Research Projects

Ozone dosage-crop loss conversion functions were developed for Moapa 69 alfalfa yields and percent leaf reduction. The calculations of the conversion functions were based on the functional relationships observed in field plots within an ambient ozone gradient in the South Coast Air Basin Seasonal ozone dosage proved to be the only significant monitored variable influencing alfalfa yields and percent leaf reductions when tested in multiple regression correlations with average seasonal maximum temperature, average seasonal minimum temperature and average daily relative humidity. A comparison of the plotted monitored variables at each location revealed that the seasonal ozone dosage was the most divergent of any variable. The pattern of daily fluctuations of climatological variables at all test plots was very uniform and differences between test plots generally related to modest variations in their range of values. Problem areas relative to vandalism, vertebrate predation, irrigation and wind pollination of aweet corn reduced the data input to an unacceptable level. These problems have been remedied but no conversion function could be produced for Golden Jubilee sweet corn.