Development of highly productive protected cultivation of tomato in Southern U.S.

Project Overview

LS24-392
Project Type: Research and Education
Funds awarded in 2024: $398,016.00
Projected End Date: 03/31/2027
Grant Recipients: Langston University; Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center
Region: Southern
State: Oklahoma
Principal Investigator:
Devi Kandel
Langston University
Co-Investigators:
Dr. Carlos Avila
Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center
Dr. Nirodha De Silva
Langston University
Terry Gipson
Langston University
Dr. Leonard Kibet
Langston University

Commodities

  • Vegetables: tomatoes

Practices

  • Crop Production: fertigation, high tunnels or hoop houses, low tunnels, season extension, varieties and cultivars
  • Education and Training: demonstration, display, extension, on-farm/ranch research
  • Sustainable Communities: sustainability measures

    Proposal abstract:

    In Oklahoma and Texas, tomato is grown during Spring and Summer seasons in the open field. However, due to the tight growing window, offseason and early production are necessary to be competitive before tomatoes from other States and countries reach the local market. In the open field, tomato is transplanted during mid to late April in Oklahoma and the first half of March in Texas with the high risk of damaging chill weather conditions. Furthermore, high temperatures during the growth cycle starting at the second half of May negatively affect flowering, and fruit setting reducing yield and quality in tomatoes in both states. Furthermore, insect pests and disease pressure represent a major constraint for open field production. To avoid unfavorable growing conditions, permanent protected structures such as greenhouses can be used, however high initial investment, and long-term commitment prevents growers to utilize this system. As an alternative, cost effective structures such as high tunnel, and micro-tunnel could be utilized. High tunnel and micro-tunnel allow season extension and early growth when outside environment is not favorable, therefore allowing local producers reduce production risks, increase yield, improve quality, and reach the market before other production regions to get a premium price. In addition, high tunnels allow the optimization and efficient use of resources such as mulching, irrigation, and fertilization. This project aims to evaluate high tunnel and micro-tunnel production systems in Oklahoma and South Texas. The project aims to identify the best planting dates and cultivars to reach high sale price windows. Economic feasibility analysis and field days will be performed as a decision tool for farmers to disseminate findings and to promote tomato production in the Southwestern region of US. Outputs from this project are expected to provide alternate ways to increase the productivity and profitability of the production system to the limited resources, small and minority farmers, and stakeholders.

    Project objectives from proposal:

    The main goal of this project is to develop cost effective, high yielding, profitable production systems under high tunnel and micro-tunnel conditions.

    Objective 1 Evaluate yield, quality and production efficiency of tomato cultivars under high-tunnel production systems in Oklahoma and South Texas.

    Objective 2 Determine optimal planting dates and cultivars for tomato micro-tunnel production under protected structures to reach high price market windows.

    Objective 3 Evaluate economic feasibility of micro-tunnel, and high tunnel production in Oklahoma and South Texas conditions.

    Objective 4 Disseminate findings to promote tomato production.

    Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and should not be construed to represent any official USDA or U.S. Government determination or policy.