Progress 10/01/15 to 09/30/20
Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences: Target audiences reached through this project include 1) organic farmers and small scale vegetable and fruit producers in North Dakota who attended field days at which results were presented, 2) research scientists and undergraduate/graduate students who attended scientific meetings at which research results from this project were presented, and 3) graduate students who participated in the research project activities. This project especially targeted small, economically challenged beginning farmers and community gardeners, as well as organic farmers. Efforts: Results from the research associated with this project were presented at the 2020 Wild World of Weeds Workshop (Fargo ND, January 20), Northern Plains Sustainable Ag Society Annual Conference (Fargo ND, January 23-25) and the American Society of Horticultural Science 2020 Annual Conference (Virtual Meeting, August 10-13, E-organic: Organic Research Communication and Student Article Competition Winners Section). Graduate and undergraduate students who worked on this project had experiential learning opportunities associated with conducting the research associated with this project. Note: The primary field day at which our results would have been presented, the NDSU Horticultural Research Field Day, was cancelled in 2020 due to constraints resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Changes/Problems:The COVID-19 pandemic reduced the number of opportunities to present research results from this project at field days. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Training activities: Participating in these research projects has, over five years, provided professional training for two graduate students, two research specialists, and ten undergraduate students. The graduate students and research specialists had opportunities to gain experience research methodologies, writing and speaking, data analysis, and teaching/mentoring/supervising undergraduate students. Our research team has also been working with two local farmers, who have replicated parts of our current experiments on their farms. This provided the students with opportunities to interact with farmers and to learn about practical realities of farming. Professional development: Dr. Gramig and two graduate students attended and presented results from this project at numerous field days, which provided many opportunities to gain experience communicating research results to diverse audiences (scientific and farmer/citizen audiences). Dr. Gramig's graduate students also presented results from both project objectives at numerous professional meetings, affording the students opportunities to gain experience presenting scientific results, as well as providing valuable networking opportunities. Both graduate students successfully completed their degrees and now are employed fulltime conducting agricultural research. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results associated with both project objectives were presented to farmer/lay audiences at numerous field days farmer conferences (Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service Annual Conference and Northern Plains Sustainable Agriculture Society Annual Conference). Results associated with both project objectives were communicated to growers, scientists, and students at several other research-oriented conferences (Weed Science Society of America Annual Conference, American Society of Agronomy Annual Conference, American Society for Horticultural Science Annual Conference, and Kellogg Biological Station Long Term Ecological Research Scientist Meeting) during the life of this project. We also presented a demonstration of the hydromulching approach at a grower-oriented field day held at Heart and Soil Farm. One graduate student presented the results of the hydromulching study at several research presentation events held at NDSU; these presentations disseminated our results to a wide audience from more diverse backgrounds than attendees of typical field days and scientific conferences. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Impact Statement: Consumer interest in locally-produced foods is growing. A 2015 USDA report stated that the number of farms participating in direct to consumer sales of food for human consumption increased from 116,733 in 2002 to 144,530 in 2012. Farmers' markets increased 180% between 2006 and 2014. From 2007 to 2012, total sales of organic food increased from 1.7 to 3.1 billion dollars (USDA-NASS 2007, USDA-NASS 2012). This increased demand, coupled with significant price premiums for organic crops, has incentivized shifts from conventional to organic production among producers. Weeds plague every agricultural production system, but are critical barriers to small-scale local vegetable production and organic production. Few herbicides are labeled for use in vegetable crops, and herbicides are not permitted for organic production. Therefore, tillage remains the most common weed management tactic used by small scale vegetable producers and organic farmers. Unfortunately, tillage causes soil quality degradation and often stimulates additional weed emergence, creating additional weed problems. Plastic mulch is also commonly used, but disposal is costly and creates environmental problems. Development of alternative weed management approaches will lead to environmental and economic gains for farmers and consumers. The results from this research will inform organic farmers, along with other farmers who are interested in non-chemical weed control such as small farmers growing local produce, about alternative production approaches to enhance weed suppression. Farms producing locally-marketed products and/or organic products support increased access to nutritious fresh produce, contribute to local economics, and provide environmental services such as soil carbon sequestration. Objective 1: Evaluate non-chemical weed management options for vegetable crop production under organic management systems for weed suppression. (a) Major activities completed: Experiments were established at Fargo and Absaraka ND in 2018 and 2019. Factorial combinations of three surface mulches (SM) [hydromulch (HM), compost blanket (CB) and no mulch (NO)] and five living mulches (LM) [perennial ryegrass (PR), red clover (RC), white clover (WC), weed-free check (WF) and weedy check (WK)] were applied. HM consisted of 1:35 shredded newspaper to water. CB consisted of a 1:1 hemp hurd to composted cow manure mixture. (b) Data collected: Weed populations and community structure were assessed in LM and SM treatments at peak emergence and peak vegetative weed biomass via quadrat counts. A series of soil cores was removed from each plot prior to establishment of living mulches and at the end of the study to quantify soil macro nutrient status. Carrot yield was assessed. (c) Summary statistics and discussion of results: ANOVA was used to test the effect of LMs and SMs on carrot emergence, carrot yield, weed suppression, and soil nutrients. Weed counts and biomass were reduced by 82% and 54% in compost blanket and 73% and 25% in hydromulch compared to the no mulch control. No differences were observed between the hydromulch and compost blanket treatments for weed count, biomass or weed community composition. Carrot emergence was greater emergence in compost blanket (16 plants m-1) than in the no-mulch control (6 plants m-1) in Fargo, ND and lesser in compost blanket compared to the no-mulch control in Absaraka, ND (15 plants m-1 and 35 plants m-1 respectively). Treatment effect differences between sites are attributable to soil texture differences, and compost blanket mulches may confer improved emergence in finely textured soils. Carrot yield did not differ among LM treatments, but LMs were associated with 54% to 82% less yield compared to the weed-free check. At Absaraka only, white clover was associated with an increase of soil nitrate compared to other LM treatments (37 lbs/acre vs. 23 lbs/acre). Adjusting living mulch management could reduce carrot yield loss. Further development of mulch formulations and application techniques may allow for more effective integration hydromulches with living mulches. The durability and weed suppressive ability of these surface mulch formulations suggests adoption may be feasible for horticultural growers. (d) Key outcomes or other accomplishments realized: Via presentations of research results at scientific meetings, researchers learned about the key results produced by this research. Via talks at field days, farmers, gardeners, and extension personnel learned about the results of this research. One peer-reviewed article has been accepted for publication and is awaiting publication. Objective 2: Assess impacts of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and weed management approaches on soil quality and crop nutritional status and yield in organic vegetable production systems. (a) Experiments conducted: Field experiments were established at Dickinson and Absaraka NDvto investigate impacts of hay mulch and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculant on onion, table beet, winter squash, and sugar snap pea yield in an organic vegetable production system. Commercially available AMF (Glomus intraradices, Glomus mosseae, Glomus aggregatum, and Glomus etunicatum) inoculant was applied to half the plots after planting crops. Alfalfa hay mulch was applied 15 cm deep after crop emergence. Weeds were removed from all plots and quantified on a timely basis, so yield differences among treatments were due to factors other than crop-weed competition. Both sites were fertilized with chicken (Absaraka) or cow (Dickinson) manure to prior to planting. (b) Data collected: Weed density and weed seedbank density were quantified. Crop yield was measured. Soil cores were collected from each plot and analyzed to determine wet aggregate stability, active carbon, soil respiration, soil organic matter, and macronutrient content (N-P-K). Crop root fragments were stained, mounted to slides, and examined via microscopy to determine the degree of AMF colonization. The amount of time needed to weed each plot was recorded, to determine labor inputs for weed management. (c) Summary statistics and discussion of results: The hay mulch greatly suppressed weeds compared to bare soil. Bare plots required substantially more weeding time than the mulched plots. Over time (from 2015 to 2017) weed seedbank density decreased at the Absaraka site for both mulched and tilled plots, but the effect was much more pronounced among the mulched plots. At the Dickinson site, from 2015 to 2017, weed seedbank density remained the same for mulched plots, but increased substantially for tilled plots. At the Absaraka site, crops grown in mulched plots produced greater yield than crops grown without mulch under conventional tillage. Due to crop failures, only the onion crop at Dickinson was harvested for yield, and similar to the Absaraka site, mulched onions produced greater yield than onions grown without mulch under conventional tillage. At Absaraka, wet aggregate stability increased over time (from 2015 to 2017) for mulched plots, but remained the same for tilled plots. At Dickinson, wet aggregate stability increased over time for both mulched and tilled plots, but the effect was greater for mulched plots. At Absaraka, active carbon increased over time in mulched plots. At Dickinson, active carbon decreased over time regardless of tillage/mulch. At both sites, soil respiration was greater for mulched plots than for tilled plots. AMF inoculation did not impact any measures of crop yield, weed community extent, or soil health indicators. (d) Key outcomes or other accomplishments realized: Via presentations of research results at scientific meetings, researchers learned about the key results produced by this research. Via talks at field days, farmers, gardeners, and extension personnel learned about the results of this research. Peer reviewed articles reporting these results are in preparation.
Publications
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Progress 10/01/18 to 09/30/19
Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences reached through this project include 1) organic farmers and small scale vegetable and fruit producers in North Dakota who attended field days at which results were presented, 2) research scientists and undergraduate/graduate students who attended scientific meetings at which research results from this project were presented, and 3) graduate students who participated in the research project activities. This project especially targeted small, economically challenged beginning farmers and community gardeners, as well as organic farmers. ? Changes/Problems:Dr. Gramig planned the research activities associated with this Hatch project under the assumption that she would continue to be supported with a FTE hard-dollar (100%) funded research specialist. Unfortunately, her research specialist was lost due to budget difficulties. Without a research specialist (from 1/17 to 5/18), conducting research planned during 2017 and 2018 was exceptionally challenging, resulting in a reduction in research output. Dr. Gramig hired a new research specialist (75% hard-dollar, 25% soft-dollar) during May 2018, so these challenges diminished, though recovering fully may take time as the new research specialist comes up to speed. Additionally, the requirement to provide 25% salary for the research technician may impact the number of graduate and undergraduate students that will be trained in connection with this Hatch project. During the 2019 field season, the new research specialist still required substantial help and supervision in the field, but the situation continues to improve slowly. An additional problem is difficulty recruiting qualified graduate students to work on these projects. During 2019, a new research project (objective B) should have been assigned to a new graduate student. I was unable to recruit a new graduate student, and this increased the workload for myself, my current graduate student, and my research specialist. The primary reason recruiting is difficult is graduate research assistant stipends fall far below the national average. My department pays GRAs approximately 18K per year, with no health insurance. The national standard among peer institutions for GRA stipends averages about 25K per year, with health insurance also provided. As long as this inequity persists, I will have difficulty recruiting new graduate students. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Training activities: Participating in these research projects has provided professional training for one graduate student, one research specialist, and two undergraduate student. The graduate student had opportunities to learn about research methods, learn writing and speaking skills, learn data analysis skills, and obtain practice teaching/mentoring/supervising undergraduate students. Our research team has also been working with two local farmers, who have replicated parts of our current experiments on their farms. This provided the students with opportunities to interact with farmers and to learn about practical realities of farming. Professional development: Dr. Gramig and one graduate student attended and presented results at three field days, which provided many opportunities to gain experience communicating research results to diverse audiences (scientific and farmer/citizen audiences). The graduate student also presented results from objective A at the Weed Weed Science Society of America Annual Meeting and the American Society of Agronomy (ASA) Annual Conference. The graduate student received a first place award for the presentation he delivered at the ASA conference. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results from objective A were presented to farmer/lay audiences at three field days and the MOSES conference, all of which were attended by many farmers and farming consultants (approximately 1000 total attendees). Results from objective A were communicated to growers, scientists, and students at several other research-oriented conferences. Results from the current experiments will be disseminated to scientific audiences during 2020. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Objective A experiments are now concluded. The graduate student working on this project will complete all data analyses and write results in the form of an M.S. thesis and at least one peer-reviewed publication. Objective B experiments will continue with a new graduate student. Additionally, another new project addressing agronomic approaches to grow perennial flax (funded by NCR-SARE) will begin - another new graduate student will work on this project.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Impact Statement: Consumer interest in locally-produced foods continues to grow at an astounding pace. A 2015 USDA report to the U.S. Congress stated that the number of farms participating in direct to consumer sales of food for human consumption increased from 116,733 in 2002 to 144,530 in 2012. Additionally, farmers' market numbers increased 180% between 2006 and 2014 (https://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/publications/ap068/51173_ap068.pdf?v=42083). Meanwhile, consumer demand for organically-produced food has also skyrocketed, with sustained double-digit growth during recent years. From 2007 to 2012, according to U.S. Census of Agriculture statistics, total sales of organic food increased from 1.7 to 3.1 billion dollars (USDA-NASS 2007, USDA-NASS 2012). This increased demand, coupled with significant price premiums for organic crops, has incentivized shifts from conventional to organic production. Weeds plague every agricultural production system, but can impose nearly insurmountable barriers to profitable small-scale local vegetable production and organic production. Few herbicides are labeled for use in vegetable crops, and herbicides are not permitted for organic production. Therefore, tillage remains the most prevalent weed management tactic used by small scale vegetable producers and organic farmers. Unfortunately, tillage is associated with soil quality degradation and often stimulates additional weed emergence, creating additional weed problems. Hand labor to control weeds cuts into profits quickly. Finally, perennial weeds populations often increase over time in these types of systems, and can pose insurmountable obstacles to continued viable production. The results from this research will help inform organic farmers, along with other farmers who are interested in non-chemical weed control such as small farmers growing local produce, about alternative production approaches that could enhance weed suppression and crop yield. Indirectly, this research will help insure food security by increasing access to locally-produced food or organically produced food for North Dakota residents. Farms producing locally-marketed products and/or organic products support increased access to nutritious fresh produce, contribute to local economics, and provide environmental services such as increased pollinator habit or carbon sequestration in soils. Objectives: A. Evaluate non-chemical weed management options for vegetable crop production under organic management systems for weed suppression. B. Initiate long-term on-farm experiments to assess the impact of various cropping sequences on creeping perennial weeds (Canada thistle and field bindweed) in an organic small grain production system. These studies were conceived in collaboration with scientists at other institutions as part of a larger overall project, funded by the USDA-NIFA OREI program (MONB12579974). 1) Major activities completed: Experiments addressing objective A were repeated at Fargo ND and Absaraka ND during 2019. Factorial combinations of three surface mulch (SM) treatments [hydromulch (HM), compost blanket (CB) and no surface mulch (NO)] and five living mulch (LM) treatments [perennial ryegrass (PR), red clover (RC), white clover (WC), weed-free check (WF) and weedy check (WK)] were assigned randomly to four blocks. Carrot (Daucus carota L.) was direct seeded into nine inch wide strip-tilled zones located in the center of each plot. HM consisted of shredded newspaper and water. CB consisted of hemp hurd and composted cow manure in a 1:1 mixture. The study was drip irrigated and LMs were mowed periodically to reduce competition with carrots. A non-replicated demonstration of these treatments (minus controls) was planted at Heart and Soil farm. Experiments addressing objective B were initiated during 2019 at Absaraka ND and Turtle Lake ND (the latter with assistance from a farmer cooperator). The first year crop phases for three different crop sequences were planted: (1) lentils, (2) alfalfa + barley nurse crop, and (3) a nine-species cover crop mixture. Within each plot, 3-1 square meter subplots were permanently established within patches of perennial weeds (Canada thistle or field bindweed). 2) Data collected: For objective A, carrot emergence counts were taken after emergence was complete. Weed counts were taken in LM and SM treatments. Counts were species-specific and combined across four quadrat samples placed systematically. Carrots were harvested, washed, separated into market classes, and weighed. Soil cores were removed from each plot after the growing season was complete and tested to determine soil nutrient status. For objective B, perennial weeds were surveyed within subplots three times during the growing season. At the height of weed growth, all weeds and crops were harvested destructively to determine weed and crop biomass. Lentils were hand-harvested from 3 additional subplots at grain maturity. 3) For objective A, ANOVA was used to test the effect of LM, SM, and LM*SM interaction on carrot emergence, carrot yield, weed suppression, and soil nutrients. Weed counts and biomass were reduced by 82% and 54% respectively in compost blanket and 73% and 25% in hydromulch compared to the no mulch control. No significant differences were observed between the hydromulch and compost blanket treatments for weed count, biomass or weed community composition. Carrot emergence differed by location, with greater emergence in compost blanket STZs (16 plants m-1) than in the no-mulch control (6 plants m-1) in Fargo, ND and lesser carrot emergence in compost blanket compared to the no-mulch control in Absaraka, ND (15 plants m-1 and 35 plants m-1 respectively). Treatment effect differences between sites may be attributable to soil texture differences, suggesting that compost blanket mulches may confer improved emergence in finely textured soils. Carrot yield did not differ among LM treatments, but these were associated with a 54% to 82% yield reduction compared to the weed-free check. At Absaraka only, white clover was associated with an increase of soil nitrate compared to other LM treatments (37 lbs/acres vs. 23 lbs/acre). Adjusting living mulch management by mowing more regularly or expanding the strip-tilled zone width may reduce carrot yield loss. Further development of mulch formulations and application techniques may reduce labor requirements, improve weed suppression and allow for more effective integration of cover cropping, strip tilling and mulching in direct seeded vegetable production.The durability and weed suppression of the relatively simple and low-cost surface mulch formulations suggests adoption may be immediately feasible for growers looking to utilize biodegradable mulching in direct seeded vegetable crops. For objective B, only preliminary data were collected, and no results are available at this time. 4) Key outcomes or other accomplishments realized: Via talks at field days, farmers, gardeners, and extension personnel learned about the results of this research. Results were presented at upcoming scientific conferences during 2019.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Carr, P. M., M. A. Cavigelli, H. Darby, K. Delate, J. O. Eberly, G. G. Gramig, J. R. Heckman, E. B. Mallory, J. R. Reeve, E. M. Silva, D. H. Suchoff, and A. L. Woodley. 2019. Nutrient Cycling in Organic Field Crops in Canada and the United States. Agron. J. 0. doi:10.2134/agronj2019.04.0275
- Type:
Book Chapters
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Briar S.S., Carr P.M., Gramig G.G., Menalled F.D., Miller P.R. (2019) Current Status and Soil Biology Impacts of Organic Conservation Tillage in the US Great Plains. In: Sarath Chandran C., Thomas S., Unni M. (eds) Organic Farming. Springer, Cham, Switzerland.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Puka-Beals JI, Gramig GG. 2019. Surface and living mulches for strip-tilled vegetable production. Weed Science Society of America Annual Meeting. February 11-14, New Orleans, LA. (262)
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Gramig GG, Franco JG, Beamer KP. 2019. Weed suppression by warm-season cover crops. Western Society of Weed Science 72nd Annual Meeting. March 11-14 Denver, CO. (31)
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Puka-Beals JI, Gramig GG. 2019. Combining cover crops, strip tillage, and novel mulches to manage weeds in carrot. ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting. November 10-13 San Antonio, TX. (60-8)
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Progress 10/01/17 to 09/30/18
Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences reached through this project include 1) Organic farmers and small scale vegetable and fruit producers in North Dakota who attended field days at which results were presented, 2) Research scientists and undergraduate/graduate students who attended scientific meetings where research results from this project were presented, and 3) Graduate students who participated in the research project activities. This project especially targeted small, economically challenged beginning farmers and community gardeners. Efforts: Results from the research associated with this project were presented at the 2018 NDSU Wild World of Weeds Workshop, and field days held at the NDSU Absaraka Horticultural Research Farm (8/18) and NDSU Main Campus (9/18). Graduate and undergraduate students who worked on this project had experiential learning opportunities associated with conducting the research associated with this project. Changes/Problems:Dr. Gramig planned the research activities associated with this Hatch project under the assumption that she would continue to be supported with a FTE hard-dollar (100%) funded research specialist. Unfortunately, her research specialist was lost due to budget difficulties. Without a research technician (from 1/17 to 5/18), conducting research planned during 2017 was exceptionally challenging, and numerous associated problems resulted in a reduction in research output. Dr. Gramig hired a new research technician (75% hard-dollar, 25% soft-dollar) during May 2018, so these challenges diminished, though recovering fully may take time as the new research specialist comes up to speed. Additionally, the requirement to provide 25% salary for the research technician may impact the number of graduate and undergraduate students that will be trained in connection with this Hatch project. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Training activities: Participating in these research projects has provided professional training for three graduate students. All students have had opportunities to learn about research methods, learn writing and speaking skills, learn data analysis skills, and obtain practice teaching/mentoring/supervising undergraduate students. Our research team has also been working with two local farmers, who have replicated parts of our current experiments on their farms. This provided the students with opportunities to interact with farmers and to learn about practical realities of farming. Professional development: Dr. Gramig and one graduate student attended and presented results at two field days, which provided many opportunities to gain experience communicating research results to diverse audiences (scientific and farmer/citizen audiences). Another graduate student presented results from a completed previous project at the American Society of Agronomy Conference. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results were presented to farmer/lay audiences at one field day and two conferences, both of which were attended by many farmers and farming consultants. Results from the current experiments will be disseminated to scientific audiences during 2019. Results from a completed previous project at the American Society of Agronomy Conference in October 2017. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The current experiment to assess living mulches and surface mulches in carrot will be repeated during 2019. We will concentrate on refining methodologies for planting the carrots in conjunction with surface mulch applications. Results from this experiment will be presented at NDSU field days and at scientific meetings (WSSA and ASA). Additionally, NIFA (OREI Program) funding has been secured to initiate a new research project. This project is a regional project involving several scientists from Montana, Oregon, and Washington. The objective of the new project is to assess creeping perennial weed suppression tactics in a typical northern Great Plains organic small grain production setting. This is on-farm research that will involve several graduate students as well as undergraduate students. Results from this research will be presented at NDSU field days and scientific conferences. Additionally, research results from previous completed experiments will be submitted for peer review during 2019.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Impact Statement: Consumer interest in locally-produced foods continues to grow at an astounding pace. For example, a recent survey conducted by the National Restaurant Association found that 70% of chefs agreed that locally-sourced produce is a 'hot trend' for 2017 (http://www.restaurant.org/Downloads/PDFs/News-Research/WhatsHot/What-s-Hot-2017-FINAL). A 2015 USDA report to the U.S. Congress stated that the number of farms participating in direct to consumer sales of food for human consumption increased from 116,733 in 2002 to 144,530 in 2012. Additionally, farmers' market numbers increased 180% between 2006 and 2014 (https://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/publications/ap068/51173_ap068.pdf?v=42083). Starting a small community supported agriculture farm is also a way that young entrepreneurs can pursue careers in agricultural production without an enormous capital outlay. The combination of these trends mean that the number of small farms producing specialty crops such as fresh vegetables for locals markets will continue to increase, in ND and elsewhere. Weeds plague every agricultural production system, but can impose nearly insurmountable barriers to profitable small-scale local vegetable production. Few herbicides are labeled for use in vegetable crops. Furthermore, many small-scale vegetable producers are either organically-certified or prefer to limit the use of synthetic pesticides. Therefore, tillage remains the most prevalent weed management tactic used by small scale vegetable producers. Unfortunately, tillage is associated with soil quality degradation and often stimulates additional weed emergence, creating additional weed problems. Hand labor to pull or hoe weeds may also sometimes be implemented by smaller-scale producers, but can be too expensive. The farmer consultants involved with the development of the current project proposal thought that weed management in small-seeded, direct-seeded vegetable crops is one of their biggest challenges. One solution might be to apply organic mulches within the strip-tilled rows to suppress weeds growing close to the crop. Compost blankets and hydro-seeding are two novel approaches that could provide this function. Hydro-seeding involves spraying an aqueous suspension of seeds and fibrous mulch (such as cellulose or paper pulp) to large areas for revegetation and weed suppression. This technique is widely used for restoration of perennial grasses to disturbed areas such as construction sites. Compost mulch blankets are a relatively new approach for providing erosion control and weed suppression for revegetation projects. To create a compost blanket, various types of compost or compost mixed with fibrous mulch materials are sprayed onto seeded areas using a large pressurized hose. The results from this research will help inform organic farmers, along with other farmers who are interested in non-chemical weed control such as small farmers growing local produce, about alternative production approaches that could enhance weed suppression and crop yield. Indirectly, this research will help insure food security by increasing access to locally-produced food for North Dakota residents. Objective: Evaluate non-chemical weed management options for vegetable crop production under organic management systems for weed suppression. 1) Major activities completed: Experiments were established at Fargo ND and Absaraka ND in 2018. Three surface mulch (SM) [hydromulch (HM), compost blanket (CB) and no surface mulch (NO)] and five living mulch (LM) treatments [perennial ryegrass (PR), red clover (RC), white clover (WC), weed-free check (WF) and weedy check (WK)] with four replications result in 15 unique treatments per block and 60 experimental units per site. Carrot (Daucus carota L.) was used as a 'model' direct seeded vegetable crop. Carrot was chosen because it is a relatively difficult vegetable to grow, so would provide the most challenging test of the various treatments. HM consisted of shredded newspaper and water. CB consisted of hemp hurd and composted cow manure in a 1:1 mixture. Elements of this research project were also planted on two local small-scale vegetable farms to explore feasibility and provide demonstrations. One farmer is a formal collaborator on the grant that is funding the project. 2) Data collected:Weed counts were assessed in LM and SM treatments at the beginning, middle and end of the 2018 growing season. Counts were species-specific and were combined across four quadrat samples taken systematically. In the living mulch. quadrats measured 0.0625m2 and were sampled along a diagonal transect. In the carrot rows, 0.0175m2 quadrats were sampled on alternating sides of carrot in-row area. The first two samples were non-destructive to determine weed density and species composition and the final sample was destructive to determine final dry biomass. Decagon dataloggers were paired with soil water sensors to measure soil water status associated with surface mulches. A series of soil cores was removed from each plot prior to establishment of living mulches to determine baseline soil status for each plot. 3) Summary statistics and discussion of results: ANOVA was used to test the effect of LM, SM, and LM*SM interaction on carrot emergence, carrot yield, and weed suppression. At Absaraka, only the SM treatments impacted carrot emergence. Mean carrot emergence for hydromulch was 20.4 carrots m-1, for compost blanket was 14.7 carrots m-1, and for no mulch (control) was 34.6 carrots m-1. Both compost blanket and hydromulch reduced carrot emergence compared to the no mulch control. At Fargo we saw a different result. Simple effects of both LM (p = 0.0022) and SM (p < 0.0001) were significant. For the living mulch effect, the presence of white clover and red clover enhanced carrot emergence. Carrot emergence in red clover plots was greater than in weed-free plots (11.9 vs. 4.1 carrots m-1). Carrot emergence was greater in plots containing white clover compared to weed-free checks (14.1 vs. 4.1 carrots m-1). Carrot emergence in white clover plots was also greater than carrot emergence in weedy checks (14.1 vs. 6.6 carrots per m-1). That's a much more complicated picture than what was seen at Absaraka, where the LM treatments did not impact carrot emergence. Regarding surface mulch effects, results at Fargo were also different compared to the Absaraka site. Carrot emergence also differed among SM treatments at Fargo, but in a different way. At Fargo carrot emergence was greater in the compost blanket treatment compared to both the hydromulch and no mulch treatments (16.4 vs. 5.5 and 6.8 carrots m-1, respectively). In 2019, we hope to fine tune carrot planting and mulching techniques to reduce surface mulch impacts on carrot emergence. Surface mulches were associated with lower weed density and biomass compared to the no surface mulch control. Compost blanket was associated with the lowest weed density, but hydromulch was associated with the lowest total weed biomass. Absence of surface mulch was associated with reduced carrot yield (fresh weight) compared to compost blanket and hydromulch. Results suggest that in-row surface mulches effectively suppressed weeds in strip tillage living mulch systems. Living mulch species did not affect weed count or biomass within the in-row area where carrots were planted. Soil water data have not been analyzed yet. The durability and weed suppression of the relatively simple and low-cost surface mulch formulations suggests adoption may be immediately feasible for growers looking to utilize biodegradable mulching in direct seeded vegetable crops. 4) Key outcomes or other accomplishments realized: Via talks at field days, farmers, gardeners, and extension personnel learned about the results of this research. Results will be presented at upcoming scientific conferences during 2019.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Franco JG, Beamer KP, Gramig GG. 2018. Cover crop-weed dynamics in two contrasting management systems in the northern Great Plains. Western Society of Weed Science Annual Meeting. March 12 - March 15, 2018 Garden Grove, CA.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Beamer KP, Gramig GG, Carr PM. 2017. Weed management and soil quality outcomes of non-chemical weed control tactics. ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting. Tampa, FL. 246-4.
- Type:
Book Chapters
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Gramig GG. 2017. Weed management in organic crop cultivation. In: Zimdahl, R. L. (ed.), Integrated weed management for sustainable agriculture, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK (ISBN: 978 1 78676 164 4; www.bdspublishing.com).
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Progress 10/01/16 to 09/30/17
Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences: Target audiences reached through this project include 1) Organic farmers and small scale vegetable and fruit producers in North Dakota who attended field days at which results were presented, 2) Research scientists and undergraduate/graduate students who attended scientific meetings where research results from this project were presented, and 3) Graduate and undergraduate students who participated in the research project activities. This project especially targeted small, economically challenged beginning farmers and community gardeners. Changes/Problems:Dr. Gramig planned the research activities associated with this project under the assumption that she would continue to be supported with a FTE hard-dollar (100%) funded research technician. Unfortunately, her technician has been lost due to budget difficulties. Without a research technician, conducting research planned for 2017 was exceptionally challenging, and numerous problems resulted in a reduction in research output. Dr. Gramig expects to hire a new research technician (75% hard-dollar, 25% soft-dollar) during 2018, so these challenges should diminish, though recovering fully may take time. Additionally, the requirement to provide 25% salary for the research technician may impact the number of graduate and undergraduate students that will be trained in connection with this Hatch project. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Training activities: Participating in these research projects has provided professional training for two graduate students. Both have had opportunities to learn about research methods, learn writing and speaking skills, learn data analysis skills, and obtain practice teaching/mentoring/supervising undergraduate students. Four undergraduate students learned about field and laboratory research methods including sampling methods, using various scientific instruments (dataloggers, sensors, chlorophyll meters, microscopes, porometers, etc.). Professional development: Dr. Gramig and two graduate students attended and presented results at numerous conferences and one field day, which provided many opportunities to gain experience communicating research results to diverse audiences (scientific and farmer/citizen audiences). How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Research results were presented to scientific audiences at two conferences. Results were also presented to farmer/lay audiences at one field day and two conferences, both of which were attended by many farmers and farming consultants. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Due to discussions with farmers that were sparked by participation in 2016 field days, a new research project was conceived and funded, in collaboration with local small scale vegetable farmers. This project will employ one graduate and one undergraduate student. Field studies will be conducted to assess the efficacy of living mulches and novel in-row mulch materials for suppressing weeds and protecting yield in small scale organic vegetable production systems.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Consumer demand for organically-produced food has skyrocketed, with sustained double-digit growth during recent years. From 2007 to 2012, according to U.S. Census of Agriculture statistics, total sales of organic food increased from 1.7 to 3.1 billion dollars. This increased demand, coupled with significant price premiums for organic food, has incentivized shifts from conventional to organic production. During 2007 (the most recent year organic acreage was assessed in the U.S.), North Dakota had 102,204 acres in organic production, ranking ninth among U.S. states in terms of acreage devoted to organic production. Despite the economic opportunities and potential environmental benefits associated with organic farming, growth of organic farming in North Dakota has not kept pace with the growth experienced overall in the U.S. The 2007 Census of Agriculture reported acreage by state devoted to organic production, but comparable information was not collected during the 2012 census, so a comparison in terms of acreage is not possible. However, one can assess growth in the organic sector in North Dakota from 2007 to 2012 by considering the increase in total sales of organically produced products over that time period. Total revenue from organic products in ND was 8.7 million dollars during 2007, whereas during 2012 organic sales totaled 9.7 million dollars. This relatively modest 11% increase lags far behind the 85% increase experienced overall in the U.S. from 2007 to 2012. The reasons for this lag are likely complex and numerous, but organic producers frequently cite weed management as one of the most significant barriers to efficient production. For instance, one organic certifier recently commented that his perception was that some ND farmers have abandoned organic farming because of an inability to control weeds effectively over a sustained period of time. Since few organically certified herbicides are efficacious or economical, organic producers have typically relied on tillage to control weeds. Consequently, organic production systems have often been criticized as potentially contributing to soil degradation rather than soil protection. This valid criticism led to renewed interest in using other cultural practices, such as crop rotation and cover crops, to control weeds in organic production systems. To address the need for improved non-chemical weed control in organic production systems, experiments were conducted to compare various no-till production systems, including systems that rely on mulching for weed control, to typical tilled production systems that control weeds mechanically. The tilled systems were compared to the no-tilled systems in terms of weed suppression, effects on crop growth and yield, effects on soil health, and profitability. Additionally, this experiment included treatment with an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculant that may have potential to improve plant uptake of nutrients or soil health. The efficacy of such inoculants was evaluated by measuring their effect on crop growth and yield and several measures of soil health. The ultimate objective of this research is to test alternative methods for providing weed suppression in organic production systems. Another objective is to investigate the benefits of AMF inoculants in both tilled and mulched production systems. This research seeks not only to understand the practical and economic implications of various tactics, but also to understand the effect of these tactics on the health of the soil. The results from the proposed experiments will help inform organic farmers, along with other farmers who are interested in non-chemical weed control, about alternative production approaches that could enhance weed control or soil health. Indirectly, this research will help insure food security by increasing access to locally-produced food for North Dakota residents. Objectives: Evaluate non-chemical weed management options for vegetable crop production under organic management systems for weed suppression. Assess impacts of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and weed management approaches on soil quality and crop nutritional status and yield in organic vegetable production systems. Note: Both objectives are addressed below together because they were both associated with the same field experiments. 1) Major activities completed: Experiments conducted: Field experiments were established to investigate impacts of hay mulch and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculant on onion, table beet, winter squash, and sugar snap pea yield in an organic vegetable production system. These experiments were located in Dickinson and Absaraka, ND. 'Mycogrow' AMF inoculant (Fungi Perfecti, LLC, Olympia, WA) was applied in a water solution at a rate of 7.4 g L-1 to half the plots after planting crops. This inoculant contained AMF species Glomus intraradices, Glomus mosseae, Glomus aggregatum, and Glomus etunicatum. Hay mulch from square bales was applied after crop emergence in a layer that was approximately 15 cm deep. Weeds were removed from all plots on a timely basis, so yield differences among treatments were due to factors other than crop-weed competition. 2) Data collected: Weed density and weed seedbank density were quantified. Time required for weed removal was recorded. Neither site was irrigated but rainfall was fairly frequent at both sites. Both sites were fertilized with chicken (Absaraka) or cow (Dickinson) manure to prior to planting. Soil from each plot was tested for N-P-K and although variation across plots was great, nutrients were present in adequate amounts for vegetable production. Peas were harvested every two to three days during July. Beets were harvested mid-August. Onions were harvested in mid-September and squash were harvested in mid-October. Soil cores were collected from each plots and sent to Cornell for soil health analysis that included assessment of wet aggregate stability, active carbon, and soil respiration. 3) Summary statistics and discussion of results: The hay mulch almost completely suppressed weed emergence whereas weed pressure in the bare plots was considerable. Bare plots required substantially more weeding time than the mulched plots. Over time (from 2015 to 2017) weed seedbank density decreased at the Absaraka site for both mulched and tilled plots, but the effect was much more pronounced among the mulched plots. At the Dickinson site, from 2015 to 2017, weed seedbank density remained the same for mulched plots, but increased substantially for tilled plots. At the Absaraka site, crop grown in mulched plots produced greater yield than crop grown without mulch under conventional tillage. At Dickinson, most crops failed due to a combination of drought and damage caused by rodents. Only the onion crop at Dickinson was harvested for yield, and similar to the Absaraka site, mulched onions produced greater yield than onions grown without mulch under conventional tillage. At Absaraka, wet aggregate stability increased over time (from 2015 to 2017) for mulched plots, but remained the same for tilled plots. At Dickinson, wet aggregate stability increased over time for both mulched and tilled plots, but the effect was much more pronounced for mulched plots. At Absaraka, active carbon increased over time in mulched plots only. At Dickinson, active carbon decreased over time regardless of tillage/mulch. At both sites, soil respiration was greater for mulched plots than for tilled plots. AMF inoculation did not impact any measures of crop yield, weed community extent, or soil health indicators. 4) Key outcomes or other accomplishments realized: Via presentations of research results at scientific meetings, researchers learned about the key results produced by this research. Via talks at field days, farmers, gardeners, and extension personnel learned about the results of this research.
Publications
- Type:
Book Chapters
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Weyers SL, Gramig GG. 2017. Low input and intensified crop production systems effects on soil health and environment. In: Al-Kaisi M and Lowery B, Eds., Soil Health and Intensification of Agroecosystems. Elsevier, Amstersdam.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Beamer KP, Gramig GG, Carr PM. 2017. Arbuscular mycorrhizae inoculation and tillage impacts on organic vegetable production. MOSES Organic Farming Conference. February 23-25, La Crosse, WI.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Hogstad SK, Gramig GG, Carr PM. 2017. Weed communities shift in response to organic no-till integrated with grazing. Weed Science Society of America Annual Meeting, March 6-9, Tucson, AZ. 57:143.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Hogstad SK, Gramig GG. 2017. Mulch and biochar impacts on organic strawberry yield. Weed Science Society of America Annual Meeting, March 6-9, Tucson, AZ. 57:68.
- Type:
Other
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Gramig G, Keene C. 2017. Organic management of Canada thistle. North Dakota State University Extension Service. August 2017. W1860.
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Progress 10/01/15 to 09/30/16
Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences: Target audiences reached through this project include 1) Organic farmers and small scale vegetable and fruit producers in North Dakota who attended field days at which results were presented, 2) Research scientists and undergraduate/graduate students who attended scientific meetings where research results from this project were presented, and 3) Graduate and undergraduate students who participated in the research project activities. This project especially targeted small, economically challenged beginning farmers and community gardeners. Efforts: Results from the research associated with this project were presented at the 2016 Western Society of Weed Science Annual Conference, 2016 MOSES Organic Conference, 2016 NDSU Wild World of Weeds Workshop, NDSU Dickinson Research Extension Center Field Day, NSDU Carrington Research Extension Center Field Day, and NDSU Absaraka Horticultural Research Farm Field Day. Graduate and undergraduate students who worked on this project had experiential learning opportunities associated with conducting the research associated with this project. Changes/Problems:Dr. Gramig planned the research activities associated with this project under the assumption that she would continue to be supported with a FTE hard-dollar funded research technician. Unfortunately, her technician has been lost due to budget difficulties. Without a research technician, conducting the planned research will be difficult if not impossible. At the time of this writing, no changes are planned, but if the lack of technical support continues, activities will be scaled back. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Training activities: Participating in these research projects has provided professional training for two graduate students. Both have had opportunities to learn about research methods, learn writing and speaking skills, learn data analysis skills, and obtain practice teaching/mentoring/supervising undergraduate students. Four undergraduate students learned about field and laboratory research methods including sampling methods, using various scientific instruments (dataloggers, sensors, chlorophyll meters, microscopes, porometers, etc.). Professional development: Dr. Gramig and two graduate students attended and presented results at numerous conferences and field days, which provided many opportunities to gain experience communicating research results to diverse audiences (scientific and farmer/citizen audiences). How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Research results were presented to scientific audiences at two conferences. Results were also presented to farmer/lay audiences at three field days and a conference attended by many farmers. Results were also communicated intensively in a one-on-one setting to one farmer and one community garden manager. These interactions provided an opportunity for more in depth discussions than usually occur at conferences and field days. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Further studies will be conducted during 2017 to address objectives 1 and 2. One graduate student will continue work on the project and will receive educational input and professional development. Data will be collected and analyzed. Results from the research studies will be presented at two scientific conferences and several field days.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Consumer demand for organically-produced food has skyrocketed, with sustained double-digit growth during recent years. From 2007 to 2012, according to U.S. Census of Agriculture statistics, total sales of organic food increased from 1.7 to 3.1 billion dollars. This increased demand, coupled with significant price premiums for organic food, has incentivized shifts from conventional to organic production. During 2007 (the most recent year organic acreage was assessed in the U.S.), North Dakota had 102,204 acres in organic production, ranking ninth among U.S. states in terms of acreage devoted to organic production. Despite the economic opportunities and potential environmental benefits associated with organic farming, growth of organic farming in North Dakota has not kept pace with the growth experienced overall in the U.S. The 2007 Census of Agriculture reported acreage by state devoted to organic production, but comparable information was not collected during the 2012 census, so a comparison in terms of acreage is not possible. However, one can assess growth in the organic sector in North Dakota from 2007 to 2012 by considering the increase in total sales of organically produced products over that time period. Total revenue from organic products in ND was 8.7 million dollars during 2007, whereas during 2012 organic sales totaled 9.7 million dollars. This relatively modest 11% increase lags far behind the 85% increase experienced overall in the U.S. from 2007 to 2012. The reasons for this lag are likely complex and numerous, but organic producers frequently cite weed management as one of the most significant barriers to efficient production. For instance, one organic certifier recently commented that his perception was that some ND farmers have abandoned organic farming because of an inability to control weeds effectively over a sustained period of time. Since few organically certified herbicides are efficacious or economical, organic producers have typically relied on tillage to control weeds. Consequently, organic production systems have often been criticized as potentially contributing to soil degradation rather than soil protection. This valid criticism led to renewed interest in using other cultural practices, such as crop rotation and cover crops, to control weeds in organic production systems. To address the need for improved non-chemical weed control in organic production systems, experiments were conducted to compare various no-till production systems, including systems that rely on mulching for weed control, to typical tilled production systems that control weeds mechanically. The tilled systems were compared to the no-tilled systems in terms of weed suppression, effects on crop growth and yield, effects on soil health, and profitability. Additionally, some experiments included treatment with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculants that have the potential to improve plant uptake of nutrients. The efficacy of such inoculants was evaluated by measuring their effect on crop growth and yield and several measures of soil health. The ultimate objective of this research is to test alternative methods for providing weed suppression in organic production systems. Another objective is to investigate the benefits of AMF inoculants in both tilled and mulched production systems. This research seeks not only to understand the practical and economic implications of various tactics, but also to understand the effect of these tactics on the health of the soil. The results from the proposed experiments will help inform organic farmers, along with other farmers who are interested in non-chemical weed control, about alternative production approaches that could enhance weed control or soil health. Indirectly, this research will help insure food security by increasing access to locally-produced food for North Dakota residents. Objectives: Evaluate non-chemical weed management options for vegetable crop production under organic management systems for weed suppression. Assess impacts of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and weed management approaches on soil quality and crop nutritional status and yield in organic vegetable production systems. Note: Both objectives are addressed below together because they were both associated with the same field experiments. 1) Major activities completed: Experiments conducted: Field experiments were established to investigate impacts of hay mulch and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculant on onion, table beet, winter squash, and sugar snap pea yield in an organic vegetable production system. These experiments were located in Dickinson and Absaraka, ND. 'Mycogrow' AMF inoculant (Fungi Perfecti, LLC, Olympia, WA) was applied in a water solution at a rate of 7.4 g L-1 to half the plots after planting crops. This inoculant contained AMF species Glomus intraradices, Glomus mosseae, Glomus aggregatum, and Glomus etunicatum. Hay mulch from square bales was applied after crop emergence in a layer that was approximately 15 cm deep. Weeds were removed from all plots on a timely basis, so yield differences among treatments were due to factors other than crop-weed competition. 2) Data collected: Time required for weed removal was recorded. Neither site was irrigated but rainfall was fairly frequent at both sites. Both sites were fertilized with chicken (Absaraka) or cow (Dickinson) manure to prior to planting. Soil from each plot was tested for N-P-K and although variation across plots was great, nutrients were present in adequate amounts for vegetable production. Peas were harvested every two to three days during July. Beets were harvested mid-August. Onions were harvested in mid-September and squash were harvested in mid-October. 3) Summary statistics and discussion of results: The hay mulch almost completely suppressed weed emergence whereas weed pressure in the bare plots was considerable. Bare plots required substantially more weeding time than the mulched plots. Per plant pea yield on a mass basis did not differ among treatments, but there were fewer pea pods per plant for plots treated with AMF at the Absaraka site only. Per plant beet yield was greater at the Absaraka site than at the Dickinson site. Across sites, per plant beet yield was greater in hay mulched plots than in bare plots, but only in the absence of AMF. Total onion yield, mass per onion, and number of onions per plot were greater for mulched plots than for bare plots. Mass per onion was greater at Absaraka than at Dickinson, but only for bare plots. Squash yield was greater in mulched plots than bare plots, and greater at Absaraka than at Dickinson. Other than a reduction in pea pod number at the Absaraka site, AMF inoculant had no impact on crop yield. Crop yield differences associated with mulch were mostly likely due to superior water retention by the hay mulch compared to bare soil. Yield differences associated with site were probably also due to differences in moisture, as Dickinson received somewhat less precipitation than Absaraka (219 vs. 383 mm from May to August). Also, though the tested effect was marginally insignificant (p=0.0595), mulched plots tended to have greater numbers of onions than bare plots at both sites. Both sites were affected by fusarium basal rot (Fusarium oxysporum), a soil-borne fungal pathogen and numerous onions died and rotted prior to harvest. 4) Key outcomes or other accomplishments realized: Via presentations of research results at scientific meetings, researchers learned about the key results produced by this research. Via talk at field days, farmers, gardeners, and extension personnel learned about the results of this research. Through visits to farms, one farmer and one community gardener learned much more about the research results and both agreed that they would like to implement more mulching and no-till practices into their production systems.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2016
Citation:
Gramig GG, Carr PM. 2016. Investigating the potential of hay mulch and AMF inoculant for small-scale organic vegetable crop production. Western Society of Weed Science Annual Meeting. March 7-10, Albuquerque, NM. 69:021.
Hogstad SK, Gramig GG, Carr PM. 2016. Mulch and biochar impacts on organic strawberry production. Western Society of Weed Science Annual Meeting. March 7-10, Albuquerque, NM. 69:022.
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