PLANT BREEDING AND AGRONOMIC RESEARCH FOR ORGANIC HOP PRODUCTION SYSTEMS

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: COMPLETE
• Funding Source: OTHER GRANTS
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 0218882
• Grant No.: 2009-51300-05598
• Proposal No.: 2009-01383
• Project Start Date: Sep 1, 2009
• Project End Date: Aug 31, 2013
• Grant Year: 2009
• Program Code: [113.A]- Organic Agriculture Research & Extension Initiative

Recipient Organization
WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY
240 FRENCH ADMINISTRATION BLDG
PULLMAN,WA 99164-0001

Performing Department
Crop & Soil Sciences

Non Technical Summary
The recent worldwide hops shortage has led to an increase in the price of hops from $5 to $32 per pound. This has spurred an increase in conventional hop plantings; however, due to agronomic obstacles, organic hop acreage lags far behind. Sales of organic beer have been increasing even faster than the organic industry as a whole at a rate of 30-40% per year, reaching $25 million in 2006. To meet this demand, large companies like Anheuser Busch are currently importing organic hops from Germany and New Zealand. Anheuser Busch and smaller microbreweries including New Belgium and Odell are interested in purchasing locally produced organic hops and are making a concerted effort to recruit local growers and support research into organic hop production. Unfortunately, the availability of organic hops is functionally non-existent. Hops are a perennial, high-value crop that, under current production standards, requires large quantities of pesticides and nitrogen fertilizer to achieve high yields and good quality. In response to increasing demand for organic hops and the rising costs of fertilizer and crop protection chemicals, hop growers in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) have begun to plant organic hops. Hop yields, however, often show dramatic decreases under organic or low-input management due to increased insect and disease pressure. Aphids, mites, weeds, downy mildew, powdery mildew and other fungal diseases can be difficult to control without repeated and expensive application of pesticides and herbicides. Since the accidental introduction of powdery mildew in the late 1990's, conventional growers have spent up to $300/acre controlling mildew diseases. Meeting nitrogen needs can be difficult without high inputs of nitrogen fertilizers, especially in varieties with low nitrogen-use efficiency. Research into organic systems is needed to identify suitable hop cultivars; and develop systems based nutrient management plans that improve soil health, supplement nitrogen fertility needs, suppress weeds, provide habitat for beneficial insects, and improve the productivity and quality of hops. The research described within this proposal is focused on meeting the multiple critical agronomic needs of the organic hop industry.

Animal Health Component

60%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

40%

Applied

60%

Developmental

(N/A)

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
201	2230	1060	20%
203	2230	1060	10%
205	2230	1060	10%
211	2230	1060	20%
212	2230	1060	20%
213	2230	1060	10%
216	2230	1060	10%

Knowledge Area
212 - Pathogens and Nematodes Affecting Plants; 211 - Insects, Mites, and Other Arthropods Affecting Plants; 203 - Plant Biological Efficiency and Abiotic Stresses Affecting Plants; 205 - Plant Management Systems; 216 - Integrated Pest Management Systems; 201 - Plant Genome, Genetics, and Genetic Mechanisms; 213 - Weeds Affecting Plants;

Subject Of Investigation
2230 - Hops;

Field Of Science
1060 - Biology (whole systems);

Keywords

hops

organic

cover crops

plant breeding

carbon sequestration

beneficial insects

powdery mildew

hop pathology

soil fertility

Goals / Objectives
The long term goals of this project are to: 1) Identify and develop high quality hop varieties optimally adapted to low-input and organic production systems; 2) Develop cover crop management options for hop growers that improve soil health, sequester carbon, supplement nitrogen fertility needs and ameliorate nitrogen loss, suppress weeds, provide habitat for beneficial insects, and enhance the productivity and quality of hops; 3) Evaluate differences in carbon sequestration potential between organic and conventionally managed hop systems; 4) Develop educational materials, training days and tools for Cooperative Extension personnel; and, 5) Increase acreage of low-input and organic hops and provide alternatives to high input conventional growers to use systems approaches to reduce production costs. The objectives of this research are to: 1. Formalize an advisory committee of organic and low-input hop growers and establish roundtable discussions between farmers, extension personnel and researchers; 2. Identify high quality hop varieties optimally adapted to low-input and organic production systems in different regions of the U.S. or identify parental lines carrying important traits that can be combined to develop optimal varieties; 3. Identify cover crop management strategies that suppress weeds, disease and insect pests, improve soil health and nitrogen fertility, and positive hop cultivar interactions; 4. Evaluate the potential for carbon sequestration in organic as compared to conventionally managed hop systems; 5. Use quantitative genetic techniques to determine gene action, heritability and anticipated response to selection of particular traits important to organic hop production; 6. Conduct effective outreach through field days on growers fields in WA, CO, MI and VT, and publish results in a wide range of media; and, 7. Develop an educational product, entitled the Handbook of Sustainable Hop Production, for growers focusing on organic, low-input and biologically diverse hop production. We expect to identify which leading hops varieties will perform best in organic systems. This should have immediate impacts in helping farmers transitioning to organic hop production decide which varieties to plant. In addition, this information will be utilized by breeders in the selection of parents for use in organic breeding efforts. We will identify cover crop management strategies that are optimally suited for suppressing weeds, improving soil health, sequestering soil carbon, supplementing N needs, and providing habitat for beneficial insects. In an emphasis on systems research, we will greatly increase available knowledge of hop varietal interactions with hop yard management options, specifically intercrops and cover crops. We anticipate that these interactions will be significant both statistically and agronomically when measured in terms of the many components necessary to achieve a productive low-input and organic hop growing operation. All these outcomes revolve around increasing grower knowledge, awareness and participation.

Project Methods
Multi-state Variety Trials: Rhizomes of 20 hop varieties will be planted in a lattice square design with three replicates (five rhizomes per replicate) on two farms in Washington. They will be evaluated throughout three growing seasons for resistance to the predominant races of powdery mildew and downy mildew. Significant genotype x location interactions for resistance to either disease will be considered as potential evidence for race specificity. If this occurs, isolates will be purified from each location and tested in greenhouse assays to determine if different races are present and if any of the resistances are race-specific. Aphid and mite resistance will be determined through leaf sampling and subsequent counting of pest levels on the collected leaves. Cone yield will be estimated and results will be analyzed through standard statistical analysis of variance procedure. Spearman's rank correlation will be used to rank varieties for all traits across locations. Breeding Line Evaluation: This research will be conducted on the Perrault Farm in Washington State. Five crosses were made in 2006 by Jason Perrault with the purpose of selection in organic systems. Rhizomes of approximately 60 progeny from each cross were planted in an organic field on Perrault Farms in 2008. We will evaluate the breeding lines for powdery mildew, mite and aphid resistance, growth habit, height, alpha and beta acid content, and cone yield. After harvest, hop cones will be dried to approximately 8% moisture for all chemical analyses. Chemical analyses will be performed using HPLC according to standard methods. Cone yield and quality, percent infection by powdery mildew, and aphid and mite thresholds will be evaluated. Both insect pests and beneficial insects will be monitored by Jason Perrault and the Perrault farm agronomist (both experienced at insect identification and monitoring) on a weekly schedule. Population levels will be determined through leaf sampling and subsequent counting of pest/predator levels on the collected leaves. Predator species are described in the cover crop trial detailed below. Cover Crop Management Trial: This research will be conducted on the Perrault farm in Washington State, and smaller trials will be conducted on one farm in both Colorado and Michigan. Cover crop strategies were chosen by farmers based on previous experience or results using these cover crops in other perennial organic systems, such as orchards and vineyards. Cover crops established in the drive row will need to be perennial, drought and frost tolerant, produce a large amount of biomass and provide a lengthy season of beneficial insect habitat. In-row cover crops will need to be low growing and good competitors against weeds while not out-competing hops, especially during emergence and early growth stages of hops. We will evaluate the impacts of cover crop treatments on soil health, carbon sequestration potential, nitrogen availability, and hop nutrition. Additionally, we will evaluate cover crops for biomass, beneficial insect habitat and weed suppression ability; and evaluate hop varieties for agronomic traits, disease incidence and insect populations.

Progress 09/01/09 to 08/31/13

Outputs
Target Audience: Organic hops farmers, conventional hops farmers interested in utilizing organic methods or transitioning to organic hops farming, organic brewers, home gardeners and hops consumers. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Please see the 'other products' section of this report for extensive training and professional development opportunities provided. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Please see 'products' and 'other products' sections of this report for extensive examples of result dissemination. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? 1. Varieties which performed optimally in organic systems were identified. 2. Extensive farmer trainings occurred in target regions in the US. 3. Cover crops with the superior ability to suppress weeds in organic hopyards were identified. 4. Cover crops were identified that most improved soil quality in organic hopyards. 5. Multiple publications, webinars, videos and other outreach media were developed and shared with stakeholders. 6. Two graduate students focusing on organic hops production successfully completed their degrees.

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Turner, S.F., Benedict, C.A., Darby, H., Hoagland, L., Simonson, P., Sirrine, J.R., Murphy, K. (2011). Challenges and opportunities for organic hop production in the United States. Agronomy Journal 103: 1645-1654.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Turner, S.F., Murphy, K. (2011). Evaluating cover crops for weed suppression in organic hopyards. ASA-CSSA-SSSA 2011 International Annual Meeting, Oct 16-19, San Antonio, Texas.
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Darby, H. (2011). Fertility Guidelines for Hops in the Northeast. http://www.uvm.edu/extension/cropsoil/wp-content/uploads/HopFertility ManagementNE.pdf
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Darby, H., R. Madden, D. Badger. 2011. Organic Fungicides on Hops. http://www.uvm.edu/extension/cropsoil/wp-content/uploads/organic-fung icides-and-hops.pdf
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Madden, R. and H. Darby. 2011. Managing Powdery Mildew of Hops in the Northeast. http://www.uvm.edu/extension/cropsoil/wp-content/uploads/PowderyMilde w.pdf
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Kittell-Mitchell, S. and H. Darby. 2011. Leaf Hoppers a Pest of Hops in the Northeast. http://www.uvm.edu/extension/cropsoil/wp-content/uploads/Leaf_Hopper_ Article.pdf

Progress 09/01/11 to 08/31/12

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Output highlights include the completion of the multi-year, multi-location variety trials. These were conducted in Washington State, Michigan and Vermont. Data is currently being analyzed an,d will be reported in 2013. Additionally, the multi-year cover crop x variety trial was completed. This was conducted in the Yakima Valley of Washington State. Results are fully analyzed and a manuscript is currently being prepared for publication. Graduate student Sam Turner completed his MS in Crop Science in 2012; his thesis focused on the cover crop trials in an organic hop yard. A second student, Erin Hightower, is scheduled to complete her MS in Agriculture in Spring 2013; her research focuses on soil fertility and organic variety trials at two locations in the Yakima Valley. PARTICIPANTS: Sam Turner, Erin Hightower, Chris Benedict, Heather Darby, Rob Sirrine, Lori Hoagland, Kevin Murphy TARGET AUDIENCES: Organic hop farmers PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
The varieties best suited for organic production were identified. These were based on traits including cone yield and quality, disease resistance, chlorophyll content, and insect pest resistance. The impact of this will be seen in upcoming years as new acreage is planted and new contracts with brewers are negotiated. Additionally, the best cover crops for hopyards in the dry environment of the Yakima Valley of Washington State were also identified. These were based on weed suppression and cover crop biomass. The impact of this study will also be seen in the adoption of cover cropping to replace tillage as the primary mode for weed control in organic hopyards. Soil fertility research is ongoing and is scheduled to be completed in 2013.

Publications

• No publications reported this period

Progress 09/01/10 to 08/31/11

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Several outputs occurred in the penultimate year of this project. First, in an effort to connect with organic hop growers, we participated in a field day at the Washington State University Organic Farm in Pullman, WA and organized a hop variety trial and short trellis demonstration. Both Sam Turner (a graduate student working on this project) and Kevin Murphy spoke at this field day during the tour and met with farmers before and after the tour for a more in-depth discussion of organic hops. Second, we engaged with undergraduate students in the Organic Agriculture major at WSU in a teaching activity to develop a small-scale, student-run hop yard. Hops from this hop yard were planted, tended, and harvested by WSU students. Third, results from one component of our research, that of weed suppression in organic hop yards, was presented in poster format at the ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Meeting in San Antonio, Texas and at the Washington Tilth Producers Annual Conference in Yakima, Washington in 2011. Fourth, Rob Sirrine of Michigan State University and Brian Tennis of Michigan Hop Alliance produced a webinar titled 'Starting up Small-Scale Organic Hop Production' through eOrganic. Fifth, over the past 12 months Heather Darby and Rosalie Madden of University of Vermont Extension conducted five workshops on organic hop production in Vermont. Sixth, Heather Darby gave a presentation titled 'Building a Hops Industry in New England' at the New Hampshire Farm and Forest Conference. Seventh, Rob Sirrine provided consultation to over 50 farmers and potential new farmers in Michigan to assist in their start-up hop production and marketing enterprises. Eighth, Rob Sirrine organized a 2011 Hops Field Day and tour in conjunction with the Michigan Restaurant Association and Michigan Brewers Guild dedicated to advancing hop production and marketing and developing farmer-retailer relationships for hops in Michigan. PARTICIPANTS: The list of individuals working on this project is the same as in the previous progress report - "nothing significant to report in this area". Regarding partner organizations, we worked with members of the American Organic Hop Growers Association throughout the year to further develop and improve the project. Significant effort directed toward farmer training in hop production was made over the past 12 months, with PI's and key personnel giving over a dozen talks, workshops and field days in Washington, Michigan, Vermont, New Hampshire and Canada. TARGET AUDIENCES: Organic hop growers are the primary target audience of this research project. Our efforts at targeting this audience over the past 12 months included regional field days, webinar development, workshops, presentations and consultations (described above). These reached well over 1000 people. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
The outcomes and impacts of this project are ongoing and will be best reflected at the end of the study. Preliminary impacts include a change in knowledge of participating scientists, extension personnel and farmers to the very real challenges inherent in organic hop production across the U. S. This led to a peer-reviewed publication in Agronomy Journal (see Publications) and a webinar that can be viewed on eOrganic (see Outputs). Changes in action occurred in the 2010 and 2011 growing seasons. Several farmers involved in the project had a successful year in organic hop production as a result of initiating innovative farming practices and novel production methods. These successful and promising changes in action led to a very significant change in conditions in the organic hop community. The American Organic Hop Growers Association spearheaded an effort to delist hops from the organic exemption list and this motion was approved by the National Organic Standards Board in November 2010. Therefore, all certified organic beer will be required to use certified organic hops beginning in 2013.

Publications

• Turner, S.F., Benedict, C.A., Darby, H., Hoagland, L., Simonson, P., Sirrine, J.R., Murphy, K. (2011). Challenges and opportunities for organic hop production in the United States. Agronomy Journal 103: 1645-1654.
• Turner, S.F., Murphy, K. (2011). Evaluating cover crops for weed suppression in organic hopyards. ASA-CSSA-SSSA 2011 International Annual Meeting, Oct 16-19, San Antonio, Texas.
• Darby, H. (2011). Fertility Guidelines for Hops in the Northeast. http://www.uvm.edu/extension/cropsoil/wp-content/uploads/HopFertility ManagementNE.pdf
• Darby, H., R. Madden, D. Badger. 2011. Organic Fungicides on Hops. http://www.uvm.edu/extension/cropsoil/wp-content/uploads/organic-fung icides-and-hops.pdf
• Madden, R. and H. Darby. 2011. Managing Powdery Mildew of Hops in the Northeast. http://www.uvm.edu/extension/cropsoil/wp-content/uploads/PowderyMilde w.pdf
• Kittell-Mitchell, S. and H. Darby. 2011. Leaf Hoppers a Pest of Hops in the Northeast. http://www.uvm.edu/extension/cropsoil/wp-content/uploads/Leaf_Hopper_ Article.pdf

Progress 09/01/09 to 08/31/10

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Activities: Twenty hop varieties were planted in 2010 at three locations in Washington State, two locations in Michigan and one location in Vermont in a fully replicated and randomized design to test for varietal adaptation to organic hop systems. No data have been collected at this point; hop plant establishment is the primary goal of year 1 of this study. Four hop varieties in combination with eight cover crop treatments were planted in organic hop yards in Washington State and Michigan to test for: weed suppression ability of cover crops, fertility enhancement, effects on aphid and spider mite populations and hop cone yield and quality. As with the variety trials, hop plant and cover crop establishment were the primary goals for 2010. In-depth data collection will begin in the spring of 2011. A nitrogen use efficiency pilot study is underway in a WSU greenhouse. Eight varieties are being tested for several nitrogen-use related traits under four different nitrogen regimes. One M.S. graduate student, Sam Turner, is being advised by Kevin Murphy at WSU and Sam's primary project will be to conduct the cover crop field trials and greenhouse nitrogen use efficiency trials. Events: On January 23, 2010, Kevin Murphy gave an invited talk at the American Hop Convention to approximately 150 hop growers, researchers, brewers and hop commission representatives, entitled 'Plant breeding and agronomy of organic hops'. An organic hop symposium was held in the Yakima Valley in Washington State September 6-10, 2010. This symposium was a combination of a project director's meeting, the bi-annual advisory committee meeting, and hop production training workshop. Approximately 40 people participated, including farmers,researchers, writers, hop commission representatives and brewers from Washington, California, Colorado, Vermont, Indiana and Michigan. This symposium also included 1) training and field trips to multiple demonstration sites for organic hop production and processing, and 2)workshops for new hop farmers delivered by WSU scientists and experienced hop growers. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals: Kevin Murphy: WSU Assistant Research Professor, serving as the plant breeder and agronomist for this project; Coordinated multi-state variety trials and cover crop trials; organized project directors meeting, advisory committee meeting and organic hop symposium in 2010; faculty advisor for a graduate student working entirely on this organic hops research project. Lori Hoagland: Purdue University Assistant Professor, serving as soil scientist for this project; Conducted preliminary soil analyses from the cover crop study in Washington and Michigan and from the multi-state variety trials; instrumental in setting up soil microbial diversity and community analyses. Heather Darby: Extension and Adjunct Faculty, University of Vermont; coordinated cover crop and variety trials in Vermont; participated in and helped organize the project directors meeting and organic hop symposium; organized hop outreach workshops in Vermont. Scot Hulbert: WSU Professor of Cropping Systems Pathology; helped develop protocol for future disease assessments. Rob Sirrine: County Extension Director, MSU Extension; coordinator cover crop and variety trials in Michigan; participated in and helped organize the project directors meeting and organic hop symposium; conducted hop outreach workshops in Michigan. Collaborators: Active on-farm collaborations were established with the following growers: Jason Perrault, Patrick Smith, Michael Roy (Washington); Roger Rainville (Vermont); Brian and Amy Tennis (Michigan). Additional collaborations include: Peter Simonson, Associate Professor of Communications, University of Colorado; Ann George, Washington Hops Commission; Lau Ackerman, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company; Meghann Quinn, Executive Director, American Organic Hop Growers Association. Training: Graduate student: Sam Turner, MS in Crop Science at Washington State University. Enrolled August 2010. Farmer training: A pilot farmer training workshop occured during the organic hop symposium in Washington State in September 2010. Additional trainings for farmers occured in Vermont and Michigan. TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences included organic hop growers and brewers of organic beer. Hop growers targeted were primarily in the communities of the Yakima Valley in Washington State and throughout Michigan and Vermont. Efforts to deliver science-based knowledge in 2010 included multiple workshops and trainings in Washington, Michigan and Vermont that utilized scientific knowledge and farmer experience to educate growers and brewers on organic hop production techniques, suitable varieties and small-scale harvest and processing capacities. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Major changes Dr. Ron Godin of Colorado State University changed positions and was no longer able to conduct field trials in Colorado. Chris Benedict, Pierce County Extension, WSU, joined the project team in Dr. Godin's place and organized variety trial plantings on two farms in the unique climate of western Washington. Additionally, we decided to ship live, rooted hop plants to Michigan and Vermont to enable screening for powdery mildew before shipment. This added a significant amount to the budget allocated for shipping, but can be made up elsewhere.

Impacts
Change in knowledge: The organic hop symposium resulted in several examples of changes in knowledge. Farmers from Michigan and Vermont discovered novel hop production techniques from speaking with Washington State farmers that will result in alterations to growing practices. Prinicpal among these novel hop production techniques included low-trellis system production, irrigation and misting practices, insect monitoring schedules and methods, hop variety x system interactions, harvest technology that will be suitable for scaled-down organic hop processing and plant spacing/tillage methods. Additionally, farmers from Washington, while well versed in hop production, learned about general organic agronomic practices from farmers and extension personnel/co-PI's from Michigan and Vermont. It is this union of advanced hop production expertise with knowledge and experience in organic production systems that spurred the most animated conversations during the symposium and resulted in greater knowledge for all participants. Additional changes in knowledge occured during the symposium from discussions with and presentations by WSU virologist Ken Eastwell and WSU hop breeder Stephen Kenny. We anticipate that these changes in knowledge in 2010 will result in significant changes in actions during the 2011 growing season.

Publications

• No publications reported this period