IMPROVING WEED AND INSECT MANAGEMENT IN ORGANIC REDUCE-TILLAGE CROPPING SYSTEMS

Pest and soil management remain top priorities for organic growers nationally. Our multi-institution, inter-disciplinary team will address these concerns over a range of environments in the mid-Atlantic and Upper South. Our overall goal for this long-term project is to develop sustainable reduced-tillage organic feed grain production systems that integrate pest and soil management practices to overcome production constraints associated with high residue, reduced-tillage environments. We will accomplish this goal through initiating long-term experiments on two research stations and complementary experiments on organic farms. The research team and collaborating farmers will develop and implement an outreach plan that includes activities and information products that will directly support organic producers, extension educators and other technology transfer agents, and researchers. All outreach activities and products will be evaluated for efficacy in changing attitudes, knowledge, and behavior. We will build comprehensive research and outreach programs that will have numerous benefits. This project will contribute to organic systems that are environmentally, socially, and economically sound over the long-term. Results from the proposed project activities will facilitate the adoption of practices that minimize adverse impacts of agriculture on the environment by reducing production constraints posed by weeds and insect pests, negative impacts on soil, and energy use; while at the same time promoting the conservation of beneficial organisms and soil quality. This project will strengthen the regional research and outreach capacity for serving organic growers. Developing strategies for farmers to produce high value organic crops may provide farmers sufficient income to succeed on small and medium-sized farms, and support production of organic animal-based products. Cooperative activities will include on-farm research, on-site meetings and regular communication between the research/extension team and farmers, and outreach events dedicated to co-learning with farmers.