There is growing consumer demand for foods perceived as being safe, healthy and sustainable. Organic and no-till wheat are often perceived as safe and sustainable and are well-positioned to gain market share if nutritional or quality advantages can be identified. Considering the known effects of environmental conditions on grain yield and quality, we hypothesized that […]
In previous studies, we showed that apples, strawberries, and tomatoes grown with organic nitrogen fertilizer sources had higher phytochemical contents than those fertilized with readily available sources of nitrogen. It is also possible that increased pest herbivory in the field stimulates plant defenses that elevate these phytochemicals in organic crops. To test the relative contributions […]
Organic vegetable growers in western Washington pass over their fields 10 to 20 times annually with tillage equipment ranging from spring tooth harrows to mold board plows. Soil preparation activities such as plowing, rototilling, and even spading pulverize large‐bodied soil organisms and reduce soil carbon storage and aggregates. Successful reduced tillage in organic agriculture relies […]
215 thousand small forest landowners own 5.7 million acres of forestland, half of the 11.6 million acres of private forestland in the state. Declining timber prices, and changes in landowner demographics have created an educational need from small woodlot owners that want to explore other, non-timber agricultural enterprises. Changing forest practices can offer new opportunities […]
This proposal addresses biologically intensive and organic approaches to improve plant nutrition, growth and productivity. Naturally occurring beneficial soil microbes are known to increase the acquisition of nutrients by plants. Optimizing plant-microbe interactions under varying environmental conditions is the key to maximize crop production, which will help the industry to decrease the dependence on chemical […]
This work was a demonstration of concept that in year 1 canola can be intercropped with peas and the forage ensiled 70 days later, and a canola oilseed crop subsequently harvested in year 2. Botanically, when winter canola is seeded in the spring or early summer, it will grow as a biennial crop, in that […]
Biological control by naturally-occurring predatory insects and spiders is an ecologically friendly and sustainable approach to pest management. Biological control is often underutilized, however, in part because we know little about how to successfully conserve predators to maximize their impacts on pests. Here, in Washington potato fields, we investigated the effects of planting wildflower insectaries […]
This project focuses on three alternative grain crops (buckwheat, quinoa and winter spelt) that were identified by organic farmers in Washington State as unique in their potential to diversify and improve existing small to mid-scale farming systems. Buckwheat, quinoa and spelt have the potential, to differing extents, to: diversify cropping systems with under-represented grain crops […]
High tunnels enhance and extend crop production by increasing air temperature and protecting the crop from rainfall. In high tunnel production systems, weeds are often controlled with plastic mulch. There is a desire to reduce non-recyclable waste by using biodegradable mulches (BDMs) that completely biodegrade in situ without detrimentally affecting yield, fruit quality, or the […]