Progress 09/01/06 to 08/31/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The long-term experiment (LTE) site at Arlington Agricultural Research Station, Arlington, WI, USA, completed three-year transition and received USDA organic certification Fall 2009. Organic certification has been renewed each year, 2009 to present. Project researchers completed the first four years of the LTE research activities. Data collection and analyses, under project Objective 1, include soil fertility system whole plot treatment (soil balance, standard organic) x crop rotation (oat/alfalfa/grass - alfalfa/grass - corn - soybean) with analyses of mineral composition and organic matter soil chemistry properties,crop plant nutrient profiles, and pest and beneficial insect population response variables. Project will continue for second four-year term under a new USDA NIFA OREI grant WIS01533 awarded September 1, 2010. One PhD student, Robin Mittenthal, with Cullen (PI) and thesis advisory committee, are completing two manuscripts for peer review publication for early 2012 submission. Significant product outputs include the following. First, Cullen (PI), Mittenthal (graduate student), and Christine Mason (member of organic farmer advisory board to this project) presented project information and results as an eOrganic webinar to a national audience March 29, 2011. Our webinar was selected for Certified Crop Adviser Continuing Education Credit as an eXtension.org campus website audio/video product titled Integrated Pest Management in Organic Field Crops at http://www.extension.org/pages/60988. Second, a new UW Colleges curriculum and course (BOT/SOC 291) titled Social and Scientific Aspects of Organic Agriculture were created. This 3 credit semester-long course, offered each fall since 2009, fulfills UW Colleges' interdisciplinary requirement for A.A. students. BOT/SOC 291 curriculum and course are the result of collaboration between UW Madison (E. Cullen) and UW Marathon County (P. Whitaker) under project Objective 3. BOT/SOC 291 is offered at UW Marathon County and simultaneously to UW Fox Valley (via interactive distance education technology). Partnerships incorporate guest lectures by USDA NRCS, UW Extension, and organic farmers. Community Supported Agriculture farmers Kat Becker and Tony Shultz (Stoney Acres Farm, Athens WI) serve as on-farm research mentors to UW Marathon County summer interns under the direction of P. Whitaker (under project Objectives 2 and 3). Project information was disseminated to Midwestern U.S. farmers, extension educators, land-grant university ag research station workers, government organizations, and students at 11 field days and workshops over three years reaching 520 individuals face-to-face. National and International invited symposia presentations to researchers included Entomol. Soc. America, San Diego,CA (2010); Tri-Society Annual Meeting,Pittsburgh,PA(2009);Sixth International IPM Symposium,Portland,OR(2009); SARE Annual Meeting,Kansas City,KS(2008) and Ministry of Agriculture,Quebec,Canada (2008).The 8-member organic farmer advisory board to this project met with project PIs three times during the life of the project, plus additional partial group meetings and field visits periodically. PARTICIPANTS: INDIVIDUALS: EILEEN M. CULLEN (PI), Associate Professor/Extension Specialist, University of Wisconsin-Madison Entomology Department. Roles: Project coordination and responsibility, experimental research design and oversight, graduate student advising, generate, analyze, publish and disseminate results through research/Extension field crops IPM program. KEVIN B. SHELLEY, University of Wisconsin-Madison Nutrient and Pest Management Program Outreach Coordinator, Project Co-director. Roles: Organic crop management at the 30-acre Arlington Agricultural Research Station long-term experiment (LTE) site and organic grower advisory board communications/educational outreach coordination. PAUL WHITAKER,Professor, Biological Sciences and KAT BECKER, Associate Lecturer of Sociology, University of Wisconsin-Marathon County. Roles: Responsible for development, coordination and teaching of a UW Colleges interdisciplinary course curriculum titled Scientific and Sociological Aspects of Organic Agriculture. Whitaker and Becker mentor undergraduate research interns during summer on-farm research collaboration with organic farmers in North Central WI. COLLABORATORS: Soil science components of field and greenhouse experiments are strengthened by collaboration with PHILLIP BARAK, Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison Soil Science Dept., to improve interpretation of plant-insect interaction data under Standard Organic and Soil Balance fertility regimes. TRAINING OR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: ROBIN E. MITTENTHAL, PhD Graduate Student Research Assistant, University of Wisconsin-Madison Entomology Dept. Role: Conduct entomology and soil science field and laboratory experiments, data analyses, assistance with organic farming duties at LTE site, coordination of organic record-keeping for certification purposes at LTE study location. PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS: DARWIN FRYE, JEFF BRUER, PAUL BERGUM, UW Arlington Agricultural Research Station, Arlington, WI. Roles: Assist, advise and provide logistical/technical farming support for all aspects of organic production and certification transition at LTE study site. Additionally, a Wisconsin Organic Farmer Advisory Board meets formally once per year with project individuals in a winter/spring project meeting and a second time each summer at a field day or other Extension venues. Members: DAN and DARLENE COEHOORN, Viewpoint Farm, Rosendale, WI; CHRISTINE MASON/DARREN PAULSON, Standard Process Farms, Palmyra, WI; TOM AND JIM MILLER, R & G Miller and Sons, Columbus, WI; STEVE SLINGER, Randolph, WI; TIM ZANDER, Columbus, WI; TOM WEAVER, Weaver Feeding and Management, Cuba City, WI; GARY WEDIG, Platteville, WI. Roles: Input on determining and pursuing project objectives to meet the needs of organic grain/forage crop producers. Guide researchers on best management practices for organic field crop production systems. TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences include Wisconsin, Upper Midwest, and U.S. organic and transitional grain and forage crop farmers, land-grant university Extension educators and county agents, IPM researchers at land-grant universities and colleges, undergraduate students at the freshman/sophomore campuses of the UW Colleges system, and educators and agricultural professionals who serve or interact with a diversity of organic farmers and farmers or educators interested in learning more about insect pest management in organic systems. Efforts to reach target audiences included extension and outreach field day presentations, research presentation and proceedings publications at organic farming conference research symposia, roundtable meetings with organic farmer advisory board to project, and March 2010 eOrganic webinar presentation by project PI, graduate student, and organic farmer advisor to national audience. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
CHANGE IN KNOWLEDGE: 127 individuals participated in the March 29th, 2011 eOrganic webinar presented by this project team titled Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in Organic Field Crops. Content included information from this USDA project and IPM concepts and practices/recommendations for organic systems. Presenters included Cullen (project PI), Mittenthal (graduate student) and Mason (organic farmer). eOrganic organizers administered a survey to participants with the following results indicating change in knowledge. Of 127 respondents invited, 86 completed the survey for a response rate of 67.72%. The majority of survey respondents were farmers (22%) or Extension personnel (13%) with the remainder University researcher/educator or non-profit organization staff. Respondents were from all regions of the U.S. as well as Canada, Greece and Chile. Two-thirds of respondents significantly (23%) to moderately (40%) improved their understanding of organic field crop IPM and soil and crop nutrient management as part of a pest management approach. One-third (33%) improved their understanding a little, and only 5% indicated no improvement at all. 70% of respondents intend to apply the knowledge they gained in this webinar to their work with the remainder opting to apply a little (24%) or none (6%) of the information. 84% felt the information presented was just right, not too technical and not too basic. 72% would definitely recommend this webinar to others and 27% may recommend it to others. Examples of comments from respondents include: I liked having the farmer talk practicality and the research backing up the topic. I would like more from the farmer, discussing the impact of the research; I think it was very helpful to have research-based speakers as well as speakers who are using methods on their farms. I liked the mix of practical and academic. In addition to the eOrganic webinar at the end of this project term, face-to-face contacts were made with target audience at 11 field days and workshops over four years. These contacts allowed over 520 individuals (Upper Midwestern and U.S. farmers, educators, researchers and agriculture professionals) to gain knowledge and expand their concept of applying the IPM paradigm to organic field and forage crops. CHANGE IN ACTIONS: eOrganic and eXtension created an audio/video product of our webinar and project PI Cullen wrote CCA study questions to accompany this distance education product. CCAs now have the option to utilize this product as a resource specific to organic agriculture pest management, earn CCA continuing education units and apply this knowledge in pest management decision-making on farm or in the field. CHANGE IN CONDITIONS: Our UW Colleges interdisciplinary Bot/Soc 291 curriculum and 3-credit fall semester course titled Social and Scientific Aspects of Organic Agriculture is the first interdisciplinary course offering on organic agriculture through UW Colleges. Entering its third year fall 2011, it is an established offering of the UW Colleges institution.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 09/01/09 to 08/31/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: This project is designed to improve integrated pest management (IPM) paradigm in theory and practice for U.S. organic grain and forage cropping systems. OBJECTIVE 1: The long-term experiment (LTE) established in 2006 received USDA organic certification Fall 2009. 2010 marked the first field season of data collection at the LTE as a certified organic system, as compared to transitional system baseline data collected during the first three project years. Half of the LTE plots, Soil Balance crop X fertility system treatments, received fall 2009 gypsum (CaSO4.(H20)) application, while the remaining Standard Organic crop X fertility system treatments did not. All plots received legume N credits, and liquid dairy manure based on soil test analyses and sufficiency level nutrient requirements for corn, soybean and alfalfa. We analyzed soil samples for macro and micronutrients, organic matter, pH, total mineral N, and Ca:Mg:K cation ratios. Corn, soybean and alfalfa yield data, and forage quality analyses for 2nd year alfalfa plots, were collected. We assessed paired soil and plant tissue samples in season for plant nutrient profile analysis and correlation with insect data. Plots were sampled weekly June-August for soybean aphid and predators in soybean, potato leafhopper in alfalfa, and periodically assessed for Lepidoptera corn pest abundance. OBJECTIVE 2: On-farm data (paired soil and plant tissue with insect sampling data) from four organic advisory farms (two Soil Balance; two Standard Organic) collected during the first three project years were analyzed for comparison with data from the LTE during organic transition. OBJECTIVE 3: Fall semester 2009 Co-PI Dr. Paul Whitaker and Kat Becker, (UW-Marathon County) taught a new interdisciplinary 3-credit course as Bot/Soc 291 titled Scientific and Social Aspects of Organic Agriculture. Curriculum product and UW Colleges approval milestones for this course were achieved during year 3 of this project. Bot/Soc 291 was offered at UW Marathon County and via interactive distance education video to UW Fox Valley. Forty students (20 on each campus) enrolled. With instructors Whitaker and Becker, organic farmers, Extension (Cullen), and local USDA NRCS partners participated as guest speakers. Student evaluations were positive and UW Colleges approved the course for fall semester 2010. Summer 2010, two UW Marathon County undergraduates participated in mentored research with Whitaker and Becker engaging with organic farmers to conduct on-farm IPM research projects on topics relevant to organic farmers in North Central WI. Eileen Cullen (PI) presented at an invited research symposium on Organic and Sustainable Systems for Pest Management at the 2009 Agronomy, Crop Science, and Soil Science societies of America meeting (Pittsburgh, PA); and an invited extension talk at University of Minnesota Southwest Research and Outreach Center's Organic Field Day (Lamberton, MN, July 8, 2010). We met with organic farmer advisory board individually and in small groups during grant renewal proposal preparation submitted to USDA NIFA OREI February 2010, and disseminated an annual project report to farmer advisors January 2010. PARTICIPANTS: INDIVIDUALS: EILEEN M. CULLEN (PI), Associate Professor/Extension Specialist, University of Wisconsin-Madison Entomology Department. Roles: Project coordination and responsibility, experimental research design and oversight, graduate student advising, generate, analyze, publish and disseminate results through research/Extension field crops IPM program. KEVIN B. SHELLEY, University of Wisconsin-Madison Nutrient and Pest Management Program Outreach Coordinator, Project Co-director. Roles: Organic crop management at the 30-acre Arlington Agricultural Research Station long-term experiment (LTE) site and organic grower advisory board communications/educational outreach coordination. PAUL WHITAKER, Associate Professor, Biological Sciences and KAT BECKER, Associate Lecturer of Sociology, University of Wisconsin-Marathon County. Roles: Responsible for development, coordination and teaching of a UW Colleges interdisciplinary course curriculum titled Scientific and Sociological Aspects of Organic Agriculture. Whitaker and Becker mentor undergraduate research interns during summer on-farm research collaboration with organic farmers in North Central WI. COLLABORATORS: Soil science components of field and greenhouse experiments are strengthened by collaboration with PHILLIP BARAK, Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison Soil Science Dept., to improve interpretation of plant-insect interaction data under Standard Organic and Soil Balance fertility regimes. Alfalfa forage production and agronomic guidance (planting, stand assessment techniques, forage quality analyses, and harvest) provided by KENNETH ALBRECHT, Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison Agronomy Dept. TRAINING OR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: ROBIN E. MITTENTHAL, PhD Graduate Student Research Assistant, University of Wisconsin-Madison Entomology Dept. Role: Conduct entomology and soil science field and laboratory experiments, data analysis, assistance with organic farming duties at LTE site, coordination of organic record-keeping for certification purposes at LTE study location. PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS: DARWIN FRYE, JEFF BRUER, PAUL BERGUM, UW Arlington Agricultural Research Station, Arlington, WI. Roles: Assist, advise and provide logistical/technical farming support for all aspects of organic production and certification transition at LTE study site. Additionally, a Wisconsin Organic Farmer Advisory Board meets formally once per year with project individuals in a winter/spring project meeting and a second time each summer at a field day or other Extension venues. Members: DAN and DARLENE COEHOORN, Viewpoint Farm, Rosendale, WI; CHRISTINE MASON/DARREN PAULSON, Standard Process Farms, Palmyra, WI; TOM AND JIM MILLER, R & G Miller and Sons, Columbus, WI; STEVE SLINGER, Randolph, WI; TIM ZANDER, Columbus, WI; TOM WEAVER, Weaver Feeding and Management, Cuba City, WI; GARY WEDIG, Platteville, WI. Roles: Input on determining and pursuing project objectives to meet the needs of organic grain/forage crop producers. Guide researchers on best management practices for organic field crop production systems. TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences include Wisconsin, Upper Midwest, and U.S. organic and transitional grain and forage crop farmers, Extension educators and county agents, IPM researchers at land-grant universities and colleges, undergraduate students at the freshman/sophomore campuses of the UW Colleges system, and educators and agricultural professionals (non-profit or nongovernmental organization) who serve or interact with a diversity of organic farmers and farmers or educators interested in learning more about insect pest management in organic systems. Efforts to reach target audiences included extension and outreach field day presentations, research presentation and proceedings publications at organic farming conference research symposia, and roundtable meeting with organic farmer advisory board to project. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
CHANGE IN KNOWLEDGE: Between 09/01/09 and 08/31/10, approximately over 200 organic farmers, extension educators, crop consultants, technical service providers, and undergraduate students in the Upper Midwest and U.S. gained knowledge of the role of crop host plant mineral nutrition and organic soil and crop nutrient management role in insect IPM in organic systems. CHANGE IN CONDITIONS: Our curriculum product and 3-credit semester course titled Scientific and Social Aspects of Organic Agriculture (first taught to 40 students Fall semester 2009, and approved for subsequent fall semesters) marked the first interdisciplinary course offering on organic agriculture offered through UW Colleges system.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 09/01/08 to 08/31/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The long-term experiment (LTE) established for this project at Arlington Agricultural Research Station, Arlington, WI, (summer 2006) received organic certification following fall 2009 inspection. OBJECTIVE 1: Organic fertility treatments, Standard Organic (STD) and Soil Balance (SB) were applied fall 2009. STD plots received legume nitrogen credits, and liquid dairy manure based on soil test analyses and sufficiency level nutrient requirements for corn, soybean, and alfalfa. SB plots received legume N credits and manure, plus gypsum (CaSO4.(H2O)) at 2,600 lb/ac. Gypsum rate, relative to target Ca:Mg:K soil balance hypothesis ratios, was determined in consultation with collaborator Dr. Phillip Barak, UW Madison Soil Science Dept.; organic farmer advisory board; and according to soil test values for basic cation saturation ratio (BCSR) obtained from a commercial soil analysis laboratory. Summer 2009, soil/crop plant tissue samples were collected from STD and SB corn, soybean and second-year alfalfa. Soil samples were analyzed for macro and micronutrients, total mineral N, and Ca:Mg:K BCSR. Plant tissue nutrient profiles were obtained for corn, soybean, and alfalfa tissue; and forage quality analysis for alfalfa. Corn, soybean, and alfalfa fertility x crop treatment replicates (0.77 acre plots) were sampled weekly 06/15 - 09/02/09 for Lepidoptera larvae, soybean aphid/predators and potato leafhopper, respectively. Predator exclusion caged plant experiments were conducted in soybean to determine whether organic soil fertility regimes result in plant nutrient-mediated effects on soybean aphid population dynamics. Field soil from STD fertility plots at the LTE was modified in our laboratories (Cullen/Mittenthal and Barak) to specific ratios of exchangeable Ca and Mg (cmolc/kg) using methods from Favaretto et al. (2006). Three BCSR soil treatments were prepared fall 2008-09 [unamended LTE soil, 2.1 Ca:Mg; "medium" ratio, 2.95 Ca:Mg; and "high" ratio, 4.65 Ca:Mg]. The first greenhouse experiment was initiated winter 2010 to obtain estimated life table parameters of soybean aphids raised in clip-cages on soybean plants grown in the modified soil treatments. OBJECTIVE 2: Project PIs consulted with organic farmer advisory board at the UW Madison CALS Organic Agriculture Field Day 08/26/09; and 01/25-29/09 during project renewal proposal preparation to be submitted 02/16/10 to USDA-OREI. Archived soil samples from advisory board farms (collected in 2007) were analyzed with corresponding plant tissue and insect response data, and reported to farmers. OBJECTIVE 3: Fall 2009, Co-PIs Paul Whitaker and Kat Becker, UW Marathon County, taught a new interdisciplinary course "Scientific and Sociological Aspects of Organic Agriculture". It was taught on two UW College campuses simultaneously, at UW Marathon County (Wausau, WI) and via compressed video at UW Fox Valley (Appleton, WI). Forty students enrolled, with 30 students completing the course for credit. Organic farmers, Extension and government agency (NRCS) personnel participated as guest instructors. Student evaluations for the course were positive. UW Colleges has approved the course for Fall 2010. PARTICIPANTS: INDIVIDUALS: EILEEN M. CULLEN, Associate Professor/Extension Specialist, University of Wisconsin-Madison Entomology Dept., Project Director. Roles: Project coordination and responsibility, experimental research design and oversight, graduate student advising, generate, analyze, publish and disseminate results through research/Extension field crops IPM program. KEVIN B. SHELLEY, University of Wisconsin-Madison Nutrient and Pest Management Program Outreach Coordinator, Project Co-director. Roles: Organic crop management at the 30-acre Arlington Agricultural Research Station long-term experiment (LTE) site and organic grower advisory board communications/educational outreach coordination. PAUL WHITAKER, Associate Professor, Biological Sciences and KAT BECKER, Associate Lecturer of Sociology, University of Wisconsin-Marathon County. Roles: Responsible for development, coordination and teaching of a UW Colleges interdisciplinary course curriculum titled "Scientific and Sociological Aspects of Organic Agriculture." Whitaker will advise undergraduate organic research interships for students at UW Marathon County during years 3 and 4 of the project. COLLABORATORS: Two interdepartmental/interdisciplinary collaborations began during year 2 and continue for the remainder of project. Soil science components of field and greenhouse experiments are greatly strengthened by collaboration with PHILLIP BARAK, Professor,University of Wisconsin-Madison Soil Science Dept., to improve interpretation of plant-insect interaction data under Standard Organic and Soil Balance fertility regimes. Alfalfa forage production and agronomic guidance (planting, stand assessment techniques, forage quality analyses, and harvest) provided by KENNETH ALBRECHT, Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison Agronomy Dept. TRAINING OR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: ROBIN E. MITTENTHAL, PhD Graduate Student Research Assistant, University of Wisconsin-Madison Entomology Dept. Role: Conduct entomology and soil science field and laboratory experiments, data analysis, assistance with organic farming duties at LTE site, coordination of organic record-keeping for certification purposes at LTE study location. PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS: DARWIN FRYE, JEFF BRUER, PAUL BERGUM, UW Arlington Agricultural Research Station, Arlington, WI. Roles: Assist, advise and provide logistical/technical farming support for all aspects of organic production and certification transition at LTE study site. Additionally, a Wisconsin Organic Farmer Advisory Board meets formally once per year with project individuals in a winter/spring project meeting and a second time each summer at a field day. Members: DAN and DARLENE COEHOORN, Viewpoint Farm, Rosendale, WI; CHRISTINE MASON/DARREN PAULSON, Standard Process Farms, Palmyra, WI; TOM AND JIM MILLER, R & G Miller and Sons, Columbus, WI; STEVE SLINGER, Randolph, WI; TIM ZANDER, Columbus, WI; TOM WEAVER, Weaver Feeding and Management, Cuba City, WI; GARY WEDIG, Platteville, WI. Roles: Input on determining and pursuing project objectives to meet the needs of organic grain/forage crop producers. Guide researchers on best management practices for organic field crop production systems. TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences include Wisconsin, Upper Midwest, and U.S. organic and transitional grain and forage crop farmers, Extension educators and county agents, IPM researchers at land-grant universities and colleges, undergraduate students at the freshman/sophomore campuses of the UW Colleges system, and educators and agricultural professionals (non-profit or nongovernmental organization) who serve or interact with a diversity of organic farmers and farmers or educators interested in learning more about insect pest management in organic systems. Efforts to reach target audiences included extension and outreach field day presentations, presentations and proceedings publications at organic farming conference symposia, and round-table meeting with organic farmer advisory board to project. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
This project seeks to understand how applied organic fertility management practices influence crop plant-mediated population dynamics of pest and beneficial insects. Determining which factors among current organic grower practices of crop rotation, cover crops and animal manure nutrients, and addition of calcium employed under a crop plant mineral balance hypothesis have a significant influence (if any) on pest and beneficial insect population dynamics will help determine how to manipulate these practices for improved insect pest suppression in organic systems. Between 09/01/08 and 08/31/09, an estimated 175 organic farmers, extension educators, crop consultants, and undergraduate students in the Upper Midwest U.S. gained knowledge of the role of crop host plant resistance and plant mineral nutrition in insect IPM in organic systems.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 09/01/07 to 08/31/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: 1) Summer 2007, paired soil and crop plant tissue samples were collected from four certified organic farms operated by farmer-members of the Organic Farmer Advisory Board to this project. Two farms practice the Standard Organic Fertility approach, and two farms practice the Soil Balance approach. Soybean aphids were sampled weekly Jul-Aug from soybean fields on the four farms from which paired soil/plant tissue samples were obtained. European corn borer population densities were determined in corn fields from which paired soil/plant tissue samples were obtained on these same farms. Data were analyzed for comparison with the same variables collected in 2008 at the controlled long term experiment (LTE) at the Arlington Agricultural Research Station. 2) The LTE (25 acres plus buffer areas) has completed two of the three-year transition to organic certification. 09/2007-09/2008 field experiments were conducted at the LTE organic transition site to determine whether populations of soybean aphid (soybeans) and European corn borer or western bean cutworm (field corn) differ between Standard Organic Fertility and Soil Balance treatments. Experiments were conducted to determine whether there are differences in populations of soybean aphid natural enemy insects in the different fertility treatments. An experiment was initiated at the LTE site to explore effects on potato leafhopper (PLH) populations of establishing alfalfa direct seeded, with an oat companion crop, or with a forage grass. These three establishment factors were combined with alfalfa variety (PLH-resistant glandular haired alfalfa or non-resistant smooth stem alfalfa) for six treatments. Greenhouse experiments were initiated Fall 2008 to create varied Ca:Mg:K base saturation ratios in soil to determine effect on soybean aphid intrinsic growth rate and a Lepidoptera species weight gain on soybeans grown in the base saturation soil media treatments. 3) Paul Whitaker, UW Marathon County, drafted a new interdisciplinary course "Scientific and Sociological Aspects of Organic Agriculture." The target audience will be students of the UW Colleges Freshman/Sophomore campuses. The course, to include organic farmer-instructors, will be submitted for approval to the UW Colleges Senate Curriculum Committee 2009. Once approved, the course will be included in the UW Colleges distance education schedule for Spring 2010, offered to live on the UW Marathon County campus with synchronous compressed video connections on five other UW Colleges campuses. EVENTS: Project progress, objectives, and current knowledge presented to 52 organic farmers at the Feb. 2008 Upper Midwest Organic Farming Conference, LaCrosse, WI (Cullen); 82 organic and transitional farmers at the Sept. 2008 UW-Madison CALS Organic Field Day, Arlington, WI (Cullen/Shelley); 36 organic farmers and A.A. degree students at the Feb. 2008 Eastern Ontario Crop Conference, University of Guelph Ontario, Canada (Cullen), and 63 land-grant university researchers, organic farmers, and non-government organization educators at the Mar. 2008 Integrated Organic Program Symposium during the national SARE meeting, Kansas City, MO (Cullen). PARTICIPANTS: INDIVIDUALS: EILEEN M. CULLEN, Assistant Professor/Extension Specialist, University of Wisconsin-Madison Entomology Dept., Project Director. Roles: Project coordination and responsibility, experimental research design and oversight, graduate student advising, generate, analyze, publish and disseminate results through research/Extension field crops IPM program. KEVIN B. SHELLEY, University of Wisconsin-Madison Nutrient and Pest Management Program Outreach Coordinator, Project Co-director. Roles: Organic crop management at the 30-acre Arlington Agricultural Research Station long-term experiment (LTE) site and organic grower advisory board communications/educational outreach coordination. PAUL WHITAKER, Associate Professor, Biological Sciences and KAT BECKER, Associate Lecturer of Sociology, University of Wisconsin-Marathon County. Roles: Responsible for development, coordination and teaching of a UW Colleges interdisciplinary course curriculum titled "Scientific and Sociological Aspects of Organic Agriculture." Whitaker will advise undergraduate organic research internships for students at UW Marathon County during years 3 and 4 of the project. COLLABORATORS: Two interdepartmental/interdisciplinary collaborations began during year 2 and will continue for the remainder of project. Soil science components of field and greenhouse experiments are strengthened by collaboration with PHILLIP BARAK, Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison Soil Science Dept., to improve interpretation of plant-insect interaction data under Standard Organic and Soil Balance fertility regimes. Alfalfa forage production and agronomic guidance (planting, stand assessment techniques, forage quality analyses, and harvest) provided by KENNETH ALBRECHT, Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison Agronomy Dept. TRAINING OR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: ROBIN E. MITTENTHAL, PhD Graduate Student Research Assistant, University of Wisconsin-Madison Entomology Dept. Role: Conduct entomology and soil science field and laboratory experiments, data analysis, assistance with organic farming duties at LTE site, coordination of organic record-keeping for certification purposes at LTE study location. PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS: DARWIN FRYE, JEFF BRUER, PAUL BERGUM, UW Arlington Agricultural Research Station, Arlington, WI. Roles: Assist, advise and provide logistical/technical farming support for all aspects of organic production and certification transition at LTE study site. Additionally, a Wisconsin Organic Farmer Advisory Board meets formally once per year with project individuals in a winter/spring project meeting and a second time each summer at a field day. Members: DAN and DARLENE COEHOORN, Viewpoint Farm, Rosendale, WI; CHRISTINE MASON/DARREN PAULSON, Standard Process Farms, Palmyra, WI; TOM and JIM MILLER, R & G Miller and Sons, Columbus, WI; STEVE SLINGER, Randolph, WI; TIM ZANDER, Columbus, WI; TOM WEAVER, Weaver Feeding and Management, Cuba City, WI; GARY WEDIG, Platteville, WI. Roles: Input on determining and pursuing project objectives to meet the needs of organic grain/forage crop producers. Guide researchers on best management practices for organic field crop production systems. TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences include Wisconsin, Upper Midwest, and U.S. organic and transitional grain and forage crop farmers, Extension educators and county agents, IPM researchers at land-grant universities and colleges, undergraduate students at the freshman/sophomore campuses of the UW Colleges system, and educators and agricultural professionals (non-profit or non-governmental organization) who serve or interact with a diversity of organic farmers and farmers or educators interested in learning more about insect pest management in organic systems. Efforts to reach target audiences included extension and outreach field day presentations, presentaions and proceedings publications at organic farming conference symposia, and roundtable meeting with organic farmer advisory board to project. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
This project seeks to understand how applied organic fertility management practices influence crop plant-mediated population dynamics of pest and beneficial insects. Determining which factors among current organic grower practices of crop rotation, cover crops and animal manure nutrients, and addition of calcium employed under a crop plant mineral balance hypothesis have a significant influence (if any) on pest and beneficial insect population dynamics will help determine how to manipulate these practices for improved insect management in organic systems. Between 09/01/2007 and 08/31/2008, 233 organic farmers, extension educators and undergraduate students in the Upper Midwest U.S. and Canada (eastern Ontario) gained knowledge of the role of crop host plant resistance and plant mineral nutrition in insect IPM in organic systems. (Please see EVENTS under OUTPUTS section of this report.
Publications
- Mittenthal, R., Cullen, E., and Shelley, K. 2008. Relationship of organic fertility management, plant nutrition, and insect response. pp. 33-34 in Proc. Midwest Organic Research Symposium. Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service, USDA CSREES, and Organic Farming Research Foundation, LaCrosse, WI. http://ofrf.org/networks/midwest_organic_rsch_symposium.html
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Progress 09/01/06 to 09/01/07
Outputs
Eileen Cullen, UW Madison Extension Entomologist, developed an organic field crop research and Extension group around a proposal funding idea to examine the link between grain crop plant nutrition and insect response, and the premise that organic soil fertility management plays a sizeable role in controlling insect pests in organic systems. This group includes an Extension Specialist (Cullen), a UW Madison Nutrient and Pest Management Outreach Program Manager (Kevin Shelley), eight organic farmer stakeholders/advisors from a mix of grain and legume forage crop farming enterprises, UW Extension County Agents, University of Wisconsin- Arlington Agricultural Research station, and a Professor of Biological Science (Paul Whitaker) at UW Marathon County, a small-sized two year college in north central WI. The project began September 2006. It will address effects of organic soil and crop nutrient management practices (cover crop green manure, livestock manure, and for some
treatments a crop plant mineral balance hypothesis which emphasizes addition of calcium) on crop plant resistance to insect pests. Grower selected crop-insect associations of economic concern include Soybean - soybean aphid; Alfalfa - potato leafhopper; and Corn - European corn borer. Soil fertility, crop tissue nutrient profiles, and pest and beneficial insect response variables will be assessed for each crop in an organic grain crop/forage legume rotation. The objective is to develop science-based recommendations that integrate organic fertility management strategies with other National Organic Program-compliant pest management tactics (crop rotation, pest resistant or tolerant crop plant selection, biological control and natural enemy habitat enhancement and attractant methods to suppress insect pests, and allowed botanical or biorational insecticides). This project is in its early stage of development, but with important accomplishments to describe. 30 acres of land at the
University of Wiscosnin Arlington Agricultural Research Station (ARS) were entered into the three-year transition to organic certification in September 2006. A statistical experimental design has been determined for the site, and baseline soil samples have been taken from all plots and submitted for laboratory analysis. A winter rye cover crop was planted to 14 acres and winter wheat to the remaining 16 acres in fall 2006. Farmer-Researcher/Educator team members will meet February 2007 to discuss fall 2006 soil sample test results from ARS transition plots and determine farmer-relevant organic fertility treatments for both the standard organic (legume based grain rotation, cover crop and animal manures) and soil balance (plant mineral balance hypothesis) treatments. Data will be collected by farmers, using a participatory research framework, on their certified organic farms beginning in 2007. Greenhouse studies will be initiated fall 2007 to test emergent hypotheses of crop plant
nutrition-pest and beneficial insect response observed during the summer 2007 field season. A PhD student (Robin Mittenthal, M.S.) hired to this project will begin work with the farmer-researcher team in June 2007.
Impacts
Wisconsin is second in the nation for the number of certified organic farms. Market demand has increased for organic corn, soybeans, grains and hay to support growth in the organic livestock sector. This project seeks to understand how applied organic fertility management practices influence population dynamics of pest and beneficial insects. Determining which factors among current practices of crop rotation, cover crops and animal manure, and addition of calcium and other amendments employed under a crop plant mineral balance hypothesis have significant influence on pest and beneficial insect population dynamics will help determine how to manipulate these practices for improved insect pest management and profitable integration of National Organic Program-compliant insect management tactics.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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