Soil temperatures were cooler, soil moisture was higher, and populations of Colorado potato beetle were lower in mulched plots. Although beneficial, the researchers in this study concluded mulching would be most cost effective if the mulch came from cover crops on the same or an adjacent field. Cover crops can also reduce diseases such as verticillium and rhizoctonia, according to studies in Idaho. Consult Chapter 5 for more information on these studies. Irrigation Water needs increase linearly from shoot emergence until about two weeks after the period of maximum row coverage.
Water needs then hold constant until the vines die back, reducing water requirements.
Too much water or too little water will affect tuber number, size, and quality as described in detail in the tuber initiation and growth section. Integrated Pest Management Life cycles and monitoring and control practices for some of the common insect pests in the southern states are described in Integrated Pest Management. Some of the important diseases of vegetables in the South and their control are described in Disease Management. The general principles of insect and disease IPM programs are also described in their respective chapters. Cultivar resistances to the more common insects and diseases in the South are listed in Table 15.5. as it may be useful to select cultivars with multiple resistances.