Progress 10/01/10 to 09/30/15
Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences reached by outreach efforts associated with this project include a non-profit organic farming organization, the Organic Association of Kentucky. Audiences also include fruit and vegetable grower's in Kentucky and surrounding states. Academic audiences within the PI and graduate student's home institution (University of Kentucky) were also reached during this time. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The data generated from the projects has been used in professional development presentations for specialty crops producers in the state via the Organic Association of Kentucky and the annual Kentucky Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association conference. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results have been disseminated to communities of interest via outreach presentation to producer groups (organic and sustainable vegetable producers), and via published journal articles and theses. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The project goals of gaining knowledge of soil amendment and rotation practices and their effects on soil health and food quality were accomplished via twoMS graduate student research projects. These students were trained and effectively defended their theses, and knowledge gained shared with producer communities via professional development trainings. Research outcomes were shared with organic farming researchers via publications from these works, as well as in networking conversations to generate new collaborations for future competitve federal grant program proposals.
Publications
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Progress 10/01/13 to 09/30/14
Outputs
Target Audience: Target audiences reached by outreach efforts associated with this project include a non-profit organic farming organization, the Organic Association of Kentucky. Audiences also include fruit and vegetable grower's in Kentucky and surrounding states. Academic audiences within the PI and graduate student's home institution (University of Kentucky) were also reached during this time. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Training activities accomplished include training of the MS student involved in the project, and conference presentations reported under the "Other Products" section. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Results have been disseminated to practitions communities of interest via producer conferences. Additionally, related to the project goal of allowing new and existing research to network for the purpose of developing collaborative projects, the project results were presented at the 2014 Multistate project meeting. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Communicate results to researcher community of interest via publication of scholarly work.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
During the reporting period the MS student (new organic farming researcher) working on the project completed her data collection, analyzed her data, and successfully defended her thesis "C and N Cycling Dynamics and Microbial Composition in High Tunnel Production Systems." Training this student resulted in her finding employment at USDA-Beltsville, and will be developed into scholarly publication in the coming evaluation period. Specifically, her work included evaluation of the effect of biological amendments and conservation practices such as movable high tunnels on soil carbon dynamics, nitrogen retention, and produce nitrate content in intensively managed organic high tunnel agroecosystems. From her work, we have learned that movable as well as stationary high tunnels experience high nitrogen leaching rates during Kentucky's wet spring periods, and that the influence of production system and seasonality are greater drivers of nutrient losses to the environment and soil microbial community structurethan specific fertilizer practes, at least in the short term. Further, we learned that spinach produced under these high intensity production regimes may contain nitrate levels higher than recommended by some international food standards. A portion of these results (nitrogen losses) have been communicated to USDA-NRCS professionals through field visits with the Kentucky State NRCS leadership.
Publications
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Mizin, Kavita L. C And N Cycling Dynamics And Microbial Community Composition In High Tunnel Production Systems. MS Thesis, University of Kentucky, August 2014.
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Progress 10/01/12 to 09/30/13
Outputs
Target Audience:
Nothing Reported
Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
REEport years are not correct
Publications
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Progress 10/01/11 to 09/30/12
Outputs
Target Audience:
Nothing Reported
Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
REEport years are not correct
Publications
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Progress 10/01/10 to 09/30/11
Outputs
Target Audience: Two graduate students (0.5 FTE each) were trained on soil and plant analytical (laboratory and statistical) techniques in work related to the project. Efforts include research related to their theses and preparation of publications on their work. The audiences for the works in preparation will be researchers in organic plant production systems as well as technical experts, based on publication venues. Research project scope and results were shared with the project co-investigators at the SCC 083 project meeting. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? The project has provided training for two graduate students. It has also provided professional development opportunities for the PI (Jacobsen) with a national group of researchers working in organic farming systems. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Submit at least 2 publications that are in preparation from these works, as well as begin the process of developing a "S" project with other members of the Multi-State group to advance the goals of the work.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Within the Jacobsen lab, one MS thesis was completed during the reporting period, with 1 publication in preparation. Work was initiated on a second project with a second master’s student. Both of these projects were focused on how nutrient supply in organic farming systems affects plant secondary compounds that play an important role in human health. The completed MS thesis is focused on essential oil quality in Calendula officinalis, a plant used for medicinal purposes. The interactions between organic fertility sources and drought stress were also investigated. A second MS project initiated during the reporting period is focused on the interactions between soil nitrogen availability and nitrate content in leafy greens grown using season-extension technologies (high tunnels), an important technology for extending the growing season for small farms marketing in local markets. Both of these projects have yielded new collaborative relationships with researchers evaluating plant quality through chromatographic methods, as well as those examining soil community structure and function.
Publications
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