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Browsing by Author "Simmons, Trevor"

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    Determining Costs of Conventional and Conservation Agricultural Practices
    Alwang, Jeffrey R.; Boatwright, Jessica; DuBreuil, Katherine; Gaffney, Robert; Moore, Lauren; Latané, Annah; Simmons, Trevor (Blacksburg, VA: SANREM CRSP, 2011)
    Farmers in the Chimbo watershed face problems with soil erosion as a result of the steep slopes and mountainous terrain. In order to help address these environmental concerns and increase farmer profitability and yields, an analysis was conducted to determine the costs of production under conventional and reduced tillage methods on fava beans, beans, maize, and potato. A specific questionnaire was created for both the Illangama and Alumbre watersheds and utilized in these areas. The information provided from research performed in the Chimbo watershed indicates that only conventional tillage bean and reduced tillage bean budgets experience positive net revenue. All other budgets were indicative of net losses for farmers. The data sets all contained considerable variation alluding to the fact that research yielding more accurate measurements is necessary in the future. Additionally, the variability in price at both the farm level and commercial markets make it difficult to accurately judge the cost of production at this time for the investigated crops. By identifying the actual costs of production, research agencies will be able to better understand the constraints faced by agricultural producers within the watershed. Addressing these limitations and practices will help researchers identify factors that affect crop yields, in an effort to improve farmer profits and soil health.
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    Efficacy of Organic Fungicides for Control of Powdery Mildew, Downy Mildew, and Plectosporium in Pumpkins
    Simmons, Trevor; Baudoin, Antonius B.; Langston, David B.; Welbaum, Gregory E. (Virginia Tech, 2017-05-02)
    Increased agritourism in the state of Virginia has led to an increase in the pumpkin planting acreage for pick-your-own operations across the commonwealth. Virginia pumpkin producers face yield losses from numerous sources, including several fungal diseases. The objective of this research was to compare the efficacy of certified organic fungicides against a conventional fungicide program for the control of powdery mildew, downy mildew, and plectosporium. Cultivar Warty Goblin pumpkins were grown in Rockville, Virginia during the 2016 crop season. Five different treatments (water, Kaligreen, Nordox, Regalia, and Bravo +Quintec/Proline) were assessed for their control of powdery mildew, downy mildew, and plectosporium. Disease observations and treatments were made weekly from August 12 – September 15. Disease ratings for powdery mildew showed that conventional fungicides provided the greatest control, with organic products Kaligreen and Nordox providing next-best control, statistically equivalent in some analyses. Regalia did not provide significantly better disease control than untreated water controls. Plectosporium disease severity was reduced the most in plots receiving conventional fungicides, with Nordox being almost as effective. Kaligreen provided no control of plectosporium. Regalia provided modest control, which in some analyses was significantly better than the untreated control. Downy mildew pressure was extremely limited, and no significant differences in disease incidence were seen among the treatments. In conclusion, several of the tested organic materials proved to be statistically as effective as the conventional fungicides in controlling both powdery mildew and plectosporium, although conventional fungicides provided numerically superior control for all diseases.