Horticulture Nova Scotia Vegetable Research Priorities...

Horticulture Nova Scotia Vegetable

Research Priorities for 2016 – 2017

As compiled by

Rosalie Madden, Perennia Vegetable Specialist

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Horticulture Nova Scotia Vegetable Research Priorities for 2016 – 2017 As compiled by


[email protected]

Horticulture Nova Scotia in conjunction with Perennia regularly administers a variety of research projects

to assist farmers in exploring new varieties of crops, improving on existing crops, determining best

management practices, and managing crop pests. Approximately every two years, berry and vegetable

research priority selection sessions bring together Horticulture Nova Scotia members, researchers and

other interested parties to determine what these projects should encompass. A survey was administered

to the Horticulture Nova Scotia membership in March of 2016 to determine research priorities for each

crop and for vegetable production as a whole. A summary is presented below of the findings as

determined by this survey and through discussion with the membership.

Methodology

Questions were formatted to determine needs that spanned the vegetable industry and were also broken

down to address issues that pertain to each crop or crop group. Numerous research priorities were ranked

by the membership of Horticulture Nova Scotia, with further priorities coming to light in subsequent

discussions. For each response, the top priority was given a value of five, the second priority was given

a value of four, the third priority a value of three, etc. and then divided by the number of respondents to

that priority line item. Therefore, priorities given a ranking of 5 are the most urgent or pressing priorities,

descending in value and priority from there. Where there were numerous priorities identified, the top

ranked are displayed graphically, and other, lesser ranked priorities or priorities that came up in

conversation are simply listed.

General agronomy and overarching priorities

There were many areas that were identified as research priorities. The top 5 research priorities across all

vegetables are:

0 1 2 3 4 5

Improved crop rotations for better weedmanagement

Erosion

Integrating cover crops

Improved fertility management

Soil quality/health

General agronomy




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Other research priorities mentioned as relates to general agronomy and other overarching priorities, in no

particular order were:

System resiliency (in the face of extreme weather conditions, etc.)

Food safety (irrigation and wash water quality)

Improved crop rotations for better insect pest management

Shelf life enhancement (production, packaging, post-harvest handling, storage)

Marketing

Irrigation

Consumer education

Energy efficiency

Market research for new crops/products

Convenience packaging

Develop best practices for vegetable rotations

Identifying the best varieties that grow in our area

Improve crop rotations to build soil health

Cole Crops

There are over 900 acres of Cole crops cultivated by members of Horticulture Nova Scotia. The top

research priorities for Cole crops are:

Other Cole crop research priorities mentioned in no particular order:

Cabbage maggot

Foliar nutrition (micronutrients, tissue testing)

Weed control

0 1 2 3 4 5

Transplant production

Optimizing fertility

Novel products (mini’s, colours, etc)

Disease and insect forecasting

Irrigation water (food safety/quality)

Soil health

Uniformity in harvest (variety, management,shorter harvest period)

Cole Crops




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Reduced tillage

By-products (uses for waste, etc.)

Clubroot – resistant varieties, crop rotations, soil compaction/chemistry

Shelf life extension

Wireworm control

It was further stressed that best management practices are needed to attain uniformity in harvest timing

for cauliflower within a given planting.

Carrots

There are over 900 acres of carrots grown by the membership of Horticulture Nova Scotia. The top

research priorities for carrots are:

0 1 2 3 4 5

Post-harvest storage treatments

Insecticide – seed treatments – diazinon replacements

Cultivar evaluations

Fertility and soil enhancement

Weather based pest forecasting (alternaria,weevil, rust fly)

Linuron replacement

Carrots




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Onions

There are over 250 acres of onions grown by the Horticulture Nova Scotia membership. The top research

priorities for onions are:

Other research priorities that were mentioned, in no particular order:

Wireworm

Fertility research

Soil amendments (wood ash, compost, biochar)

Bio-fumigation

Weather based pest forecasting (thrips – foliar diseases)

0 1 2 3 4 5

Organic matter enhancement

Cultivar evaluation

Weed management (chickweed/cleavers)

Bacterial rots

Fusarium basal rot

Stemphyllium

Onions




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Lettuce

There are over 250 acres of lettuce grown by the membership of Horticulture Nova Scotia. The top

research priorities for lettuce are:

Vine Crops

There are over 200 acres of vine crops grown by the membership of Horticulture Nova Scotia. The top

research priorities for vine crops are:

0 1 2 3 4 5

Tip burn control

Nontraditional market products (romaine hearts, ‘wraps’, leaf mixes, fraise)

Cultivar evaluation

Weed control

Fertility management (losses during heavyrains)

Lettuce

0 1 2 3 4 5

No-till – cover crops (weed control)

Pollination

Cultivar evaluation

Cucumber beetle control

Production system (plasticulture/seasonextension)

Erosion control (strip cropping, wind breaks,mulching between rows on plasticulture)

Curcubits




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Potatoes

The top research priorities for potatoes are:

Beets

There are approximately 150 acres of beets grown by the membership of Horticulture Nova Scotia. The

top research priorities are:

0 1 2 3 4 5

Post-harvest storage issues (disease,sprouting)

Cultivar/variety evaluation

Irrigation/fertigation

Organic matter management

Skin set for early harvest

Wireworm control

Potatoes

0 1 2 3 4 5

Disease – scab, Cercospora (greens)

Uniformity/density

Weed control (short PHI)

Cultivar evaluation (new varieties, colours,etc.)

Beets




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Rutabaga/Turnip

There are approximately 150 acres of rutabagas and turnips grown by the membership of Horticulture

Nova Scotia. The top research priorities for rutabagas and turnips are:

1. Cabbage maggot control

2. Weed control

Tomatoes/Peppers

There are over 100 acres of field-grown peppers and field-grown tomatoes by the membership of

Horticulture Nova Scotia. The priorities for field-grown peppers and tomatoes are:

0 1 2 3 4 5

Colour enhancement with reflective mulches

Weed and erosion control through strip cropping, wind breaks, mulching (between

rows in plasticulture) – cover crops

Cultivar evaluation

Disease management – forecasting for bacterial speck, early/late blight

Production systems – plasticulture/tunnels (for season extension, pruning, staking,

trellising)

Tomatoes/Peppers




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Sweet Corn

There are over 90 acres of sweet corn grown by the membership of Horticulture Nova Scotia. The top

research priorities for sweet corn are:

Spinach

There are approximately 30 acres of spinach being grown by the membership of Horticulture Nova

Scotia. The top research priorities for spinach are:

0 1 2 3 4 5

Cultivar evaluation

Reduced tillage system adoption

Forecasting for corn earworm

Aphid control

Sweet corn

0 1 2 3 4 5

Weed control (no viable herbicides – PHI for baby spinach)

Shelf life enhancement – production practices/packaging materials/handling

Nutrient management (high density crop,foliar applications)

Best management practices for multi-harvestsystem

Production systems (season extension, babyspinach, year-round production)

Food safety (irrigation water, wash water,handling)

Spinach




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Specifically mentioned as a priority for nutrient management in spinach was prevention techniques for

minimiznig leaf yellowing after heavy rains.

Snap Beans

The top research priorities for snap beans are:

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a newer crop to Nova Scotia. Priorities were identified through conversations with the

membership, but were not weighted. Top research priorities for sweet potatoes are:

1. Size uniformity (through plant spacing, cultivar evaluation/breeding program)

2. Mammalian pest control

3. Edible stems/leaves – new crop opportunity? Need marketing help.

0 1 2 3 4 5

Post-harvest handling/shelf-lifeenhancement

Sclerotinia

Organic seed treatment to prevent seed rot

Season extension

Snap beans




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Radish

There are approximately 10 acres of radishes grown by the membership of Horticulture Nova Scotia. The

top research priorities for radish are:

Celery

There are over 10 acres of celery grown by the membership of Horticulture Nova Scotia. The top

research priorities for celery are:

0 1 2 3 4 5

Shelf life extension (post-harvesthandling/storage)

Cultivar evaluation

Fertility management

Celery leaf curl, blackheart

Bacterial rot

Linuron replacement

Celery

0 1 2 3 4 5

Harvesting technology

Pesticides (short PHI)

Weed control

Insect netting

Cabbage maggot control

Radish




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Garlic

There are currently approximately 10 acres of garlic being cultivated by the membership of Horticulture

Nova Scotia. The top research priorities for garlic are:

Swiss Chard

There are currently 2 acres of Swiss chard being grown by members of Horticulture Nova Scotia. The top

research priorities for Swiss chard are:

1. Cultivar evaluation

2. Production systems (beds/tunnels/peat)

Specialty Vegetables

There are numerous types of specialty vegetables being grown in Nova Scotia with a wide ranging

number of acres. Current speciality vegetables range from 80 acres of Chinese cabbage to smaller

acreages of eggplant, fennel, dandelion greens, celeriac, collards, ground cherries, etc. Priorities across

all vegetables were simply ranked and not weighted. Top research priorities for speciality vegetables are:

1. Marketing

2. Bacterial rots

3. Pest control (short PHI, very few products registered)

4. Insect covers/netting

5. Production systems

6. Weed control

0 1 2 3 4 5

White rot management/strategies

Fertility

Weed control (mulches/plasticulture)

Nematode management

Storage issues (post-harvest diseases)

Fusarium basal rot

Cultivar evaluation

Garlic




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High tunnels, caterpillars, low tunnels (soil-based systems)

Numerous crops are grown in high tunnels, caterpillars, and low tunnels using a soil-based system in

Nova Scotia. Across all of those crops, the top research priorities for these systems are:

Also mentioned were developing best management practices for growing salad greens in the winter.

Greenhouses (soil-less systems)

Numerous crops are grown in greenhouses in a soil-less system in Nova Scotia. Across all crops, the top

research priorities for this kind of system are:

1. LED lighting

2. Foliar nutrients

3. Fertigation

4. Pollination

5. Cultivar evaluation

6. IPM

It was specifically noted that applied research and on-farm demos were desired for systems using LED

lighting. The benefits of using LED lighting in storage systems was also mentioned as an area of interest

to the membership.

0 1 2 3 4 5

Salinity build-up

IPM

Pollination

Fertigation

Foliar nutrients

Cultivar evaluation

High tunnels, caterpillars, and low tunnels (soil-based systems)




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This report was brought to you by:

Perennia:

Operational since 2001, Perennia (formerly AgraPoint) has a 31-member team including specialists with

expertise in areas of horticulture, livestock, IPM, field crops, product development and

commercialization, and food safety, as well as professional skills in such areas as facilitation, adult

education, information technology and communication. The mission of Perennia is to help farmers,

fishermen and food processors be prosperous and profitable. Perennia offers a wide range of production

and development services to farmers, agri-businesses, co-operatives, industry associations, universities,

and government. From its offices in Kentville and Truro, Nova Scotia, Perennia provides advice through

workshops, field days, in-depth projects, and one-on-one consultations in person and by phone.

Horticulture Nova Scotia:

Horticulture Nova Scotia was formed in 1998 and is a not-for-profit association. Horticulture Nova

Scotia works with other horticultural interest groups to further the needs and interests of the horticulture

industry. Horticulture Nova Scotia aims to promote unity and cooperation within the research community

and to facilitate the identification of research priorities that will benefit the horticulture industry.


http://perennia.ca/

http://www.horticulturens.ca/

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