THIS IS AN INTEGRATED PROJECT. VEGETABLE PLASTICULTURE WITH ITS NUMEROUS BENEFITS, INCLUDING HIGHER YIELDS, IMPROVED IRRIGATION, AND EXTENDED GROWING SEASONS IS EXPENSIVE DUE TO COSTS OF MATERIALS AND LABOR. TO MAINTAIN COST-EFFECTIVENESS, SOUTHEASTERN U.S. GROWERS OFTEN CULTIVATE MULTIPLE CROPS ON THE SAME PLASTIC MULCH, TYPICALLY STARTING WITH A HIGH-VALUE CROP LIKE TOMATOES OR PEPPERS, FOLLOWED BY TWO MORE CROPS INCLUDING CUCUMBERS AND BRASSICAS SUCH AS BROCCOLI OR CABBAGE. HOWEVER, THIS PRACTICE SERIOUSLY EXACERBATES WEED AND PLANT-PARASITIC NEMATODE (PPN) PROBLEMS, PARTICULARLY WITH PERSISTENT PESTS SUCH AS ROOT-KNOT NEMATODES AND NUTSEDGES. THE PROPOSED INTEGRATED PROJECT WILL DEVELOP PPN AND WEED MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS SPECIFICALLY TAILORED FOR SINGLE PLASTIC 3-SEASON VEGETABLE PRODUCTION IN GEORGIA AND FLORIDA. THE PROJECT'S CORE OBJECTIVES INCLUDE DEVELOPING A CROP ROTATION REGIME, IDENTIFICATION OF THE OPTIMAL SEASON FOR INITIATING THIS REGIME, AND INTEGRATION OF FUMIGANT AND NON-FUMIGANT NEMATICIDES AS WELL AS PRE- AND POST-EMERGENCE HERBICIDES. THE INTEGRATION OF THESE STRATEGIES INTENDED TO SUBSTITUTE THE BROAD-SPECTRUM EFFICACY ONCE PROVIDED BY METHYL BROMIDE. TO ACCOMPLISH THESE OBJECTIVES, CONCURRENT 3-SEASON VEGETABLE PLASTICULTURE TRIALS INITIATED IN SPRING AND FALL WILL BE CONDUCTED IN GEORGIA AND FLORIDA. AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS WILL BE CONDUCTED TO ENSURE THE COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF THE OPTIMIZED SYSTEM. THE FINDINGS WILL BE DISSEMINATED THROUGH EXTENSION OUTREACH, TARGETING INCREASED ADOPTION AMONG VEGETABLE GROWERS. THIS PROJECT PRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY TO ENHANCE VEGETABLE PRODUCTION THROUGH INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT. AS A RESULT, GROWER PROFITABILITY WILL INCREASE THROUGH IMPROVED YIELD AND REDUCED INPUT COSTS, ALONGSIDE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS SUCH AS DECREASED AGRICULTURAL PLASTIC POLLUTION.