Yields and Soil Quality under Transitional Organic High Tunnel Tomatoes

Abstract

<jats:p>Interest in unheated plastic film-covered high tunnels to extend the growing season of high-value fruits and vegetables is growing rapidly, but sustainable soil management in intensively managed high tunnels is challenging. Yields, fruit quality, and soil quality in transition organic and conventional tomato were measured over the course of three growing seasons. Nitrogen (N) was applied at the rate of 112, 168, and 224 kg total N/ha in the form of chicken manure compost to the organic treatments and a polymer-coated slow-release urea fertilizer in the conventional treatments. Marketable yield of organically grown tomatoes was lower in Year 1 but equaled conventional tomatoes in Years 2 and 3. Soil quality as measured by total carbon (C) and N and microbial activity was significantly greater in organic tomato production at the end of the study. Significant phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) applied with the composted manure resulted in high soil P and K levels in organically managed high tunnels after just 3 years of application. Although compost is the most economical organic fertilizer and results in significant benefits in soil quality during the transition phase to organic production, a maintenance fertility plan is needed once available soil P reaches adequate to high levels. Combinations of compost and high N, low P organic fertilizers are needed for optimum maintenance fertility strategy for organic tunnel house production.</jats:p>

Improving Growth and Productivity of Early-season High-tunnel Tomatoes with Targeted Temperature Additions

“…The four tunnels were 12.8 m long and 4.3 m wide and were built with polyvinyl chloride hoops covered with a single layer of 6-mil greenhouse plastic (Black et al, 2008a). Two of the tunnels were managed organically and the others by conventional approaches, which were a continuation of a previous study and to facilitate future studies (Reeve and Drost, 2012). The organic tunnels were fertilized with composted chicken manure to provide 150 kg nitrogen (N)/ha.…”

Advances and Trends in Organic Fruit and Vegetable Farming Research

“…For example, imbalanced ratios between N, P, and K (42:11:47) were observed for tomato as compared with the crop demand (37:6:57) (Voogt et al 2011). Similarly, soil P accumulation was observed in high-tunnel tomatoes (Reeve and Drost 2012) as well as in other organic vegetables (Nachimuthu et al 2012). Consequently, excess soil P resulting from consecutive years of manure and compost amendments causes some organic growers to have to limit or eliminate the P supply on their farm.…”

“…For horticultural crops, one way to alleviate the likely effects of climate change, such as water shortages, extreme temperature fluctuations, greater frequency of droughts and floods, exposure to air pollutants, and pest pressure, is the use of high tunnels and greenhouses. During the last decade, a considerable number of studies showed the benefits for growers, in terms of plant health, productivity, and quality, of using greenhouses (van Kooten et al 2008) and high tunnels for conventional as well as organic crops (Knewtson et al 2010;Bordeleau et al 2011;Knewtson et al 2012;Reeve and Drost 2012).…”

Effect of Tomato Rootstock on Hybrid and Heirloom Tomato Performance in a Midwest High Tunnel Production System

“…Driven by an interest in small-scale, local-market production systems and the cost share benefits provided by the NRCS EQIP HTI, high tunnel construction and use has increased significantly in the past 10 years (Bruce et al, 2017;Carey et al, 2009). Despite the benefits, high tunnel systems raise concerns about soil salinity (Knewtson et al, 2010), fertility management (Reeve and Drost, 2012), soilborne disease pressure (Kubota et al, 2008), and the need for increased irrigation inputs in the absence of rainfall (Lamont et al, 2003).…”