Progress 10/01/16 to 09/30/17

Outputs
Target Audience:Farmers, gardeners, stakeholders from local community interested in hoop houses. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Two graduate students have completed their thesis and 4 papers for peer-reviewed journals are pending. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Several fact sheets are pending for publication, which will be shared with stakeholders What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Project 1. The effect of mechanical stimulation on lettuce grown in the production scale: Wind applied in hoophouse and greenhouseenvironment Project 2. Enhancing production of warm and cool season crops using hoophouses. Project 3. Comparison of UV light effects on lettuce growth, and nutrient content in hooperhouses and greenhouses. Project 4. The effects of hoop house agriculture on environmental responses and seasonal extension: Four studies investigating the benefits of hoop houses Impacts are: Changes in knowledge (e.g., improved skills, methods learned, increased awareness) Changes in action (e.g., applying the knowledge, adoption of methods) Changes in condition (e.g., better products, higher productivity, safer, cleaner)

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Four integrated projects were completed during this period which were detailed in two Master theses. Project 1. Hoophouses provide a protected environment for growing vegetable crops by reducing wind, which subsequently can reduce mechanical stimulation to plants. Mechanical stimulation is any process that induces plant movement and alters plant growth and development to potentially produce stronger and stockier leaves. If wind can be manipulated to generate a higher quality baby salad mix, then application of mechanical stimulation has the potential to benefit producers and consumers. High quality lettuce also is better able to withstand harvest and processing as well as an increased shelf life. The practicality of applying mechanical stimulation through wind at production scale densities in variable growing environments is a major question for hoophouse production. To address this question, lettuce was grown in hoophouse and greenhouse environments using high and low density plantings under different wind treatments. Applying wind treatments of 30 minutes of daily wind duration and 6 m s-1 wind speed to lettuce grown in hoophouses at high density plantings resulted in a whole leaf fresh market mass decrease, but specific leaf area (SLA), which is an indicator of leaf quality, was not significantly affected by wind treatments. No significant plant response to wind treatments was measured in the high density greenhouse plants. In contrast, SLA and whole leaf fresh market area increased in plants grown in the low density greenhouse experiments at 6 m s-1 wind speed under differing wind durations. Although these characteristics are considered important for lettuce processing and marketability, the increased SLA in response to wind in the low density greenhouse experiments generated the opposite of what is deemed high quality lettuce. Because the effect of wind on leaf characteristics was not consistent across the different sets of experiments and did not produce desirable characteristics, application of wind to improve quality of hoophouse-grown lettuce does not appear to be a practical cultivation technique. Project 2. The use of hoophouses for vegetable production is increasing in high deserts due to the potential benefits of greater yield and quality as well as of year round production and season extension. If hoophouses in the high desert environment can be utilized to provide optimal environmental conditions for year round growth, then local growers and consumers will benefit from the knowledge gained from the current experiments. To document potential benefits, hoophouses and field plots were utilized to compare yield of warm season and cool season crops. During the summer 2015 experiment, heirloom tomato and watermelon varieties were grown to investigate total, weekly, and cumulative yield under hoophouses and field grown conditions. The result was an overall increase in total yield in hoophouses over field plots and a reduction in marketable fruit loss due to mammal damage. Additionally, three mulch treatments were implemented to determine if the use of mulch compared to bare ground would increase yield in either of the growing environments. Watermelon plants benefited the most from compost mulch treatment in both the hoophouses and field plots compared to bare ground. During the winter 2015-2016 experiment, leafy greens and root crops were grown at four different successive planting dates. Almost complete crop failure occurred in the field plots, resulting in greater yield in hoophouses for all crops. A planting date of early October generated continued yield throughout the winter months for leafy greens and a head start on spring harvest compared to successive plantings at three, six, or nine weeks later. In contrast, crops that were only harvested once (i.e. root crops, beet greens, and Claytonia) had variable responses in total yield to successive plantings. During the summer 2016 experiment, heirloom watermelons and tomatoes were grown in hoophouses and field plots to test season extension. Two planting dates, one of early-March and the other in early-June, were used. Complete crop failure of the early planting treatment occurred in the field plots, whereas hoophouses had near 100% survival. The early successive planting had greater total, weekly, and cumulative yield for tomato plants. However, only cumulative yield was greater in the early planting treatment than later planting treatment for watermelons. Two vascular wilt fungal diseases were present in the hoophouses and caused greater plant loss in the early planting treatment than later planting treatment. These experiments demonstrate that hoophouses generally outperform field plots for the studied crops, year round production of crops is feasible, and season extension for warm season crops is beneficial. Project 3. Ultraviolet light (UV) stimulates the formation of plant secondary products, such as pigments and phenolic compounds. UV light is also known to be reduced in hoop house environments, potentially limiting secondary compound production. In hoop houses, supplemental UV light could be a useful and cost effective way to improve product quality and end consumer health. This study grew L. sativa (green oak leaf lettuce) within greenhouses and hoop houses and applied supplemental UV treatment at 1.17±0.001 W m-2 min-1 for varying durations and compared it with L. sativa grown without supplementation. Content of certain antioxidants (tocopherol, ascorbic acid, and total polyphenolics) and specific leaf area were tested to determine the effects of the supplemental UV treatment. In the greenhouse, no significant differences in response variables were found between any supplemental UV treatment duration. For the hoop houses, a significant increase in tocopherol content was found with 120 minutes of supplemental UV treatment, but no other factors were significant. These conflicting results between greenhouse and hoop house experiments suggest that further study is needed in the hoop house environment to determine if other factors interact with supplemental UV treatment to affect tocopherol production. Given these results, we concluded that no recommendations can be made to local farmers at this time to use supplemental UV light to increase lettuce quality. Project 4. Crop farming in Northern Nevada is commonly done within hoop houses, unfortunately, few if any studies have tested the real benefits or drawbacks of hoop house use. Four studies were completed in hoop houses and nearby uncovered plots to document or test certain aspects of hoop house agriculture. The Environmental Differences Study documented environmental data from both hoop houses and uncovered plots and concluded hoop houses created a microclimate with higher air temperature and soil water content. The Winter Crop Succession Study tested the effect of planting date on the antioxidant content of winter greens, Eruca sativa (arugula) and Spinacia oleracea (spinach). The Summer Crop Consumer Preference Studies tested consumer preference for three varieties of heirloom Lycopersicon lycopersicum (tomato) called Black Cherry, New Yorker, and Pink Berkeley Tie Dye (PBTD). The Varietals Study, of the Summer Crop Consumer Preference Studies, tested consumer preference between the three varieties and the Successive Planting Study tested the preference between a sample harvested from an early planting and a sample harvested from a later planting of the same variety. The Winter Crop Succession Study concluded that planting date does not have a consistent effect on antioxidant content. The Varietals Study concluded that Black Cherry and New Yorker tomatoes were preferred equally over PBTD. The Successive Planting Study concluded that early planting of New Yorker and PBTD tomatoes will produce more preferred fruit, and that Black Cherry tomatoes have no major preference based on planting date.

Publications

Progress 10/01/15 to 09/30/16

Outputs
Target Audience:Local farmers, local produce growers and consumers. Reach out to farmer markets and local food movement groups. Attend meetings with FFA, high schools in Northern Nevada. Changes/Problems:Winter Work: Preparation for planting winter crop vegetables included amending the soil with compost as well as removal of all debris. Tested successional plantings to maintain harvest throughout winter months. Root crops and leafy greens were sown at 3 week successions beginning October 2nd for four successions. Each succession consisted of 2 rows within a 6 inch band. Direct sowed seeds for Mokum and Sugarsnax Carrots, Blue curled Kale, Gazelle Spinach, Arugula, Babybeat Beets and Claytonia. Later two trap crops were added to prevent aphid infestation: Watermelon Radish and Southern Giant Curled Mustard. Field Plots had very low survival. Planting dates too late for establishment. Frost and thawing caused lifting of soil and small seedlings were dislodged from the soil. First leafy green (spinach, kale, arugula succession 1) harvest occurred December 1 - harvested ~30% of plant at each harvest to maintain plant survival throughout season. 1st and 2nd succession of root crops in the hoop houses were harvested in mid-to late-April. Harvest yielded variable sized roots. Not a consistent marketable size for beet roots; both carrot varieties performed better in regard to marketable size. Beet root cracking of first succession noted November 30th. This can occur due to moisture stress and uneven water over time. First succession outperformed all other successions in leafy greens and root crops at every harvest. Bolting of leafy greens occurred evenly across successions in spring. Cold air coming through cracks near HH doors - sealed with plastic to reduce frosting of plants. Summer Work: Preparation of soil after removal of all winter crops included removal of debris and preparing rows for seedlings. Trap crops were removed later, but aphid infestation had occurred in those plants. Clean up of trap crops occurred after summer crops had been planted. This created an aphid infestation in the new crops. Summer crops include three tomato varieties: New Yorker, Black Cherry and Pink Berkeley Tie Dye and were started January 1. Watermelon varieties include Sugar Baby and Blacktail Mountain. These plants were planted in randomly selected "halves" of the hoop houses and the field plots, reserving the remaining half for second planting in June. Starts for summer plants grown in conetainers. First planting date March 11, 2016. Within a week, all plants in field plots had died due to high winds and cold temperatures. Seasonal extenders of Agribon cloth were used as needed for protecting plants through frosts both in the hoop houses and field plots. Aphids from remaining trap crops allowed their transfer to new crops. Death of numerous tomatoes: analyzed by Department of Agriculture on July 26. Plants suspected of having infected with Fusarium oxysporum Second start for Tomatoes was April 1. Same varieties were started and grown in conetainers in the greenhouse. Watermelons were started on May 1 and also initially grown in the greenhouse. All plants were planted in the remaining half of each hoop house and field plot on June 3. Plants were trellised. Spraying for aphids with MPede continued throughout the growing period to try to control aphids. Death of numerous watermelons: analyzed by Department of Agriculture on August 30. Verticilium dahliae found in H2 R1 and H1R3 on Blacktail Mountain Watermelons. Papaya Ring Spot found on Watermelon plants as well. Learned from last year (cracking of tomatoes) that more frequent watering for shorter duration to stabilize soil water at field capacity is necessary for fruit Second planting June 11 had higher success rate in field plots, although plant decline likely due to disease in both field plots and hoop houses. Harvest from March 11 planting began the week of June 19th - Pink Berkley Tie Dye was first to begin producing fruit. Harvest from June planting began August 14th for all tomato varieties. Melons were trellised, but vines unable to sustain heavy fruit and were breaking off in June resulting in waste. Vines were lowered to the ground to prevent this from continuing. Black Cherry seemed most susceptible to disease with most plants pulled (18 plants) with Pink Berkeley Tie Dye (16 plants) at a close second by August 10 (hoop house results ONLY). 25 tomato plants from March planting and 14 tomato plants from June planting were pulled by August 10. Figs: Field plot figs only barely emerged during growing season. Hoop house figs again had a great growing year in regard to foliage. Prolific fruit on plants, many of marketable size but not ripened by the end of the reporting period. Figs were abundant on most plants, but most did not mature by September 30. The three varieties included Brown Turkey, Black Jack and Petit Negra. One fruit in HH3 Petite Negra was harvested at 11 grams - perfectly ripe and marketable size Figs did not receive any fertilizer this year, under ripe fruit could be a result of this Will leave figs on trees to ripen naturally - results still to come Pest Problems: Aphids and spider mites were a problem for winter grown crops (spinach being most impacted) causing significant damage - non-marketable produce Also had squirrel damage to kale and spinach (most significant in Hoop House #4) - reinforced plastic mesh with metal wire to keep them out - which worked Summer issues included continued aphid damage and plant stress along with Fusarium and Verticillium wilt This caused the most damage to watermelon crops; entire plants died and fruit did not develop properly Small fruit, low sugar content and soluble solids - melons were mostly inedible 'Official' plant testing showed that both diseases (Fusarium and Verticillium) were present in field plots and hoop houses. Soil water and irrigation observations: ~ 21% where soil moisture leveled off. Winter crops received 15 minutes (7.5 gallons/row) every other day until November 30. Water application was increased to 15 minutes every day to reduce drying of soil (and cracking of root crops). Summer crops were watered twice a day (morning and evening) for 20 minutes each during the heat of summer - field capacity was maintained. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Two graduate students were trained, they will complete MS thesis by 2017. Impacts from research are: Changes in knowledge (e.g., improved skills, methods learned, increased awareness) Changes in action (e.g., applying the knowledge, adoption of methods) Changes in condition (e.g., better products, higher productivity, safer, cleaner) How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Thesis and manuscript writing are ongoing. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Field research in completion phase. Laboratory analyses, data evaluation and report writing have been initiated.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Winter Varietal Trials: both survival and harvest data show the potential for the hoop house cultivation of non-standard Nevadan winter produce such as the Claytonia perfoliata. Planting on October 19rd and later did not generate any gain over first succession to winter crops in successional study. Summer Seasonal Trials: both survival and harvest data show the potential for a much longer growing period of successful and viable tomato production. Tomato crops performed well when planted March 11th. June planting never caught up in harvest. Watermelon performance was likely impacted by disease. Although diseases prevented watermelons from producing marketable fruit, they have potential to plant late winter in hoop houses so that fruit is available in late May or early June. Hoop House Environmental Conditions Monitoring: soil temperature and soil moisture data show an increase within hoop houses indicating more amiable growing conditions. Varietal and Seasonal Taste Testing Trials: preliminary data indicates a consumer preference for the Black Cherry and Pink Berkeley Tie Dye varieties over the New Yorker variety, data for the seasonal trials may indicate a declining quality in older plant fruit as the season progresses. Removal of aphids and trap crops in a timely manner may have prevented many of our plant diseases. Better observation is essential to ensure vectors are treated to prevent disease. Some tomato varieties were more shelf worthy than others (New Yorker vs Black Cherry and Pink Berkeley Tie Dye). Figs are approximately 5 years old and produced heavily but not ripe enough for harvest by end of September.

Publications

• Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Under Review Year Published: 2017 Citation: Thesis Investigations into Mechanical Stimulation of Greens within Hoop Houses (10/1/15  9/30/16; Adrienne Juby): conducting research into mechanical stimulation in the form of wind (which is an important factor in plant growth and development) to optimize quality and quantity of harvest to benefit producers at the production scale.
• Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Under Review Year Published: 2017 Citation: Thesis Investigation into Ultraviolet Light and Antioxidant Production within Hoop Houses (10/1/15-9/30/16; Eric Horton): conducting research into the ultraviolet penetration of hoop houses, and attempting to supplement with additional ultraviolet light to counteract potential loss of antioxidant production.

Progress 10/01/14 to 09/30/15

Outputs
Target Audience:Number of Adults / Youth thathad DIRECT contact withthis project: Adults: 430 (200 adults @ Field Day; 130 on tours to Master Gardeners, Urban Roots, producers, & interested public; 110 consulting with producers, NV Dept. of Ag, UNCE, retailers) Youth: 100 (100 children @ Field Day) Number of Adults / Youth thathad INDIRECT contact withthis project: Adults: 270 (70 @ presentations to master gardeners classes, Air National Guard community garden group; 200 reached through social media sharing) Youth: 200 (presentations to the Master Gardeners school gardens programs) Changes/Problems: Prior to June 2015, the biggest adverse factor for the study had been lack of graduate students on the project.Fortunately, 2 very good MS graduate students started on the project in July 2015, and they along with a part-time LOA, who also works with the UNCE Master Gardeners program, have been better able to keep on top of all the instrumentation, data collection, and experimental design and preparation.We are currently working our way through data from the 2015 Warm Season Experiment and will be tackling the backlog of data from previous studies while plants are growing in the 2015 Cool Season Experiment. Damage from small mammals (primarily marmots, ground squirrels, and mice) that partially eat fruits and cut fruits off from plants has been a serious problem in both field and hoop house plots.When fruit production first started, this waste from small mammal damage accounted for nearly 100% of fruit production in both field plots and hoop houses.Although we were able to reduce damage in the hoop houses by using hardware cloth to reduce entry, these small mammals still burrowed into the hoop houses.By the end of the most recent study, waste from small damage accounted for approximately 10% of total tomato and 25% of total watermelon production in the hoop house and approximately 20% of total tomato and 40% of total watermelon production in the field plots.Vigorous small mammal control will be needed in order for the studies to provide reliable marketable production information for producers. Damage from resident deer also was a problem for field plots only.We constructed a deer-proof fence for the field plots that solved this problem. Although the project had an approved IRB protocol for sensory and taste testing of harvested fruit, the protocol use was narrowly prescribed.We are in the process of resubmitting a revised protocol that will allow sensory and taste testing by a larger audience in a greater variety of venues. Two problems with the irrigation system had been encountered.The first involved programming the irrigation control timer; when the timer program is reset, we were not aware that timers return to a default irrigation mode.Now when timers are reset, we also manually turn off the default irrigation mode as needed.Second, the drip irrigation tape kept developing leaks.After the 2015 Warm Season Experiment, we replaced all drip irrigation tape, only to find out that our roll of drip tape was defective. Fortunately, the supplier replaced the defective tape.However, the new drip tape still developed leaks, and it appears that our pressure regulators were no longer functioning correctly.We are in the process of verifying the problem and will replace pressure regulators as needed. Because dataloggers used in the study were old, we occasionally encountered a datalogger that did not work properly.Troubleshooting the problem and then getting the datalogger repaired slowed installation of climate instruments in the field plots and hoop houses.Additional errors in data collection are still popping up, and we are attempting to determine what may be the cause of those errors so that they can be corrected. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Two graduate students started their MS programs onthis project. One undergraduate continued to work on the project until he graduated in May 2015 and left the University. One part-time support staff was hired, who has continued her professional development since hiring. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results have been distributed to growers, interested scientists / extension staff, and the publicthrough one-on-one personal interactions, through tours of the facilities, through field day activities, through meetings with producers and retailers, and through presentations and school programs. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Continue the experiments outlined in the proposed research.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Tasks completed include: Added 2 more cold-tolerant fig varieties (Black jack and Brown turkey) to our existing cold-tolerant fig variety (Petit negra) during December 2014 in both hoop house and field plots.These additional varieties allow for varietal trials of potential fig production in hoop houses in high desert climate. Conducted 2015 Cool Season Experiment (January - May 2015):Primary foci was varietal trials and succession planting of greens and root crops.Greens included arugula (Sylvetta variety), beet greens (Bull's blood red beet and Touchstone golden beet varieties), dwarf kale, and spinach (Gazelle variety).The 2 beet varieties were also planted for their root crops, and 2 varieties of carrots (Nelson and Napoli) were also planted.Succession plants were done for both beet varieties, both carrot varieties, and spinach.We also tested direct seeding of watermelon (Golden midget variety) in February and watermelon transplants in March to investigate the potential for accelerating the season for this high value crop. Conducted 2015 Warm Season Experiment (June - September 2015):Primary foci were varietal trials and mulch comparisons of 2 warm season crops (tomatoes and watermelons).Five varieties of tomatoes (Brandywine, Cherokee purple, Cour di Bieu, Mewaldt cherry, and Mewaldt Roma) and 2 varieties of watermelon (Golden midget and Sugar baby) were transplanted into hoop houses and field plots in early June.Four different mulch treatments (no-mulch bare ground control, compost mulch, wood chip mulch, and plactic mulch) were initiated in July. Additional climate sensors were installed in both hoop house and field plots, including: thermocouples to record soil temperature under different mulches; ultraviolet light and photosynthetically active light levels. To provide accurate data on applied irrigation water, recording water meters were installed on each of the 4 rows within each hoop house / field plot during mid-summer. Studies of berry production and microclimate differences between field and hoop house grown plants continued at the commercial Jacobs Family Berry Farm. Results include: Growth and fruit production on figs was visibly greater in hoop houses than in field plots. Figs were not mature yet at the end of this reporting period, and thus we have not quantified the differences. Although we will continue to monitor plants, we expect that harvestable fruit production is unlikely before plants become dormant in fall 2015 because root stocks were newly planted and in their first year of growth. Preliminary analyses of the 2015 Warm Season Experiment indicate: For both tomatoes and watermelons, fruit production over all varieties was greater in hoop houses than in field plots.Tomato production was ~60% greater in hoop houses than field plots, and melon production was ~50% greater in hoop houses. The greater tomato production was partially due to greater initial production when plants first produced harvestable fruit, but much greater production for an extended period of time (~1 month) during peak production accounted for the majority of increased production in hoop houses.Three varieties (Cherokee purple, Cour di Bieu, and Mewaldt cherry) contributed towards the greater early production in hoop houses, and all varieties except Cherokee purple had greater production during the period of peak fruit production.Cour di Bieu was the only tomato variety that consistently had greater fruit production over the entire time period in hoop houses. For watermelons, initial production in hoop houses and field plots was similar, but melons in hoop houses reached peak production rates sooner and had greater peak production rates.However, the greater production by melons in hoop houses was not sustained, and production rates in hoop houses and field plots were similar for the last 2 weeks of the experiment.The Sugar baby variety had greater production in hoop houses for a longer period of time than the Golden midget variety. Greater production in hoop houses for both tomatoes and watermelons was due in part to greater survival, larger plants, and fewer diseases in the hoop house vs. field plots. Different mulch treatment had minimal effects on total yield across all varieties in hoop houses.In field plots, the compost mulch had the greatest yields across all varieties and the no-mulch bare ground control had lowest yield. Irrigation programming was similar for both hoop houses and field plots.Initially, volumetric soil water content was slightly wetter in hoop houses, but by the end of the experiment, field plots were wetter.Wetter soils in field plots was unexpected: greater solar radiation and greater wind speeds in the open field plots was expected to result in dryer soils in the field plots.With the installation of water meters throughout the study area, we will be able to better examine the issue of water use and efficiency of water use for fruit production in future experiments. As expected, air temperatures were slightly greater in hoop houses than in field plots, especially daily maximums and daily minimums.Solar irradiance, however, was lower in hoop houses, whether measured as photosynthetically active radiation or as ultraviolet radiation.

Publications

Progress 11/25/13 to 09/30/14

Outputs
Target Audience: Targeted audience includes agricultural producers and professionals that span from the level of backyard grower to mid-scale producer. Most producers focus on urban markets, many desire a greater level of food security in our urban areas, and some want to empower communities groups, such as churches, schools, and homeowners associations, to establish individual and community gardens for personal use, donation to food pantries, and augmentation of family incomes. Thus, our desire is to bridge the gap between producer and consumer and provide information on how to adopt and adapt technologies and methodologies for high-desert farming to local, urban, small- and mid-scale growing that is appropriate for the individual producer. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? One graduate student started her MS program on this project. Unfortunately, after about 8 months in the program, she decided that a graduate degree was not a program that she was interested in achieving. One undergraduate research assistant helped the graduate student with completing the first series of studies in the project as well as assisted with data analyses. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Results have been distributed to growers and other interested scientists / extension staff through one-on-one personal interactions, through email and telephone conversations, and through written reports and data summaries. The PI has also attended local and State agriculture meetings, including the Governor's Ag Conference and the Nevada Small Farm Conference to interact with growers and to listen and learn from professional presentations by active growers and professionals. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Cool season crops (primarily greens) will be planted for the cool season production cycle. In addition, we have planted different varieties of figs in each hoophouse and field plot in order to explore the potential for a new, high value crop for hoophouse production in our high desert environment. Finally, we will also experimentally plant a warm season crop (watermelons) at different times during the cool season to investigate how early we can push the start of the growing season for a high value crop for hoophouse production. We will continue to work with the berry producer. Because he installed sides in his hoophouse over this last fall and winter, we expect to see much larger differences between microclimate in the hoophouse and the field. We will also work with the producer to analyze data to help understand if microclimate differences may influence berry production.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Our first year objectives were related to hoophouse construction and instrumentation. Because we were able to save funds from graduate student salaries and from decreased cost to construct hoop houses, we exceeded our goal to construct 2 hoophouses and were able to construct 4 hoophouses, each 20 x 36 feet (6 foot sidewalls) at the NAES Main Station Field Lab. In addition, two identical field plots were laid out between the hoop houses that were identical in size and treated in the same ways as the hoop houses. Top soil and compost were brought in from commercial sources and used to produce 4 raised beds within each hoop house / field plot (hereafter simply referred to as "plots"). A commercial drip irrigation system was installed in each raised bed, with an individual irrigation controlled for each of the 4 raised beds within each plot. Soil water sensors (TDR style probes, each 30 cm long) were purchased and installed, with 1 sensor installed in the middle of each raised bed to measure soil water content in the top 30 cm of soil. Sensors were connected to dataloggers to automatically measure and record soil water content; to maintain battery voltage for the dataloggers, solar panels were installed. An air temperature probe and a quantum sensor was installed at plant canopy height in each hoop house; only 1 temperature probe and quantum sensor was installed to measure outside air temperature and photosynthetically active irradiance because of funds availability. Because hoophouse construction was fast tracked and because we were able to purchase established seedlings for planting, we were able to also accelerate our plantings and start the first study in the first year of funding, rather than year 2. This study included 2 warm season crops, tomatoes and peppers, that were irrigated to achieve targeted values of 100%, 80%, 60%, and 40% of field capacity. Because the graduate student resigned during this first study, we were not able to get as complete of results from the study as originally planned, and were only able to obtain measures of total biomass and total fruit production of peppers and total biomass of tomatoes. Preliminary analyses of the results indicate the following: (1) the range of soil water content from the driest to wettest rows were similar in the hoophouse and field; (2) neither fruit nor aboveground biomass production of peppers were well correlated with soil water content, although a small correlation occurred for tomato aboveground biomass; (3) for both hoophouse and field grown pepper fruit, Vitamin E content tended to decrease but Vitamin C content tended to increase with increased soil water content; (4) hoophouse soil water content averaged only slightly wetter (2%) than field plots; (5) peppers in hoophouses had 16% greater aboveground biomass than the field, but fruit production was 29% less; (6) tomato aboveground biomass was also larger in the hoophouses than field (31%); and (7) hoophouse peppers had 9% and 3% less Vitamin E and Vitamin C, respectively, than those grown in the field. In addition, we established a working relationship with a local berry producer who had constructed a hoophouse as part of his operation. At his farm, we established weather stations to monitor air temperature and wind speed in his 2 fields as well as in the hoophouse plus installed TDR probes to monitor soil water content along planted rows for 2 berry varieties in both fields and the hoop house. Although the producer had only installed the hoophouse cover (no sides or end walls) during this first year, differences occurred between the field and hoophouse plants. Maximum recorded temperature in the hoophouse (39.4 C) was only slightly greater than the field (39.2 C), but minimum temperature in the field (-15.6 C) was 1 C colder than in the hoophouse (-14.5). However, the last day of frost during spring in the field and hoophouse were the same, and the first day of frost in the fall was only 1 day later in the hoophouse than the field. Nonetheless, average daily temperature and minimum daily temperature in the hoophouse were 0.5 C and 1 C warmer, respectively, in the hoophouse than the field for much of the berry production season. Wind speed gradients existed between the grower's two fields as well as between the field and hoophouse. The hoophouse wind speed averaged 0.48 m s-1 less than the windier field plot. Within-row differences in soil water content occurred for 1 of the 2 berry varieties that were monitored, with plants at the end of the row exposed to greater wind having dryer soils than those in the middle of the row. These results occurred most strongly in 1 field plot and in the hoophouse. Finally, soil water content tended to be greater for all plants of all varieties in the hoophouse than in the field plots during much of the berry production season. Dollars leveraged for extramural support: none Students trained: 1 graduate student; 1 undergraduate student. Publications, formal presentations, articles, etc.: none Patents, companies formed, etc.: none

Publications