Project Overview
Annual Reports
Commodities
- Vegetables: tomatoes
Practices
- Crop Production: grafting, plant breeding and genetics, seed saving
- Education and Training: demonstration, youth education
Proposal abstract:
Previous research has demonstrated significant increases in yield and profit potential by grafting tomatoes with resistant rootstock to provide site-specific control of disease. Seeds collected from plants demonstrating localized disease suppression in two non-hybrid varieties, Rutgers and Roma, will be compared to a well-studied hybrid rootstock offering, RST-04-105T. Yield comparisons from high tunnel and open field production will be used to evaluate the potential use of open pollinated tomato varieties as grafting rootstock alternatives.
Project objectives from proposal:
By obtaining animal and soil measurements pre- and post- planting and grazing of cover crop in the fall of 2015
as well as the fall of 2016, many benefits will be quantifiably demonstrated. Surveys and interviews will also be
used to obtain the perspective of a broad base of producers. This data will increase producer knowledge about
cover crops and the best stocking rate by which to graze them. It will demonstrate the many soil health, animal
performance and economic benefits that go along with utilizing this technology. Once an understanding of the
technology is advanced, producers will be able to analyze whether or not it could be implemented in their
operations. Collaborating with extension specialists, we will use the information from data collected to develop
programs aiding in the adoption of this technology. Once producers are implementing the grazing of cover crops
at optimal stocking rates, improved productivity as well as economic, and environmental sustainability will be
realized.