Winter wheat straw management on subsequent processing tomato yield, quality, economics and nitrogen dynamics

Abstract

Van Eerd, L. L., Loewen, S. A. and Vyn, R. J. 2015. Winter wheat straw management on subsequent processing tomato yield, quality, economics and nitrogen dynamics. Can. J. Plant Sci. 95: 273Á283. The removal of crop residues to meet the anticipated demand for the bioeconomy sector may impact subsequent crop productivity. A field experiment was designed to evaluate the response of processing tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) on winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) straw management practices of: (1) retaining straw, (2) removing straw, or (3) retaining straw with a fall application of calcium ammonium nitrate at 34 kg N ha(1 to enhance straw decomposition. At two locations in 2006Á2009, a split-plot design within a randomized complete block experiment, with wheat straw management as main-plot factor and nitrogen fertilizer (0 and 145 or 224 kg N ha(1 ) to the tomato crop as split-plot factor. At Ridgetown, marketable and total yield and profit margins were significantly higher with straw retained compared with straw removed treatments (total yield of 74.4 vs. 66.3 Mg ha(1 yr (1 , respectively) but the straw retained plus fall N treatment (total yield 72.8 Mg ha(1 yr( 1 ) was not different. However, at Leamington, straw management had no effect on yield or profit margins likely due to the rye (Secale cereale L.) cover crop used in the production system. At both locations, tomato quality (color, pH, soluble solids) was not influenced by straw or N management. Nitrogen fertilizer application to tomato had a significant effect on total processing yield, soil mineral N, and plant N, but wheat straw management had no effect on these parameters and there were no N fertilizer by straw management interactions. Winter wheat straw management did not impact soil N fertility for subsequent crop production. Thus, there may be significant undesired effects of removing crop residues on a subsequent crop yield; however, planting a cover crop may mitigate subsequent yield losses associated with biomass removal.Key words: Solanum lycopersicum, Triticum aestivum, stover, fruit quality, profit margins Van Eerd, L. L., Loewen, S. A. et Vyn, R. J. 2015. La gestion de la paille de ble´d'hiver et son incidence sur le rendement des tomates de transformation, leur qualite´, les parame`tres e´conomiques et la dynamique de l'azote. Can. J. Plant Sci. 95: 273Á283. Enlever les re´sidus des cultures pour re´pondre a`la demande pre´vue de la bio-e´conomie pourrait avoir un impact sur la productivite´agricole. Les auteurs ont proce´de´a`une expe´rience sur le terrain afin d'e´valuer la re´action de la tomate de transformation (Solanum lycopersicum L.) aux pratiques de gestion applicables a`la paille de ble´d'hiver (Triticum aestivum L.). Les pratiques en question e´taient les suivantes : 1) maintien de la paille, 2) retrait de la paille ou 3) pre´servation de la paille et application automnale de nitrate d'ammonium et de calcium a`raison de 34 kg de N par hectare en vue d'acce´le´rer la de´composition des re´sidus. Les chercheurs ont ame´nage´des p...

Effects of cover crop, N and residue management on the financial sustainability of processing tomatoes in Southwestern Ontario

“…Using the marketable (red, green, and breakers) fruit weight and harvest area, marketable yield was calculated and expressed as fresh weight per hectare (Mg ha −1 ). For the first four years, this measure was used directly (Belfry et al, 2017;Van Eerd, Loewen and Vyn, 2015) and for the 2019 and 2020 seasons, these values were corrected for anthracnose lesions as these assessments were available (Trueman et al, 2023).…”