November 2024 - 9

RESEARCH
BY DOUG OHLEMEIER
ASSISTANT EDITOR
M
esotunnels, intermediate
in scale between low and
high tunnels, can impact the
incidences of pests, diseases and
quality of fruit produced through
such systems.
Two studies, one on integrated
pest management and the other on
pollination, focused on muskmelon
Athenas and acorn squash cultivars
under mesotunnels, which are 36 to
42 inches high.
In the pollination trial, mesotunnels
increased marketable fruit by 730%.
The three-year multistate research
Photos courtesy of Cornell University
MESOTUNNELS
impact
Research indicates
medium tunnels can
exclude insects in cucurbits
project's overarching goal was to
exclude insects that spread disease
and foster pollination.
Researchers at Cornell University,
the University of Kentucky and
Iowa State, and growers in those
institutions' respective states,
examined how pests could be kept
away from plants with the medium
tunnels. The IPM trial was to quantify
the effects of mesotunnels and cover
crops on pest and weed management,
while the other trial was designed to
evaluate pollination techniques.
Sean Murphy, a technician in the
Pethybridge Lab at Cornell's AgriTech
School of Integrative Plant Science
Plant Pathology and Plant Microbe
Biology Section, presented on the
feasibility of mesotunnels for cucurbit
production during a session at the
Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable
Convention in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Keeping pests at bay
Similar to other barrier systems,
mesotunnels are designed to guard
against insects and the pathogens
they carry, and can also prevent
hail damage. Striped and spotted
cucumber beetles and squash bugs
are the major pests that feed on the
cucumbers, squash, pumpkins and
melons. The beetles spread bacterial
wilt, which produces dry and crispy
leaves leading to crop loss.
Compared to uncovered plots,
temperature and humidity in the
nylon-mesh fabric can be 10%
higher. Growers using tunnels can
VEGETABLEGROWERSNEWS.COM | 9

http://www.VEGETABLEGROWERSNEWS.COM

November 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of November 2024

Editor's Letter
Tomato farming success
Mesotunnels impact
Great Lakes EXPO: Unlocking farm potential
Great Lakes EXPO Schedule
Hydroponics
Seed Variety Showcase
Organic Grower
40 Under Forty Fresh Views
Veg Connections
Farm Market & Agritourism
Ag Labor Review
Classifieds
Advertiser Index
November 2024 - 1
November 2024 - 2
November 2024 - 3
November 2024 - Editor's Letter
November 2024 - 5
November 2024 - Tomato farming success
November 2024 - 7
November 2024 - 8
November 2024 - Mesotunnels impact
November 2024 - 10
November 2024 - Great Lakes EXPO: Unlocking farm potential
November 2024 - Great Lakes EXPO Schedule
November 2024 - 13
November 2024 - Hydroponics
November 2024 - 15
November 2024 - 16
November 2024 - 17
November 2024 - 18
November 2024 - Seed Variety Showcase
November 2024 - 20
November 2024 - 21
November 2024 - 22
November 2024 - 23
November 2024 - 24
November 2024 - 25
November 2024 - 26
November 2024 - 27
November 2024 - 28
November 2024 - 29
November 2024 - 30
November 2024 - 31
November 2024 - 32
November 2024 - 33
November 2024 - 34
November 2024 - Organic Grower
November 2024 - 36
November 2024 - 37
November 2024 - 38
November 2024 - 39
November 2024 - 40 Under Forty Fresh Views
November 2024 - 41
November 2024 - Veg Connections
November 2024 - 43
November 2024 - Farm Market & Agritourism
November 2024 - 45
November 2024 - Ag Labor Review
November 2024 - 47
November 2024 - Classifieds
November 2024 - 49
November 2024 - Advertiser Index
November 2024 - 51
November 2024 - 52
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/buyers-guide-2025
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/december-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/november-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/september-october-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/july-august-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/may-june-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/april-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/march-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/vgn-digital-seed-guide-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/january-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/buyers-guide-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/december-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/november-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/september-october-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/july-august
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/may-june-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/march-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/vgn-digital-seed-guide-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/february-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/january-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/december-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/buyers-guide-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/november-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/september-october-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/august-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/july-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/june-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/may-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/march-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/seedguide-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/buyersguide-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/january-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/december-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/november-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/october-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/september-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/august-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/july-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/june-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/may-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/april-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/march-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/seedguide-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/buyersguide-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/january-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/december-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/november-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/october-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/september-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/august-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/july-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/june-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/may-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/april-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/march-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/february-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/buyersguide-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/january-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/december-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/november-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/october-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/september-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/august-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/july-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/june-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/may-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/april-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/march-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/february-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/buyersguide-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/january-2019
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com