lOTROEUCTION 



Vegetable growers in North Florida produced 12 vegetable crops 

 commercially in 1978 (^5) • Enterprises range in scale from full-tine 

 businesses to part-time small-scale market garden operations (^2, 89, 

 163). In general, vegetable growers in North Florida plant vegetable 

 crops during the spring and fall seasons because the climate is more 

 favorable than in sijmmer and winter (175. 176). The higher temperatures 

 and rainfall in summer and freezing temperatiores in winter limit the 

 production of most vegetables in North Florida (36, 63, 175 » 176). 

 Vegetable production in North Florida is chaxacterised by few total 

 hectares (I9i ^5) and. lower yields compared to South Florida (29, ■^5). 



Small-scale farmers generally produce vegetables using low levels 

 of crop management (29, ^5) • In a survey of 50 small-scale growers in 

 North Florida, a majority of the growers used low levels of fertilizers 

 and pesticides (29) . Marketing alternatives were limited and prices 

 for most vegetables were below the break-even price (30, 50) . Thus, 

 the feasibility of increasing and improving vegetable production in 

 North Florida is dependent upon both efficient, cropping and marketing 

 systems. 



Several studies have been conducted to extend and improve vege- 

 table production in North Florida (20, 16^, 175, 176). For example, 

 the use of black and white plastic mulches to reduce the effect of 

 intense rainfall and high soil temperatures improved yields of muskmelon 

 ( Cucumis melo L . ) , watermelon [ Citirullus lanatus (Thumb . ) Mansf . ] , and 

 squash (20) . Production of vegetables under tobacco (Nicotania taba - 

 cum L.) shades also increased total yield of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. ) 



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