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Project Leader(s): John Mishanec,
Area IPM Vegetable Educator, Eastern NY
Cooperators: Alex Kocot, Wayne
Gurda and Tommy Zangrillo, Orange County onion growers; Maire Ullrich,
CCE Orange County, Jan Vanderheide, CCE Oswego County, Prof. Richard
Struab, Entomology, Dept., Hudson Valley Lab
Abstract: Many onion fields have
been in continuous, unbroken production for decades. Insect and disease
populations build up when no rotation is employed. Over the last few
years, onion bulb mites have increased as a problem. It is felt the
mites over-winter on the traditional grass cover crops of oats and barley.
This study was an attempt to evaluate fall planted broad leaf
cover crops. The fall planted covers we looked at were annual crimson
clover, field peas, yellow mustard, hairy vetch and buckwheat. Two growers
in the onion growing region of Orange county and one grower from Oswego
agreed to supply the muck-land and carry out the trials. Fields were
one acre, divided into one-fifth of an acre plots. We evaluated ease
of establishment, root depth and bio mass.
Weather was a factor
in the trial as dry conditions prevailed in the fall. With what rain
that did fall, the three covers that did best were the field peas, buckwheat
and yellow mustard. The hairy vetch and crimson clover did not establish
very well and looked as if they needed to be planted earlier. A killing
frost occurred on October 10, 2001. The field peas kept growing, staying
green till show cover occurred. The other covers frost killed. The yellow
mustard and buckwheat did develop nice top growth and while they did
frost kill, they did provide a good mat to hold the muck soil against
wind erosion.
All the participating
growers were surprised at how well the cover crops established in the
fall. The growers were also happy someone was looking at this aspect
of production and were looking forward to how well the onions performed
after each particular cover. The major concerns for the growers were
spring trash and volunteer weeds. The field peas grew well into the
fall and established a large amount of bio-mass. The yellow mustard
produced a carrot like tap root. While it will help in hard pan breakup,
we will evaluate if it will cause a trash problem with the small seeded
onion planting. Mustards are a serious weed for onion growers. While
the yellow mustard used in this trial is not the same as the weed species,
growers were still weary. Yellow mustard needs long days and warm temperatures
to produce seed. Planting the yellow mustard when we did in the fall
was giving it short days and cool temperatures. Just the opposite of
what it needs for seed production. We will look at the weed and trash
aspects next spring.
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