During the winter of 1993-1994, a field evaluation of the effect of bean straw mulch, in terms of frost damage in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cv. Atlantic, was conducted to determine the advantages of mulching with plant residues to reduce the effects of frosts by reducing loss of energy from the soil. Treatments comprised a control without mulch (T1), mulching at emergence (T2), and mulching 30-day-old plants (T3). It was found that mulching had a favorable effect on plant growth when mulching was done at emergence. This was related to a better conservation of soil moisture, but also frosts had a greater effect since there was a larger leaf area exposed to freezing temperatures. It was found that yield was higher when mulching was done when the plant was 30 days old (251.82 g·plant-1), relative to the control (233.53 g·plant-1) and mulching at emergence (158.04 g·plant-1). This was associated with a higher water content in these plants than in the control plants, but also because a smaller leaf area was exposed to the cold than when mulching was done at emergence; thus, there was less frost damage.

During the winter of 1993-1994, a field evaluation of the effect of bean straw mulch, in terms of frost damage in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cv. Atlantic, was conducted to determine the advantages of mulching with plant residues to reduce the effects of frosts by reducing loss of energy from the soil. Treatments comprised a control without mulch (T1), mulching at emergence (T2), and mulching 30-day-old plants (T3). It was found that mulching had a favorable effect on plant growth when mulching was done at emergence. This was related to a better conservation of soil moisture, but also frosts had a greater effect since there was a larger leaf area exposed to freezing temperatures. It was found that yield was higher when mulching was done when the plant was 30 days old (251.82 g·plant-1), relative to the control (233.53 g·plant-1) and mulching at emergence (158.04 g·plant-1). This was associated with a higher water content in these plants than in the control plants, but also because a smaller leaf area was exposed to the cold than when mulching was done at emergence; thus, there was less frost damage.

During the winter of 1993-1994, a field evaluation of the effect of bean straw mulch, in terms of frost damage in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cv. Atlantic, was conducted to determine the advantages of mulching with plant residues to reduce the effects of frosts by reducing loss of energy from the soil. Treatments comprised a control without mulch (T1), mulching at emergence (T2), and mulching 30-day-old plants (T3). It was found that mulching had a favorable effect on plant growth when mulching was done at emergence. This was related to a better conservation of soil moisture, but also frosts had a greater effect since there was a larger leaf area exposed to freezing temperatures. It was found that yield was higher when mulching was done when the plant was 30 days old (251.82 g·plant-1), relative to the control (233.53 g·plant-1) and mulching at emergence (158.04 g·plant-1). This was associated with a higher water content in these plants than in the control plants, but also because a smaller leaf area was exposed to the cold than when mulching was done at emergence; thus, there was less frost damage.

During the winter of 1993-1994, a field evaluation of the effect of bean straw mulch, in terms of frost damage in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cv. Atlantic, was conducted to determine the advantages of mulching with plant residues to reduce the effects of frosts by reducing loss of energy from the soil. Treatments comprised a control without mulch (T1), mulching at emergence (T2), and mulching 30-day-old plants (T3). It was found that mulching had a favorable effect on plant growth when mulching was done at emergence. This was related to a better conservation of soil moisture, but also frosts had a greater effect since there was a larger leaf area exposed to freezing temperatures. It was found that yield was higher when mulching was done when the plant was 30 days old (251.82 g·plant-1), relative to the control (233.53 g·plant-1) and mulching at emergence (158.04 g·plant-1). This was associated with a higher water content in these plants than in the control plants, but also because a smaller leaf area was exposed to the cold than when mulching was done at emergence; thus, there was less frost damage.

During the winter of 1993-1994, a field evaluation of the effect of bean straw mulch, in terms of frost damage in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cv. Atlantic, was conducted to determine the advantages of mulching with plant residues to reduce the effects of frosts by reducing loss of energy from the soil. Treatments comprised a control without mulch (T1), mulching at emergence (T2), and mulching 30-day-old plants (T3). It was found that mulching had a favorable effect on plant growth when mulching was done at emergence. This was related to a better conservation of soil moisture, but also frosts had a greater effect since there was a larger leaf area exposed to freezing temperatures. It was found that yield was higher when mulching was done when the plant was 30 days old (251.82 g·plant-1), relative to the control (233.53 g·plant-1) and mulching at emergence (158.04 g·plant-1). This was associated with a higher water content in these plants than in the control plants, but also because a smaller leaf area was exposed to the cold than when mulching was done at emergence; thus, there was less frost damage.

During the winter of 1993-1994, a field evaluation of the effect of bean straw mulch, in terms of frost damage in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cv. Atlantic, was conducted to determine the advantages of mulching with plant residues to reduce the effects of frosts by reducing loss of energy from the soil. Treatments comprised a control without mulch (T1), mulching at emergence (T2), and mulching 30-day-old plants (T3). It was found that mulching had a favorable effect on plant growth when mulching was done at emergence. This was related to a better conservation of soil moisture, but also frosts had a greater effect since there was a larger leaf area exposed to freezing temperatures. It was found that yield was higher when mulching was done when the plant was 30 days old (251.82 g·plant-1), relative to the control (233.53 g·plant-1) and mulching at emergence (158.04 g·plant-1). This was associated with a higher water content in these plants than in the control plants, but also because a smaller leaf area was exposed to the cold than when mulching was done at emergence; thus, there was less frost damage.

During the winter of 1993-1994, a field evaluation of the effect of bean straw mulch, in terms of frost damage in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cv. Atlantic, was conducted to determine the advantages of mulching with plant residues to reduce the effects of frosts by reducing loss of energy from the soil. Treatments comprised a control without mulch (T1), mulching at emergence (T2), and mulching 30-day-old plants (T3). It was found that mulching had a favorable effect on plant growth when mulching was done at emergence. This was related to a better conservation of soil moisture, but also frosts had a greater effect since there was a larger leaf area exposed to freezing temperatures. It was found that yield was higher when mulching was done when the plant was 30 days old (251.82 g·plant-1), relative to the control (233.53 g·plant-1) and mulching at emergence (158.04 g·plant-1). This was associated with a higher water content in these plants than in the control plants, but also because a smaller leaf area was exposed to the cold than when mulching was done at emergence; thus, there was less frost damage.

During the winter of 1993-1994, a field evaluation of the effect of bean straw mulch, in terms of frost damage in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cv. Atlantic, was conducted to determine the advantages of mulching with plant residues to reduce the effects of frosts by reducing loss of energy from the soil. Treatments comprised a control without mulch (T1), mulching at emergence (T2), and mulching 30-day-old plants (T3). It was found that mulching had a favorable effect on plant growth when mulching was done at emergence. This was related to a better conservation of soil moisture, but also frosts had a greater effect since there was a larger leaf area exposed to freezing temperatures. It was found that yield was higher when mulching was done when the plant was 30 days old (251.82 g·plant-1), relative to the control (233.53 g·plant-1) and mulching at emergence (158.04 g·plant-1). This was associated with a higher water content in these plants than in the control plants, but also because a smaller leaf area was exposed to the cold than when mulching was done at emergence; thus, there was less frost damage.