General info
Horticultural crops produced commercially in Colorado, return about 220 million dollars annually to growers. It is of direct importance to the economical life of Colorado by the contribution to transportation, chemical supplies, containers, power equipment and labor used in the growing and marketing of the crops. The potato crop dominates the horticultural crops accounting for about 50 percent, fresh and processed vegetable crops 29 percent, fruit crops (apples, peaches, pears, cherries, etc.) 8 percent, under glass flower crops 12 percent, flower and vegetable seeds 1 percent of the total dollar income to the state. There is expansion in the field of ornamental horticultural plants including trees, shrubs and outdoor flowering plants and in turf grass. Colorado's climate is modified by the Rocky Mountain range which cuts down through the center of the state. It has the highest mean elevation of any state and crops are grown at elevations which vary from 1400 to 3070 m above sea level. The major crops are grown in areas which in general have low average precipitation, low humidities, intense sunlight and few cloudy periods. The major fruit, potato and fresh vegetable crops are produced in districts with an annual total precipitation of 203-457 mm. The apple crop is grown at elevations from 1435 to 2070 in above sea level while the major potato growing area is located at an elevation of 2540 m above sea level. The development of irrigation in Colorado and the southwest goes back to the Pueblo Indians and irrigation works probably were built between 1200 and 1400 A.D. The Spanish colonists, according to authentic records, were issued court decrees for irrigation rights on Colorado streams in 1852, near the town of San Luis, Colorado. Since that time Colorado has developed a network of irrigation canals and storage reservoirs which has set not only the legal pattern on water usage from rivers but determined the history and development of horticulture in Colorado. The history of research in horticulture goes back to date of the establishment of Colorado State University in 1870 although the first official research report was not made until 1883. The agricultural experiment station was officially established in 1888 following the passage of the Federal Hatch Act. Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station now operates 10 research centers. The Arkansas Valley Research Center has been in continuous operation since 1888 and the research work there pioneered in the development of the western cantaloupe industry. Most of the horticulture research conducted there now involves the onion crop. Organisations / Institutes:
Update data |
URL www.hridir.org Hosted by K.U.Leuven
© ISHS
Last updated: Tue Dec 16 18:07:13 NFT 2003