Covering New Ground: Tropical Cover Crops for Improving Soil Quality

Covering New Ground: Tropical Cover Crops for Improving Soil Quality

Summary

This project was established to collect, improve access to, and distribute information about cover crops and green manures appropriate for the Pacific Region. The project has successfully developed a list of 26 plant species (with 17 more possible candidates) and provided plant descriptions available at a web site. Information from the web site can be printed out and a search engine can be used to gather specific information. In conjunction with the development of this body of web-based information, a series of 11 demonstration sites were established on 6 islands. They demonstrated the use of cover crops or green manures under different crop production systems that represent local farmer needs. A training workshop was held with participation from representatives from CES, NRCS, local farmers, private agricultural consultants, professionals from Community Colleges, and agricultural professionals from Guam, Palau, and Kosrae. The workshop included segments about the use of cover crops/green manures, a cover crop/green manure recommendation exercise, a computer exercise to use the web site database, classroom and field exercises in soil quality, and a visit to a cover crop/green manure demonstration site. During the final phase of the project, workshops and/or field days were held at each demonstration site. The website was further refined. The cover crop/green manure information from the database was incorporated onto a CD-ROM. Final efforts on the production of a series of leaflets about the tropical cover crops and green manures are underway. The final project evaluation and report will soon be completed.

Objectives/Performance Targets

1. Determine a set of 20 tropical cover/green manure crops suitable for Hawai`i and the Pacific Region and promote their use.
2. Improve access to information on tropical cover/green manure crops so that agricultural professionals can make better recommendations and producers can make better management decisions. Make cover/green manure crop information accessible in print, CD-ROM, and a web-based database.
3. Establish 10 cover crop demonstration sites representing different tropical crops and cropping systems to gain experience and prepare for field days for the public.
4. Carry out CES & NRCS training about selection and economic impacts of cover/green manure crops. Link training in the use of cover crops to soil quality measurements in cover cropped areas. Include crop recommendation exercises.
5. CES Agents apply their knowledge by conducting cover crop training for the public via field days at demonstration sites.

Accomplishments/Milestones

COVER CROP/GREEN MANURE DATABASE: Our project has identified twenty-six species of tropical cover/green manure crops suitable for Hawai`i and the Pacific. These species have been evaluated and found to have applications in the tropical setting varying with rainfall and elevation. Selection criteria included successful field testing in Hawai`i or other Pacific regions, low indication of invasiveness for native species (non-twining, no prolific seeding, not dispersed extensively by birds, etc.) and gives preference for nematode resistance and seed/plant material sources readily available. Plant descriptions for tropical species are in-depth. Those for temperate species are in summary form with references (or hyperlinks) for further information.

The basic plant descriptions are available at the Hawai`i Sustainable Agriculture web site (http://www2.ctahr.hawaii.edu/sustainag/). When using a standard search engine, the CTAHR home page can be located and the list accessed. The CTAHR site has its own search engine as well to locate the tropical cover crop and green manure information. We continue to improve the website to improve the search function, add photos, and make the site more user-friendly. From 3/6/00 – 12/06/01 we have recorded 1682 hits.

The web site posting and regular updates are announced to Hawai`i agricultural commodity groups, agricultural educators, staff within CES and NRCS, and to members of the ADAP Project. The Agricultural Development in the American Pacific (ADAP) Project provides a network and clearinghouse for agricultural information for the pacific region. The following land grant institutions are active participants: American Samoa Community College, College of Micronesia, College of the Marshall Islands, Palau Community College, Northern Marianas College, University of Guam, and the University of Hawai’i at Manoa.

We are within weeks of completing our leaflets. The tropical cover crop and green manure information will also be available in the PEOPLE (Portable Extension Office for Program Literature Exchange) CD being distributed under another Western SARE grant. This seems to be the best way to distribute the information since the target audience is the same.

COVER CROP/GREEN MANURE DEMONSTRATION SITES: The demonstration sites are completed. Several extension agents joined the project after we began, so we redistributed funding to allow for more sites with smaller budgets. Also, an agricultural teacher at Maui Community College wanted to sponsor a demonstration site and field day at their college. Since we have fewer limitations on growing seasons, we were able to be more flexible with timing for the demonstration sites.

Below is a summary of the status of the demonstration sites affiliated with the project (10 sites originally proposed).

1. Demonstration on managing weeds using cover crops in organically grown papaya (“mow and blow” mulching system) using two sorghum-sudangrass hybrids (‘STE6’ and ‘Pacesetter’) – Alton Arakaki, CES. Status: Completed. Location: Moloka`i Research and Demonstration Farm (Experiment Station, Moloka’i, HI)

2. Evaluating the effectiveness of cover crops (French marigold, sunn hemp, sorghum-sudangrass hybrids) to root knot nematode damage using bush beans as an indicator crop – Kali Arce, CES. Status: Completed. Location: Moloka`i Research and Demonstration Farm (Experiment Station, Moloka’i, HI)

3. Cover crop trials for weed control and nutrient inputs for organic papaya and vegetable production using sunn hemp, rapeseed ‘Dwarf Essex’, sesbania, sorghum-sudangrass hybrids ‘Pacesetter’ and ‘Honey graze BMR’, lablab, alfalfa ‘WL711WF’, New Zealand white clover, Dutch white clover, buckwheat, cowpea, lana vetch, ‘Tropic Lalo’ paspalum, and perennial peanut – Richard Ebesu, CES. Status: Completed. Location: James Nishida Jr. Farm (Private Farm, Kauai, HI)

4. Ground cover demonstration for weed control in papaya using perennial peanut, St. Augustine, carpetgrass – Dr. Joe DeFrank, UH Manoa. Status: Completed. Location: Poamoho Research Station (Experiment Station, O`ahu, HI)

5. Response of pineapple and nematodes to Telone EC applied in conventional and buffelgrass living sod production systems – Dr. Joe DeFrank, UH Manoa. Status: Completed. Location: Dole Foods Hawai`i Whitmore Village Facility (Private Farm, O`ahu, HI)

6. Cover crop and green manure trials for vegetable production – Dr. Hector Valenzuela, UH Manoa. Status: Completed. Location: Waimanalo Research Station (Experiment Station, O`ahu, HI)

7. Cover crop trials for orchard crops – Norman Nagata, CES. Status: Completed. Location: CES Maui Educational Garden (Community College, Maui, HI)

8. Sunn hemp trial for nematode control in edible ginger production – Dwight Sato, CES. Status: Completed. Location: Umauma Farm (Private Farm, Hawai`i Island, HI)

9. Sustainable alley cropping demonstration using leuceana and sunn hemp (with melia and neem extracts as insecticides) – Ray MacDuff NMCC. Status: Completed. Location: Kagman Experiment Station (Experiment Station, Saipan)

10. Cover Crops for nematode control in coffee – Virginia Easton Smith, CES. Status: Completed. Location: Kona area.

11. Azolla as a green manure in wetland taro – Roy Yamakawa, CES. Status: Completed. Location: Kobayashi Farm (Private Farm, Kaua`i HI).

Three demonstration sites were planned but not executed. Frank Cruz, Guam, was unable to actively participate in the project. We attempted to set up an alternate Guam demonstration project with Dr. Mari Marutani, however she too was unable to commit to a demonstration site on short notice. She did send an extension agent from Guam to attend the cover crop workshop. Ann Emmsley, Associate Professor at Maui Community College, had planned to have a green manure and cover crop trial, however was on maternity leave and unable to establish the project. Robin Shimabuku, plant pathologist and CES Agent on Maui, had planned a green manure trial to control pink root and fusarium basal plate rot in Maui sweet onion however the level of funding would not meet his requirements for a scientific research project. He is however conducting this research using alternate funding sources.

CES/NRCS TRAINING WORKSHOP: On October 5th-6th, 2000, we held the training workshop for the project. Attendance by both CES agents (12) and NRCS staff (13) was excellent, representing every Hawaiian island and Guam. The workshop included segments about the use of cover crops/green manures, a cover crop/green manure recommendation exercise, a computer exercise to use the web site database, classroom and field exercises in soil quality, and a visit to a cover crop/green manure demonstration site.

In alignment with the intent of the SARE Program, the workshop successfully represented a wide range of public and private sector agricultural interests. In attendance were teachers from Maui and Kauai Community Colleges, professors/staff from UH Manoa, an agricultural consultant, a commercial seed producer, a private sector agricultural researcher, organic farmers, plus 5 representatives from the Pacific region (Guam, Palau, Kosrae). The attendance of the Pacific Islanders was the result of our alliance with ADAP Project, which advertised the workshop to over 150 people in the Pacific Rim region. As a result, these 5 individuals arrived at our workshop using their own funding. Regrettably, we were unable to arrange to have our colleague from the Northern Marianas attend this meeting.

HAWAII AGRICULTURE 2001: Sustainable & Profitable AgriBusiness Today! (CONFERENCE): While not funded by this project, our state sustainable agriculture program was able to support a major statewide sustainable agriculture conference on January 26-27, 2001. The conference featured nationally recognized speakers such as Joel Salatin of Polyface Farm, Dr. Frank Zalom of the UC Statewide IPM Program, Claire Klotz of USDA Wholesale & Alternate Markets, and Dr. Yasuo Ohe of Chiba University (agritourism). In addition, locally recognized agricultural professionals and successful farmers and ranchers served as panelists and presenters. The conference featured several “threads” of interest — major themes of sustainable agriculture: agroforestry, pastured animals, IPM, organic production, direct marketing, internet marketing, and agritourism. With over 200 participants, this conference represented the best and most innovative of Hawaii’s sustainable agriculture industry.

Our program was able to establish valuable networking linkages and alliances as a result of this conference.

Information generated from this grant project about green manures, cover crops, and soil quality featured prominently in the well-attended IPM and organic production thread. A summary of the workshop can be found at: http://www2.ctahr.hawaii.edu/sustainag/workshops.htm

MOLOKA`I SUSTAINABLE FARMING MINI CONFERENCE: As a result of both the cover crop grant and the January conference, CES agents and NRCS staff on Moloka`i teamed up to sponsor a local two day conference and field day. Held on June 15-16th, 2001, extension agents Alton Arakaki and Kali Arce joined forces to organize an excellent and well attended workshop for Moloka`i farmers. A special guest speaker, Bob Shaffer from Soil Culture Co. gave a keynote address on soil quality entitled “Living Soil.” During the sessions about sustainable farming techniques, Robert Joy from the NRCS Plant Materials Center at Moloka`i gave a presentation about green manures and cover crops and discussed the SARE project in detail. Drs. Joe DeFrank and Hector Valenzuela from University of Hawaii at Manoa (both very active participants in this grant project) gave presentations on living mulch, trap crops, insectaries and biofumigation. Both Moloka`i CES agents presented the results of their demonstration projects to the community at the conference. An entire day was devoted to visiting and learning from farmers and ranchers on Moloka`i who use sustainable techniques. Associate professors from Moloka`i Community College and Kauai CC attended. Sheila Cox, NRCS District Conservationist for Moloka`i, attended the field day.

HOFA BODY AND SOIL CONFERENCE: One major goal for this year has been to improve and expand our interaction with the Hawaii Organic Farmers Association. We had a unique opportunity this year when HOFA sponsored a soil quality conference on Maui on July 18-19, 2001, inviting nationally recognized speakers Dr. Elaine Ingham (Soil Food Web, Inc.), Neal Kinsey (author of “Hands On Agronomy”), and Bob Shaffer from Soil Culture Consulting. This HOFA training program offered an exceptional hands-on field component. Organic farmers from Kauai, Maui, Hawaii Island and Oahu sent in soil samples ahead of time. With guidance from the trainers, attendees studied soil quality measurements and their relationships to cover cropping and other management practices. Three CES agents affiliated with this SARE project attended this event to expand their knowledge of soil quality and organic production techniques.

TOMATO PRODUCTION USING IPM IN THE WAIALUA FARMERS COOPERATIVE: On June 30th, 2001, Dr. John McHugh, a private consultant with Crop Care Hawaii, held a field workshop on Oahu at the Vanna Farm in Waialua. The green manure/cover crop information from this SARE grant was featured as a major tool for sustainable production techniques. Three CES agents affiliated with our project (Dwight Sato, Hawaii Island, Norman Nagata, Maui, and Dale Sato, Oahu) attended this workshop. Dr. McHugh attended our October 2000 SARE cover crop/soil quality training and was one of the speakers for the IPM segment at the January 2001 conference. We plan to continue our alliance with this agricultural professional for future programs and projects.

HOFA ORGANIC TRAINING WORKSHOP: Although not funded by this grant, we feel it is important to mention that 8 of our CES agents attended a 3 day intensive training session in September held by HOFA (Hawaii Organic Farmers Association) to learn about organic certification requirements. This significant investment of staff time and resources represents a major signal that our extension staff is committed to learning more about sustainable agriculture.

WORK LEFT TO DO:
* Cover crop leaflets are under final editing and formatting. Within weeks they should be printed and available as pdf files at the website.
* After the leaflets are distributed, final project evaluations will be distributed to CES, NRCS, and participating farmers and ag professionals. Based on their feedback we will be able to report on the project’s benefits/impacts on agriculture, farmer adoption and direct impacts, and report on farmers’ reactions as required in the final report.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

All information produced to date by this project is available at the Hawai`i Sustainable Agriculture Web Site (http://www2.ctahr.hawaii.edu/sustainag/).

Tropical cover crop and green manure leaflets are projected to be available in January 2002. There will be both printed versions as well as downloadable .PDF files available at the Hawai`i Sustainable Agriculture Web Site.

The cover crops/green manures database information has been incorporated into the CD-ROM Portable Extension Office for Program Literature Exchange (PEOPLE) and can be ordered through I. Scott Campbell, UH Manoa TPSS, Sherman Lab, 1910 East-West Rd, Honolulu HI 96822, email: scottc@hawaii.edu.

Collaborators: