First Year Of Production Research Articles

Regional Development of Orchardgrass Choke and Estimation of Seed Yield Loss.

A survey for choke, caused by Epichloë typhina, in orchardgrass seed-production fields in Oregon was conducted annually from 1998 to 2003. In all, 99 fields were inspected, 57 in more than 1 year, to produce a set of 217 observations on disease incidence. There was a significant increase in disease incidence in 38% of the revisited fields, and a significant reduction of incidence in 3%. Yearly increases in disease incidence were as high as 29% in individual fields, but the average yearly increase from 1999 to 2003 was 5 to 8%. In 1998, 60% of all surveyed fields were infested with choke and, by 2003, 90% were infested. Average disease incidence in fields in their first year of production was <2%, and average disease incidence in older fields was approximately 10%, in 2003. Seed yield loss was equal to disease incidence (percentage of tillers diseased), and we found no significant yield compensation in diseased stands. An observed correlation of disease incidence with disease prevalence (proportion of sampled sites infested w ithin a field) may permit simple estimation of incidence and, thus, of potential economic loss in an affected field. We estimate regional loss to the 2004 orchardgrass seed crop due to choke o be approximately $0.8 million.

Integration of History Matching And Uncertainty Analysis

Abstract The most common procedure to perform a production history matching is to start with a base model and modify reservoir and fluid properties to adjust simulation results with the production history of the field. This paper presents an example of a different procedure. The history matching starts with an uncertainty analysis where several possible models are generated and the models that do not reproduce the behaviour of the reservoir are discarded:allowing a faster history matching process;increasing confidence in the process; and,adding uncertainty analysis to the production prediction. The methodology starts with a dynamic sensitivity analysis based on simulation of models where uncertain attributes are tested and compared with a base model. The attributes are then selected and combined in a derivative tree. Several models are evaluated and those that do not match the production and pressure history are discarded, reducing uncertainty in prediction of the behaviour of the reservoir. This methodology was motivated by a reservoir with unexpected behaviour that yielded a difficult history matching when considering the usual procedures. Techniques were developed to analyze reservoir performance and differential pressure maps between zones. New approaches to assess connectivity between zones were used to give alternate structural models to the sensitivity analysis. This methodology may be helpful during the first years of production when uncertainties are still significant and when typical procedures to perform production history matching are unable to solve the problem efficiently. Introduction History matching is one of the most important activities during the development and management of petroleum reservoirs. Matched models are necessary:to ensure reliable production forecasts; and,to increase the confidence in understanding the geological and reservoir models. Petroleum reservoirs are very complex structures and several uncertainties are present in the process promoting low confidence in reservoir simulation models. During the first years of production, uncertainties still play a major role in the process making it more complex and allowing multiple acceptable solutions(1). As production increases, the quantity of data permits better matching but the complexity of the process increases because of the high number of wells and objective functions of the optimization process, which usually are the difference between simulation results and observed data for pressure and each of the production phases. These different levels of uncertainty and procedures, as functions of reservoir development stages, add an extra complexity to the usual procedures(2, 3). Due to these difficulties, this paper presents a different approach. Instead of starting with a base (deterministic) model that is modified to reproduce production history, it is possible to start with an uncertainty analysis, consider several possible realizations of the reservoir model, and then to decrease the level of uncertainty in the production prediction by discarding models that do not satisfy specific conditions. There are several advantages in the proposed methodology: 1) the dynamic behaviour of the history matching is better handled with this approach since previous simulation runs can be used at any moment of the analysis;

Efeito da densidade de plantas e da adubação NPK na produção inicial de palmito de pupunheira

Avaliaram-se os efeitos da densidade de plantas e doses de adubação na produção de palmito de pupunheira, em condições de campo, na Fazenda Yuricam, Rio Preto da Eva (AM). O delineamento experimental foi de blocos casualizados com três repetições, com os tratamentos em arranjo fatorial 3 x 5, sendo avaliados os fatores: densidade de plantas (10.000; 5.000 e 3.333 plantas ha-1) e doses de adubação NPK (0-0-0; 112,5-12,5-90; 337,5-38-270; 225-90-180, 225-25-180 em kg ha-1 de N, P2O5 e K2O, respectivamente). Os resultados do primeiro ano de produção de palmito, em termos de estipes colhidas, para efeito das doses de adubação NPK, foram: 225-90-180 (66 %); 225-25-180 (57 %); 337,5-38-270 (50 %); 112,5-12,5-90 (26 %); 0-0-0 (1 %) - os números entre parênteses indicam os percentuais de plantas coletadas em relação às plantadas - e para efeitos de densidade: 3.333 plantas ha-1 (58 %); 5.000 plantas ha-1 (28 %); 10.000 plantas ha-1 (40 %). O tempo médio para extração de palmito foi menor na densidade de 3.333 plantas ha-1 (18,4 meses) e na dose de adubação NPK de 225-90-180 (18,1 meses). O efeito simples da adubação NPK dentro da densidade de 10.000 plantas ha-1 com a adubação 225-90-180 e 225-25-180 apresentou maior produção de palmito, com 841 e 779 kg ha-1, e de 1.154 e 1.223 kg ha-1 de estipe tenro, respectivamente, nas duas adubações.

Does the shelterwood method to regenerate oak forests affect acorn production and predation?

The shelterwood system is one of the primary methods currently used to encourage regeneration of oak forests; yet, little is known about its influence on acorn production and predation. We compared acorn production, and predation by insects and mammals in stands of red oak ( Quercus rubra L.) that were regenerated by the shelterwood method (50% canopy removal) to that of uncut (control) stands in the first year of production after the harvest treatment. In each plot, we measured stand and tree characteristics and estimated acorn production by using both acorn traps and a visual crown survey to place trees into productivity classes. Acorns collected in traps were examined to record the external and internal conditions, percentage of cotyledon damaged and the presence of insects. Exclusion cages were used to quantify acorn predation by mammals in harvested and control plots. Oaks in the shelterwood plots produced more acorns than oaks in uncut stands if the acorn crop was rated by the crown survey method, but not when production was measured with acorn traps. We found no evidence that the shelterwood method influenced acorn predation by insects or mammals. Visual examination of the exterior of the pericarp indicated that insects attacked 44% and 47% of the acorns in harvested and control plots, respectively. Most of the damage produced by insects was attributed to pip galls (cynipid wasps) and acorn weevils ( Curculio sp.), which in most cases damaged more than 75% of the cotyledon. Squirrels and chipmunks were the primary mammals responsible for removing 50% of the acorns in the fall-spring whereas mice took 33% of the acorns. Use of the shelterwood method in conjunction with leaving the best acorn producers can be used to create the desired stand structure while maintaining or increasing acorn production and oak regeneration potential in the stand.

Egg-laying differences in two grey partridge (Perdix perdix L.) lines subject to different breeding technology: artificial egg hatch or mother egg hatch

Artificial breeding bypasses the effect of natural selection and, inevitably, subjects game birds to selection by breeding technology. For this reason, we evaluated whether different breeding technologies, carried out for six generations, were enough to differentiate two grey partridge lines. Two lines of grey partridges, obtained from the same population, were used: the animals of the line “broody” had been hatched directly by their own mothers for six generations; the animals of the line “incubator” had always been hatched in incubators from eggs laid by cage-reared grey partridges. Offspring from the two lines were reared under the same conditions and 2 years of production were monitored. Results showed that grey partridges of the “broody” line had a shorter and delayed laying period and, consequently, a lower egg production than the “incubator” line. In the first year of production, mean length of laying period 58 vs. 75 days, p<0.01; mean start of egg production through photostimulation: 61 vs. 42 days, p<0.01; mean number of eggs laid: 46 vs. 58, p<0.01. In the second year: mean length of laying period, 63 vs. 66 days, p<0.05; mean start of first egg production through photostimulation: 51 vs. 45 days, p<0.05; mean number of eggs laid: 45 vs. 56, p<0.01.

The financial feasibility of small‐scale grouper aquaculture in the Philippines

This paper presents the results of an economic analysis of the aquaculture of two species of grouper E. coloides (orange‐spotted grouper, green grouper, red‐spotted grouper) and E. malabaricus (malabar grouper, black‐spotted grouper) for small producers in the Philippines. The findings of the analysis indicate that, based on the assumptions, grouper culture is financially feasible. However, the capital requirements for the broodstock, hatchery/nursery, and integrated system may be beyond the financial means of many small producers. These stages of grouper culture may need to be developed as a larger project by private investors or government. The capital investment requirement for grow‐out (not including purchase of transport boxes) is within the financial means of small producers. Loans or other incentives will need to be made available for the small producer, but the cash flow indicates that these loans can be repaid in the first year of production.

Rearing of flounder (Platichthys flesus) juveniles in semiextensive systems

A low-technology rearing system was implemented for rearing juvenile flounder for stock enhancement in a Danish fjord, the Limfjord. Each year during 1996–2002, between 13,000 and 153,000 juveniles were reared from the yolk-sac stage until metamorphosis in outdoor ponds relying on phyto- and zooplankton blooms as their main food source. In contrast to other similar systems, the blooms in this system are closely monitored and, to a certain extent, regulated. The zooplankton blooms consisted mainly of calanoid copepods, dominated by the species Temora longicornis and Centropages hamatus. Most juveniles produced (>99.5%) were normally pigmented with average yearly survival rates from hatch to metamorphosis varying from 7 ± 9% to 48 ± 18%, lowest in the first years of production.

Modelling oyster population dynamics in a Mediterranean coastal lagoon (Thau, France): sensitivity of marketable production to environmental conditions

A population dynamics model was used to simulate variations in the standing stock of the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas, to assess the marketable production in Thau Lagoon (France) and to evaluate the sensitivity of this production to environmental conditions. The model is based on a continuous equation of the oyster abundance as a function of individual growth rate, inter-individual growth variability and mortality rate. The growth model depends on water temperature, particulate organic matter concentration and total individual mass. Inter-individual growth variability was introduced into the general population dynamics equation by a diffusion coefficient K that was set to 0.05. The population dynamics model took into account the two culture methods (i.e. "collées" and "pignes" oysters) and rearing strategies of oyster farmers by using timetables of seeding and harvesting obtained through interviews of oyster farmers. Distributions of standing stocks were obtained through assessments conducted in the lagoon in March 2000, October 2000 and March 2001 and were used to calibrate the model. The model estimated the total marketable production at ca. 17,900 t between March 2000 and March 2001. The major part of the production (ca. 70%) was in spring. Seventy percent of the annual production came from "collées" oysters. Sensitivity analyses showed that the key parameters are those related to harvesting. The model was used to evaluate the effects of different environmental conditions (e.g. a decrease in the oyster growth rate, a harvesting closure due a toxic algae bloom, a massive summer mortality due to an anoxic crisis) on short- and long-term variations in the standing stock and the production for both culture methods. A decrease in the growth rate of ca. 20% resulted in losses of 18% in the first year of production for both culture methods. Long-term simulations showed that the production of "pignes" oysters was more affected than that of the "collées" oysters (reductions of 26% and 4%, respectively). Simulated scenarios included a 2-month long harvesting closure (i.e. November and December) or a massive summer mortality (i.e. 45% and 20% for "collées" and "pignes" oysters, respectively). No long-term effect was predicted for either event, although losses of ca. 10% were estimated in the first year of production for both culture techniques. The model can be a useful tool for predicting marketable production of oysters as a function of rearing strategy and environmental conditions.

Quand le tronc se fait caiman: Drammaturgie di Costa d'Avorio (review)

This book is part of a very interesting series, dedicated mostly to francophone Africa and edited out of Turin's Center for the Study of emerging literatures. It is a monograph, and apart from J. P .Guinganne's pioneering work on Burkina Faso, we have very few complete monographs on the theater of an African country. Ivory Coast is indeed a very good case to study because of the continuity of its production for over seventy years—several Ponty students in the 1930s were from Ivory Coast—and also because of the importance of Dadie's continuing work. Last but not least, Ivory Coast is still producing innovative drama. The Cameroonian WereWere Liking as well as the Guinean Souleymane Kolly have made Abidjan a metropolis of African theater, housing the first African market for scenic arts, the MASA. Natasa Raschi writes well: the book is divided into four chapters, titled "teatro sotto tutela" ( under colonial supervision), "di leggere" ( to be read), "di ricerca" (of research), "recente" (new). These divisions make a lot of sense and the author is very much aware of the Ivoirian "point of view"; for instance, she perceives the undercurrents that inform the Ivoirian moral feeling in the first years of production, in fifties (p. 56): a sense of bitterness, of "amarezza," a theater of disillusionment, which gives its moral tone to the literature of the era . She has read everything and discusses important although forgotten authors, such as Charles Nokan, who has recently made a surprising comeback.

Root biomass and shoot to root ratios of perennial forage crops in eastern Canada

Shoot to root ratios (S:R) at peak standing crop are commonly used to estimate the annual crop residue C inputs to the soil from the root biomass left in the soil at harvest. However, root biomass has often been neglected in field studies and estimates of S:R for many commonly grown forage species are not available. Our objective was to determine root biomass and S:R of seven perennial grass species and two perennial legume species under eastern Canadian soil and climatic conditions. Root biomass in three soil layers (0–15, 15–30 and 30–45 cm) was measured shortly after the second harvest in the first (1995) and second (1996) year of production. Two harvests of aboveground DM were taken each year. The total root biomass (0–45 cm) in the second year of production (average of 1437 g m-2) was twice that measured in the first year of production (average of 683 g m-2). This temporal variation was mainly explained by the increase of root biomass in the 0- to 15-cm layer. The proportion of total root biomass (0–45 cm) in the 0- to 15-cm layer increased from 54 to 71% while that in the 15- to 30-cm layer decreased from 37 to 21%; the proportion of roots in the 30- to 45-cm layer remained constant at about 10% in both years. The S:R of alfalfa for the 0- to 15-cm depth was significantly higher than that for most of the grasses. No significant difference in S:R was observed among grass species. Recognizing that S:R may vary with locations and climatic conditions, our results suggest that average S:R of about 1.30 (values ranged from 1.01 to 1.72) in the first production year and 0.60 (values ranged from 0.43 to 0.87) in the second production year could be used as a first approximation to estimate the amount of root biomass left in the soil to a depth of 45 cm from forage crops in eastern Canada. The S:R of forage crops, particularly grasses, were lower than those of annual crops such as small-grain cereals and corn. Key words: Forage, annual C inputs, soil organic matter, root biomass, shoot to root ratios

The epidemiology of the sea lice, Caligus elongatus Nordmann, in marine aquaculture of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., in Scotland

Although Caligus elongatus is one of two major species of sea lice that parasitize farmed salmon, its epidemiology has not been extensively studied. In this communication, the abundances of the adult stage of C. elongatus in salmon populations from 33 farms in the West of Scotland between 1997 and 2000 have been analysed for evidence of seasonal and annual patterns. The findings indicate that the pattern of C. elongatus is remarkably consistent from year to year, and directly opposed to that reported for Lepeophtheirus salmonis, the other major caligid species. In particular, adult infestations rapidly increase from the start of July each year, and are more prevalent on salmon in the first year of production than the second year. Treatment is seen to have an effect on levels of infestation but it is not clear why this species should have significantly lower levels of abundance in the second year of production. There is also evidence that fallowing has no effect on abundance. Strategic management programmes for the control of sea lice on salmon farms, which are increasingly effective in controlling L. salmonis, may also have to give greater consideration to C. elongatus.

INFLUÊNCIA DO ENSACAMENTO DO CACHO NA PRODUÇÃO DE FRUTOS DA BANANEIRA-'PRATA-ANÃ' IRRIGADA, NA REGIÃO NORTE DE MINAS GERAIS

O trabalho foi conduzido em um bananal instalado na região Norte de Minas Gerais, em uma área experimental da EPAMIG/ CTNM localizada no Perímetro Irrigado do Jaíba, com o objetivo de avaliar a influência do ensacamento do cacho da bananeira-'Prata-Anã' sobre a época de colheita e características de produção nos três primeiros ciclos de produção (safra 1996/98). O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado , com dois tratamentos e 21 repetições, sendo cada parcela constituída por três plantas. Houve efeito na antecipação da colheita dos cachos do segundo ciclo, reduzindo o período entre o florescimento e a colheita em doze dias, e entre o ponto de ensacamento e a colheita em aproximadamente cinco dias. Nas características peso do cacho; peso total de frutos; peso médio de frutos; peso médio de pencas; e comprimento, diâmetro, peso e espessura de casca do fruto central da segunda penca, não houve efeito significativo dos tratamentos para os três ciclos avaliados.

Proteolysis in alfalfa silages made from different cultivars

During silage fermentation, proteolysis reduces the nutritional value of N, particularly in alfalfa. This study evaluated the proteolysis of 27 alfalfa cultivars seeded in triplicate in 2 consecutive years. Forage from each plot was wilted to a targeted dry matter (DM) content of 250 g kg–1 and ensiled in laboratory silos. Minisilos were made with spring growth and summer regrowth in the first year of production for the first seeding, and with the first 2 yr of production for the second seeding, giving 3 harvest years altogether. Concentrations of NPN, NH3, FAA, DM, TN, and pH were measured in silages, whereas RUP concentration was evaluated in forages. Low NPN concentration indicates low proteolysis during silage fermentation. Spring growth and summer regrowth were analyzed separately by ANOVA as a completely randomized block design replicated over 3 harvest years. A principal component analysis was then performed on the ANOVA means. Silage DM was used as covariate when it was deemed appropriate. There was a significant variation among cultivars for NPN concentration in silages made of summer regrowth; it varied from 612 to 717 g kg–1 of TN. Concentration of NPN was significantly lower for cultivars WL 225, Rangelander, Iroquois, and WL 222, and higher for cultivars Oneida VR, Arrow, Vernal, Spredor 2, and Armor. Oneida VR and Rangelander had respectively high and low silage NPN concentration in both spring growth and summer regrowth. From cultivars with low silage NPN concentration, Rangelander was the only one with high forage RUP concentration in both spring growth and summer regrowth; proteins in this cultivar would be more resistant to microbial degradation during ensiling and in the rumen. Key words: Non protein nitrogen; proteolysis; alfalfa silage; cultivars

OVERVIEW OF COAL-BED METHANE DEVELOPMENT AND A DISCUSSION OF MONTANA IMPACTS

Natural gas (methane) production from coal beds is a new and important industry in Wyoming and Montana. Production is accomplished by reducing the water pressure, allowing methane to be released from the cleat faces and micro-pores in the coal. Water pressure in the coal aquifer is reduced across large ares by pumping water from well fields. Coal beds are important aquifers in the southeastern Montana coal region. With development of methane from the coal, the potential exists for reducing water availability over much of the region. More than 10 feet of drawdown have occurred within a 1- to 2- mile radius around development near Decker, Montana, during the first year of production. The quality of water discharged from the wells is dominated by sodium and bicarbonate ions, with SAR values frequently greater than 40. Direct discharge of this water to the Tongue River has been the disposal method used in Montana. Impacts to channel stability and downstream irrigators seem likely. Initial method development is occurring within the area of hydrologic influence of active coal mines. The cumulative effect of these activities and the interception of mine-spoils recharge by coal-bed methane wells have raised questions about restoration of the hydrologic balance during mine reclamation. 14 refs., 8 figs., 1 tab.

Nonparametric estimation of returns to investment in Honduras shrimp research

Economic returns to the investment in shrimp research in Honduras by Auburn University researchers, as a part of the Pond Dynamics/Aquaculture Collaborative Research Support Program (1993 to 1998), were estimated using a nonparametric approach. A survey of shrimp growers in Honduras provided data on yield, input application, and prices for their first year of production and for the year 1997. Research investment data included funding from both public and private sectors. Results showed that total factor productivity indices increased from 1995 to 1997 indicating technical progress due to research. When both private and public investment were considered, the internal rate of return to the investment in research was 46%. However, the internal rate of return to public‐sector investment alone was above 6,681%. This indicated that the public funds invested in shrimp research in Honduras have been leveraged effectively with private‐sector capital to generate technological progress.

Organizational Learning and the Transfer of Knowledge: An Investigation of Quality Improvement

Whereas most prior research on the learning curve has focused on improvements in efficiency, this paper deals with the impact of learning on product quality. The key data are measures of automobile reliability published in Consumer Reports. Analysis yields three findings: (1) Quality improves over the production life of a car model with the same kind of regularity as an efficiency learning curve. Thus, there is a quality learning curve. (2) Unlike in the efficiency domain, however, learning in the domain of product reliability is primarily a function of time, and not of how many cars have gone down the assembly line. Thus, quality depends not on the accumulation of production experience per se, but on the intensity of “off-line”quality improvement activities and on the transfer of knowledge from the general environment over time. (3) In contrast to the traditional injunction, “do not buy a new car in its first year of production,”the opposite advice actually seems to apply: In any given year, the newest car models have the best quality. That is, new car-model designs typically include significant quality improvements that are more than enough to outweigh any disruption created in manufacturing by the new model's introduction and that even surpass the incremental improvements made to older, existing car models.

Yield and Economic Return Estimates for Eight Blueberry Cultivars Grown in Kentucky

Yield data from a highbush blueberry planting established in 1993 at the Univ. of Kentucky Research and Education Center, Princeton, Ky., was collected over a 5-year period for eight cultivars. The economic impact of yield of each cultivar was calculated for each cultivar using a net present value model based on prevailing market prices and costs of production. These returns were compared across cultivars and an assessment of the economic potential for Kentucky growing conditions was considered. `Duke' and `Sierra' produced the most fruit over the 5-year period of this study. `Duke' was also the earliest ripening cultivar in the planting, with 14.3% of `Duke's fruit ripening during the first week of June. Sunrise also ripened early, with 7.7% of its fruit ripening during the first week of June. Picking for the other cultivars (`Sierra', `Bluecrop', `Blue Gold', `Toro', `Nelson', and `Patriot'), began during the second week of June and was finished for all cultivars by the end of the fourth week of June. An exception was `Nelson', which was picked through the first week of July. Despite relatively low yields observed in the first year of production, `Duke' had the highest net present values for the assumed 12-year life of the planting. The ranking of the other seven cultivars from highest to lowest in terms of their respective net present values was: `Sierra', `Blue Gold', `Bluecrop', `Toro', `Nelson', `Sunrise', and `Patriot'.

Birdsfoot Trefoil Seed Production: II. Plant‐Water Status on Reproductive Development and Seed Yield

Forage legume seed crop responses to water stress differ for each species, so a single optimal water management strategy is not applicable. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of irrigation timing and replenishment amount on birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) reproduction and seed yield in the Willamette Valley of western Oregon, USA. Six treatments varying in water depletion percentage and replenishment amount were applied in 1994 and 1995 on a Woodburn silt loam soil (fine‐silty, mixed, mesic Aquultic Argixeroll) near Corvallis. In 1996, only a low stress (LS) that met the weekly crop evapotranspirative demand and a non‐irrigated control (C) treatment were investigated. In the first year of production, maintaining plants under low‐stress conditions sustained flowering longer than with limited or no irrigation. Flowering was not affected by irrigation in the subsequent two production years. Total above‐ground phytomass was correlated with the amount of irrigation water (r = 0.92). The C and all single application treatments had greater seed yields (SY) than the LS treatment in 1994. In 1995, all single application treatments had greater SY than the LS treatment. There was no difference between LS and C in 1995 and 1996. Umbel density and the number of seeds per pod were the primary determinants of total seed yield (r = 0.77 and 0.92, respectively). Optimal total seed production was achieved without supplemental irrigation under the humid temperate marine climatic conditions found in western Oregon.

Artichoke: A New Crop for Northwestern Mexico

Vegetable production in the Caborca area is about 6500 ha ,and the main crops are asparagus, muskmelon, watermelon, and pea. However, our objetive was to evaluate the artichoke as a new crop for this area. We planted one 5-ha plot with `Esmerald'. The planting date was 18 Oct. 1996, and the distance between rows and plants were 1.0 m and 1.6 m (6250 plants/ha). During the first year of production, the first harvest was on 24 Mar. 1997, and the last harvest 10 May. There was a total of seven harvests, with a yields of 400 boxes/ha for table production and 23,000 heads/ha for industrial use. The was 497 dollars/ha, which is very low compared with other vegetables crops.

Shade Influences Plant Growth, Leaf Color, and Chlorophyll Content of Kalmia latifolia L. Cultivars

The effect of shading during nursery production on the growth, foliage color, and foliar chlorophyll content of container-grown Kalmia latifolia cultivars was investigated. Five cultivars were grown under 40% shade, 60% shade, or full sunlight for a 2-year production cycle. During the first year of production, there were no significant differences in measured growth characteristics for most cultivars in response to light treatment. Shade improved foliar color by decreasing lightness (L*), decreasing chroma, and changing hue angle from a yellow-green to a darker green. Foliar chlorophyll concentration increased under shade. In the second year of the production cycle, the response of foliar color and chlorophyll concentration to shade was similar to that observed in year 1. Plant size, number of branches, leaf area, leaf dry mass, and stem dry mass decreased linearly with increasing shade in year 2. Although shading improves foliar color, it probably should not be employed for container production of Kalmia latifolia in cool, northern production areas due to reduced plant growth during year 2. Shade may be useful in the first year of production to enhance foliar color without reducing shoot growth.