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Thesis (M. S.)--Texas A&M University, 2005. / "Major Subject: Horticulture" Title from author supplied metadata (automated record created on Feb. 23, 2007.) Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Texas A&M University, 2005. / "Major Subject: Horticulture" Title from author supplied metadata (automated record created on Feb. 23, 2007.) Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references.

Peat is an expensive, environmentally nonrenewable component of media used to grow woody ornamental trees. Leaf compost from the city of Bowling Green is an inexpensive renewable resource that was substituted for peat in soil-less container media. Seeds of three commercially important tree species, Koelreuteria paniculata (goldenraintree), Quercus alba (white oak), and Magnolia grandiflora (southern magnolia) were grown in 473 mL bottomless milk containers for 150 days, then repotted to 3785 mL pots for 90 days. Media ratios were 1:0, 3:1, 1:1, 1:3, and 0:1 parts commercial media to leaf compost from the Western Kentucky University Agricultural Research Center in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Destructive and nondestructive measurements were made at 90, 150, 210, and 240 days after planting (DAP). K. paniculata root weight, stem weight, leaf weight, leaf number, and stem height was higher at 90 DAP; stem and leaf growth increased at 210 DAP when grown in a media containing compost; thus it may be a good candidate for use in such a system. Q. alba growth was decreased by the addition of compost and does not appear to be a good candidate for proposed media. At 240 DAP, root weight decreased from 4.777g when grown in commercial media compared to 0.997g in leaf compost. Q. alba leaf number also decreased from 8.5 in commercial media to 0.5 with leaf compost. The results from M. grandiflora were mixed, and further classification is necessary. Media samples showed increased soil pH from 6.2 in the commercial mix to 8.5 in pure compost. Elevated pH and its associated availability of anions and cations likely was the greatest factor influencing growth of these trees. Economic analysis demonstrated that significant cost savings to the producer could be achieved by using compost as a media component.

Thesis (M.S.)--Texas A & M University, 2003. / "Major Subject: Horticulture." Title from author supplied metadata (automated record created on Apr. 30, 2004.). Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references.

Flame weeding is a thermal weed control method that controls weeds through the application of extremely high temperatures. Field experiments were conducted from 2005 to 2007 to determine weed and crop tolerance to flame weeding and to investigate effects on plant development, crop yield, and crop quality. Dose-response curves were constructed for weeds common to horticultural fields in Québec. Flame weeding was more effective in controlling dicot weeds than monocot weeds. Flame doses that reduced common lambsquarters density by 95% (LD95) ranged from 0.83 to 2.85 kg propane km-1 for plants at the cotyledon through the 6-leaf growth stage. LD95 values for redroot pigweed ranged from 1.19 to 2.72 kg propane km-1 for plants at the cotyledon through the 4-leaf growth stage. In shepherd's-purse, LD95 values for weeds at the cotyledon and the 2- to 5-leaf growth stage were 1.15 and 2.78 kg propane km-1, respectively. Control of monocot weeds was poor, with survival greater than 50% for all flame doses evaluated. Onion and broccoli were tolerant of a single flame weeding treatment, with yield losses observed only when flamed within 20 days after transplantation (DAT). Among weed-free treatments, onion was able to withstand up to six flame treatments without any detectable loss in yield. However, flame treatments alone were not able to provide sufficient weed control to maintain yields. Flame weeding had minimal effects on time to reach maturity, leaf and bulb development, pungency or quercetin concentration in onion. Broccoli tolerated up to four flame treatments in weed-free plots without yield reductions. Flame-only treatments had lower yields than the flamed, weed-free treatments in one of two years. Flame treatments had limited effects on the number of days to maturity, leaf development, and glucoraphanin concentration in broccoli. Yield losses in spinach and beets were observed when flamed at both the 4- and 6-leaf growth stages; however, no adverse / Le pyrodésherbage est une technique de contrôle des adventices qui utilise l'application de températures extrêmement élevées. Des expériences on été menées de 2005 à 2007 pour déterminer la tolérance au pyrodésherbage des adventices et de différentes cultures maraîchères et pour évaluer les effets sur le rendement, le développement et la qualité des cultures. Des courbes de réponses au pyrodésherbage ont été construites pour certaines adventices communes au Québec. La technique a contrôlé plus efficacement les dicotylédones que les monocotylédones. Les doses de pyrodésherbage qui ont réduit le chénopode blanc de 95% (DL95) variaient de 0,83 à 2,85 kg propane km-1 pour les stades de croissance variant de cotylédons à 6 feuilles déployées. Les DL95 pour l'amarante à racine rouge se situaient entre 1,19 et 2,72 kg propane km-1 pour les stades de croissances variant de cotylédons à 4 feuilles déployées. Pour la bourse à pasteur, ces valeurs se situaient à 1,15 et 2,78 kg propane km-1 pour les stades de cotylédons et 2 à 5 feuilles déployées, respectivement. L'oignon et le brocoli ont toléré le pyrodésherbage; des pertes de rendements n'ont été observées que lorsque le traitement était effectué moins de 20 jours après transplantation. Dans les traitements sans adventices, l'oignon a été capable de résister jusqu'à six traitements de pyrodésherbage sans baisse observable de rendement. Toutefois, le pyrodésherbage seul a été insuffisant pour permettre un contrôle des adventices suffisant à maintenir le rendement. Le pyrodésherbage a eu un effet mineur sur la précocité, le développement des feuilles et du bulbe, l'âcreté ou la concentration de quercétine dans le bulbe. Le brocoli a été capable de résister jusqu'à 4 traitements de pyrodésherbage sans baisse observable de rendement dans les parcelles sans adventices. Les traitements incluant seulement le pyrodésherbage ont eu un rendement inf

The tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum L., a native fruit of tropicalical America, is one of our most pop1lar vegetables. It ranks next to the potato and sweet potato in total value and first among the perishable vegetables, Thompson (1949). It is grown by a large percentage of market gardeners and truck growers and is the leading canning crop. [...]