Alternative Crops. Carol Miles Vegetable Horticulturist

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1 Alternative Crops Carol Miles Vegetable Horticulturist Department of Horticulture WSU Mount Vernon Northwestern Washington Research and Extension Center

2 Vegetable Crops Research Program New and Alternative Crops Identify high-value crops with production potential in Washington State with a focus on Western Washington Provide commercial growers with new variety recommendations and production guidelines Test sustainable and organic production methods Test crops, varieties, and structures for season extension Pest Management Grafted vegetable transplants (soil-borne disease)

3 Why Grow High-Value Crops Higher return per acre Affordable to grow in areas with high operating costs Market tends to be narrow (niche)

4 Edamame Fabaceae (Legume) Glycine max Edamame is Japanese for branched bean Mao dou in Chinese, hairy bean First recorded around 200 BC

5 Edamame Food Quality Low levels of proteinase inhibitors (lipoxygenase) allowing consumption with 5 min. boiling Sucrose 2.5% - 6% (fresh weight basis) Phytoestrogen isoflavins

6 Environment and Crop Maturity Short day length and warm temperatures influence flowering Planting north of adaptation zone results in extended vegetative period, delayed flowering, and delayed maturity Maturity rated 000-X

8 Edamame Production Grow just like green beans Inoculate with Bradyrhizobium japonicum Seed sensitive to soil crusting; only light irrigation after seeding Herbicides must be approved for edamame

9 Cultivating Edamame

10 Edamame Harvest Harvest pods when beans are fully formed, and pods are plump and bright green in color Use green bean harvester Requires major adjustments to pick pods Pods 10 inches and greater above soil line

11 Edamame: 2-row green bean harvester in western OR

12 Edamame: FMC green bean harvester in Taiwan

13 Edamame Consumption and Marketing Consumption: Cooked in the pod then shelled; only bean is eaten Marketing: Whole plants Pods Shelled beans

14 Edamame Seed Costs Plant population = 100,000 plants per acre Seed weight per acre = 150 lbs Cost of seed: $12 - $45 per lb Cost per acre = $ $6750 Seed production is an alternative crop

15 Wasabi Brassicaceae Wasabia japonica Native to Japan, commonly known as Japanese horseradish Enlarged stem/root 2 4 inches in diameter 6 12 inches long Market value: Japan $75/lb Portland $60/lb

16 Wasabi Tissue culture and off-shoots most common propagation techniques Tissue culture difficult Plant costs $0.60 $15 each Seed not well understood Vernalization Stratification

17 Wasabi: Interplanted in forests in Taiwan

18 Wasabi: Shade greenhouse in Shelton, WA

19 Wasabi: Water bed in Shelton, WA

20 Wasabi: Water running through greenhouse in Shelton, WA

21 Wasabi: Soil bed in high tunnel in La Conner, WA

22 Wasabi: Pots in greenhouse in Olympia, WA

23 Wasabi Tissue Culture

24 Wasabi Root Rot

25 Asian Vegetables Brassicaceae Brassica rapa, oleracea Production: o F ideal, days Do not plant too late in spring (bolting) Use bolt resistant varieties

26 A visit to the Chinese quarter of San Francisco or any of the larger Pacific Coast cities will reveal [many] curious roots, green vegetables, seed and other articles of food. The thought that naturally arises is: Might not some of these materials be turned to good account in the American household? Walter Blasdale, Univ. of California. USDA Bulletin No. 68. Some Chinese Vegetable Food Materials. 1899

27 Asian Vegetables: Flower Stalks Gailan, Choi sum, Yu choi, Gai choi Production Fast growing days Cut and grow harvest top 6-12 in. Harvest when in bud, no more than 10% open Kailaan Yu Tsai Sum

28 Primary Pest: Flea Beetle Primary Pest Issue

29 Row cover for flea beetle control

30 Winter Melon Cucurbitaceae Benincasa hispida Wax gourd, winter gourd, white gourd, Chinese preserving melon Production: o F, days, drought tolerant Mature fruit 5-10 lbs soup, stuffed/baked Immature hairy melon stir fry, soup

31 Bitter Melon Cucurbitaceae Momordica charantia Bitter gourd, bitter cucumber, bitter spindle Production: o F, days Vines 12-ft. long Fruit 4-8 in. Health benefits: Malaria (quinine) Diabetes

32 Angled Luffa Cucurbitaceae Luffa acutangula Chinese okra Production: o F, days Harvest 4-6 in.; 1-2 ft Harvest before edges too rigid

sponge Production: 65-85 o F Vegetable fruit

33 Sponge Luffa Cucurbitaceae Luffa cylindrica Sponge gourd, dish cloth/rag gourd, vegetable sponge Production: o F Vegetable fruit 4-6 in., days Sponge in., days

34 Baby Corn Graminaceae Zea mays Production: o F, days Harvest 3 days after silking

35 Pea Shoots Fabaceae Pisum sativum Production: o F When plants inches tall Vegetable - top 4-6 inches Salad green - top 2 inches Blossoms and immature pods desirable

36 Grafted Vegetable Tranplants Scion Graft Union Rootstock

37 History of Vegetable Grafting 500 A.D. Ancient Chinese text describes self-grafting 1600s Korean text describes grafting 1920s Japanese commercial watermelon producers use grafted transplants 1946 Southeast U.S. researchers experiment with grafting solanaceous crops onto jimson weed (Datura stramonium) 1950s Japanese commercial tomato producers use grafted transplants 1990s Grafting technology adopted by European producers 2000s Canadian greenhouse tomato producers use grafted transplants

38 Why Graft Vegetables 1. Soil-borne disease resistance Verticillium wilt Fusarium wilt 2. Increased tolerance to environmental stress Temperature extremes Saline soils 3. Increased vigor and yield Tomatoes

39 Current Grafted Vegetable Production ASIA Field: 95% watermelon, 40% eggplant, 28% tomato Greenhouse: >90% eggplant and tomato EUROPE AND MIDDLE EAST 20-80% use for disease resistance and salt tolerance NORTH AMERICA Canada: 90% hothouse tomato production, increase heat tolerance Mexico: Open field tomato production for disease resistance USA: Greenhouse tomato and cucumber production in California; small-scale heirloom tomato production in NE and SE for disease resistance and increased vigor

Commercial Vegetable Grafting BEVO Farms, Ltd. Milner, British Columbia, Canada Supplies B.C. hothouse tomato industry 95% grafting success rate 12 workers graft 30,000 plants per 8.

40 Commercial Vegetable Grafting BEVO Farms, Ltd. Milner, British Columbia, Canada Supplies B.C. hothouse tomato industry 95% grafting success rate 12 workers graft 30,000 plants per 8.5 hour day

41 Healing chambers

42 Plug Connections Vista, CA Sells to home gardeners

43 Healing chambers

44 Climatizing

45 Green Paradise Farm Vista, CA Grafts for their own use

46 Healing chambers

47 Healing Grafted Vegetables 100% relative humidity desirable Plastic cover Minimize healing chamber volume Temperature o F Shade cloth Darken chamber Reduce photosynthesis to reduce transpiration

48 Verticillium Wilt Control Crisp n Sweet watermelon grafted onto Emphasis rootstock Non-grafted Crisp n Sweet watermelon

Grafting Equipment Equipment Disposable doubleedged stainless steel

Spray bottles Purpose To cut scion and rootstock plants To secure

To wrap the graft union for reinforcement during transplanting To

49 Grafting Equipment Equipment Disposable doubleedged stainless steel razor blade Silicone grafting clips Parafilm Antibacterial soap or gel Spray bottles Purpose To cut scion and rootstock plants To secure scion and rootstock together. To wrap the graft union for reinforcement during transplanting To sanitize hands prior to grafting To mist plants with water during grafting Silicone grafting clips Double-edged razor blades

50 Graft 1 Tray at a Time Plants in every other cell

51 Splice Grafting: Cutting Cut the rootstock and scion at a 45 angle. Cut rootstock below cotyledons to prevent rootstock regrowth Cut scion stem above or below cotyledons, where stem diameter best matches rootstock stem diameter

52 Splice Grafting: Attaching Slip grafting clip onto rootstock Slip scion into grafting clip, complete contact of cut surfaces

53 One-Cotylendon Grafting Scion Rootstock

54 What Have You Learned Why is edamame an expensive crop to grow? What is the primary edible part of wasabi? When do you harvest baby corn? Where are transplants placed immediately after grafting?

Vegetable Grafting: Watermelon

Vegetable Grafting: Watermelon WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION FACT SHEET FS100E Introduction Vegetable grafting is a centuries-old technique first used in Asia to improve plant production, reduce