The use of legume cover crops in no-tillage broccoli and cabbage production

Field experiments were conducted in 1983 and 1984 to compare conventional tillage (CT) versus no-tillage (NT) production of broccoli and cabbage. The tillage treatments were applied in combination with four rates of applied nitrogen fertilizer and three cover crops: hairy vetch (<u>Vigia villosa</u> Roth), Austrian winter pea (<u>Fisum arvenu</u> L.), and cereal rye (<u>Secale cereale</u> L.). Transplants of 'Premium Crop' broccoli (<u>Brassica oleracea</u> var. <u>italica</u> Plenck) and 'Market Prize' cabbage (<u>Brassica oleracea</u> var. <u>capitata</u> L.) were set with a locally adapted NT vegetable planter. None of the variables studied affected the final plant stand. Yield and head size with NT were equal to or greater than CT. Soil moisture was higher under NT plots throughout the growing season. Yield and head size with the two legume covers were equal to or greater than those with the rye cover. Yield and head size tended to increase as applied N was increased, although differences were not always significant. The data, although not conclusive, indicate that the legume cover crops provided additional nitrogen for the cole crops.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Horticulture

Department dc:contributor.department

Horticulture

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

1985

Author dc:creator

• Seward, David L.

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Morse, Ronald D.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• McDaniel, Alan R.
• Derr, Jeffrey F.

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

etd-11142012-040031

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/45643