Technical Guidance on Summer Vegetable Production

Release Date:

2023-06-14

To strengthen field management of summer vegetables, increase per‑unit yields and ensure food safety and quality, and guarantee an adequate supply of vegetables, the Department of Crop Production under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has convened the National Agricultural Technology Extension Service Center, the Vegetable Expert Guidance Group of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and the National Major Vegetable Industry Technology System to conduct research and put forward… Technical Guidelines for Summer Vegetable Production. This It can be a very, very long title.

Intensive Seedling-Raising Summer Management Techniques

(1) Seedling environment management. Continuously monitor environmental conditions at the seedling nursery. During periods of intense sunlight, promptly deploy shade nets, maintaining a 10–30 cm gap between the shade net and the greenhouse film to facilitate air circulation. When temperatures inside the facility become excessively high, open ventilation openings and apply cooling agents; in rainy weather, close the vents immediately and reopen them once the rain has stopped. Under extreme heat, activate forced‑cooling systems such as wet‑curtain fans and misting devices. Employ bottom‑irrigation fertilization techniques like tidal irrigation or floating‑bed irrigation to enhance water and nutrient use efficiency.

(2) Regulation of seedling-stage development. Employ integrated measures to regulate the growing environment and enhance seedling stress tolerance. During the hypocotyl elongation stage, when seedlings are prone to etiolation, increase ventilation, reduce substrate moisture, and apply mechanical disturbance and foliar sprays of growth inhibitors to prevent excessive stem elongation. Use inoculated substrates containing plant‑growth‑promoting microorganisms or biofertilizers to improve the rhizosphere microbial community and bolster seedlings’ resistance to diseases and drought. Apply a complete fertilizer enriched with micronutrients, and implement an irrigation‑fertigation strategy that progressively increases nutrient levels in a graded manner.

(3) Pest and disease management during the seedling stage. Nursery facilities shall be fully covered at all ventilation openings with 50‑ or 60‑mesh insect-proof netting. Sticky traps and sex pheromone lures should be hung inside the facilities, and protective fungicides applied to prevent the occurrence of seedling diseases and pests. Prior to shipment, commercial seedlings must undergo quarantine inspection.

Key Technologies for Summer Production of Protected Vegetables

(1) Field management 1. Environmental management. Ventilation and cooling: When temperatures are high, open all ventilation openings in the facility to reduce both temperature and humidity. Shading and cooling: Cover the exterior of the structure with shade nets or apply shading coatings; for fruiting vegetables, provide shade from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on sunny days, and remove the shade nets during overcast or rainy conditions and in the early morning and late evening. Leafy vegetables can be shaded throughout the day; remove the shade nets 3–5 days before market to increase light exposure, thereby enhancing nutritional quality and marketability. In areas with intense sunlight, consider using multi‑functional diffusing films or high‑reflectance films. Spray cooling: If spray‑cooling equipment is available, activate it before 11 a.m. to lower temperatures, and shut it down around 3 p.m. Rain protection and pest control: In regions with high summer temperatures and frequent rainfall, it is recommended to adopt a “two nets and one film” covering system—top film, shade net, and perimeter insect‑proof netting. 2. Plant management. For fruiting vegetables, maintain a balanced relationship between vegetative growth and fruit development by promptly performing pruning, tying up vines, and removing yellowed or diseased leaves. Timely removal of the growing tip and side shoots helps sustain an optimal leaf area index, enhances air circulation and light penetration, and ensures well‑balanced plant growth. Regularly thin out misshapen fruits to minimize unnecessary nutrient consumption, extend the harvest period, boost late‑season yields, and improve market quality. During periods of high temperature, appropriately apply plant growth regulators to promote flower and fruit set. 3. Water and fertilizer management. Apply water- and fertilizer-saving technologies such as drip irrigation, sprinkler irrigation, and fertigation, and manage fertilization according to the principles of “reducing nitrogen and increasing potassium” and “applying small doses frequently,” with timely supplemental applications. Mesoelements and micronutrient fertilizers In summer, watering is best done in the early morning, preferably using well water or cool river water. For vegetables with relatively weak root systems or plant growth and heavy fruit loads, foliar fertilization can be applied to promote vegetative growth. 4. Prevent and control pests and diseases. Adhere to the principle of “prevention first, integrated pest management,” conduct thorough disease and pest monitoring, and implement green control measures in a scientifically sound manner. For cultural control, rotate crops, maintain clean vegetable plots, and practice appropriate crop rotation. During routine field operations, promptly remove weeds and prune away old or diseased leaves, branches, plants, and fruits to reduce the initial population of pests and pathogens. Employ biological control by conserving and utilizing natural enemies, and apply biopesticides, plant‑derived insecticides, insect growth regulators, and species‑specific pesticides. Use physical control methods such as insect‑proof netting, colored traps, and color‑based repellents or lures. In chemical control, select the optimal timing for intervention and apply targeted treatments; use highly effective, low‑toxicity, and low‑residue pesticides; and carefully formulate, mix, and rotate pesticide products in accordance with best practices, strictly observing the required pre‑harvest intervals.

(II) Management During the Fallow Period 1. Properly disinfect facilities. By applying high-temperature fumigation, soil-borne diseases can be effectively managed—particularly when combined with calcium cyanamide or metam sodium for soil disinfection. Vegetable crop residues may also be returned to the field in situ: either by using tillage equipment to directly chop and mix the residues with the soil, or by incorporating 400–600 kg of dry straw from field crops per mu within greenhouse facilities. 2. Planting intercropped cash crops. Depending on the length of the fallow period, crops such as corn, wheat, legumes, and heat-tolerant amaranth can be planted, with crop residues returned to the field to improve the soil’s ecological environment, reduce disease incidence, and promote the growth and development of the subsequent vegetable crop.

Key Technologies for Summer Production of Field-Grown Vegetables

(1) Plant Management. For cucurbit, solanaceous, and leguminous vegetables, erect supports as early as possible and carry out timely field operations such as pruning, removing side shoots, and pinching the growing tip to improve ventilation and light penetration, thereby promoting plant growth. Clean the vegetable plot promptly, reinforce the trellises, remove dead branches and diseased fruits, and mound soil around the base of the plants at the appropriate time to enhance their resistance to lodging. In areas with high light intensity, leave a certain number of leaves above the fruit to prevent direct sun exposure. Harvest promptly when the produce reaches maturity. (2) Water and fertilizer management. For fruiting vegetables such as tomatoes and cucumbers, apply moderate water control during the initial flowering stage, perform shallow inter‑row cultivation to encourage compact seedling growth and promote fruit set, and then, once fruit formation begins, follow a strategy of applying small amounts of fertilizer frequently. For cucurbit, solanaceous, and leguminous vegetables, apply nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers in combination; during critical periods of yield development, foliar feeding can be supplemented according to plant vigor. For cruciferous crops like cabbage, cauliflower, and Chinese cabbage, adopt a “control‑then‑promote” approach, with judicious topdressing and irrigation. Water‑saving techniques such as sprinkler irrigation, alternate furrow irrigation, or furrow irrigation on plastic mulch may be employed, prioritizing nitrogen topdressing and applying light doses more often. (3) Prevention and control of diseases, pests, and weeds. During periods of high temperature and high humidity, apply a broad-spectrum fungicide 1–2 times. For cruciferous vegetables, employ integrated pest management practices such as insecticidal lamps, black-light traps, pheromone traps, and mating disruption. Promptly remove weeds from the field and its surrounding areas. Implement timely disease control, favoring alternating applications of 2–3 different fungicides, and strictly observe the prescribed pre-harvest intervals for pesticides. For crops harvested multiple times, spray after harvesting to ensure food safety.

Key Technologies for Short-Term Rapid-Growth Leafy Vegetable Production

Select sites that are well‑drained, on higher ground, with fertile soils and convenient access to irrigation. Prioritize varieties that exhibit tolerance to high temperatures, drought, and waterlogging. Employ intensive seedling‑raising techniques to produce robust transplants, ensure timely succession of cropping cycles, shorten the field‑grown period of vegetables, and enhance land‑use efficiency. Use raised beds to improve ventilation and light penetration, and reduce standing water in the field. After sowing or transplanting, apply floating mulch using lightweight materials such as black shade nets with a shading rate of about 60% or thin nonwoven fabrics to lower soil temperature, retain moisture, and promote uniform emergence or gentle acclimatization; remove the mulch promptly once emergence or acclimatization is complete. Throughout the entire growing season, consider covering with 40‑mesh insect netting to help mitigate pest damage.

Key Technologies for High-Altitude Vegetable Production

(1) Variety Selection. In mid- to high-altitude areas between 800 and 1,400 meters, warm‑climate vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, and green beans are well suited for cultivation. At elevations above 1,200 meters, cool‑tolerant, cold‑resistant vegetables like radishes, Chinese cabbage, and cabbage thrive. For cruciferous crops, late‑bolting varieties should be selected. In high‑altitude mountain regions, where diurnal temperature fluctuations are pronounced, air humidity changes rapidly, and ultraviolet radiation is intense, coupled with long transportation distances, it is advisable to choose cultivars that exhibit strong disease and stress resistance, favorable marketable traits, and good storage and transport tolerance. (II) Environmental Management. High-altitude tomatoes, peppers, and other fruiting vegetables should be grown using rain‑sheltered cultivation techniques. This involves constructing simple steel‑frame greenhouses with plastic film covering the roof and insect‑proof netting around the perimeter to provide both rain protection and pest control. Complementary infrastructure, such as water‑collection ponds and plastic rainwater‑harvesting cisterns, should be installed, and subsurface drip irrigation should be employed to enable precise fertilization. Soil acidity should be adjusted and calcium levels supplemented, while applying functional organic fertilizers containing beneficial microbial communities to enhance soil fertility. (3) Pest and disease control. To prevent and control clubroot in cruciferous vegetables, rotate crops with non‑crucifers, carry out soil disinfection, increase the application of organic fertilizers, adjust soil pH and supplement calcium to enhance disease resistance, promptly remove infected plants, apply quicklime to affected planting holes, and incinerate diseased plant material in a centralized location to minimize repeated pathogen inoculation. For fields infested by underground pests, treat the soil with calcium cyanamide or quicklime at least 20 days before sowing; cover the bed surface with plastic film to maintain moisture for 10 days, then allow it to air‑dry. After harvest, promptly clear away diseased or pest‑damaged leaves and weeds, collect them at the field edge, and compost them on site to reduce pest populations. Employ insecticidal lamps and yellow sticky traps to reduce adult pest damage and egg‑laying. In addition, high‑altitude vegetable production areas should implement ecological conservation and eco‑friendly cultivation practices, construct bio‑terraces, and establish ridge‑and‑furrow beds oriented along the slope to reduce surface runoff and control soil erosion.

Technical Guidance on Summer Vegetable Production

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