Corn

Objectives:

• To determine the production and processing potential of new introductions of sweet corn.

Objectives

This project has two main objectives:

• 1) Provide a real-time monitoring and reporting system to provide decision support for pest management to processed vegetable growers in W. Oregon,
• 2) Provide the long term research basis to better understand pest outbreaks that can be used to improve implementation of objective 1. 

Cooperators: Jim Todd, Ed Peachey, Dan McGrath, Glenn Fisher

Objectives:

• To evaluate the agronomic performance of new and established sweet corn varieties at the Malheur Experiment Station, Ontario, OR. 

OBJECTIVE for 1998:

• To evaluate the use of pre-sidedress testing of soil nitrate content (PSNT), and the SPAD leaf chlorophyll meter, to predict the level of additional N needed to grow a sweet corn crop to good yield and quality. 

COOPERATORS:

• Neil Christensen, Dept. of Crop and Soil Science 
• Marvin Kauffman, consultant
• Carol Miles, Washington State University Extension

OBJECTIVES FOR 1998:

• To evaluate effects of several winter cover crop systems, including fall seeded and overseeded triticale, fall-seeded triticale plus winter pea, and overseeded red clover on yield and quality of sweet corn at three rates of N. The cover crops followed broccoli fertilized with three rates of N in 1997.
• To evaluate the effect of these cover crops and the N applied to broccoli in 1997 on the amount of nitrate leached below the root zone during the winter of 1997-98.

COOPERATORS:

The cause(s) of the root/crown rot problem of sweet corn in the Willamette Valley the past 10 years has been a challenge to identify. Root rot is the precursor to crown rot symptoms. Many species of Fusaria and Pythium have been isolated from symptomatic roots and crowns.
Experiments were conducted in the field and greenhouse in 1998 to help pinpoint the pathogenic agent of corn root rot and to evaluate the efficacy of soil treatments on managing this disease.

This project focuses on developing and evaluating strip-tillage vegetable production systems which integrate winter-annual cover crops. Goals include increasing farm income and enhancing soil and water quality.

Grower Participants:

• Mark and Mike Dickman, Dickman Farms, Mt. Angel
• Carl and Jack Hendricks, Hendricks Farms,Stayton
• Steve and Alan Keudell, Keudell Farms, Stayton
• Ray Stafford, Kraemer Farms, Mt. Angel
• Rod Chambers, Mari-Linn Farms, Jefferson

Objectives:

This proposal is also submitted to the broccoli, cauliflower, and sweet corn research committees of the Oregon Processed Vegetable Commission

OBJECTIVES:

• To maintain, evaluate, and refine a regional pest monitoring network for selected Lepidopteran pests of broccoli, cauliflower, and sweet corn.
• To strengthen the communication network among ag professionals serving the Willamette Valley processed vegetable industry.

OBJECTIVE for 1999:

• To evaluate SPAD response curves to available N for three varieties of sweet corn and to determine the relative N uptake efficiency of these varieties when grown at varying levels of soil nitrate content.