Evaluation of Reduced a uat o o educedFall-Timed, Tillage Operations

Gene Miyao, UC Farm Advisor, Yolo, Solano & Sacramento countiesJeff Mitchell, Veg Crops Specialist, UC DavisTim Hartz, Veg Crops Specialist, UC Davis

Gene Miyao, UC Farm Advisor, Yolo, Solano & Sacramento countiesJeff Mitchell, Veg Crops Specialist, UC DavisTim Hartz, Veg Crops Specialist, UC Davis, g p p ,Shrini Upadhyaya & Leroy Garciano, Ag Engineering Dept, UCD

, g p p ,Shrini Upadhyaya & Leroy Garciano, Ag Engineering Dept, UCD

Approaching No-Till:Approaching No-Till:pp oac g oFresh Market tomatoesw/ buried drip irrigation

pp oac g oFresh Market tomatoesw/ buried drip irrigationp gp g

Major Challenges for Processingtomato growers:

Major Challenges for Processingtomato growers:

Furrow irrigation w/ high residueWeed control w/out cultivationMechanical harvest w/ residue

Furrow irrigation w/ high residueWeed control w/out cultivationMechanical harvest w/ residueMechanical harvest w/ residue

& minimally disturbed soilsMechanical harvest w/ residue

& minimally disturbed soils

STANDARDTILLAGETILLAGE

Fall-Timed, Primary TILLAGE

REDUCEDTILLAGE

FALLOW(Conventional)A

STANDARDTILLAGE

CHISEL BED CENTER

( )

BTILLAGE

COVER CROP TRITICALE

BED CENTER

C

Fall-Timed TILLAGETRITICALE

REDUCEDTILLAGE

FALLOW(Conventional)A

STANDARDTILLAGE

CHISEL BED CENTER

( )

BTILLAGE

COVER CROPTRITICALE

BED CENTER

C

Fall-Timed TILLAGETRITICALE

FALLOW

REDUCEDCHISEL

FALLOW(Conventional)A

TILLAGE CHISEL BED CENTERB

COVER CROP TRITICALE

C

Reduced Fall Tillage Comparison,

Net canopy

UC Davis, 2007

Treatment Yield % coverTillage (Tons/A) color Brix sun lumensStandard Till Chisel Center 23.8 22.9 6.2 23 0.117Standard Till none 25 2 23 0 5 9 20 0 114

Similar yield between tillage systemsStandard Till none 25.2 23.0 5.9 20 0.114

Reduced Till Chisel Center 24.5 23.9 5.8 21 0.150Reduced Till none 24.1 24.1 5.8 22 0.159

g y

Bed chisel – no response in 1st year

Standard till 25.9 23.0 6.0 19.3 0.117Reduced till 24.3 23.9 5.9 22.6 0.159

Probability NS 0.015 0.03 NS 0.0001

response in 1st year

Slight reduction in PTAB l b i d

Chisel Center 24.2 23.4 6.0 21.8 0.134none 24.6 23.6 5.8 20.7 0.137

Probability NS NS 0 10 NS 0 13

PTAB color, brix, and early plant growth

Probability NS NS 0.10 NS 0.13Interaction NS NS 0.01 NS NS%CV 11 1 3 37 7

Reduced Fall Tillage Comparison Reduced Fall Tillage Comparison Effect on Yield (tons/A)

UC Davis, 2008Effect on Yield (tons/A)

UC Davis, 2008,,

Tillage MethodConventional Reduced

Chisel (bed center) 33.5 z 40.1 al bTriticale 32.4 z 27.5 b

Fallow 30.9 z 31.1 bLSD (@ 0 05) 5 0 7 5LSD (@ 0.05) 5.0 7.5

R lt Till T i l UC D i R lt Till T i l UC D i Results: Tillage Trials, UC Davis 2007 & 2008

Results: Tillage Trials, UC Davis 2007 & 2008

Comparable fruit yields between standard vs reduced fall tillage

Comparable fruit yields between standard vs reduced fall tillagestandard vs. reduced fall tillage.

Benefit of single chisel in bed center w/ reduced tillage system?

standard vs. reduced fall tillage.Benefit of single chisel in bed center w/ reduced tillage system?reduced tillage system? reduced tillage system?

Continue on UC Davis campus field siteContinue on UC Davis campus field siteFuture Plans:Future Plans:

Continue on UC Davis campus field siteExpand testing into grower fieldsContinue on UC Davis campus field siteExpand testing into grower fields

Funding Support: California Tomato Research InstituteField Assistance: Mark Kochi, Yolo County field assistantJim Jackson, Fred Stewart, Franciso Rodriquez & crew, Jim Jackson, Fred Stewart, Franciso Rodriquez & crew,

Plant Sciences Department, UC DavisStudents Sara Pearson (Chico) & Margaret Lloyd (UCD)E & J FarmsE & J FarmsSupplies:T S & LAg Seeds Unlimited

Strip-tilling cover crop ahead oftransplanting tomatoes

Strip-tilling cover crop ahead oftransplanting tomatoes

Sano Farms, Firebaugh, 2006Sano Farms, Firebaugh, 2006

Strip-till planted processing tomatoesFirebaugh, CA 2006

PROCESSING TOMATOESPROCESSING TOMATOESPROCESSING TOMATOESSTRIP-TILL PLANTED INTOTRITICALE COVER CROP

PROCESSING TOMATOESSTRIP-TILL PLANTED INTOTRITICALE COVER CROPTRITICALE COVER CROP

FIREBAUGH, CA 2005TRITICALE COVER CROP

FIREBAUGH, CA 2005

Tomato Yields 2000-2008

70

Tomato Yield (tons/A)UC Westside Research & Extension Center

60

65

70

stnostccctno

UC Westside Research & Extension Center

Conservation Tillage

50

55

60ctcc

40

45

30

35

Standard Tillage

20

25

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008Year

The EndThe End