Organic vegetable production weed control strategies: Integrating precision cultivation,weed biology and OMRI herbicides

Organic vegetable production weed control strategies: Integrating precision cultivation,weed biology and OMRI herbicides

Summary

The second year of the project was scheduled as the year for final preparations of the hands-on training component of the program and to implement training noted in performance targets; train 50 agricultural professionals. Additional planning meetings were held to coordinate the development of the training programs in New Jersey and Delaware to meet the specific objectives and performance targets of the project. Key individuals as noted in the project proposal met specifically to expand upon the training goals established in an earlier meeting on November 17, 2009. The 2009 meeting involved a diverse group of participants advising on practical farmer oriented training content. Specifically, invited organic farmers discussed the economics of small-scale organic vegetable farming and the need to overview and train in the use of effective low-cost vegetable weed control tools. There was consensus at the meeting the training focus should include two subsets of training objectives: 1] Low-cost hand-operated weed control tools 2] Tractor mounted weed control tools primarily focused on mechanical cultivation

In 2010 the long-term weed control field plots in New Jersey and Delaware were continued as part of hands-on training to be held in the fall of 2010. These long-term field plots were specifically established to facilitate addressing weed control scenarios requiring long-term perspectives for successful organic vegetable weed control. The plots, referenced in the 2009 annual report, included stale seedbed, continuous tillage, mulching variations and were maintained in 2010 according to previously developed protocols.

In 2010, additional field plots were established in New Jersey and Delaware for use during the hands-on field training of the agricultural professionals. These field plots addressed the following objectives:
1] Provide crops of various growth stages and planting spacings to allow participants to train and operate various tractor mounted cultivating devices under real-world farming conditions. This portion of the project was developed to complement the SARE video project – Vegetable Farmers and Their Weed Control Machines.

2] Provide crops of various growth stages to allow participants to view demonstrations and operate an array of hand-operated weed control vegetable tools such as; wheel hoes, hand hoes ,propane flamers.

3] Provide weed biology plots for program participants to integrate information developed in– SARE project ENE06-099; Ecologically based weed management: A manual and training program for farm advisors.

4] Provide field plots of various vegetables incorporating various mulching techniques approved for organic vegetable production. Hands-on mulching demonstrations and the long-term weed control effects of various mulching strategies.

5] Provide field plots to demonstrate effectiveness of various OMRI bio herbicides such as acetic acid, clove oil etc. in backpack sprayers with varying nozzle designs. Program participants were afforded the opportunity to operate backpack sprayer equipment under farmer-type field conditions. This portion of the project incorporated information from previous SARE project; ENE-96-096 Matching Small Farm Crop Sprayer Application Technology with OMRI and Traditional Agricultural Products

6] Provide a reference document to program participants including information regarding acquisition and basic economics of the concepts and equipment utilized in the training program. The New Jersey training program was held on September 16, 2010.

45 individuals participated in the training program. The program participants included University Cooperative Extension, USDA – Natural Resources Conservation Service, Northeast Organic Farming Association-New Jersey, New Jersey Department of Agriculture – Organic Certification Program, Rodale Institute. Several organic vegetable farmers attended the training session to add farmer perspective into weed management programs.Hector Perez from Jersey Farm Produce Inc. provided agricultural engineering technical assistance related to precision cultivation. Program participants were asked to fill out a survey questionnaire prior to the training program and after the training program detailing the impact of the training program on their knowledge of weed control systems in organic vegetable production. Supporting documentation: Link to program: Program – see attached

• Program

Objectives/Performance Targets

142 farmers become engaged in a systems approach to weed control in organic vegetable production. Farmers incorporate several technologies in unison addressing the complex issue of weed control. Stale seedbed, precision cultivation, suicide germination of weed seeds, and precision application of organic weed control agents provide enhanced sustainability and profitability. 1] Core group of agricultural educators representing several organizations including Cooperative Extension, NRCS, NOFA and Departments of Agriculture participate in a preliminary planning meeting assessing scope and methodology of a hands-on training program they will be attending at a future date. Project leader, team members and key individuals query participants for program development. Participants become engaged in project (3 months). 2] Project leader, team members and key individuals along with the core group of participants recruit 50 agricultural educators to attend New Jersey or Delaware training program. Simultaneously training program logistics and content are being developed (4 months). 3] 25 participants attend first training program. Participants are assessed through a questionnaire survey on their baseline knowledge and educational abilities related to integrated approaches to controlling weeds in organic vegetable production systems. The participants become engaged in hands-on training. The participants are assessed through the questionnaire survey on their post program knowledge and willingness to engage farmers in educational outreach programs. 17 participants through survey results express willingness to develop farmer training programs impacting 75 farmers. 21 participants through survey results altered their views on the complexity and need for an integrated approach to organic weed control programs (4 months). 4] 25 participants attend second training program. Participants are assessed through a questionnaire survey on their baseline knowledge and educational abilities related to integrated approaches to controlling weeds in organic vegetable systems. Program content is altered based upon results of initial program. Participants are assessed through the questionnaire survey on their post program knowledge and willingness to engage farmers in educational outreach programs. 23 participants through survey results altered their views on the complexity and need for an integrated approach to organic weed control programs (4 months). 5] A core group of 38 participants utilizing an integrated approach to educating farmers on weed control programs for organic vegetable production. A group of 77 farmers are trained and surveyed by program participants (9 months). 6] core group of 50 participants are engaged by project leader through follow up contacts requesting additional feedback and survey documentation. 28 participants respond through survey providing additional 75 farmers trained and surveyed. Farmers’ survey results indicate 65 farmers have developed more effective weed control strategies resulting in improved crop production and profitability (12 months).

Accomplishments/Milestones

Project accomplishments to date center around the following: 1] Survey of organic farmers at the 2010 Northeast Organic Farming Association – New Jersey conference supported prioritization of weed control strategies as critical to organic vegetable farming economic success. 2] An array of equipment was acquired for inclusion in the hands-on training program such as; tractor mounted cultivating equipment, hand-operated cultivating equipment, backpack propane flaming devices and backpack sprayers and mulching equipment. 3] An array of materials was acquired for inclusion in the hands-on training program such as: OMRI approved herbicides, mulching materials including straw, compost, and plastic mulching of different light reflecting characteristics. 4] A training manual was developed for program participants including information regarding equipment and supplies as well farmer oriented technical material addressing organic vegetable weed control concepts. 5] Participation of individuals from previous Northeast SARE projects related to this project as noted in the summary above.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

There were several objectives with the program: 1] From June 2009 to September 2010 the Rutgers University Snyder Research Farm and the University of Delaware Agricultural Research and Education Center held planning meetings involving multiple stakeholders including organic farmers, as well as public and private sector agricultural consultants. From those meetings, hands-on training field plots were established. 2] From June 2009 to September 2010 equipment and materials were acquired to adequately address the training program content and implementation. Equipment such as tractor mounted cultivators of traditional and unique design [such as the newly introduced Eco Weeder]. An array of hand operated weeding tools for vegetable crops were acquired and tested for effectiveness. 3] Considering the extent of the training program multiple technical support personnel were trained as trainers. 4] A training manual was developed for each participant that included technical as well as commercial information on the weed control supplies and equipment utilized during the hands-on training program. 5] Additional educator personnel from Cornell University and University of Maryland with extensive experience in vegetable organic weed control systems were recruited and participated in the training program. This allowed for the compounding of previous NE-SARE technical information to stakeholders. 6] Project performance target: included training 50 agricultural educators. This goal was exceeded with total attendance in excess 60. 7] training program effectiveness: see attached participant survey results Outcomes and impacts: Link to participant pre-post training results:Post Survey 9-16-2010

• Post Survey

Collaborators: