0 b
15.8 ab
BioTelo
3.8
3.8 a
4.3 a
9.5 a
15.5 a
22.5 a
26.3 a
28.5 a
WeedGuardPlus
0.3
2.0 a
2.3 a
4.5 b
5.8 b
6.0 bc
9.8 b
9.5 ab
SB-PLA-10
0.0
0.0 b
0.0 c
0.0 d
Black Plastic
0.8 c
1.3 c
1.5 c
1.5 b
P value
0.0625
0.0011
0.0005
<.0001
Open Field
0.5 yz
1.3 y
2.0 yz
9.3 x
10.5 xy
19.5 y
20.8 y
21.8 x
1.5 xy
1.8 y
6.0 x
13.0 x
18.3 x
17.0 y
28.3 y
33.5 x
4.8 x
5.0 x
6.8 x
7.3 x
7.5 xy
11.5 y
25.0 y
72.8 w
0.0 z
0.5 z
0.8 y
1.5 z
2.8 z
3.0 z
0.8 yz
2.8 xy
6.3 x
5.5 yz
10.0 y
10.5 z
13.8 y
0.0069
0.0020
0.0043
0.0013
0.0104
0.0099
0.0009

24. # of RTH/bed in TX High Tunnel 28-May 7-Jun 22-Jun 19-Jul 8-Oct BioBag
0.0
1.3
1.5 ab z
13.3 ab
BioTelo
0.8
1.0
1.0 b
17.0 a
WeedGuardPlus
1.5
4.0 a
23.5 a
SB-PLA-10
0.0 b
Black Plastic
P value
0.1024
0.3872
0.0264
0.0272
Open Field
2.8 xy
1.8 z
4.0 y
7.5 y
13.3 z
4.3 x
6.5 y
7.0 x
8.3 y
7.8 z
0.0 z
4.5 y
29.5 y
0.3 yz
0.5 z
0.008
0.0005
0.0001
0.001

27. Total weed # and FW (g) per 0.6 m2
Knoxville, TN
Mount Vernon, WA
First Flower
Final Harvest
Weed #
(plot-1)
Weed FW (g plot-1)
Field location
High tunnel
11.3
15.0
3.4
41.6
25.5
341.6
6.9
19.3
Open field
9.2
13.6
3.0
54.1
35.7
256.8
6.1
10.1
P value
0.3767
0.8377
0.5034
0.5066
0.2951
0.0593
0.5018
0.7164
Mulch Treatment
BioBag
2.3 bu
4.6 b
0.0 b
18.8 b
91.0 b
1.3 b
1.4 b
BioTelo
2.1 b
1.9 b
10.4 b
154.1 b
2.4 b
6.2 b
WeedGuardPlus
1.8 b
0.7 b
13.1 b
55.7 b
3.3 b
2.3 b
SB-PLA-10
123.7 a
190.8 a
16.0 a
47.4 a
98.5 a a
24.3 a
61.1 a
Black Plastic
0.3 b
0.5 b
12.3 b
167.3 b
2.7 b
<0.0001
0.0163
0.0085

28. Total # and Weight for Tomato Fruit
Knoxville, TN
Lubbock, TX
Mount Vernon, WA
Production System
Fruit # (plot-1)
Fruit Wt. (kg plot-1)
High Tunnel
175.2 a
29.2
425.2 a
45.0 a
72.7 a
18.7 a
Open Field
123.6 b
28.1
244.0 b
28.3 b
14.0 b
2.0 b
P value
<0.0001
0.5797
 0.0001
0.0008
0.0005
Mulch Treatment
BioBag
155.3 y
29.7 y
315.9
34.1
51.1 x
12.5 w
BioTelo
148.9 y
28.5 y
312.0
35.1
49.6 xy
12.0 wx
WeedGuardPlus
152.6 y
29.3 y
315.5
32.5
42.9 xyz
10.0 xyz
SB-PLA-10
156.4 y
29.8 y
389.0
43.1
39.0 y
9.0 yz
Black Plastic
167.3 y
32.0 y
306.0
43.1 xy
10.1 wxy
Bareground
116.0 z
22.7 z
369.1
42.4
34.4 z
8.3 z
0.0397
0.0249
0.6209
0.3950
0.0083
0.0036

29. Deliverables

30. Abstracts 5 abstracts to professional meetings submitted to date
6 planned for submission to ASHS 2012
Proposed colloquium for BDM’s for ASHS 2012

31. Manuscripts
Evaluation of Biodegradable Spun-Melt 100% Polylactic Acid Nonwovens Mulch Materials in a Greenhouse Environment (In review in Journal of Engineered Fibers and Fabrics)
Deterioration of Potentially Biodegradable Alternatives to Plastic Mulch in Three Tomato Production Regions (In internal review to be submitted to HortScience)
Lettuce Yield and Quality When Grown Under High Tunnels in Three Diverse Climates (In preparation to be submitted to HortTech)
Case Study on High Tunnels (In preparation to be submitted to HortTech)

32. Presentations 33 presentations by WA Crops WG team members
21 presentations by TN Crops WG team members
25 presentations by TX Crops WG team members
79 presentations TOTAL since project inception

33. Questions?