@article{heagy_schultheis_birdsell_knuth_ward_2023, title={High-density Planting and a Smaller Row Width Increased Yield and Decreased Fruit Size of}, volume={58}, ISSN={["2327-9834"]}, DOI={10.21273/HORTSCI17246-23}, abstractNote={Pumpkins (Cucurbita sp.) grown in North Carolina are a nascent specialty crop that has only risen to a national production level in the past 10 years. There are only general cultural management guidelines for this region, resulting in variation in plant density and inefficient production. Production field studies of the cultivar Kratos were conducted to investigate the impact of plant density and row width on marketable yield and individual fruit size for large carving pumpkins. Plant densities of 2691, 3588, 5382, and 10,764 plants per hectare with row widths of 1.5 and 3.0 m were grown in 2020 and 2021 in North Carolina. Data regarding fruit size, fruit size variance, and yield per area were collected. Fruit size in terms of weight, length, and diameter increased as plant density decreased. There was no difference in fruit size variation between plant densities and row widths. The fruit number per hectare and fruit weight per hectare increased as plant density increased, with the highest production at 10,764 plants per hectare. For years combined, reducing the row width from 3.0 to 1.5 m increased the fruit weight and diameter, but not the length. Additionally, the 1.5-m row width produced more fruit weight per hectare than the 3.0-m row width for both years. Growers can optimize fruit weight per area and fruit number per area by using a density of 10,764 plants per hectare. Overall, using a row width distance that is more equidistant to the in-row spacing promotes higher fruit yield and larger fruit size.}, number={10}, journal={HORTSCIENCE}, author={Heagy, Kimberly and Schultheis, Jonathan R. and Birdsell, Travis and Knuth, Melinda and Ward, Jason K.}, year={2023}, month={Oct}, pages={1194–1200} }
 @article{heagy_knuth_schultheis_birdsell_ward_2023, title={Using Partial Budgeting Analyses to Analyze Profitability of Commercial Pumpkin Production, Standardize Bin Size Categories, and Understand Bin Sorting Accuracy}, volume={58}, ISSN={0018-5345 2327-9834}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.21273/hortsci17499-23}, DOI={10.21273/HORTSCI17499-23}, abstractNote={Pumpkins (Cucurbita sp.) are currently sold in retail commercial bins categorized based on fruit size. There are no standards for these fruit sizes, thus creating discrepancies across the industry. Furthermore, there is not a published partial budget analysis for pumpkin fruit yield based on plant area. An observational study was conducted to quantify and standardize the fruit sizes of pumpkins packed into commercial bins. These proposed standardized fruit sizes were then correlated to the expected fruit size and quantity of different plant areas to estimate the total commercial bin yield. Additionally, a partial budget analysis was conducted to calculate the greatest profit per hectare with the varying plant areas. Pumpkins from bins labeled medium, large, extra-large, and jumbo were hand-measured to determine the diameter, length, and weight. Based on a discriminate analysis, 20% of pumpkins were incorrectly sorted based on current practices. The proposed standard fruit diameters for each bin size are as follows: medium, 23.5 to 26.8 cm; large, 26.9 to 29.9 cm; extra-large, 30.0 to 33.6 cm; and jumbo, 33.7 to 35.5 cm. The results of a partial budget analysis showed that the most profitable plant spacing area is 0.9 m2 with a 1.5-m row width, which will earn $37,163/ha. Profit for pumpkin production is contingent on both fruit quantity and fruit size because these factors dictate the quantity and category of commercial bins. Growers should consider both metrics to optimize their operation.}, number={12}, journal={HortScience}, publisher={American Society for Horticultural Science}, author={Heagy, Kimberly and Knuth, Melinda and Schultheis, Jonathan R. and Birdsell, Travis and Ward, Jason}, year={2023}, month={Dec}, pages={1587–1594} }
 @article{dale_birdsell_sidebottom_2020, title={Evaluating the invasive potential of an exotic scale insect associated with annual Christmas tree harvest and distribution in the southeastern U.S.}, volume={2}, ISSN={["2666-7193"]}, DOI={10.1016/j.tfp.2020.100013}, abstractNote={The movement of invasive species is a global threat to ecosystems and economies. Scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) are particularly well-suited to avoid detection, invade new habitats, and escape control efforts. In countries that celebrate Christmas, the annual movement of Christmas trees has in at least one instance been associated with the invasion of a scale insect pest and subsequent devastation of indigenous forest species. In the eastern United States, except for Florida, Fiorinia externa is a well-established exotic scale insect pest of keystone hemlock species and Fraser fir Christmas trees. Annually, several hundred thousand Fraser firs are harvested and shipped into Florida, USA for sale to homeowners and businesses. There is concern that this insect may disperse from Christmas trees and establish on Florida conifers of economic and conservation interest. Here, we investigate the invasive potential of F. externa on sixteen conifer species by quantifying the reproductive potential of this insect pest and its ability to establish, reproduce, and damage these plants. We find that small amounts of heavily infested Fraser fir plant material can release several hundred juvenile F. externa for over a month. Similar to other case studies, we find evidence that host susceptibility may in part be linked to phylogenetic relatedness. Encouragingly, only six of sixteen species evaluated were susceptible to attack. Our results provide new insights into methodology for evaluating scale insect dispersal and host susceptibility. We also provide guidance for future studies investigating scale insect reproduction, dispersal, and risk for plant species of unknown susceptibility to other exotic insect pests.}, journal={TREES FORESTS AND PEOPLE}, author={Dale, Adam G. and Birdsell, Travis and Sidebottom, Jill}, year={2020}, month={Dec} }
 @article{quesada-ocampo_withers_butler_birdsell_schultheis_2015, title={First Report of Plectosporium Blight on Pumpkin and Squash Caused by Plectosporium tabacinum in North Carolina}, volume={99}, ISSN={["1943-7692"]}, DOI={10.1094/pdis-07-14-0770-pdn}, abstractNote={HomePlant DiseaseVol. 99, No. 5First Report of Plectosporium Blight on Pumpkin and Squash Caused by Plectosporium tabacinum in North Carolina PreviousNext DISEASE NOTES OPENOpen Access licenseFirst Report of Plectosporium Blight on Pumpkin and Squash Caused by Plectosporium tabacinum in North CarolinaL. M. Quesada-Ocampo, S. Withers, S. Butler, T. Birdsell, and J. SchultheisL. M. Quesada-OcampoSearch for more papers by this author, S. WithersSearch for more papers by this author, S. ButlerSearch for more papers by this author, T. BirdsellSearch for more papers by this author, and J. SchultheisSearch for more papers by this authorAffiliationsAuthors and Affiliations L. M. Quesada-Ocampo S. Withers S. Butler , Department of Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27695 T. Birdsell , Cooperative Extension, North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27695 J. Schultheis , Department of Horticulture, North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27695. Published Online:29 May 2015https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-07-14-0770-PDNAboutSectionsSupplemental ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmailWechat Cucurbits are among the most important vegetable crops in North Carolina. Plectosporium blight, caused by Plectosporium tabacinum, can significantly reduce marketable fruit in squash and pumpkin (1). Since 1988, when Plectosporium blight was first reported in the United States in Tennessee, the disease has been confirmed in New York, Alabama, Louisiana, Virginia, and Illinois (4). In July of 2013, approximately15% of zucchini squash (Cucurbita pepo ‘Zephyr’ and ‘Senator’) grown in an organic commercial field in Davidson County, NC, showed spindle-shaped, corky, sunken, tan lesions on the stems and petioles; and circular, corky, raised, tan lesions on the leaves and fruit. In September of 2013, approximately 10 to 20% of the pumpkin plants (C. pepo ‘Field Trip’) at research station fields in Ashe and Haywood Counties, NC, also showed stem, leaf, and fruit lesions characteristic of Plectosporium blight (4). After surface-sterilization with 70% ethanol, four to five lesions were excised from petioles and fruit of each cultivar, placed on potato dextrose agar, and incubated under constant fluorescent light at room temperature (21°C). Tan to light pink colonies with white aerial mycelium grew on the plates after a week, and after single-sporing, one representative isolate from each of three cultivars, Zephyr, Senator, and Field Trip, was retained for analysis. One- and two-celled, hyaline, elongate, ellipsoid, slightly curved conidia (n = 10), each with a narrow base that measured 7.4 to 10.2 × 2.1 to 3 μm were observed for the three isolates at 100× magnification. Branched, hyaline conidiophores (n = 5) with elongate, slightly sinuous, apical phialides and conidia in mucilaginous heads at the tip of each conidiophore identified the isolates as P. tabacinum (synonyms Microdochium tabacinum, Fusarium tabacinum, and Plectosphaerella cucumerina) (2). To confirm the identity of the isolates, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of ribosomal DNA was amplified and sequenced with the ITS4 and ITS5 primers (3). The sequence was compared with sequences in GenBank using a BLAST alignment, which revealed that the isolates had 98% identity with ITS sequences of P. cucumerina (AB266250.1), the teleomorph of P. tabacinum. The ITS sequences of the three isolates were deposited in GenBank under accession numbers KJ130026, KJ130027, and KJ130028. No official report has been published of P. tabacinum on C. pepo in NC; however, Plectosporium blight can be misidentified as mechanical injury, e.g., from sand blasting, and it is likely that the pathogen has previously been encountered but not yet reported officially in NC. While it is uncommon for Plectosporium blight to result in devastating yield losses, the disease can cause significant reduction in marketable fruit, which may warrant applications of effective fungicides in fields where the pathogen has been found.References:(1) Mullen, J. M., and Sikora, E. J. 2003. Plant Dis. 87:749. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS.2003.87.6.749A Link, ISI, Google Scholar(2) Palm, M. E., et al. 1995. Mycologia 87:397. https://doi.org/10.2307/3760837 Crossref, ISI, Google Scholar(3) White, T. J., et al. 1990. Page 315 in: PCR Protocols: A Guide to Methods and Applications. M. A. Innis et al., eds. Academic Press, San Diego, CA. Crossref, Google Scholar(4) Zitter, T. A. 1996. Page 28 in: Compendium of Cucurbit Diseases. T. A. Zitter, D. L. Hopkins, and C. E. Thomas, eds. The American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN. Google ScholarDetailsFiguresLiterature CitedRelated Vol. 99, No. 5 May 2015SubscribeISSN:0191-2917e-ISSN:1943-7692 Metrics Article History Issue Date: 29 May 2015Published: 29 May 2015First Look: 11 Dec 2014Accepted: 3 Dec 2014 Page: 724 Information© 2015 The American Phytopathological SocietyCited byPlectosphaerella cucumerinaCABI Compendium, Vol. CABI CompendiumDiseases of Chrysanthemum7 January 2018Diseases of Chrysanthemum24 May 2017}, number={5}, journal={PLANT DISEASE}, publisher={Scientific Societies}, author={Quesada-Ocampo, L. M. and Withers, S. and Butler, S. and Birdsell, T. and Schultheis, J.}, year={2015}, month={May}, pages={724–725} }