 |
|
|||||||
 |
University of Saskatchewan | College of Agriculture and Bioresources | Dept. of Plant Sciences | |||||
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
Vegetable Research
As well as conducting annual vegetable variety trials, the Vegetable Program at the University of Saskatchewan researches new materials, production methods, and pest management practices aimed at improving vegetable production for prairie producers.
The Vegetable Program's main areas of vegetable research are outlined below. Click on the link for more information and for articles detailing the individual research projects.
NEW! The 2010 Vegetable Cultivar and Cultural Trials are now available online in PDF format. Visit the Cultivar and Cultural Trials page for the latest information from the Vegetable Program.
High
tunnels are unheated, plastic-covered structures large enough to allow
crops to grow to maturity, and allow sufficient space for cultivation,
spraying, and harvesting to occur with the tunnels intact.
Trials conducted since 1998 have evaluated the potential for using high tunnels to enhance productivity and profitability of producing vegetable crops in Saskatchewan.
A
variety of materials and techniques can be employed to alter growing environments
on a small scale, creating microclimates
more suitable for growing certain crops in our short, cool season.
Various materials used as soil mulch, crop covers, and low tunnels have been evaluated for their effects on various vegetable crops.
Transplant Performance Research
Optimal
transplant size and seedling age, factors which influence cost, space,
and ease of handling, are unknown for some vegetable crops.
Methods of reducing drought stress and transplant shock have also been evaluated.
Root
maggots represent a serious problem for growers of cruciferious vegetables.
A series of studies were conducted to evaluate the incidence and severity
of damage, chemcial, biological, and integrated management options for
this pest.
Vegetable Pest and Disease Management
The
fungi Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and S. minor attack a
wide range of vegetable crops including beans, carrots, cole crops and
tomatoes. Repeated cropping of a site to sensitive hosts results in high
population of this fungus in the soil. This study evaluated the potential
to use fungicides to reduces losses to Sclerotinia spp. in direct
seeded lettuce crops.
Sequential
planting represents a means of insuring a consistent supply of product.
Changing growing conditions and pest pressures over the season can influence
the relative performance of sequential plantings.
Trials
conducted a decade ago by the University of Saskatchewan demonstrated
that fall planting generally results in superior yields and quality under
Prairie conditions ... but only if adapted varieties were planted. In
2002 and 2003, we re-examined the performance of a range of garlic varieties
in fall planted trials in Saskatchewan.