IMPROVING SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE THROUGH ON-FARM RESEARCH AND DEMONSTRATION

  • Sylvia, David M. (PI)

Project: Research project

Project Details

Description

This proposal seeks to continue some projects already begun and to initiate several others in The Pennsylvania State University's On-Farm Research (OFR) program. The proposed and recently initiated research will explore areas to improve sustainability of various production systems. Some will be organic, others will be conventional production. Several cover crop studies presently underway will be continued. Trials are already underway on eleven farms. Additional support is being sought to increase the detail of cover crop study and the breadth of application of lessons learned. The focus of cover crop studies will be to reduce weed pressure on cash crops in the rotation and improve soil fertility. Increasing nitrogen production from legumes in an age of increasing energy costs will be a necessity. A Pennsylvania Soybean Promotion board funded project will be continued during 2010 to develop a network in PA soybean growers who seek to conduct their own on-farm evaluations. They employ some of the latest computerized planting and harvesting mapping capabilities. Coupled with aerial photography, these tools will aid in the identification of yield and profit-limiting factors in soybean production. Supported with a NE SARE Research and Education grant, researchers from Penn State, USDA-ARS Beltsville, and Rodale Institute will continue a project that seeks to improve the sustainability of dairy cropping systems for the northeast. Manure injection, increased use of cover crops, controlling cover crops with a roller/crimper, and the possible inclusion of canola into the cropping rotation for purposes of producing liquid fuels for farm use will be included. A project supported with funding from the USDA-OREI program, recently begun and to continue through 2013, will include researchers from Penn State, USDA-ARS Beltsville, and University of Delaware. The goal is to improve the sustainability of organic grain production by reducing the amount of tillage normally practiced. Making use of varieties with shorter growing season needs to enable more intensive usage of cover crops is the focus of the project. Weed and insect pest management techniques will also be tested. The recent large increase in fertilizer prices, especially nitrogen, has prompted strong promotion of several products that are added to N fertilizer to reduce losses to volatilization and leaching. Two on-farm studies will be conducted during 2010 to complement one being conducted at the experiment station to quantify relative efficiencies of N utilization when urea is treated with commercially available products. Other areas of research are identified as the on-farm research coordinator continues to discuss production problems and possibilities for collaborative research with producers, county and state Cooperative Extension personnel, PASA organizers, and representatives of other agencies.

StatusFinished
Effective start/end date7/15/101/31/12

Funding

  • National Institute of Food and Agriculture: $132,155.00

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