Progress 10/01/03 to 09/30/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: This project investigated phosphorus (P) nutrition of plants from conventional and organic sources, alternatives to chemical herbicides in control of weeds, and urban gardening. Experiments to assess and improve the availability of P from rock phosphate, bonemeal, and superphosphate were conducted with tomato, cucumber, and corn in greenhouses. Phosphorus was added at about 0.1 g P/kg to soil-based potting medium. The medium was about pH 4.3. The medium was limed with agricultural limestone to create a regime of about pH 6.5, was mixed with peat moss to give an organic matter content of about 3%, or was amended with the limestone and the peat moss. Superphosphate was the best fertilizer to support plant growth. Bonemeal was almost as effective as superphosphate. Rock phosphate gave only slight stimulation of plant growth. Liming gave some improved growth with all plant species relative to that of plants in the unamended medium, but adding organic matter or lime and organic matter promoted the most plant growth. Leaf analysis showed that superphosphate elevated the P concentration in leaves more than the other fertilizers. Research with alternative weed-control practices were conducted on roadsides and in field plots. Alternatives included citric-acetic acid formulations, clove oil, pelargonic acid, corn gluten meal, flame burning, steaming, mulches, and planting of weed-suppressing crops. Citric-acetic acid sprays had low efficacy in controlling vegetation. Clove oil and pelargonic acid had short-term efficacy for about 4 to 6 weeks before another application was necessary. Heat treatment of flame or steam gave an immediate suppression of growth that lasted for 4 to 6 weeks before another treatment was necessary. Mulches of wood chips or bark gave season-long suppression of weeds. Corn gluten meal had essentially no suppressive effect on vegetation and stimulated growth through nitrogen fertilization. Glyphosate or gluphosinate-ammonium gave weed suppression for the entire season after their applications. The value of shading and nitrogen (N) fertilization for production of ngo gai was investigated in field plots in Deerfield, Massachusetts. Plants produced fewer and lighter flower stalks as shade increased. Mean leaf area and leaf area per unit mass of leaves increased with increasing shade to 40 %. Total leaf area and total biomass decreased with increasing shade. Increasing N fertilization rates increased mean leaf mass and mean leaf area. PARTICIPANTS: Alen V. Barker is Professor of Plant and Soil Sciences and has interests in plant nutrition and organic farming. Randall G. Prostak is an Extension Educator associated with the Department of Plant Soil and Insect Sciences. He is an expert on weed identification and on use of herbicides in weed control. The research on alternative practices for management of vegetation was sponsored in part by and was done in cooperation with the Massachusetts Department of Highways. TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences includes state and federal agencies for the use of alternative practices for management of vegetation. Conventional and organic farmers and gardeners are audiences with interests in increasing the efficiency of use of phosphorus containing ferilizers. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Most of the phosphorus applied from fertilizers to soils is fixed with the iron and aluminum in soils and is rendered unavailable to plants. Fixation occurs whether the fertilizers are of manufactured or natural origins. Organic fertilizers such as rock phosphate are sparingly soluble and deliver inadequate amounts of phosphorus for crop production; bone meal is adequate for phosphorus fertilization but is expensive; hence, organic farmers have difficulty in supplying phosphorus to crops. Methods to improve the availability of phosphorus from fertilizers include amendments of soils with lime and organic matter. Crops are currently undernourished with phosphorus regardless of the source of fertilization in general due to the lack of sufficient application of phosphorus fertilizers. Development and use of soil amendments to enhance the availability of phosphorus from organic and conventional fertilizers will improve crop nutrition with all phosphorus fertilizers. This research indicates that alternative to chemical herbicides have potential use in urban gardens and on roadsides. Alternatives of spraying or heat treatments of weeds require repeated applications during the growing season to prevent regrowth. These alternatives are not selective in control and hence must not come in contact with crops. Mulches were the most effective alternative control procedure but were the most expensive in materials and labor. Alternatives could be used economically on urban gardens because of their small areas. This research demonstrates how organic or alternative practices of fertilization and weed control can be utilized in crop production in urban areas where use of conventional fertilizers and herbicides may want to be lessened.
Publications
- Barker, Allen V. and Randall G. Prostak. Evaluation of alternative management of roadside vegetation. HortTechnology 19: accepted for 2009.
- Prostak, R.G. and A. V. Barker. 2007. Hot water systems for vegetation management. Proc. New England Weed Sci. Soc. 61:78.
- Barker, Allen V. and Randall G. Prostak. 2008. Alternative herbicides research. Massachusetts Highway Department, Office of Transportation Planning, Boston, Mass. Report SPRII03.23. 250 p.
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Progress 10/01/06 to 09/30/07
Outputs
Experiments to assess and improve the availability of phosphorus from rock phosphate, bonemeal, and superphosphate were conducted with tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.), cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), and corn Zea mays L.)in greenhouses. Phosphorus was at about 0.1 g/kg added to a medium of soil-based potting compost. The medium had a natural acidity of about pH 5.5 or was acidified with aluminum to about pH 4.3. The medium was limed to create a regime of about pH 6.5, was mixed with peat moss to give an organic matter content of about 3%, or was amended with the organic matter and the peat moss. The medium was left unamended also. Liming gave some improved growth all of the plant species relative to that of plants in the unamended medium, but adding organic matter or lime and organic matter promoted the most plant growth. Leaves of plants were saved for determinations of phosphorus to assess the accumulation of phosphorus from the different fertilizers.
Impacts
Most of the phosphorus applied from fertilizers to soils is fixed with the iron and aluminum in soils and is rendered unavailable to plants. Fixation occurs whether the fertilizers are of manufactured or natural origins. Organic fertilizers such as rock phosphate are sparingly soluble and deliver inadequate amounts of phosphorus for crop production; hence, organic farmers have difficulty in supplying phosphorus to crops. Methods to improve the availability of phosphorus from fertilizers include amendments of soils with lime and organic matter. Development and use of soil amendments to enhance the availability of phosphorus from organic and conventional fertilizers and will improve crop nutrition. Crops are currently undernourished with phosphorus regardless of the source of fertilization.
Publications
- Barker, A.V. and D.J. Pilbeam. 2006. Handbook of Plant Nutrition. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, 613 p.
- Barker, A. V. and G.M. Bryson. 2006. Nitrogen. In Barker, A.V. and D.J. Pilbeam, Handbook of Plant Nutrition. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, pp. 21-50.
- Bryson, G.M. and A.V. Barker. 2007. Effect of nitrogen fertilizers on zinc accumulation in fescue. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 38: 1-13.
- Bryson, G.M. and A.V. Barker. 2007. Phytoextraction of zinc by Indian mustard and tall fescue. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 38:315-335.
- Harrison, E.Z, U. Krogman, A.V. Barker, A. Hay, M. McBride, W. McDowell, B. Richards. T. Steenhuis, and R. Stehouwer. 2007. Guidelines for application of sewage biosolids to agricultural lands in the Northeastern U.S. Bulletin E317, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, New Brunswick, N.J.
- Klaber, N., A.V. Barker, B. Xing, G.R. Lanza, and J.F. Tyson. 2006. A phytoremediation study: Arsenic accumulation by two perennial grasses in response to chelators. Agronomy Abstracts, November 2006.
- Prostak, R.G. and A. V. Barker. 2007. Hot water systems for vegetation management. Proc. New England Weed Sci. Soc. 61:78.
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Progress 10/01/05 to 09/30/06
Outputs
Research on this project investigated the use of alternatives to conventional herbicides in weed control and vegetative management. The research was conducted on sites adjacent to roadsides or in open fields, which may be areas located near urban gardens. No research was conducted in gardens. Alternatives include use of sprays, including citric-acetic acid formulations, clove oil, pelargonic acid, corn gluten meal, flame burning, hot water or steam applications, mulches, and planting of weed-suppressing crops. These treatments were compared relative to conventional herbicidal treatment utilizing glyphosate or gluphosonate-ammonium. The alternative sprays are contact herbicides, meaning that they kill vegetation with which the herbicide comes in contact but are not translocated to other parts of the plants for herbicidal action. Citric-acetic acid sprays had low efficacy in controlling vegetation as measured by killing of vegetation and suppressing regrowth. Clove oil
and pelargonic acid were effective in killing vegetation with which they came in contact, and the effects gave about 4 to 6 weeks of control of growth before another application was necessary. Heat treatment of flame (weed torches) or hot water (steam-generating implements) with or without a foam adjuvant gave an immediate suppression of growth that lasted for 4 to 6 weeks before another treatment was necessary. Mulches of wood chips or bark gave season-long suppression of weeds. In the second year after application of mulches, the suppression was renewed easily with the application of any one of the growth-suppression alternative herbicides, as the mulches remained intact for at least two years. Glyphosate or gluphosinate-ammonium exibited weed suppression for the entire season remaining after their application. Corn gluten meal had essentially no suppressive effect on unwanted vegetation and may have stimulated growth through nitrogen fertilization. Establishment of the
growth-suppressing crops was unsuccessful. Glyphosate in particular had an effect that carried over into the next year.
Impacts
This research indicates that alternative to chemical herbicides have potential use in urban gardens. Alternatives of spraying or heat treatments of weeds require repeated applications during the growing season to prevent regrowth. These alternatives are not selective in control and hence must not come in contact with crops. Mulches were the most effective alternative control procedure. Alternatives could be used economically on urban gardens because of their small areas.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 10/01/04 to 09/30/05
Outputs
Sites for potential research on urban soils in Holyoke, Massachusetts, were identified and considered but were not confirmed for use in this project. Extension personnel worked with gardeners in Holyoke to facilitate the use of sites for vegetable production in Holyoke. No research was conducted on employment of high tunnels or mulches for winter production of salad greens in Massachusetts. The value of shading and nitrogen fertilization for production of ngo gai was investigated in field plots in Deerfield, Massachusetts. Plants produced fewer and lighter flower stalks as shade increased. Mean leaf area and leaf area per unit mass of leaves increased with increasing shade to 40 %. Total leaf area and total biomass decreased with increasing shade. Increasing nitrogen fertilization rates increased mean leaf mass and mean leaf area. Several vegetable crops were grown in an unheated greenhouse on the University of Massachusetts campus. This work is under review to assess
the results obtained. Nutritional disorders, possibly phosphorus deficiency, developing from the cold seemed to limit crop growth.
Impacts
This research may enable city dwellers to grow food on land that is considered marginal in fertility due to previous lack of management. The research has potential to increase quality of certain specialty greens consumed by some ethnic groups in Massachusetts. Work with production of crops in cold weather may enable local vendors to supply produce to local consumers.
Publications
- C. A. Casey, F. X. Mangan, S. J. Herbert, A. V. Barker, A. K. Carter and W. R. Autio. 2005. Management of Light and Nitrogen in the Cultivation of Ngo Gai (Eryngium foetidum L.) in Massachusetts. Submitted to HortScience.
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Progress 10/01/03 to 09/30/04
Outputs
A series of lettuce and spinach exeriments were conducted in a low heated greenhouse through the winter of 2004-2005. The data has been entered into the SAS program and run. A refereed paper is in draft form. Farm produce is being delivered to six school districts and one college in the Pioneer Valley of Massachuetts. Grant funds for the study of lead in organic soils was received in August of 2004. Soil sampling will begin in 2005 as soon as the ground thaws.
Impacts
Approximately 7,000 school children have the opportunity to eat fresh local vegetables. The farmers income increased by $15,000 from July 1, 2004 to the end of Nov. 2004.
Publications
- Carter, A., K. Erwin, L. Kramer, and M. Philbin. 2004. Coming to a School Near You. Farm Fresh Produce. Final Report to Project Bread - the Walk for Hunger. Sept. 2004. 23 pages.
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