Crops
> 10% dryland and> 10% irrigated
> 90% irrigated
> 90% drylandVegetables
Organic Agriculture Projects at WSU
Evaluating Varieties for Organic Systems. Dr. Carol Miles, WSU Mount Vernon Northwestern Washington Research and Extension Center, has screened varieties of crops such as edamame, dry beans, mini watermelons, winter squash, and lettuce for production potentials in organic systems.
Organic Farming Systems. In 2003 an organic vegetable production systems experiment was established on organically certified research land at WSU Puyallup. The experiment compares 12 organic management systems, including three cover cropping systems, 2 tillage treatments, and 2 amendment types, arranged in a split-split plot design.
WSU Publications
Mustard green manures are being used in irrigated regions of Eastern Washington to improve soil quality, control wind erosion, and manage soil-borne pests. On-farm research has been conducted since 1999 to determine the benefits of these crops and to improve their effectiveness.
Resources
Cost of production studies for organic vegetables. Compiled by Oregon State University for lettuce, spinach, bush bean, sweet corn, cucumber, cauliflower, broccoli, carrot, beets, radish.
Organic production manuals. University of California Vegetable Research and Information Center.
Organic cost and return studies. University of California. Includes lettuce, tomato, mixed vegetables.
Fruits
Organic Agriculture Projects at WSU
Biodynamic management of winegrapes. Study by Jennifer Reeve as part of MS degree, WSU Crops & Soils. Examined the effect of biodynamic preparations on wine grape, soil, and compost quality. Major professor Dr. John Reganold.
Effect organic management on fruit quality. Research on apple and strawberry by Dr. Preston Andrews, Dr. John Reganold, and Dr. Neil Davies.
Understory mangement in organic orchards. Trials examined weed control, soil quality, tree nutrition, and water use. Also monitored for voles, and testing potential for mulch to host nematodes for control of codling moth larvae. David Granatstein, WSU CSANR, Wenatchee.
Alternatives to fumigation for control of apple replant disease. Dr. Mark Mazzola, USDA-ARS Tree Fruit Research Lab, Wenatchee, WA.
Organic Raspberry Root Rot Control. Dr. Carol Miles, WSU Vancouver Research and Extension Center, and Dr. Pete Bristow, WSU Puyalllup, are investigating organic options to control root rot (Phytopthora fragriae var. rubi). This study is focused on organic root rot control, however all raspberry growers will benefit from new disease management options.
Compariosn of conventional vs integrated vs organic apple production systems. A 7-year study in the Yakima Valley led by Dr. John Reganold and Dr. Preston Andrews. See publications below.
Organic Control of Cherry Fruit Fly. The active ingredient spinosad, a microbial insecticide, was tested for efficacy against cherry fruit fly. Several formulations were tested. The GF-120 product, a combination of spinosyn and a feeding attractant, proved very effective. A new system of control using point sources versus complete canopy cover was developed. The use of GF-120, an organically approved material, for cherry fruit fly control has become widespread among cherry producers in the region, both conventional and organic. It is very effective, non-toxic to humans, low impact to beneficials, and low cost due to the low volume used and quick application.
Organic Apple Production in Washington State: an Input-Output Analysis. The objective of this paper is to provide an Input-Output (IO) based economic impact analysis for organic apple production in Washington State.
Peshastin Creek Areawide Organic Project. The Peshastin Creek Project was created as a joint effort between the Peshastin Creek Growers Association and the Pear Entomology Lab of the WSU Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center in Wenatchee. The research lab provides a monitoring service for the growers in the valley, to support their efforts toward increased use of environmentally-friendly pest management. Bluebird Fruit has created a special "Gently Grown" label for the fruit produced by the PCG Association. The project compares insect pest management under conventional, 'soft', and organic management regimes.
WSU Publications
Organic Tree Fruit Trends 2007. Statistics on the area of organic tree fruit in Washington State, with additional national and international data. Also price trends for organic apples and pears.
Soil
and winegrape quality in biodynamically and organically managed vineyards.
J. R. Reeve, L. Carpenter-Boggs, J. P. Reganold, A. L. York, G. McGourty,
and L. P. McCloskey. 2005. Amer. J. Enol. Vitic. 56: 367-376.
Orchard floor management effects on nitrogen fertility and soil biological activity in a newly established organic apple orchard. L. Hoagland, L. Carpenter-Boggs, D. Granatstein, M. Mazzola, J. Smith, F. Peryea, and J. Reganold. 2008. Biology and Fertility of Soils online.
Apple orchard productivity and fruit quality under organic, conventional, and integrated management. Peck GM, Andrews PK, Reganold JP, Fellman JK. 2006. HortScience 41:99-107.
Sustainability of three apple production systems. Reganold JP, Glover JG, Andrews PK, Hinman HR. 2001. Nature 410:926-930.
Systematic method for rating soil quality of conventional, organic, and integrated apple orchards in Washington State. J.D. Glover, J. P. Reganold, P.K. Andrews. 2000. Agriculture, Ecosystems, and Environment 80:29-45.
Proceedings Third National Organic Tree Fruit Research Symposium, Chelan, WA, June 6–8, 2005.
A Cost of Production Analysis of Conventional vs. Integrated vs. Organic Apple Production Systems. J. Glover, H. Hinman, J. Reganold, P. Andrews. 2002. , WSU Agr. Res. Center. Publ. XB1041, Pullman, WA.
Organic and Integrated Fruit Production web site. WSU Wenatachee Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center.
Current Trends in Organic Tree Fruit Production. CSANR Report No. 4. May 2002.
Codling moth control: organic and ‘super-soft’ IPM programs in pears. WSU Entomology. 2003.
Handling Organic Fruit. WSU Postharvest Information Center. 1998.
Organic Methods of Root Rot Control in Raspberries. WSU Vancouver. 2001.
Resources
Organic and Integrated Fruit Production
Upper Midwest Organic Tree Fruit Growers Network. A good resource more oriented to tree fruit production in humid environments.
Organic Apple Production Manual. 2000. S. Swezey et al. University of California DANR. Order from 1-800-994-8849.
Organic Tree Fruit Management. 1998. Linda Edwards. Certified Organic Associations of British Columbia. Available from IFM, 1-800-332-3179.
Grain
Organic Agriculture Projects at WSU
Organic wheat breeding. Dr. Steve Jones is conducting breeding of wheat varieties for organic systems as part of his public winter wheat variety development program at WSU. This includes screening of over 150 historical wheat varieties for traits that might be useful in organic systems (e.g. fast emergence, better nitrogen uptake by roots) which can then be combined with important traits in modern varieties.
Transitioning to organic grain production. A large-scale field project on transitioning to organic grain (primarily wheat) production in the Palouse region (dryland, annual cropping) was started in 2002. Three years of transition and two years of wheat production have been monitored, with nine different cropping systems. Weed control and fertility have been big challenges. An economic analysis indicates that using alfalfa during the three-year transition could be the most profitable strategy. Investigators include Dr. Ian Burke, Dr. Rich Koenig, Dr. Pat Fuerst, Dr. Rob Gallagher, Dennis Pittman, and Dr. Kathleen Painter.
Economic analysis poster (May 2008)
Dryland organic field day handout (June 2008)
Weed
Control Poster: Organic Transition Systems for Weed Management in
Eastern Washington. Randall Stevens, Amanda Snyder, Washington State
University, Pullman; Robert Gallagher, Pennsylvania State University, University
Park; Dennis Pittman, Kate Painter, Ian C. Burke, E. Patrick Fuerst, and
Richard Koenig, Washington State University, Pullman.
Abstract: Certified organic grain production in eastern
Washington presents many challenges in the areas of weed control. An organic
transitions study was initiated near Pullman, WA in spring, 2003. The study
examined nine different crop rotations ranging from intensive grain production
to intensive legumes for forage or green manure, as well as systems with
alternating cereal grains and legumes. Weeds were managed using a prototype
rotary harrow pre-plant and a high-residue rotary hoe in-crop. An undercutter
was utilized starting in fall, 2005, for alfalfa control and the following
spring for pre-plant weed control. The entire study was sown to certified
organic spring wheat in 2006 and winter wheat in 2006-2007. Increasing the
frequency and intensity of legumes managed as green manure or forage during
transition resulted in higher wheat yields, better weed control, and improved
soil fertility than rotations with a higher frequency of spring cereals
or spring peas. The spring pea crop failed in 2005 due to weed problems,
primarily wild oats. Transitional cropping systems had a major impact on
weed control problems in spring wheat in 2006. Winter wheat, winter pea
green manure, and alfalfa during the transition reduced weed biomass in
2006, whereas spring peas during the transition resulted in very high weed
biomass. In the 2007 winter wheat crop, all systems had much lower weed
biomass, with fewer differences among systems. Field bindweed has become
a serious threat. Additional research is needed on crops that are weaker
competitors, including spring peas, canola, lentils, and garbanzos..
WSU Publications
Dryland Organic Production. Includes presentations on marketing, general production, and no-till production from two annual workshops.
Grain production information for western Washington. A list of resources targeted towards maritime production systems.
Murphy K., D. Lammer, S. Lyon, B. Carter, S.S. Jones, 2005. Breeding for organic and low-input farming systems: An evolutionary-participatory breeding method for inbred cereal grains. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 20: 45-55.
Organic Grain Farming. WSU Ag Horizons Team. 1997. A study on the potential for organic grain farming to reduce erosion and improve soil was published in Nature (330:370-372) by John Reganold and others in 1987.
Soil
quality and financial performance of biodynamic and conventional farms in
New Zealand.
J.P. Reganold, A.S. Palmer, J.C. Lockhart, and A.N. Macgregor. 1993. Science
260(5106):344-349.
Long-term effects of organic and conventional farming on soil erosion. J.P. Reganold, L.F. Elliott, and Y. Unger. 1987. Nature 330:370-372.
Resources
Washington State Crop Improvement Association provides a list of Certified Seed Conditioners that sell certified seed of spring wheat, winter wheat, barley, oats and triticale.
Fertilizer Guide: Winter Wheat in Summer Fallow Systems (low precipitation zone). Recommendations apply to tillage fallow-winter wheat and chemical fallow-winter wheat cropping systems. Oregon State University, 2005.
Organic Field Crop Handbook. Canadian Organic Growers.