PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

New bale unroller design deemed effective

Offset round-bale unroller makes mulching more efficient in organic mulch trials

2013-11-19
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Michael W. Neff
mwneff@ashs.org
703-836-4606
American Society for Horticultural Science
New bale unroller design deemed effective Offset round-bale unroller makes mulching more efficient in organic mulch trials

LEXINGTON, KY--John Wilhoit and Timothy Coolong from the University of Kentucky have introduced a new technology that can make the application of organic mulches more efficient. The research team from the University of Kentucky premiered their new invention in the August issue of HortTechnology. The team altered a conventional round-bale unroller and designed experiments to document its efficiency. "We modified an unroller so that the new design would be offset a sufficient distance for the tractor to straddle the row of plastic and unroll the bale in the space between adjacent rows of plastic," explained Wilhoit and Coolong. "Then, we tested the efficacy of the modified unroller with several types of organic mulches for between-row weed control in organic watermelon. Mulching between rows can be an effective practice for controlling weeds; our modification makes mulching with round bales of hay or wheat straw more efficient."

For the experiments, the offset round-bale unroller was used to apply hay and wheat straw mulch to between-row areas of 'Crimson Sweet' watermelon in 2009 and 2010. The mulches were applied at two thicknesses: one or two layers unrolled from round bales. "The results showed a significant mulch-type by year interaction for weed control," the authors said. "One-year-old hay had less impact on weed control in 2010 compared with 2009, whereas other mulches had improved weed control in 2010. One-year-old wheat straw and new hay had the lowest levels of weed biomass compared with new wheat straw and the no-mulch control."

The experiments also proved that the thickness of the mulch affected weed control, with mulches applied in two layers resulting in significantly less weed biomass than those applied in one layer.

"These results suggest that hay and wheat straw mulches can be an effective weed control practice when used in conjunction with cultivation," Wilhoit stated. "Weed control with all of the mulches was significantly better than the control. Our results also indicated that adequate weed control could be achieved with a single layer of mulch, reducing costs for mulching with round bales. The hay and wheat straw mulches were effective in weed control, even at application rates in the 15,000 to 20,000 pound-per-acre range."

"Our results showed that an offset bale unroller can make mulching of vegetable crops more efficient. The mulches used in our study are commonly available and relatively inexpensive in Kentucky. However, our offset bale unroller design could likely be used with other mulches that may be more commonly available in other regions of the United States," the authors concluded.

They added that any conventional bale unroller can be modified like the one used in the study "provided the clamping arms are open at the end where they pivot on the toolbar, allowing the additional length of toolbar to be welded on."



INFORMATION:



The complete study and abstract are available on the ASHS HortTechnology electronic journal web site: http://horttech.ashspublications.org/content/23/4/511.abstract

Founded in 1903, the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) is the largest organization dedicated to advancing all facets of horticultural research, education, and application. More information at ashs.org.



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

First-ever survey of Do-It-Yourself Biology community challenges myths

2013-11-19
First-ever survey of Do-It-Yourself Biology community challenges myths Poll finds 'DIYers' working at community labs on benign, educational experiments WASHINGTON—As the Do-It-Yourself Biology ...

Study: Odds of rehospitalization of cognitively impaired varies by discharge destination

2013-11-19
Study: Odds of rehospitalization of cognitively impaired varies by discharge destination INDIANAPOLIS -- Cognitively impaired older adults released from the hospital are less likely to be rehospitalized within 30 days if they go to a nursing home than if they return ...

Phthalate exposure linked to preterm birth

2013-11-19
Phthalate exposure linked to preterm birth ANN ARBOR—The odds of preterm birth for women exposed to a commonly used class of chemicals known as phthalates are increased significantly, according to a new study from the University of Michigan School of Public ...

Non-specialist health workers play important role in improving mental health in developing countries

2013-11-19
Non-specialist health workers play important role in improving mental health in developing countries New research shows benefits for people with depression, anxiety, dementia, maternal depression, post traumatic stress disorder and alcohol abuse Non-specialist ...

Corticosteroid added to standard treatment improves eyesight in patients with sudden vision loss

2013-11-19
Corticosteroid added to standard treatment improves eyesight in patients with sudden vision loss According to study published in Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience Amsterdam, NL, November 19, 2013 – Nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) is one of the ...

Blood test accurately diagnoses concussion and predicts long term cognitive disability

2013-11-19
Blood test accurately diagnoses concussion and predicts long term cognitive disability Penn medicine researchers discover that high levels of a protein in blood after traumatic brain injury correlate with brain tissue damage PHILADELPHIA ...

'GUMBOS' promise new drugs and electronics: American Chemical Society Prized Science video

2013-11-19
'GUMBOS' promise new drugs and electronics: American Chemical Society Prized Science video A group of nanoparticles called "GUMBOS" is as varied as their culinary namesake implies, with a wide range of potential applications from cancer therapy to sensors. ...

Smartphone apps lack proven strategies to help smokers quit

2013-11-19
Smartphone apps lack proven strategies to help smokers quit WASHINGTON, DC (November 19, 2013)—An estimated 11 million smokers in the United States own a smartphone and increasingly they're turning to apps ...

Origin of species: Protein imbalances doom hybrids

2013-11-19
Origin of species: Protein imbalances doom hybrids Why do crosses between closely related species fail to produce fertile hybrids? A new study led by Professor Axel Imhof of Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich shows that differences ...

Scientists nearing forecasts of long-lived wildfires' paths

2013-11-19
Scientists nearing forecasts of long-lived wildfires' paths New computer modeling technique offers promise of continually updated predictions Scientists have developed a new computer modeling technique that for the first time offers the promise of continually-updated ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

US vacation renters waste $2 billion worth of food annually

Automatized vocabulary knowledge in predicting speech fluency

Uncovering the relationship between oral function and lifestyle-related diseases

Drone herbicide applications prove effective for common reed control

New report shows China dominates in AI research – and is western world’s leading collaborator on AI

Hot weather causes children to sweat at the same rate as adults, study shows

New CZI AI model could help scientists pinpoint signs of cancer cells

Sugar-coated ‘sticky’ stem cells could unlock surgery-free liver treatments

Children’s social media activity highlights emotional stress of living with long-term health issues

New tool maps hidden roles and risks in ecosystems

New breakthrough method to protect quantum spins from noise

Chemicals from turmeric and rhubarb could help fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria lurking in wastewater

Instant cancer diagnosis with light and AI!

New electroenzymatic strategy enables non-natural oxidation reactions

Tunable laser light

Scientists uncover magnetic-field control of ultrafast spin dynamics in 2D ferromagnets

New AI-powered model accurately predicts lung motion with minimal radiation

AI language models show promise in predicting liver cancer treatment outcomes

Tracking insect and bug health in a heartbeat from a digital camera

'Talking fish' not heard by conservation policies, SFU study warns

Thirty years of research shows increased resistance in fungi

Junk food ‘avoids advertising regulation’ with top level UK sports sponsorship

Banking on AI while committed to net zero is ‘magical thinking’, claims report on energy costs of big tech

Ancient river systems reveal Mars was wetter than we thought

Online toolkit to help parents of autistic children improve dental health

The psychological and neurological parallels between sports fandom and religious devotion

Agricultural liming in the US is a large CO2 sink, say researchers

Seaside more likely to make us nostalgic than green places, study finds

Psilocybin delays aging, extends lifespan, Emory study suggests

Buck Institute awarded DARPA contract to pioneer next-gen AI modeling platform

[Press-News.org] New bale unroller design deemed effective
Offset round-bale unroller makes mulching more efficient in organic mulch trials