Progress 09/01/15 to 08/31/20
Outputs
Target Audience:Primary target audience include fruit and vegetable growers and greenhouse growers (ornamentals, hydroponic crops). Several growers are beginning farmers catering to the growing local food markets. The project team also reaches out to underserved and underrepsented populations such as Amish, Menonites and refugees growinghorticultural crops. The project engages grower organizations such asPractical Farmers of Iowa (PFI) and the Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (IFVGA), to disseminate information to the grass-root level.To make this project create wider impact, team memberswork with a number of organizations such as USDA-NRCS, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS), Iowa State University Extension and Outreach (ISUEO), High School FFA chapters, Master Gardeners, and local food coordinators, and community leaders.? Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?There have been many training and professional development activities associated with this project, including field days, workshops, and conference presentations, webinars, YouTube videos, etc. These activities provided opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students, technicians, Extension specialists, and farmer-educators to interact, implement, and discuss this project with peers, growers, and scientific community. This project also trained several undergraduate and graduate students field plot techniques, statistical design and interpretation, and data presentation skills. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Three Field Days were held virtually during 2020, with audiences of 2,889 viewers. The Virtual Iowa Organic Conference was streamed by 157 participants, who cited significant knowledge gain from the conference. The Virtual Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Field Day highlighted several cover crop projects, and 'how to' videos on irrigation management, greenhouse transplant production, and pest management. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
OBJECTIVE 1 High tunnels are a tool used by Iowa growers to extend their spring and fall growing seasons. Under this project, a high tunnel and open field study was established which evaluated eight lettuce cultivars that are suitable for Iowa and the Midwest. Four of the cultivars were Summer Crisps and the other four were Romaine. Summer Crisp cultivars included Cherokee (Johnny's Selected Seeds), Lovelock (High Mowing Organic Seeds), Magenta (Johnny's Selected Seeds), and Muir (Johnny's Selected Seeds). Romaine cultivars included Aerostar (High Mowing Organic Seeds), Coastal Star (Johnny's Selected Seeds), Sparx (Johnny's Selected Seeds), and Thurinus (Johnny's Selected Seeds). Lettuce in the high tunnel matured faster with the higher temperatures and protection from the outside environment. Overall, the lettuce in the high tunnel yielded higher than the lettuce in the open field setting with larger heads and heavier weights. Of the four romaine cultivars, Sparx and Costal Star yielded the largest marketable weights in both the high tunnel and field trials. Thurinus and Aerostar had a significantly less marketable weight in the field trial of the four romaines. In the high tunnel, Thurinus again had a significantly less marketable weight than other romaines. Of the four summer crisp cultivars, there was no significant difference in marketable heads or marketable weight both in the high tunnel or in the field trial. Results from this study directly benefit lettuce producers in Iowa and Midwest as they identify appropriate lettuce types and cultivars that yield well and are suitable for high tunnel production. In the Midwest, growers are interested in extendingtheir broccoli harvest and sales later into the summer months but high temperatures often lead to early bolting, increased disease incidence, and a high rate of unmarketable heads. Based on input from growers, a study was conducted to identify broccoli cultivars that could be transplanted late spring and would perform well irrespective of early summer high temperatures. Broccoli cultivars were selected for being the most popular cultivars grown on Iowa vegetable farms and for their described heat tolerance by seed suppliers. Six broccoli cultivars- Belstar (High Mowing, LLC), Covina (High Mowing, LLC), Emerald Crown (Johnny's, LLC), Green Magic (Johnny's, LLC), Gypsy (Johnny's, LLC), and Imperial (Johnny's, LLC) were evaluated. Belstar produced the lowest numberand lowest weightof marketable heads per plot. Green Magic and Covina produced the largest number of marketable heads per plot. Imperial produced the largest weight of marketable heads per plot. Belstar, with the lowest number and weight of marketable heads and a significantly higher rate of bolting heads, performed the lowest in the cultivar trial and is the least suitable for late season planting in Iowa. Imperial produced the largest number and weight of marketable heads but did not reach harvestable size until the last two weeks of the trial. Covina was a top producer of marketable heads but suffered high rates of beading and yellow eyes. Green Magic appears to be the most suitable to late season planting, producing the largest number of marketable heads and experiencing low rates of non-marketability. Emerald Crown held a steady yield throughout the first four harvests. All other cultivars experienced a quick peak of number of marketable heads, lasting only one or two harvests. This information can be useful to Iowa growers seeking to use cultivar selection in a succession plan for late season planting for continuous harvest from a broccoli planting. The project worked closely with greenhouse growers who widely growbasil, dill, and parsley in greenhouses. Hydroponic basil production studies were conducted to identify optimum phosphorus (P)nutrition ranges for quality basil production. As a result of this study, containerized sweet basil, dill, parsley, and sage can be provided with 5 to 10 mg/LP during production to limit growth and produce plants without visible nutrient deficiency symptoms that are proportional to their containers. OBJECTIVE 2 Organic muskmelon growers are especially vulnerable to bacterial wilt because they lack reliable control measures. A new production system called mesotunnels (3.5-ft-tall, ProtekNet tunnels) has shown promising results in smallplot organic trials, with yield increases of 100-450 percent in muskmelon and acorn squash compared with "low tunnels" (1.5 ft tall and covered with spunbond polypropylene) or non-covered plots. A study conducted within this project show natural pollination (with ProtekNet removed during bloom) resulted in about the same marketable yield as permanently covered mesotunnels that had one or two purchased hives/subplot. The natural-pollination treatment had the most flower visits by bees and other insects, followed by the two-bumble bee-hive treatment, and then the one-bumble bee-hive treatment. No bacterial wilt symptoms were seen during this trial. A fungal disease, Alternaria leaf spot, was observed late in the season. Severity of this disease was low, but disease incidence and severity were higher in the natural-pollination treatment than in permanently covered mesotunnels (Table 3). The final result for this trial--in the absence of cucumber beetle pressure and bacterial wilt, full-season mesotunnels did not offer an advantage over removal of covers for two weeks during bloom. These results also show more bee visits to flowers did not result in significant yield increase. Proteknet seems to be promising pest management tool for cucurbit producers although further studies are needed tomechanize its deployment andreduce cost of the material. OBJECTIVE 3 Compost applications, cover crops and reduced tillage in vegetable operations provide multiple environmental benefits for soil conservation. Organic systems must rely on non-synthetic nutrient sources for optimal growth and yield, including composted manure and cover crops. Based on expressed interest among organic farmers for an unbiased analysis of the many natural soil amendment/fertilizer products on the market for organic vegetable, herb and grain crop production, experiments continue at the ISU Neely-Kinyon Farm to determine methods for utilizing local recycled products, such as composted manures, and commercial organic-compliant products as soil amendments and naturally-mined sources to enhance soil fertility and crop yield. In addition, we examined the effects of nitrogen-fixing cover crops on grain and vegetable crop yields and soil quality. Treatments studied include three tillage comparisons: (1) tilled followed by straw mulch (2) tilled without straw mulch and (3) organic no-till; and two organic fertility treatments (a) composted animal manure alone (no cover crops) and (b) composted animal manure + cover crops. In addition to yield effects, effects on insect pests, soil quality and nitrate leaching have been determined. Research conducted in 2020 on organic 'Olymous' peppers transplanted into rolled cover crops of hairy vetch and rye showed yields from no-till plots averaged 58 lb/plot, while highest yields of 105 lb/plot came from plots with compost. This research determined that equivalent yields can be obtained in conventional and organic vegetable systems fertilized with natural soil amendments (compost and organic-compliant products). Lysimeter data has shown that the concentration of leached N has been consistently lower under vegetables grown with a cover crop and in no-till. Soil quality is also greater under cover crops and no tillage.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Litvin, A.G., C.J. Currey, and L.A. Wilson. Effects of supplemental light source on basil, dill, and parsley growth, morphology, aroma, and flavor. J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 45(1):18-29.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Currey, C.J., V.C. Metz, N.J. Flax, A.G. Litvin, and B.E. Whipker. Restricting phosphorous can manage growth and development of containerized sweet basil, dill, parsley, and sage. HortScience 55 (11):1722-1729
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Walters, K.G., B.K. Behe, and R.G. Lopez. 2020. Historical, current, and future perspectives for controlled environment hydroponic food crop production in the United States. HortScience 55(6):758-767.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Iowa Organic Conference: 11/23/20 Conference papers
https://iastate.app.box.com/s/u5d44k2ngn2jr8behked7hq0pvdipmyk
- Type:
Other
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Delate, K. 2020. Organic Agriculture Concerns Amid COVID-19. ISU Extension and Outreach, May 5, 2020. Available at: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/news/organic-agriculture-production-concerns-amid-covid-19
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Galindo, F.S., Delate, K., Heins, B., Phillips, H., Smith, A., and Pagliari, P.H. 2020. Cropping System and Rotational Grazing Effects on Soil Fertility and Enzymatic Activity in an Integrated Organic Crop-Livestock System. Agronomy 10: 803: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/10/6/803
- Type:
Books
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Optimizing Pollination of Muskmelon in Organic Mesotunnel Systems. 2020. Kephas Mphande and Mark Gleason. https://www.iastatedigitalpress.com/farmreports/article/11325/galley/10653/view/
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Mauch, T and A. Nair. 2020. Impacts of Varying Biochar Application Rates With and Without a Compost Addition on Vegetable Production. Iowa State University Horticulture Research Station Report
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Perry, R., A. Nair, B. Carpenter, and N. Howell. 2020. Fall Field and High Tunnel Lettuce Production. Iowa State University Horticulture Research Station Report
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Herrighty, E., A. Nair, D. Kapayou, M. McDaniel, D. Winham, and C. Hill. 2020. Reuniting the Three Sisters: Native American Intercropping and Soil Health. Iowa State University Horticulture Research Station Report
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
On-Farm Organic Corn Trials Farmer-Cooperator Meeting, Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES) Organic Conference, La Crosse, WI, 2/29/20
|
Progress 10/01/18 to 09/30/19
Outputs
Target Audience:The primary target audience are fruit and vegetable and greenhouse growers. The project also provides research based information to extension professionals, grower organizations, industry personnel, agriculture professionals, government agencies (Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, USDA-NRCS), and general public. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?There have been many training and professional development activities associated with this project, including field days, workshops, and conference presentations. A total of 8 graduate students were trained on several of the above mentioned studies. Guided by their major professors, graduate students took leadership roles in establishing plots, plot maintenance, IPM applications, data collection, and data analysis. A total of 14 undergraduate students were involved in several projects. They were hired as research-aides and assisted with plot establishment, data collection, and data entry. Graduate students also presented their work at several field days, workshops, and grower conferences for example Practical Farmers of Iowa, Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, Great Lakes Vegetable and Fruit Expo, MOSES, and Great Plains Growers Conference. They also presented their work to their peers at the American Society for Horticultural Science and the American Phytopathological Society. Extension specialists and farmer-educators were recruited for many of the field days and technology transfer events, and their expertise blended with project results to increase impact for a wider audience.Extension specialists participated in a biannual Horticulture In-Service to know about the latest research and also share their experiences working with producers in the field. A project funded by USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education provided support for professional development opportunities for Industry leaders, grower organization representatives, and extension staff to attend two regional meetings: Great Lakes Expo and Great Plains Growers Conference. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Research results were presented at several field days, workshops, and grower conferences such as Practical Farmers of Iowa, Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, Iowa Organic Conference, Great Lakes Vegetable and Fruit Expo, MOSES, Illinois Specialty Crop Growers Conference, and Great Plains Growers Conference. In 2019, more than 100 presentations were given to an audience of 5,000 participants, through field days, Advisory Committee and conference presentations. Results were shared with peers, colleagues, and industry at annual conferences of American Society for Horticultural Science,American Phytopathological Society, American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America. The horticulture extension faculty take part in the monthly teleconference call with Iowa Secretary of Agriculture and keep him and his team updated about research projects and producer-centric horticulture activities across the state. Below are few selected field days and workshops organized in 2019: Iowa State University Fruit and Vegetable Field Day ISU Hop Workshop High tunnel workshops Pest management workshop High Tunnel Short Course Greenhouse Short Course Iowa Organic Conference Organic Field Day Researchers also disseminated results through their participation and involvement in advisory Committees, boards, state appointed bodies (Iowa Organic Advisory Council, Pesticide Advisory Committee), and public radio appearances. The ISU Horticulture Research Station also hosted several international delegates from Nuffield Scholars Program, Earth University (Costa Rica), International Fertilizer Development Center, University of Agriculture Sciences, Bangalore, India, and delegates from the World Food Prize. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Research will continue in 2020 on the aforementioned field trials, in addition to new projects: organic sweet corn breeding and testing with the University of Wisconsin; biodegradable plastic mulches; IPM in cucurbits, NIFA OREI vegetable poultry integration, and NIFA OREI cucurbit pest management. An on-line Qualtrics survey of industry leaders, grower organization representatives, and extension staff will be conducted to document the impact of the professional development activities.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1... Increase the quality and percentage of marketable product per acre, reduce production costs and increase business profitability through improved cultural techniques and use of adapted fruit and vegetable cultivars. We continued our 10-year, cold-hardy wine grape cultivar trial that began in 2018. The Iowa trial evaluates the performance of cultivars Itasca, NY81.0315.17, Petite Pearl, NY06.0514.06, and Crimson Pearl. Data was collected on shoot count, average nodes per shoot, and overall plant growth. There were no statistically significant differences between cultivars in 2019. Two field days were organized to connect wine growers to the project and obtain feedback on their needs and challenges in wine grape production. During those field days, specialized equipment for orchard and vineyard management were demonstrated to expose growers to latest technology and industry trends. The continuous production of one crop-family year after year in a high tunnel creates a strain on the tunnel ecosystem leading to nutrient depletion and pathogen build up. Early season specialty melons (2-3 lbs) as a high tunnel crop could be one alternative to the lack of crop rotation in high tunnels. Benefits include earliness to market compared to field grown melons and tomatoes, the ability to double plant the high tunnel with another fall crop, and the price incentive for personal size melons in the market for their sweet and often unique size, shape, or appearance. Ten cultivars of specialty melons were evaluated for yield and quality in high tunnels: Anna's Charentais, Divergent, Eden's Gem, Escorial, Honey Orange, Pixie, Savor, Snow Leopard, Sugar Cube, and Tasty Bites. Tasty Bites yielded the highest number of marketable fruits as compared to Anna's, Divergent, Escorial, Pixie, and Savor. The average weight of marketable fruit was highest for Divergent followed by Honey Orange. Eden's Gem had the lowest weight for a marketable fruit compared to all other cultivars except Sugar Cube. Total soluble solute concentration (brix) was highest for Snow Leopard as compared to Divergent, Eden's Gem, Honey Orange, and Savor. Snow Leopard was a sweet and high yielding cultivar, and together with its interesting appearance it is a promising cultivar for high tunnel specialty melon production in Iowa. Tasty Bites and Sugar Cube are also contenders especially for markets that may prefer a traditional cantaloupe in a personal size. Another high tunnel project evaluated the effect of grafting rootstocks on high tunnel tomato production. The rootstocks evaluated in this study were Arnold, Beaufort, DRO141TX, Estamino, Maxifort, RST-04-106-T, 946 TRS, and 980 TRS. Results of this study can be found in the journal article listed in the "Products" section of this report. A field day was organized to disseminate results to growers. A greenhouse study was conducted to quantify the growth and tissue mineral nutrient concentrations of cilantro, dill, and parsley in response to nutrient solution electrical conductivity (EC) under low and high photosynthetic daily light integrals (DLI). Results from the study demonstrated that cilantro, dill, and parsley can be successfully grown across a range of EC, regardless of the light intensity of the growing environment. Another greenhouse study evaluated the effect of substrate moisture content on the growth of basil, dill, parsley, and sage grown in containers in the greenhouse. Results show that growth of basil, dill, parsley, and sage can be promoted or inhibited by providing or withholding water, respectively, with no signs of stress or visual damage resulting from reduced substrate volumetric water content. Therefore, restricting irrigation and substrate volumetric water content is an effective nonchemical growth control method for containerized culinary herbs grown in peat-based substrate. Objective 2... Develop and promote sustainable production practices and pest management strategies that enhance yields and minimize negative effects on the environment. Bacterial wilt causes major losses in cucurbit crops (muskmelon, cucumber) throughout Iowa and the eastern United States. To prevent beetles from feeding on cucurbits and spreading bacterial wilt, organic growers often cover plants with spunbond polypropylene row covers (Agribon™, Reemay®) in the first several weeks after transplanting. When female flowers develop, row covers are removed to allow for pollination. The organic insecticides used to control beetles after removing row covers are weak and easily washed away by rain. They require frequent reapplication, costing growers precious time and money. The objective of this study was to redesign row cover systems to achieve full-season protection against bacterial wilt and minimize dependence on insecticides. Results showed that full-season ProtekNet treatments yielded a significantly higher mean weight of marketable muskmelon and acorn squash than the non-covered treatment. On average, full-season ProtekNet had fewer non-marketable fruit than the low tunnel. This study was highlighted during the 2019 Fruit and Vegetable Field Day. Objective 3... Evaluate the impact of organic-compliant pest management and soil fertility methods on organic vegetable crop production. Organic vegetable production continues to increase in Iowa, with 902 acres and $4.2 million in annual sales in 2018. Compost applications, cover crops and reduced tillage in vegetable operations provide multiple environmental benefits for soil conservation. On organic farms, an innovative roller/crimper is used in lieu of herbicides to terminate cover crops. Research was conducted in 2019 on organic 'Defiant' tomatoes transplanted into rolled cover crops of hairy vetch and rye. Yields from no-till plots averaged 6,474 lb/acre, which was lower than yields from plots with compost. Highest yields of 24,970 lb/acre came from plots with compost and mulch. Fruit quality did not vary among treatments. Interest in organic corn has increased. Corn variety trials with farmer involvement were established in southwest Iowa, where five USDA lines were compared. A second set of trials was conducted on three farms-two in Iowa (field corn) and one in Minnesota (sweet corn). Results of these on-farm organic corn trials were shared at a farmer cooperator meeting. The practice of rotation with cover crops is a requirement of organic production but can be a challenge especially when it comes to finding a planting window between cash crops. A study was conducted to evaluate several short-duration cover crops and examine their effects on following fall vegetable crop in the areas of weed suppression, soil nutrient concentration, vegetable yield, and quality. Cover crop treatments included buckwheat (BW), brown top millet (BTM), teff grass (TEF), sorghum sudangrass (SS), sunn hemp (SH), mung bean (MB), cowpea (CP), and golden flax (GF). Cover crop biomass, dry weight basis, was highest for TEF, SH, BW, SS, and BTM cover crop plots as compared to MB, GF, and CP plots. Dry weight of broadleaf weeds was higher for MB and the no cover crop control treatment. SS, SH, and BTM treatments had significantly lower broadleaf weeds than the no cover crop control and MB treatment. TEF and BW treatments had the lowest broadleaf dry weight compared to all treatments except GF, SH, SS, or BTM. Number of marketable cabbage heads were higher in CP, GF, MB, and SH treatments as compared to TEF and BW treatments. CP, GF, MB, and SH treatments had lower number of nonmarketable heads as compared to all other treatments. Results from the study were published in the Horticulture Research Station Progress Report.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Midwest Fruit Workers Group. 2019. Midwest Fruit Pest Management Guide 2018. B.
Bordelon, ed. Printed by Purdue University and available at Iowa State Extension (https://store.extension.iastate.edu/Product/Midwest-Fruit-Pest-Management-Guide-2018.)
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Lang, K. and A. Nair. 2019. Effect of Tomato Rootstock on Hybrid and Heirloom Tomato Performance in a Midwest High Tunnel Production System. HortScience 54(5):840845.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Gimondo, J.A., C.J. Currey, D.H. Jarboe, M. Gross, and W.R. Graves. 2019. Wastewater-grown algae pellets and paste as fertilizers for containerized crops. HortScience 54(3): 528536.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Currey, C.J., N.J. Flax, and K.J. Walters. 2019. Nutrient solution strength does not interact with the daily light integral to affect hydroponic cilantro, dill, and parsley growth and tissue mineral nutrient concentrations. Agronomy 9(7):389.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
G�mez, C, C.J. Currey, R.W. Dickson, H.J. Kim, R. Hern�ndez, N.C. Sabeh, R.E. Raudales, R.G. Brumfield, A. Laury-Shaw, A.K. Wilke, R.G. Lopez, S.E. Burnett. 2019. Controlled environment food production for urban agriculture. HortScience 54(9): 14481458.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Walters, K.J and C.J. Currey. 2019. Growth and development of basil species in response to temperature. HortScience 54(11): 19151920.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Currey, C.J., N.J. Flax, A.G. Litvin, and V.C. Metz. 2019. Substrate volumetric water content controls growth and development of containerized culinary herbs. Agronomy. 9(11):667.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Currey, C.J. 2019. Managing micronutrients. Produce Grower February:26-27.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Currey, C.J. 2019. Organic substrates in hydroponic production. Produce Grower March:14-15.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Nazareth, J., A. Shaw, K. Delate, and R. Turnbull. 2019. Food safety considerations in integrated organic crop-livestock systems: Prevalence of Salmonella spp. and E. coli O157:H7 in organically raised cattle and organic feed. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems. In press.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
On-Farm Organic Corn Trials Farmer-Cooperator Meeting, Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES) Organic Conference, La Crosse, WI, 2/23/19
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Organic Research in Iowa - Horticulture Dept., University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 3/20/19
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Integrating Cover Crops into Row Crop Systems - MOSES Organic Conference, La Crosse, WI, 2/23/18
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Organic Research Update ISU Neely-Kinyon Farm Field Day, Greenfield, IA, 8/20/19
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Iowa Organic Research Update Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 10/24/19
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Delate, K., T. Lubberstedt, P. Scott, W. Tracy and R. Turnbull. 2019. Developing field and sweet corn hybrids for organic producers: The ACES project. ASA Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX. https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2019am/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/120078
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Delate, K. 2019. Dreaming of a Vetter World to Show During Iowa Organic Conference, ISU Extension and Outreach, Ames, IA: November 20, 2019: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/news/dreaming-vetter-world-show-during-iowa-organic-conference
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Nair, A. and K. Lang. 2019. Diagnosing disease and herbicide injury in vegetable crops. Annual Conference of Practical Farmers of Iowa. 1/18/2019.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Nair, A. R. Graff, and T. Ruggieri. 2019. Commercial eggplant production. Annual Conference of Practical Farmers of Iowa. 1/19/2019.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Nair, A. and K. Lang. 2019. Cover crops in high tunnel production. Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention. 1/29/2019.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Nair, A. and R. Kruse. 2019. Insect management in vegetable crops. Pest Management Workshop, Dubuque, IA (4/9/19)
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Nair, A. and K. Lang. 2019. High tunnel vegetable cropping, Iowa Youth Institute (4/29/19)
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Nair, A. and K. Lang. 2019. Performance of grafted hybrid tomatoes within a Midwestern United States high tunnel in the absence of soil-borne disease pressure. International Society for Horticultural Science, Charlotte, NC (7/15/19)
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Nair, A. 2019. Reduced tillage in organic vegetable production. Oklahoma Organic Conference. (10/9/19)
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Nair, A. M. Bilenky, and K.M. Kang. 2019. Effect of Row Cover Materials and Cultivars on Broccoli Yield and Quality - 2019 ASHS Annual Conference
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Bilenky, M. and A. Nair. 2019. Integrating Poultry and Cover Crops into Organic Vegetable Production for Soil Health - 2019 ASHS Annual Conference
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Bilenky, M. and A. Nair. 2019. Effect of biostimulant and fertilizer application rates on growth, yield, and quality of lettuce and pepper under greenhouse conditions - 2019 ASHS Annual Conference
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Nair, A. 2019. High tunnels: Caught in the middle but soaring high. 2019 ASHS Annual Conference
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Nair, A. and M. Bilenky. 2019. Use of biostimulants in vegetable transplant production. International Biostimulant Congress, Barcelona, Spain (11/19/19)
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Nair. A. and S. Shriver. 2019. Pros and cons of roller crimping systems. Practical Farmers of Iowa Cover Crop Boot Camp (12/19/19)
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Nair. A. 2019. Basics of Composting. Meskwaki Community Field Day (8/27/19)
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Currey, C.J. 2019. Automation for hydroponics. Produce Grower April:8-10.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Currey, C.J. 2019. Intracanopy lighting 101. Produce Grower June:8-10.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Currey, C.J. and A.G. Litvin. 2019. Improve culinary herb yields. Produce Grower August:8-9.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Currey, C.J. 2019. Working out the kinks. Produce Grower October:10-12.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Currey, C.J. 2019. Sampling nutrient solutions. Produce Grower September: 8-9.
|
Progress 10/01/17 to 09/30/18
Outputs
Target Audience:The primary target audience are fruit and vegetable and greenhouse growers. The project also provides research based information to extension professionals, grower organizations, industry personnel, agriculture professionals, government agencies (Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, USDA-NRCS), and general public. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?There have been many training and professional development activities associated with this project, including field days, workshops, and conference presentations. A total of 10 graduate students were trained on several of the above mentioned studies. Guided by their major professors, graduate students took leadership roles in establishing plots, plot maintenance, IPM applications, data collection, and data analysis. A total of 17 undergraduate students were involved in several projects. They were hired as research-aides and assisted with plot establishment, data collection, and data entry. Graduate students also presented their work at several field days, workshops, and grower conferences for example Practical Farmers of Iowa, Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, Great Lakes Vegetable and Fruit Expo, MOSES, and Great Plains Growers Conference. They also presented their work to their peers at the American Society for Horticultural Science, and the American Phytopathological Society. Extension specialists and farmer-educators were recruited for many of the field days and technology transfer events, and their expertise blended with project results to increase impact for a wider audience.Extension specialists participated in a biannual Horticulture In-Service to know about the latest research and also share their experiences working with producers in the field. A project funded by USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education provided support for professional development opportunities for Industry leaders, grower organization representatives, and extension staff to attend two regional meetings: Great Lakes Expo and Great Plains Growers Conference. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Research results were presented at several field days, workshops, and grower conferences such as Practical Farmers of Iowa, Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, Iowa Organic Conference, Great Lakes Vegetable and Fruit Expo, MOSES, Illinois Specialty Crop Growers Conference, and Great Plains Growers Conference. Results were shared with peers, colleagues, and industry at American Society for Horticultural Science and the American Phytopathological Society. The horticulture extension faculty take part in the monthly teleconference call with Iowa Secretary of Agriculture and keep him and his team updated about research projects and producer-centric horticulture activities across the state. Below are few selected field days and workshops organized in 2018: Iowa State University Fruit and Vegetable Field Day ISU Hop Workshop, Ames, IA Iowa Public Radio Field Day High tunnel workshops (offered in three counties across Iowa) Pest management workshop High Tunnel Short Course Greenhouse Short Course Iowa Organic Conference Researchers also disseminated results through their participation and involvement in advisory Committees, boards, state appointed bodies (Iowa Organic Advisory Council, Pesticide Advisory Committee), and public radio appearances. The ISU Horticulture Research Station also hosted several international delegates from International Fertilizer Develop Center, Chinese Horticulture Association, and Earth University (Costa Rica). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Research will continue in 2019 on the aforementioned projects, in addition to some new projects: organic sweet corn breeding and testing with the University of Wisconsin; biodegradable plastic mulches; IPM in cucurbits, to name few. An online survey of cucurbit growers in Iowa and Kentucky will be conducted in February-March 2019 to gauge impact of the mesotunnel project on grower viewpoints and practices. An on-line Qualtrics survey of industry leaders, grower organization representatives, and extension staff will be conducted to document the impact of the professional development activities.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
IMPACT:Field trials, outreach, and publications increased knowledge of sustainable production practices and pest management strategies for fruit and vegetable production in Iowa. Objective 1... Increase the quality and percentage of marketable product per acre, reduce production costs and increase business profitability through improved cultural techniques and use of adapted fruit and vegetable cultivars. A one acre hop trial is currently under evaluation at the Iowa State University Horticulture Research Station, Ames, IA. The trial is in its third year and preliminary results indicate 'Cascade' and 'Chinook' hop plants are conducive in Iowa climates. Iowa hop production is reemerging, and this study will provide information including cost of establishment, pest control techniques, weed control techniques, and harvesting parameters. A hops fertilizer rate and cultivar trial was initiated in 2016 which was continued in 2018. The fertilizer trial will provide growers with fertility recommendations to increase the quality of the hop cones as well as reduce costs associated with over fertilizing crops. The cultivar trial will aid growers in determining which cultivars are more conducive to Iowa environments. In 2016, a trial was established to compare field-grown peaches to high tunnel field grown peaches and the study is its third year. A cold hardy wine grape cultivar trial was established in June 2018. The trial will help the industry understand cultivar performance in variable climates. High tunnel research was conducted over two years (2017 and 2018) to compare the effect of three shade treatments (no shade cloth, 30% light-reducing shade cloth, and 50% light-reducing shade cloth) and seven colored bell pepper cultivars. The results of this work showed the use of a 30 or 50 percent light-reducing black nylon shade cloth did not increase plant vigor, improve fruit quality, or significantly reduce the incidence of sunscald or BER for colored bell pepper production. Recommendations were provided to growers to carefully consider the use of shade cloth due to potential negative impacts on marketable and total yield for colored bell pepper production. Objective 2... Develop and promote sustainable production practices and pest management strategies that enhance yields and minimize negative effects on the environment. Spring planted broccoli is harvested around mid-late June in Iowa and it is often challenging to preserve the quality of broccoli in the open field. Broccoli head is susceptible to broccoli brown head (associated with warm temperature), head rot (favored by cool temperatures and prolonged periods of moisture), and other physiological disorders. Susceptibility of broccoli heads to these issues vary based on cultivars/varieties. Additionally, an important challenge in broccoli production is the intensive use of pesticides (conventional and organic), to manage pests such as cabbage loopers, imported cabbage worm, flea beetles, and cabbage aphids that cause immense damage by direct feeding and defoliating the plant. OMRI-approved organic insecticides are expensive, require frequent re-application, and often fail to suppress these pests. The study also evaluated two row cover types (Protek net and Agribon-19) on their potential use as a season long pest management.A USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant funded study was initiated to identify appropriate broccoli cultivars that are better suited for Midwest growing conditions. This study, showed that Protek net and Agribon-19 could be successfully utilized to mitigate insect pest damage in broccoli production. Specially, with Protek net, there is an added advantage of zero insecticide applications as the netting can remain on the crop until harvest. Cultivars play a critical role in broccoli production. Recommendation was provided to growers to utilize appropriate cultivars that are better adapted to their growing region and conditions. Cultivars such as 'Emerald Star' and 'Green Gold' produced higher number of marketable heads and relative lower proportion of non-marketable heads. The study also highlighted the importance of soil micronutrient fertility, especially Boron concentration, in broccoli production as it has direct impact on head quality. Field research was conducted over two years (2017 and 2018) to compare the effect of grafting on tomato cultivar 'BHN 589' (hybrid determinate tomato). The rootstocks evaluated in this study were: Arnold, Beaufort, DRO141TX, Estamino, Maxifort, RST-04-106-T, 946 TRS, and 980 TRS. Overall, the results of this study showed that five rootstocks (Arnold, Beaufort, DRO141TX, Estamino, and Maxifort) should improve plant growth and fruit yield when grafted to a hybrid tomato cultivar even in the absence of soil-borne disease. A 1.5-1.7-fold increase in fruit number per plant over non-grafted plants may make sense economically for producers, especially if tomato grafting is done on-farm. Objective 3... Evaluate the impact of organic-compliant pest management and soil fertility methods on organic vegetable crop production. On organic farms, an innovative roller/crimper is used in lieu of herbicides to terminate cover crops. Research was conducted on organic 'Honey Bear' squash and 'Olympus' pepper transplanted into rolled cover crops of hairy vetch and rye at the ISU Neely-Kinyon Farm, in Greenfield, Iowa. Cover crop biomass averaged 5,323 lb/acre across all plots. Yields from plots that received compost and were tilled were significantly greater than the other treatments, averaging 16,061 lb/acre. Soil results showed higher soil quality in no-till plots. Significant differences in soil total nitrogen and nitrate level were observed between treatments. When comparing soil nutrient levels in mulched and no-mulch treatments, no-mulch plots had higher average levels of all tested soil nutrients compared to mulched plots, with the exception of Fe and Mn. Plots treated with composted animal manure had higher nutrient levels compared to the control treatment, with soil nitrate levels in composted animal manure treatment 7% higher than the control. Corn variety trials with farmer involvement were established at the ISU Neely-Kinyon Farm in Greenfield, Iowa (southwest Iowa), where four USDA lines were compared to the native 'Meskwaki Tama Flint' (MTF) corn, which was secured from a member of the Meskwaki Nation. Height at physiological maturity of the USDA lines averaged 265 cm, with the B120 x OH622 hybrid the tallest, at 277 cm. The native MTF corn was significantly shorter at 213 cm. Disease incidence was greatest in the native corn, averaging 3.6 (scale of 1 to 5, with 5 representing ears completely diseased), compared to an average of 1.2 for the USDA lines. At harvest, ear weight, width, and circumference were significantly lower in the MTF corn, compared to the USDA hybrids/lines. MTF ear weight averaged 101 g/ear compared to the heaviest USDA hybrids, B120 x MBSS2655 and B120 x OH622, which averaged 283 and 268 g/ear, respectively. A 3-year (2016-2018) field experiment at ISU, funded by the USDA NIFA Organic Transitions program, evaluated the potential of nylon-mesh-covered tunnels (known as mesotunnels) to protect against cucumber beetles, squash bug, squash vine borer, bacterial wilt, and cucurbit yellow vine disease on muskmelon and acorn squash in organic production. Marketable yield of both crops was substantially higher with the use of full-season mesotunnels compared to standard low tunnels (spunbond polypropylene fabric; pre-bloom protection only) or non-covered controls, with sharply reduced reliance on insecticides in the mesotunnels. These findings are preliminary evidence that mesotunnels have realistic potential to enhance the production of organic muskmelon and acorn squash in the Upper Midwestproduction of organic muskmelon and acorn squash in the Upper Midwest.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Walters, K.J. and C.J. Currey. 2018. Effects of nutrient solution concentration and daily light integral on growth and nutrient concentration of several basil species in hydroponic production. HortScience 53(9):1319⿿1325.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Currey, C.J., A.M. VanDerZanden, and J.J. Mitchell. 2018. Increasing student awareness and understanding of food security by integrating a service-learning project into an undergraduate hydroponic food production course. HortTechnology 28(4):548⿿556.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Flax, N.J., C.J. Currey, J.A. Schrader, D. Grewell, and W.R. Graves. 2018. Coconut coir and peat biocontainers influence plant growth retardant drench efficacy. HortTechnology 28(3):370⿿377.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Schrader, J.A., C.J. Currey, N.J. Flax, D. Grewell, and W.R. Graves. 2018. Effectiveness of biopolymer horticultural products for production and post-production nutrient provision of garden and bedding crops and container ornamentals. HortTechnology 28(3):257⿿266.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Flax, N.J., C.J. Currey, J.A. Schrader, D. Grewell, and W.R. Graves. 2018. Herbaceous perennial producers can grow high-quality blanket flower in bioplastic-based plant containers. HortTechnology 28(2):212⿿217.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Currey, C.J., V.C. Metz, N.J. Flax, and B.W. Whipker. 2018. Restricting phosphorous suppresses growth of containerized culinary herbs. American Society for Horticultural Science Annual Conference. Washington, D.C. 1 August 2018.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Currey, C.J. 2018. Spinning the herb wheel. GrowerTalks 82(4):66, 68⿿69.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Currey, C.J. 2018. Cucumbers 101: A production guide. Produce Grower June:18⿿22.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Currey, C.J. 2018. Strawberries 101: A production guide. Produce Grower April:36⿿38, 40.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Currey, C.J. 2018. Peppers 101: A production guide. Produce Grower February:22⿿24.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Bakker, M.G., T. Looft, D.P. Alt, K. Delate, and C.A. Cambardella. 2018. Bulk soil bacterial community structure and function respond to long-term organic and conventional agricultural management. Canadian Journal of Microbiology 64 (12): 901-914. http//doi.org/10.1139/cjm-2018-0134.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Hayden, J., S. Rocker, H. Phillips, B. Heins, A. Smith and K. Delate. 2018. The importance of social support and communities of practice: Farmer perceptions of the challenges and opportunities of integrated crop⿿livestock systems on organically managed farms in the northern U.S. Sustainability 10 (4606): doi:10.3390/su10124606
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
⿿Organic Gardening - Polk County Extension, Altoona, IA, 2/15/18
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
⿿Integrating Cover Crops into Row Crop Systems - MOSES Organic Conference, La Crosse, WI, 2/23/18
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
⿿Organic Gardening - Polk County Master Gardeners, West Des Moines, IA, 3/8/18
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
⿿Long-Term Agroecological Research (LTAR) in Iowa: An Organic Systems Experiment - American Society of Agronomy Annual Conference, Baltimore, MD, 11/6/18
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
⿿Extension Component: On-Farm Organic Corn Trials ⿿ American Seed Trade Association OREI ACES Meeting, Chicago, IL, 12/4/18
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Kondhare KR, Kumar A, Hannapel DJ, Banerjee AK (2018) Conservation of polypyrimidine tract-binding proteins and their putative target RNAs in several storage root crops. BMC Genomics 19:124
- Type:
Book Chapters
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Cho SK, Hannapel DJ (2018) The yeast three-hybrid system for screening RNA-binding proteins in plants, in Two Hybrid Systems: Methods and Protocols, ed., Luis Oñate Sánchez, Springer
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Senske, A. and D.R. Cochran. Sustainable Hop Production Research Update. Hop Working Group Annual Meeting. Traverse City, MI July 9 ⿿ 10, 2018.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Cochran, D.R.. Mechanical hop harvester demonstration. Iowa State University Fruit and Vegetable Growers Field Day, Horticulture Research Farm, Ames, IA August 6, 2018.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Pokorny, W. and D.R. Cochran. Peach Production in Iowa Research Update. Iowa State University Fruit and Vegetable Growers Field Day, Horticulture Research Farm, Ames, IA August 6, 2018.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
D.R. Cochran. 2018. Evaluating the Effects of Nitrogen Fertilization on ⿿Cascade⿿ Hop Yield. ISU Horticulture Station Research Report. Vol. 2017:1 34-36.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Haynes, C., A. Nair, and R. Jauron. 2018. Cole crops. ISU Extension and Outreach. HORT3087.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Nair, A., C. Haynes, and R. Jauron. 2018. Sweet corn. ISU Extension and Outreach. HORT3089.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Nair, A., C. Haynes, and R. Jauron. 2018. Tomatoes. ISU Extension and Outreach. HORT3091.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Haynes, C., A. Nair, and R. Jauron. 2018. Onions crops. ISU Extension and Outreach. HORT3085.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Nair, A., C. Haynes, and R. Jauron. 2018. Peppers. ISU Extension and Outreach. HORT3084.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
⿿Reduced Tillage and Cover Crop Use in Organic Agriculture ⿿ University of Minnesota Extension, Owatonna, MN, 3/27/18
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
⿿Integrated Crop-Livestock Systems - Horticulture Dept., University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 3/14/18
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
⿿Organic Gardening - Siouxland Garden Show, Sioux City, IA, 4/6/18
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
⿿History of Cooperative Extension Relations with Organic Agriculture ⿿ Confluences Conference, Organic Center, Washington, D.C., 5/21/18
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Haynes, C., A. Nair, and R. Jauron. 2018. Potatoes. ISU Extension and Outreach. HORT3086.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
"Effect of grafting in high tunnel tomato production". Illinois Specialty Crop Growers Conference
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
"Role of cover crops in conservation tillage and building soil organic matter". Illinois Specialty Crop Growers Conference
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
"Commercial sweet potato production in Midwest". Illinois Specialty Crop Growers Conference
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Sustainable vegetable production. WHO Radio (aired on 3/27/18)
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
"Fine-tuning strip-tillage systems for muskmelon production". Great Plains Growers Conference.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
"Tricks of the trade for brussels sprout production". Practical farmers Of Iowa Conference.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Green shoulders and blossom end rot management
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Reduced tillage systems for vegetables. Mills County Extension, ISUEO
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
"Cultivar selection and heat management in high tunnel colored pepper production". Great Plains Growers Conference.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Tomato transplant production. Iowa Arboretum
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Cover crops and strip tillage in muskmelon production (poster). USDA SARE Conference, St. Louis, MO
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Building soil quality and health using cover crops in high tunnels. Henry County, Iowa
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Building soil quality and health using cover crops in high tunnels. Mason City, Iowa
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Composting basics and applications. Master Gardener Webinar
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Building soil quality and health using cover crops in high tunnels. Atlantic, Iowa
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Harnessing the value of high tunnels in Iowa. Iowa Public Radio Field Day
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Cucurbit production and pest management. Iowa Public Radio Horticulture Friday. Aired on 5/4/2018
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
https://www.extension.iastate.edu/vegetablelab/
- Type:
Other
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Tomato grafting for high tunnels. Field Day for International delegates from International Fertilizer Development Center
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Integrating Cover Crops in High Tunnel Vegetable Production. American Society for Horticultural Science Annual Conference. Washington, D.C. 1 August 2018.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
In the Absence of Soil-Borne Disease Pressure, Does Tomato Grafting Still Benefit Midwest Vegetable Growers? American Society for Horticultural Science Annual Conference. Washington, D.C. 2 August 2018.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Placement of Shade Cloth on High Tunnels Affects Colored Bell Pepper Yield and Marketability in Iowa
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Identifying symptoms of herbicide drift in vegetable crops. ISU Fruit and Vegetable Field Day.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Developing N fertility rates for sweet potato production in Iowa. ISU Fruit and Vegetable Field Day.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Fertility management in high tunnel and open field production. Field visit with Chinese and Costa Rica delegation
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Update on pest management in broccoli production. USDA SARE Advisory Meeting
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
High tunnel vegetable production. Field Day for STEM education students
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Soil fertility in vegetable cropping systems. Story County Extension seminar.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Midwest Fruit Workers Group. 2018. Midwest Fruit Pest Management Guide 2018. B.
Bordelon, ed. Printed by Purdue University and available at Iowa State Extension (https://store.extension.iastate.edu/Product/Midwest-Fruit-Pest-Management-Guide-
2018.)
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Targeted Pest Management: Phenological Growth Guide for Grapevines. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Publication. Iowa State Extension 3100.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Cochran, D.R. and M. Rippke. What⿿s Growing in the Department of Horticulture? Iowa Wine Growers Association Annual Conference. Ames, IA February 18, 2018.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Interview: KHOI Community Radio. Aired September 24, 2018. Growing Hops. http://khoifm.org/node/1886
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Hop Production in Iowa. Small Farms Sustainability Podcast. Aired January 23, 2018. https://smallfarmsustainability.libsyn.com/
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Cochran, D.R. 2018. Alternative Crops for Adverse Environments: Hops and Peaches. University of Minnesota, Department of Horticulture Seminar Series, St. Paul, MN
|
Progress 10/01/16 to 09/30/17
Outputs
Target Audience:The primary target audience are fruit and vegetable growers and greenhouse growers. The project also provides research-based information to extension professionals, grower organizations, industry personnel, agriculture professionals, and general public. Changes/Problems:Results of the organic-cucurbit field experiments (Objective 1) have consistently showed substantially higher marketable yield for both muskmelon and acorn squash with the full-season mesotunnel system compared to traditional low tunnels or non-covered plots. In 2018, we will intensify our efforts to ensure a consistent seal along the edges of mesotunnels by using lay-flat irrigation hose to weigh down the edges; the lay-flat hose can be installed empty (when it is easy and light to handle), then filled with water to create a uniform seal of the edges. We may also need to hand-weed more often along these edges to prevent weed growth from dislodging the lay-flat. We will document the additional time (if any) required for this modified sealing system, and include these data in our economic analysis (Objective 3). What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Several training and professional development activities were offered including field days, workshops, conference presentations and presentations at professional society annual meetings. Extension specialists and farmer-educators were recruited for these technology transfer events, and their expertise blended with project results to increase impact for a wider audience. Graduate students [Kristine Neu (PhD candidate), John Krzton-Presson (MS), Hayley Nelson (MS), Shannon Tusiime (PhD candidate), Moriah Bilenky (MS)] and postdoctoral research trainee (Dr. Xiaoyu Zhang) assisted with the organization of 2017 Fruit and Vegetable Field Day. They presented their research to growers and ag professionals during the field day. The field day attracted close to 180 participants, including commercial growers, extension staff, industry representatives and local food entrepreneurs. Several undergraduate students were hired and trained by PI's on this project. Undergraduate students in Horticulture and Plant Pathology were trained on different aspects of vegetable production, integrated pest management, research data collection, and data analysis. Students working in the area of fruit production increased their knowledge and awareness on peach, strawberry, and apple production. A total of 19 high school students were educated on fruit and vegetable production during the Iowa Youth Institute of the World Food Prize, hosted at the Horticulture Research Station. The Research Station also hosted close to 100 FFA students from neighboring high schools and educated them on specialty crop production. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Research results from various ISU projects were disseminated through refereed publications, research reports, workshops, field days, presentations at grower and scientific conferences, extension bulletins, online blog, and extension websites. The Fruit and Vegetable Field day in Ames, IA attracted 180 participants to the event. The event was held in partnership with Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association and Practical Farmers of Iowa. Researchers made presentations at grower conferences, field days, extension meetings, and research conferences. Information was disseminated to the general public as well through blogs, radio, press releases, and speaking at public forums. A public event was organized in partnership with Iowa Public radio, which attracted more than 250 people to the research station. Five hops workshops were organized at the ISU Horticulture Research Farm, Ames, IA that educated growers on cultivar selection, fertility management, and insect and disease management in hops production. A total of 8 on-farm trials were conducted on topics ranging from high tunnels, integrated pest management, tomato grafting, apple rootstock selection, and organic no-tillage. The on-farm high tunnel trial organized a field day that was attended by 35 growers. The field day facilitated dissemination of valuable information and created peer-to-peer learning opportunities. Results of the from this organic no-tillage project were disseminated to audiences of more than 1,500 participants through five field days, four meetings, 12 conference presentations and one webinar in 2017. All produce produced in the Organic No-Till experiment was used by University of Iowa Dining Services for 200 participants at the Iowa Organic Conference at University of Iowa, held on November 19-20, 2017. Three focus groups (apple, high tunnel, and sweet corn) were formed that helped generate ideas and provided feedback for future research projects. In addition, three listening sessions were organized across the state in collaboration with Practical Farmers of Iowa and Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association. These listening sessions targeted fruit and vegetable producers and facilitated discussion as well as sharing of research results. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Research will continue in 2018 on the aforementioned projects, in addition to a new project on organic sweet corn breeding and testing with the University of Wisconsin.In 2018 (Year 3 of the strawberry anthracnose project), the Iowa team will conduct a second year of the field experiment to assess optimal strategies for fungicide control of this disease in the presence of strobilurin resistance by the pathogen. In 2018 (Year 3 of the organic-cucurbit management project), the economists on the project will conduct stakeholder surveys, using the first 2 years of field results as material to inform cucurbit growers about performance of the experimental systems relative to currently used systems. Work on development of two case studies will begin in January 2018, with the goal of submitting them for publication in the online journal Plant Health Instructor by August 2018. Video segments describing the field trials are currently on the project website (http://cucurbit.plantpath.iastate.edu). Year 3 of the field trials as well as on-farm demonstration trials will be conducted in Iowa during the 2018 growing season.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
IMPACT. Several research and extension projects were conducted at the Horticulture Research Station and grower collaborator plots. Topics included insect and disease management, high tunnels for season extension, cover cropping and conservation tillage, fertility management, and introduction of niche crops to diversify Iowa specialty crop production. Results were disseminated through field days and workshops which increased growers' understanding of optimizing field and high tunnel production of fruits and vegetables. On-farm grower collaborator trials and several presentations and publications enhanced outreach efforts and increased the impact of this CRIS project. Objective 1... Increase the quality and percentage of marketable product per acre, reduce production costs and increase business profitability through improved cultural techniques and use of adapted fruit and vegetable cultivars. Research and extension efforts in the area of high tunnel vegetable and fruit production were continued to identify proper cultivars, production techniques, and cultural operations to enhance yield and produce quality. A new tomato grafting trial was initiated to identify appropriate rootstocks in tomato production to suppress soil borne diseases and enhance plant growth, yield and quality. Another high tunnel project focusing on colored pepper production investigated the impact of shade (using shade cloth) on pepper yield and quality. Preliminary results show that 30% shade cloth provides satisfactory shade, reduces ambient and soil temperature without much compromising on light intensity inside the high tunnel. The 50% shade material reduces temperature but that comes at the added cost of reduction in light intensity. The no-shade treatment did not mitigate heat stress during peak summer and resulted in lower pepper yields and quality. Peach production in Iowa is limited to the southern tier counties (warmer climate). However, with season extension technology (high tunnels) we are investigating high tunnel peach production. In 2016, a trial was established to compare field grown peaches to high tunnel field grown peaches. The project is ongoing and data being collected on peach growth and development. At the same time when peaches were planted in high tunnels, an outside planting was also established to compare both production systems. A one acre hop trial is currently under evaluation at the Horticulture Research Station, Ames, IA. The trial is in its second year and preliminary results indicate 'Cascade' and 'Chinook' hop plants are conducive in Iowa climates. Iowa hop production is reemerging and this study will provide information including cost of establishment, pest control techniques, weed control techniques, and harvesting parameters. Objective 2... Develop and promote sustainable production practices and pest management strategies that enhance yields and minimize negative effects on the environment. During 2017 a study was established at the ISU Horticulture Research Station near Gilbert, IA, to evaluate of fungicide-spray strategies to protect strawberries from a disease called anthracnose fruit rot, caused by the fungus Colletotrichum acutatum, in the presence of isolates of the fungus that are resistant to a widely used fungicide group called strobilurins. Recently, resistance to strobilurins by C. acutatum has been spreading throughout the U.S. on strawberry transplants that have symptomless infections of strobilurin-resistant strains of the fungus, so management answers are needed if these fungicides are no longer effective. Analysis of the Iowa field experiment is ongoing, and the trial will be repeated in 2018. A fertilizer rate trial and a cultivar trial was initiated to provide growers with fertility recommendations to increase the quality of the hop cones as well as reduce costs associated with over fertilizing crops. The cultivar trial will aid growers in determining which cultivars are more conducive to Iowa environments. To develop and sustainable soil management practices a cereal rye cover crop study was conducted to investigate the effect of planting date and performance of five cereal rye cultivars (Aroostook, Elbon, Prima, Wheeler, and Wrens Abruzzi) under Midwest growing conditions.This research is intended to serve as a decision making tool for Midwest organic growers who want to select the best cereal rye cultivar to use in their no-till production system. Planting date, which is important for cereal rye establishment prior to winter, did not have a significant effect on the date of anthesis. Each cultivar reached 50% anthesis within a window of five days with Aroostook flowering first and Prima and Wheeler flowering last.It was surprising that there was no significant difference between the September and October planting dates for biomass accumulation at termination. Had the plots not irrigated in October, differences in biomass accumulation by planting date may have been larger. When examining the five cultivars, there was no significant difference in biomass. Aroostook had an average biomass of 9,387 lbs/acre and Prima had an average biomass of 7,647 lbs/acre. Increased biomass can contribute to increased water and nutrient retention, moderation of soil temperature, and enhanced weed suppression. Objective 3... Evaluate the impact of organic-compliant pest management and soil fertility methods on organic vegetable crop production. During 2017, the second year of a field experiment under organic production conditions, to evaluate the impact of full-season protective structures called mesotunnels, was conducted. Mesotunnels help in keeping away cucumber beetles and squash bugs, as well as the bacterial wilt and cucurbit yellow vine disease (CYVD) pathogens carried by these insects -away from cucurbit crops throughout the growing season. Purchased bumble bees were placed under the mesotunnels during flowering to provide pollination for the crops. Muskmelon had more than twice the marketable yield under mesotunnels than in either traditional low tunnels or a non-covered control treatment, and acorn squash also had a substantial yield boost under mesotunnels. These results were consistent with results of our 2016 trials, indicating that mesotunnels have considerable promise for overcoming some of the worst pest insects and diseases of cucurbit crops - without the need to apply any insecticides. A third year of this trial will be conducted in 2018. Research was conducted on organic 'Delicata' squash transplanted into rolled cover crops of hairy vetch and rye at the ISU Neely-Kinyon Farm, in Greenfield, Iowa. Cover crop biomass averaged 5,323 lb/acre across all plots. Yields from plots that received compost and were tilled were significantly greater than the other treatments, averaging 16,061 lb/acre. Soil results showed higher soil quality in no-till plots. Soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, and potential mineralizable nitrogen were higher in plots with cover crops. No-till plots had greater microaggregation and higher microbial biomass carbon compared to tilled plots, showing that no-till is important for maintaining soil structure and enhancing soil microbial populations. Another project examined the possibility of robotic weeders for organic production for controlling weeds precisely, particularly for weeds growing near or within crop rows. A study conducted at the Horticulture Research Station, Ames, IA examined a machine vision system, based on a Kinect™ V2 sensor, to recognize and localize crop plants at different growth stages, through the fusion of two-dimensional textural data and three-dimensional spatial data. This was the first step in constructing an autonomous weeder.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Silva, E. and K. Delate. 2017. A decade of progress in organic cover crop-based reduced tillage practices in the Upper Midwestern USA. Agriculture 7: 44: doi:10.3390/agriculture7050044.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Phillips, H.N., B.J. Heins, K. Delate, and R. Turnbull. 2017. Impact of grazing dairy steers on winter rye (Secale cereale) versus winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) and effects on meat quality, fatty acid and amino acid profiles, and consumer acceptability of organic beef. PLoS ONE 12(11):e0187686.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0187686
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Morton, L., A. Nair, and M. Gleason. 2017. Climate, weather and sweet corn. Sociology Technical Report 1048. 1-14.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Kruse, R.*, A. Nair, and M. Owen. 2016. Effects of fall cover crop on weed population density, soil nitrogen, and potato yield
- Type:
Book Chapters
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
1. Nair, A. and K. Delate. 2016. Composting, Crop Rotation, and Cover Crop
Practices in Organic Vegetable Production. In: Organic Horticultural Systems, Springer International Publishing Switzerland.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
R. Turnbull, J. Gai, L. Tang and K. Delate. 2017. The Potential for Robotic Weeders in Organic Cropping Systems. 2017. American Society of Agronomy Annual Conference, October 24, 2017, Tampa, FL: https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2017am/webprogram/Paper108415.html
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Delate, K., and C. Cambardella. 2017. Effect of Field History and Tillage on Crop Productivity and Soil Quality in Organic No-till Soybean Systems. American Society of Agronomy Annual Conference, October 25, 2017, Tampa, FL: https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2017am/webprogram/Paper108375.html
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Delate, K., R. Johnson, and C. Cambardella. 2017. Improving Soil Conservation and Crop Performance through Reduced Tillage and Cover Crop-based Rotations in Organic Squash Production, September 19, 2017, ASHS Annual Conference, Waikoloa, HI:
https://ashs.confex.com/ashs/2017/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/26947
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Neu, K. and A. Nair. 2017. Evaluating grafting for hybrid and heirloom tomatoes in a Midwest high tunnel production system. September 19, 2017, ASHS Annual Conference, Waikoloa, HI
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Neu, K. and A. Nair. 2017. A low-input alternative healing system for grafted tomato transplants. 2017. Evaluating grafting for hybrid and heirloom tomatoes in a Midwest high tunnel production system. September 19, 2017, ASHS Annual Conference, Waikoloa, HI
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Nair, A. and C. Barickman. 2017. Integrating Cover Crops and Conservation Tillage Systems for Vegetables. September 19, 2017, ASHS Annual Conference, Waikoloa, HI
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Thicke, F. and K. Delate. 2017. Organic No-Till for Field Crops. Midwest Organic Conference (MOSES), February 24, 2017, LaCrosse, WI: https://mosesorganic.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/MOSES-2017-Program.pdf
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Nair, A., F. Thicke, E. Silva, and B. Sammons. 2017. Cover crops and conservation tillage. Midwest Organic Conference (MOSES), February 24, 2017, LaCrosse, WI: https://mosesorganic.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/MOSES-2017-Program.pdf
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Nair, A. 2017. Strip-tillage in vegetable production systems. Midwest Organic Conference (MOSES), February 24, 2017, LaCrosse, WI: https://mosesorganic.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/MOSES-2017-Program.pdf
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Delate, K. The Value of Distance Education, ISU Brenton Center, ISU, Ames, IA, November 8, 2017. Available at: https://vimeo.com/241579618/00a7ce2681
- Type:
Book Chapters
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Currey, C.J., D.A. Kopsell, N.S. Mattson, J.K. Craver, R.G. Lopez, J.E. Erwin, and C. Kubota. Supplemental and sole-source lighting of leafy greens, herbs, and microgreens, p. 170180. In: Lopez, R.G. and E.S. Runkle (eds.) Light management in controlled environments. Meister Media Worldwide, Willoughby, OH.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Currey, C.J. 2017. Nutrient deficient vegetable and herb bedding plants. eGRO Alert 6(35):14.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Currey, C.J. 2017. Not-so purple basil. eGRO Edible Alert 2(3):13.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Currey, C.J. 2017. Propagating produce. Produce Grower February:1416.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Currey, C.J. 2017. The basics of training and pruning plants. Produce Grower March: 1821.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Currey, C.J. 2017. An introduction into pests in hydroponic production. Produce Grower April: 2629.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Elumalai, S.D., A.M. Shaw, D.A. Patillo, C.J. Currey, K.R. Rosentrater, and K. Xie. 2017. Influence of UV treatment on the food safety status of a model aquaponic system. Water 9(1):2737.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Litvin, A.G. and C. Currey. Daily light integral affects growth, development, and chlorophyll fluorescence of eight culinary herbs grown hydroponically. American Society for Horticultural Science Annual Conference. Waikoloa, Hawaii. 21 Sept. 2017.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Litvin, A.G.* and C.J. Currey. Supplemental light sources and spectra affect basil, dill, and parsley growth, gas exchange, and aroma and flavor profile. American Society for Horticultural Science Annual Conference. Waikoloa, Hawaii. 20 Sept. 2017.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Hannapel DJ, Sharma P, Lin T, Banerjee AK (2017) An Update on the Tuber Activation Pathway: The multiple signals that control tuber formation. Plant Physiol 174: 845-856
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Hannapel DJ, Banerjee AK (2017) Multiple mobile mRNA signals regulate tuber development in potato. Plants doi: 10.3390/plants6010008
- Type:
Book Chapters
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Ghate TH, Sharma P, Khondare KR, Hannapel DJ, Banerjee AK (2017) The mobile RNAs, StBEL11 and StBEL29, suppress growth of tubers in potato. Plant Mol Biol 93: 563-578
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Wesley, A., T. Robinson, B. Black, S. Blatt, D.R. Cochran, W. Cowgill, C. Hampson, E. Hoover, G. Lang, D. Miller, I. Minas, R.P. Quezada, and M. Stasiak. Budagovsky, Geneva, Pillnitz, and Malling apple rootstocks affect Honeycrisp performance over the first five years of the 2010 NC-140 Honeycrisp Apple Rootstock Trial. J. Amer. Pomol. Soc.
- Type:
Book Chapters
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Nair, A. 2017. Midwest Vegetable Production Guide for Commercial Growers (Co-Editor). http://mwveguide.org/
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Midwest Fruit Workers Group. 2017. Midwest Fruit Pest Management Guide 2017. B.
Bordelon, ed. Printed by Purdue University and available at Iowa State Extension
https://store.extension.iastate.edu/Product/Midwest-Fruit-Pest-Management-Guide-
2017.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Schroeder, L. and D.R. Cochran. ISU Horticulture Farm Trapping and Monitoring Program. Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association. Ankeny, IA. January 26, 2017.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Takle, B. and D.R. Cochran. 2017. Hop production calendar. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Publication. Iowa State Extension HORT 3065.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Cochran, D.R. Hop Introductory Track: Irrigation and Nutrient Management. Nebraska Grower and Brewer Conference, Lincoln, NB. January 5, 2017.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Cochran, D.R. Growing Peaches in Iowa. Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association. Ankeny, IA. January 27, 2017.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Hannan, J. and D.R. Cochran. Field day: Frost protection system in high density apples. Timeless Prairie Orchard, July 11, 2017.
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
https://www.extension.iastate.edu/vegetablelab/
- Type:
Book Chapters
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Nair, A. Cucumber production in high tunnels. Iowa High Tunnel Production Guide, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, HORT 3060
- Type:
Book Chapters
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Nair, A. Weed management in high tunnels. Iowa High Tunnel Production Guide, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, HORT 3060
- Type:
Book Chapters
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Nair, A. Tomato and pepper production in high tunnels. Iowa High Tunnel Production Guide, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, HORT 3060
- Type:
Book Chapters
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Nair, A. Cover crops in high tunnels. Iowa High Tunnel Production Guide, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, HORT 3060
|
Progress 10/01/15 to 09/30/16
Outputs
Target Audience:The primary target audience are fruit and vegetable growers and greenhouse growers. The project also provides research-based information to extension professionals, grower organizations, industry personnel, agriculture professionals, and general public. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Several training and professional development activities were offered including field days, workshops, conference presentations and presentations at professional society annual meetings. Extension specialists and farmer-educators were recruited for these technology transfer events, and their expertise blended with project results to increase impact for a wider audience. Graduate students [Kristine Neu (PhD candidate), John Krzton-Presson (MS), Hayley Nelson (PhD candidate), John Critser (MS), Moriah Bilenky (MS)] in the Department of Horticulture assisted with the organization of 2016 Fruit and Vegetable Field Day. They presented their research to growers and ag professionals during the field day. Several undergraduate students were hired and trained by PI's on this project. Undergraduate students in the Sustainable Vegetable Lab were trained on different aspects of vegetable production, research data collection, and data analysis. Students working in the area of fruit production learned to properly prune high-density apple training systems. A total of 23 high school students were educated on fruit and vegetable production during the Iowa Youth Institute of the World Food Prize. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Research results from various ISU projects were disseminated through refereed publications, research reports, workshops, field days, presentations at grower and scientific conferences, extension bulletins, online blog, and extension websites. The Fruit and Vegetable Field day in Ames, IA attracted 110 growers to the event. The event was held in partnership with Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association and Practical Farmers of Iowa. Researchers made presentations at grower conferences, field days, extension meetings, and research conferences. Information was disseminated to the general public as well through blogs, radio, press releases, and speaking at public forums. A public event was organized in partnership with Iowa Public radio, which attracted more than 400 people to the research station. A Hop Open House at the ISU Horticulture Research Farm, Ames, IA was organized to educate growers and the general public on hop production. Fruit Spraying Workshop held at the research station hosted Andrew Landers author of "Effective Vineyard Spraying Guide" and "Effective Orchard Spraying Guide". A total of 7 on-farm trials were conducted on topics such as integrated pest management, tomato grafting, apple rootstock selection, and organic no-tillage. Results from this organic no-tillage project were disseminated to audiences of 2,039 participants through four field days, five meetings, 15 conference presentations and one webinar in 2016. All produce produced in the Organic No-Till experiment was used by University of Iowa Dining Services for 210 participants at the Iowa Organic Conference at University of Iowa, held on November 13-14, 2016. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Several research projects have already been initiated and there are few in the pipeline. Effective and timely dissemination of research-based information is a critical component of this project. There will be field days, workshops, and webinars that will be organized part of this project. Publication materials such as newsletters, extension bulletins, and trade journal articles will be developed in the coming year. Researchers are working on submitting research and extension proposals to agencies such as USDA ORG, USDA OREI, USDA SARE, and IDALS.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
IMPACT: This period we conducted studies on high tunnels for season extension and enhancement of fruit quality, and field experiments on the effect of cover crops and tillage on muskmelon production and food safety. We tested an innovative row cover fabric net to protect against pests and diseases with minimal pesticide use. We studied crop rotations and compost applications, which were shown to be effective methods to manage pests and provide crop and soil nutrition. The dissemination of our results increased vegetable growers' and crop advisors' understanding of cost-effective methods to ensure production of crops meet market demands while suppressing key diseases, arthropod pests, and weeds as well as protecting soil and conserving pollinators and natural predators. Objective 1. Increase the quality and percentage of marketable product per acre, reduce production costs and increase business profitability through improved cultural techniques and use of adapted fruit and vegetable cultivars. To increase understanding of the effectiveness of using high tunnels for season extension and enhancement of fruit quality we initiated a high tunnel project to investigate the effect of high tunnels on peach establishment, growth, and development. To compare field-grown versus high tunnel grown peaches, an outside planting of peach was established. In addition, replicated field trials evaluated thornless blackberry cultivars grown with an adjustable rotating arm trellis system under Iowa climate and soil conditions in Ames and Lewis, Iowa. The percent of canes alive, measured in May 2016, was similar among cultivars, with 'Triple Crown' canes having 95.3 % alive and 'Chester Thornless' with 88.6% alive in plots in Lewis. In Ames, 'Triple Crown' had 67.5 % of the canes alive and 'Chester Thornless' had 57.4% alive.A one-acre hop trial results indicate 'Cascade' and 'Chinook' hop cultivars do well in Iowa climates. This study will provide information including cost of establishment, pest control techniques, weed control techniques, and harvesting parameters. Field experiments investigating the effect of cover crops and tillage on muskmelon production and food safety were conducted. Cover crop treatments included cereal rye, cereal rye-vetch mixture or no cover crop. Two tillage practices, conventional tillage and strip tillage, were also tested in conjunction with cover crops. There was no effect of cover crops on marketable melon yield, however, tillage did affect yield. Conventional tillage produced higher yield than strip-tillage. Conventional tillage also increased average fruit length, fruit cavity length, and cavity width, although fruit density was higher in the strip-tillage treatment. Weed density, between rows, in the strip tillage treatment was lower than that of conventional tillage. Cover crop biomass successfully suppressed weed growth, however, that effect faded out later in the season, especially with perennial weeds. Concentration of soil NO3-N was consistently higher in the conventional tillage at all sampling times. A higher number of fruits tested positive for Listeria innocua in the no-cover crop conventional tillage treatment than any other treatment. Soil sampling throughout the growing season showed significant reduction of Listeria innocua in cereal rye and cereal rye-vetch treatments over no-cover crop treatment. Research on tomato grafting for high tunnel tomato production provided valuable information to Iowa growers. Grafting increased production by 16,200 fruits per hectare. Fruit quality analysis found that there was an overall decrease of soluble solids in grafted fruit. This result is interestingbecause our hypothesis was that grafting would increase sugars within the fruit. We also found that grafting did not significantly increase the firmness of the fruit. Overall, our results showed that use of the rootstock RST-06-104-T can have some benefits for yield and plant health, but it may not significantly increase marketability of fruit or contribute to higher fruit quality. It is important to look at multiple studies with a wide variety of tomato rootstocks bred for grafting to continue to drive sound management decisions. Objective 2. Develop and promote sustainable production practices and pest management strategies that enhance yields and minimize negative effects on the environment. Two on-farm trials were initiated (Old Tree Farm, Carson, IA and Rinehart Farms, Ogden, IA) to investigate new row cover technology with mulch and cover crops to defend muskmelon and acorn squash against major diseases and insect pests. Both grower sites tested an innovative row cover fabric called the ProTek net to protect vegetable crops against pests and diseases with minimal pesticide use. Crop tested at Old Tree Farm included acorn squash. Spaghetti squash was the crop used at Rinehart Farms. Both locations show improvement in crop growth, yield, and produce quality under row cover and ProTek netting over the no-cover control treatment. There was less insect and disease damage under the covers. Growers were interviewed and asked to comment on topics such as plant vigor, difference in insect damage and pest pressure, installation difficulty or ease, earliness in harvest, management challenges, and cost associated with row covers and ProTek netting. Growers gave positive feedback for ProTek netting as it does not overheat the crop and provides adequate aeration. One of the challenges of using row cover and ProTek netting is weed management especially at the edge where the plastic mulch meets the soil. Growers had to remove the covers to weed those areas. One of the major positive aspects of ProTek netting was its multi-functionality. At Old Tree Farm, ProTek netting was widely used, after the squash harvest, for fall crops such as cabbage and cauliflower to prevent damage from insect pests such as imported cabbageworm, diamond back moth, and cabbage looper. Objective 3. Evaluate the impact of organic-compliant pest management and soil fertility methods on organic vegetable crop production. Crop rotations and compost applications were shown to be effective methods to manage pests and provide crop and soil nutrition. Soil quality was higher in the organic crop rotations relative to the conventionally managed rotation in Fall 2015. Organic soils had more microbial biomass C and N, higher P, K, Mg and Ca concentrations, and lower soil acidity than conventional soils. The long-term 4-yr organic rotation tended to have more microbial biomass C and stable macro aggregates than the 3-yr rotation, suggesting that the extra year of alfalfa increased the resilience of the 4-yr organic rotation through increased microbial biomass and more stable soil structure. Compost applied at 100 lb N/acre and organic fertilizer side-dressed after vegetable crop establishment at 50 lb N/acre led to greater vegetable yields. The greatest tomato yields (27,221 lb/acre) were obtained in mulched and tilled treatments, with lower yields in the organic no-till. Yields in cover-cropped plots were similar to no cover crops. The highest sweet corn yields (ranging from 2,797 to 5,406 lb/acre) were in plots that were tilled, with and without cover crops, and had compost applied. Although the no-till plots did not have favorable yields in 2015 in Iowa, soil quality parameters have been higher in no-till plots, showing enhanced storage of soil organic C, total N, and biologically active soil C and N when cover crops were planted in the fall before vegetable cropping. The no-till plots with composted animal manures showed improved soil structure, higher soil organic C and total N, biologically active soil N, and higher plant nutrient concentrations. Grain crops produced in longer rotations with perennial forage crops had 50% less nitrate-N in tiles compared to conventional corn-soybean rotations with synthetic N fertilizer.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Svoboda, A., A. Shaw, L. Wilson, A. Mendonca, A. Nair, and A. Daraba. 2016. The effects of produce washes on the quality and shelf life of cantaloupe (Cucumis melo var. cantupensis) and watermelon (Citrullus lantus var. lanatus). Journal Food Quality. doi:10.1111/jfq.12229
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Svoboda A., A. Shaw, J. Dzubak, A. Mendonca, L. Wilson, and A. Nair. 2016. Effectiveness of broad spectrum chemical produce sanitizers against foodborne pathogens on cantaloupe and watermelon surfaces.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Carpenter, B.*, A. Nair, and D. Laird. 2016. Effect of biochar and mulching on bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) growth, yield, and soil nutrients in two temperate soil types.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Jokela, D.* and A. Nair. 2016. No tillage and strip tillage effects on plant performance, weed suppression, and profitability in transitional organic broccoli production. HortScience
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Kruse, R.* and A. Nair. 2016. Summer cover crops and lettuce planting time influence weed population, soil nitrogen concentration, and lettuce yields.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Jokela, D.* and A. Nair. 2016. Effects of reduced tillage and fertilizer application method on plant growth, yield, and soil health in organic bell pepper production.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Kruse, R.*, A. Nair, and M. Owen. 2016. Effects of fall cover crop on weed population density, soil nitrogen, and potato yield.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Nair, A. and B. Carpenter*. 2016. Biochar rate and transplant tray cell number have implications on pepper growth during transplant production.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Nair, A. and R. Kruse*. 2016. Southernpea summer cover crop increases soil nitrogen and fall cabbage yield.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Tillage and Residue Management in Organic Systems , USDA-NRCS National Webinar, October 4, 2016, USDA-NRCS, Des Moines, IA. Available at:
http://www.conservationwebinars.net/webinars/residue-and-tillage-management-in-organic-farming-systems-central-states
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Delate, K., and C. Cambardella. 2016. Improving Conservation through Reduced Tillage and Cover-Crop-Based Rotations in Organic Production. American Society for Horticultural Science Annual Conference, Atlanta, Georgia, Aug. 8-11, 2016, ASHS, Alexandria, VA.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Phillips, H., B. Heins, P. Pagliari, K. Delate, R. Turnbull, A. Shaw, J. Moyer, and K. Nichols. 2016. Integrating Crops and Livestock in a Systems Approach to Enhance Organic Farm Stability, Safety and Resilience. Organic Research Forum, Midwest Organic Conference (MOSES), February 26-27, 2016, LaCrosse, WI.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Nichols, K.A., J.W. Moyer, K. Delate, and B. Heins. 2016. Integrating Crops and Livestock in a Systems-Based Approach to Enhance Organic Farm Stability, Safety and Resilience - Rodale Institute Study. American Society of Agronomy Annual Conference, November 8, 2016, Phoenix, AZ: https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2016am/webprogram/Paper102979.html
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Delate, K. and F. Thicke. 2016. Practitioners' Perspectives on How Organic Rules Meet the Challenge of Sustainability. American Society of Agronomy Annual Conference, November 7, 2016, Phoenix, AZ. Available at: https://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2016am/webprogram/Paper102109.html
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Nair, A. and J. Hannan. Potassium management for solanaceous crops. Annual Conference Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, Ankeny, IA. 29 Jan. 2016.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Delate, K., and C. Cambardella. 2016. Improving Conservation through Reduced Tillage and Cover-Crop-Based Rotations in Organic Production. Organic Research Forum, Midwest Organic Conference (MOSES), February 26-27, 2016, LaCrosse, WI.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Heins, B., K. Delate, and H. Phillips. 2016. Research Looks at Integrating Crops and Livestock to Enhance Organic Farm Resilience. Organic Broadcaster November/December 2016 Issue. Available at: https://mosesorganic.org/integrating-crops-livestock/
- Type:
Other
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Delate, K., Phillips, H., B. Heins, P. Pagliari, K. Delate, R. Turnbull, A. Shaw, J. Moyer, and K. Nichols. 2016. Integrating Crops and Livestock in a Systems Approach to Enhance Organic Farm Stability, Safety and Resilience. USDA-NIFA-OREI Project Directors Workshop Proceedings, October 18, 2016, USDA-NIFA, Washington, D.C.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Delate, K., S. Canali, R. Turnbull, R. Tan and L. Colombo. 2016. Participatory Organic Research in the U.S. and Italy: Across a Continuum of FarmerResearcher Partnerships. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, p. 1-18. Available at: DOI: https://doi.org.10.1017/S1742170516000247
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Reeve, J.R., L.A. Hoagland, J.J. Villalba, P.M. Carr, A. Atucha, C. Cambardella, D.R. Davis, K. Delate. 2016. Organic Farming, Soil Health, and Food Quality: Considering Possible Links. Advances in Agronomy 137:319-368.
- Type:
Book Chapters
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Nair, A. and K. Delate. 2016. Composting, Crop Rotation, and Cover Crop Practices in Organic Vegetable Production. In: D. Nandwani (ed.), Organic Farming for Sustainable Agriculture, Sustainable Development and Biodiversity 9: pp. 231-257, Springer International Publishing Switzerland. Available at: DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-26803-3_11
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Delate, K., and A. Nair. 2016. Crop Rotations, Composting, and Cover Crops for Organic Vegetable Production, HORT 3052, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, ISU, Ames, IA. 12 pp. Available at: https://store.extension.iastate.edu/FileDownload.ashx?FileID=3603
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Under Review
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Hannapel DJ, Banerjee AK (2016) Multiple mobile mRNA signals of potato regulate tuber development. In Plants: Special Issue on "Plasmodesmata and Intercellular Movement (invited paper in review).
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Under Review
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Sharma P, Ghate TH, Khondare KR, Hannapel DJ, Banerjee AK (2016)� The mobile RNAs, StBEL11 and StBEL29, suppress growth of roots and tubers in potato. Plant Mol Biol (in review).
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Sharma P, Lin T, Hannapel DJ (2016) Targets of the StBEL5 transcription factor include the FT ortholog StSP6A. Plant Physiol 170: 310-324
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Under Review
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Hannapel DJ, Sharma P, Lin T, Banerjee AK (2016) An Update on the Tuber Activation Pathway: Front-loaded and doubled-down: The signaling network of tuberization. Plant Physiol (in review).
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Cochran, D.R. and B. Takle. 2016. Hop Production 101: Commercial hop yard trellis design and construction. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Publication HORT 3051B.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Cochran, D.R. 2016. Hop Production 101: Site selection and planting. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Publication HORT 3051.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Shaw, A., K. Helterbran, M.R. Evans, and C. Currey. 2016. Growth of Escherichia coli O157:57, non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, and Salmonella in water and hydroponic fertilizer solutions. Journal of Food Protection 79(12):2179-2183.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Shoulders, C.W., M.R. Evans, M.C. Lolley, and C.J. Currey. 2016. A description of current national horticulture curriculum for greenhouse food crop production. NACTA Journal 60(1)82-85.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Currey, C.J. and A.M. VanDerZanden. Students increase understanding and knowledge of food security as a result of a hydroponic food production course. American Society for Horticultural Science Annual Conference. Atlanta, Georgia. 9 August 2016.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Currey, C.J., Jacob R. Smith, and Kellie J. Walters. Air temperature affects the growth and development of cilantro, dill, and parsley. American Society for Horticultural Science Annual Conference. Atlanta, Georgia. 11 August 2016.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Flax, N.J. and C.J. Currey. Controlled-release and water-soluble fertilizers affect growth and tissue nutrient concentrations of basil, dill, and parsley. American Society for Horticultural Science Annual Conference. Atlanta, Georgia. 10 August 2016.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Cochran, D.R., J.M. Hannan, P. OMalley, and M.L. White. Effective Fruit Spraying Workshop. Hosted Andrew Landers author of Effective Vineyard Spraying Guide and Effective Orchard Spraying Guide . Horticulture Research Station, Ames, IA. [38 people] June 28, 2016.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Rippke, M., D.R. Cochran, and L. Schroeder. 2015. Sixth Year Performance of Honeycrisp Grafted on 31 Dwarfing Rootstocks of the NC-140 2010 Regional Apple Rootstock Trial. ISU Horticulture Station Research Report. ISRF15-36:30-31.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Fruit and Vegetable Field Day, 15 August 2016, Horticulture Research Station
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
2. Krzton-Presson, J. and A. Nair. 2016. Cover crops and strip tillage influence on soil health and food safety in a Midwest muskmelon production system. American Society for Horticultural Science Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
1. Nair, A., J. Krzton-Presson, and D. Jokela. 2016. Leguminous cover crops in vegetable cropping systems and effects of seed inoculation. American Society for Horticultural Science Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Nair, A. 2016. Suggested soil micronutrient levels and sampling procedures for vegetable crops. HORT3063. Iowa State University
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Nair, A. and B. Carpenter. 2016. Commercial Asparagus production. HORT3059. Iowa State University.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Nair, A. and J. Krzton-Presson. 2016. Commercial melon production. HORT 3058. Iowa State University.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Nair, A. and L. Irish. 2016. Commercial production of Pak Choi. HORT 3057. Iowa State University.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Nair, A., V. Lawson, D. Lewis, L. Jesse, and L. Rodriguez-Salamanca. 2016. Commercial potato production guide. HORT3044. Iowa State University.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Nair, A. and R. Kruse. 2016. Short duration cover crops for vegetable production systems. HORT 3041. Iowa State University.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Nair. A., L. Krouse, Paul Ackley, and Meaghan Andreasen. 2016. Top 10 cover crop species for Iowa 2016 Edition. Annual Conference Practical Farmers of Iowa, Ames, IA. 23 Jan. 2016.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Nair, A. Soil conservation practices in Midwest vegetable production. Annual Conference American Society for Horticultural Science, Atlanta, GA. 9 Aug. 2016.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Nair, A. 2016. How to raise high quality potatoes in the Midwest. Great Plains Growers Annual Conference, St. Joseph, MO. 9 Jan. 2016.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Nair, A., K. Delate, J. Krzton-Presson, and K. Neu. 2016. Insights into conservation tillage in vegetable production. USDA-SARE supported Farmer Rancher Field Day, Churdan, IA. 15 June, 2016.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Nair, A., J. Hannan, and L. Rodriguez. 2016. Transplant production workshop, Fort Dodge, IA. 18 Feb. 2016.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Nair, A. and B. Carpenter. Use of biochar in vegetable production. Annual Conference Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, Ankeny, IA. 28 Jan. 2016.
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Progress 09/01/15 to 09/30/15
Outputs
Target Audience:The primary target audience are fruit and vegetable growers. As part of the project, team members have contacted vegetable growers in the state for ideas and suggestions on future research and extension needs in the state. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?There was development of international research collaboration with ISARA, a graduate college in Lyon, France focusing on agroecology and sustainable agriculture. One of the faculty members on the team was invited to visit Lyon and present their research findings. A professional development grant from Iowa State University helped defray some of the costs related to the travel. 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?Several research projects have already been initiated and there are a few in the pipeline. Effective and timely dissemination of research-based information is a critical component of this project. There will be field days, workshops, and webinars that will be organized part of this project. Publication materials such as newsletters, extension bulletins, and trade journal articles will be developed in the coming year.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
This project continues the work of two previous CRIS projects, IOW03701 and IOW03801. Within the one month period, since this project started, the team members have met once to discuss future research and extension activities that will be carried under this project. Graduate student recruitments efforts are ongoing to work on objectives and goals outlined in this project. Research conducted on the use of biochar, a soil amendment, was presented at an International Research Symposium on biochar that was held in Geisenheim, Germany in September 2015.
Publications
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