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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Kearneysville, West Virginia » Appalachian Fruit Research Laboratory » Innovative Fruit Production, Improvement, and Protection » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #232648

Title: Introduction to the workshop

Author
item Takeda, Fumiomi
item Perkins Veazie, Penelope

Submitted to: HortScience
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/3/2008
Publication Date: 4/16/2009
Citation: Takeda, F., Perkins Veazie, P.M. 2009. The Nuts and Bolts of High Tunnel production and Manipulation for Specialized Applications: Introduction to the Workshop. HortScience. 44(2):230.

Interpretive Summary: High tunnels and other plastic-clad structures are used to extend the harvest season, improve crop quality and yield, and decrease incidence of foliar and fruit diseases, but little is known about the possible enhancement of phytonutrient content or foodborne pathogens when crops are grown in high tunnels. There is also little information on micro-environment variations and the effects of colored shade cloth and light emitting diodes on plants in high tunnels. This paper summarizes issues on food safety when manure and raw manure are used for soil amendments, temperature variations in high tunnels, modification of light spectral quality to affect plant growth with colored cloth coverings and low-cost light emitting diodes. This information will aid growers to make more efficient use of high tunnel technology in high value crop production.

Technical Abstract: High tunnels and other plastic-clad structures are used to extend the harvest season, improve crop quality and yield, and decrease incidence of foliar and fruit diseases. Many publications on high tunnel production have dealt with structure designs, construction techniques and cropping systems, but the possible enhancement of phytonutrient contents or foodborne pathogens when crops are grown in high tunnels or micro-environment variations, application of colored shade cloth and light emitting diodes to affect plants in high tunnels is not well documented. This paper summarizes issues on food safety when manure and raw manure are used for soil amendments, location and plant canopy effects on temperature variations in high tunnels over a growing season, modification of light spectral quality to affect plant growth and quality with colored cloth shading and low-cost light emitting diodes.