Tag Archives: protected cropping

Lettuce Fusarium wilt confirmed at new sites

Following its confirmation as a new disease in October last year, Lettuce Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporumf. sp. lactucae(FOL) has now been confirmed by laboratory analysis at two new sites in Lancashire, while a further outbreak is suspected at a site in Cambridgeshire.

All outbreaks confirmed to date have been caused by FOL race 4, which is also present in the Netherlands, Belgium and Ireland. For protected cropping, Basamid (dazomet) is approved for de-infestation of soil before planting (one application in every third year) and is known to have activity against lettuce FOL, but in open field situations a long period between crops is advised as the disease can survive in the soil for several years.

Plants with suspect leaf symptoms should be cut in half from top to bottom to check for red/brown staining in the root which is a characteristic symptom of Fusarium wilt. Samples can be sent to Dr John Carkson at Warwick University for testing.

Photo Caption: Lettuce growers are warned to be vigilant for signs for Lettuce Fusarium wilt.

Photo Credit: pxhere

The post Lettuce Fusarium wilt confirmed at new sites appeared first on Hort News on 6 September 2018.

Light-splitting film could increase yields

Engineers at the University of Colorado at Boulder have received funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to develop a scalable, cost-effective greenhouse material that splits sunlight into photosynthetically efficient light and repurposes inefficient infrared light to aid in water purification.

According to the University, under normal conditions, plants only use around 50 percent of incoming sunlight for photosynthesis while the remaining half goes unused.

“The new CU Boulder technology will take the form of a semi-translucent film that splits incoming light and converts the rays from less-desired green wavelengths into more desirable red wavelengths, thus increasing the amount of photosynthetically efficient light for the plant with no additional electricity consumption,” said Xiaobo Yin, an assistant professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering at CU Boulder. The thin engineered material can be applied directly to the surface of greenhouse panels.

The technology also makes use of the photosynthetically ineffective light by redirecting it to aid in solar-driven water purification. “The near-infrared wavelengths can help clean brackish wastewater, allowing it to be recirculated in an advanced humidification-dehumidification interface and further reducing the greenhouse’s energy footprint,” said Yang.

Photo Caption: Professor Ronggui Yang (left) and Assistant Professor Xiaobo Yin.

Photo Credit: Glenn J. Asakawa / University of Colorado Boulder

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Hydroponic internships available in South Wales

A studentship is available to work with Phytoponics and Aberystwyth University, giving the successful applicant the chance to consider what makes a successful hydroponic crop and how can we improve the agronomy of hydroponics to maximise the yield, efficiency of production and crop quality.

South Wales-based has developed the Hydrosac, a novel device for growing plants hydroponically that expands the range of applications of hydroponics. According to the firm the Hydrosac opens up the opportunity to develop novel agronomy for large scale hydroponics and to develop varieties that are specifically selected for use in hydroponic agriculture.

The project will grow a diverse population from a range of potential salad crops in Hydrosacs, identifying suitable variations to improve plant growth for hydroponic systems and will identify what characteristics are associated with superior performance to establish the characteristics that define a successful hydroponic crop. A major outcome will be to identify the potential impact of new breeding programmes specific for hydroponic agriculture.

Specific aims include identifying crop phenotypes in hydroponic and conventional growing systems, testing how different crops may be optimally linked through hydroponics to maximise the use of nutrient and space, and performing a large scale test of selected crop types to confirm in detail improvements in hydroponics using the Hydrosac for yield and nutrient content.

Photo Credit: Phytoponics

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