Studies in other states have suggested that cover crops, especially brassicas, can provide some of the benefits of a fumigant. This test looked at > Green Sprouting = broccoli raab, > Florida Broadleaf = mustard and pasture wheat as cover crops compared with standard fumigation using methyl bromide.
 
The cover crops were planted by broadcasting seed onto shaped beds with a drop spreader in October 2002. The seeding rates were mustard - 20 lb/a, broccoli - 22 lb/a and wheat - 51 lb/a. The beds were tilled shallowly to incorporate the seed and then rolled to cover the seed. Plastic mulch was laid over methyl bromide on appropriate beds Sept. 9, 2002. The mustard plots were mowed with a flail mower Feb. 19, 2003, and the broccoli, mustard and wheat plots were flail-mowed March 28, 2003. Also on March 18, the cover crop plots were rotary tilled deeply, disk bedded, rotary tilled shallowly and then rolled. Plastic mulch was laid on the cover crop plots March 28.
 
‘ Epic’ eggplant, ‘Camelot’ bell pepper and ‘Florida 47’ tomato were transplanted and ‘Precious II’ yellow squash, ‘Lightning’ cucumber and ‘Kandy Korn’ sweet corn were direct-seeded by hand into all treatments April 15, 2003. All plots were drip irrigated and fertigated as needed.