Organic Production
Objectives:
- To develop and evaluate new cultural practices that can be used in commercial-scale organic production systems in Kentucky. The research has focused on organic weed management in bell peppers; however, results are applicable to a wide range of horticultural crops, from vegetables to cut flowers. Bell peppers have become the most popular and one of the most profitable crops produced by Kentucky growers for the wholesale fresh market. We will use bell peppers due to the previous progress that has been made in developing pest management practices in this crop. Although many of these management practices are applicable for organic production systems, no experiments have been conducted on weed management. Weed control is by far the number one concern of organic growers in Kentucky and throughout the nation. Partial results of this research are available here (HortTechnology, April-June 2006).
- Create an organically managed system of vegetable production suitable for Kentucky producers transitioning from tobacco or conventional vegetable production.
- Analyze and document changes in produce yield and quality, and economic outcomes during the transition from conventional to organic vegetable production.
- Analyze and document changes in soil biological, chemical and physical properties and weed dynamics during the transition from conventional to organic vegetable production.
- To establish two field locations for continuous, multi-disciplinary research, instruction, and extension activities in support of organic grain cropping systems in Kentucky.
- To provide the stimulus for ongoing investment in the development of organic grain cropping systems for Kentucky producers.
- Create an organically managed horticultural production system suitable for Kentucky farmers transitioning from tobacco or conventional vegetable production.
- Analyze and document crop yield and quality, and economic sustainability of two widely used organic production systems: no-tillage and shallow cultivation.
- Evaluate the effects of these two production systems on selected soil biological, chemical and physical properties during a three-year rotation. Weed, disease and insect dynamics will also be monitored as additional indicators of sustainability.
- Explore the feasibility of growing blueberries under an organic system and to develop best management practices to achieve the best economic results.
- Explore the feasibility of developing several value-added organic blueberry products, specifically dried and frozen forms of the product.
- Develop cost/benefit estimates in relation to selected jams and other baked goods using local organic blueberries, specifically to determine if there exists a premium associated with the local market value.
- Perform a large scale (100 or more cultivars) Rapid Action Cultivar Evaluation (RACE) leafy greens trial to determine which cultivars within this diverse vegetable group will perform best in Kentucky. Results from this trial will be used to identify cultivars with the best potential for growing in this state. Best performing cultivars will then be tested in replicated variety trials.
- Evaluate and optimize two organic production systems that are currently used in other regions of the country for growing leafy greens. The two systems are: transplants grown on raised beds covered with black plastic mulch, and direct-seeding on bare ground raised beds. Weed control in the bare ground beds will be provided by shallow cultivation. Crop yield and quality data will be determined, and an economic analysis will be conducted on each system.
- Establish an organically managed, disease-resistant apple orchard for long-term studies of the system.
- Assess if organic management techniques can result in apple trees that are disease and pest-free and have grown sufficiently to bear fruit by year 4.
- Establish an organically managed small fruit orchard at the UK Horticulture Research Farm. The orchard will be planted in two adjacent locations; one uncovered, and one under an unheated high tunnel structure.
- Assess if organic management techniques can result in high yielding, quality, insect and disease-free plants.
- Prepare Extension and research publications detailing the production systems used in this orchard.
- The overall objective of this research is to develop and evaluate an optimized commercial romaine lettuce production system for Kentucky. Specifically, experiments are designed to determine how to maximize the productivity and economic sustainability of both conventional and organic romaine lettuce production.
Send mail to newcrops@uky.edu with questions about this site.
This site was last updated on August 28, 2007
Development of organic production systems for horticultural crops in Kentucky
Evaluating crop and soil fertility changes during transition to an organic vegetable production system
Organic grain crops field research initiative
Evaluating the sustainability of two widely used organic production systems and their potential use in Kentucky
The development of organic blueberry production and value-added products
Developing optimized organic production systems for leafy greens in Kentucky
Organic apple orchard establishment
Optimizing organic production of select small fruits using high tunnels
Optimizing romaine lettuce production in Kentucky