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Increasing Organic Farmer Access to Relevant and Practical Research-Based Information

The principal objective of this project was to make a greater proportion of relevant and practical research-based information available to organic farmers. Experienced organic farmers were specifically targeted. In the original proposal, NCAT planned to create a quarterly publication featuring abstracts of relevant research gleaned from the literature. Emphasis was to be placed on recent, cutting-edge research on a broad range of topics pertinent to organic production and marketing.

Biological control of Delia sp. in cole crops with rove beetles, Aleochara sp. Part1)

The consumer demand for organic produce is increasing. In order for growers to be able to meet this demand, effective non-chemical tools need to be available for pest management. In BC in particular there is an increase in the production of organic cole crops, hence an urgent need to develop organic integrated pest management (IPM) systems that emphasize biological, cultural and other non-chemical methods (for insect and disease management).

Biological control of Delia sp. in cole crops with rove beetles, Aleochara sp. (Part 2)

The objective of this study was to examine the use of rove beetles, Aleochara spp., for the biological control of root maggots, Delia spp. in organic cole crops. We were interested in manipulating Aleochara numbers by either conservation strategies or by augmentative releases of mass-reared Aleochara bilineata. 

Soil Nutrient Balancing in Sustainable Vegetable Production

The purpose of this project is to determine whether an unfavorable balance among soil 

A comparison of antibiotic susceptibility patterns for Staphylococcus aureus in organic and conventional dairy herds

Mastitis is considered to be the most costly disease affecting the dairy industry with annual losses in the United States exceeding $2 billion (Philpot, 1984). Losses stem from milk discard, drug costs, veterinary care, increased labor, and premature- culling. Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most important pathogens causing intramammary infections in dairy cattle (Gonzalez et al.,1988) and continues to be one of the major causes of mastitis in dairy herds worldwide (Barkema et al. 1998, Gonzalez et al. 1988, Nickerson et al. 1999, Osteras et al. 1999, Sol et al.

Evaluation of Alternative Cultivators for Vegetable Production

The brush hoe cultivator (Bartchi Fobro Co., Switzerland) was evaluated for weed control cool-season vegetables in the Salinas Valley. The brush hoe was compared with conventional vegetable cultivators in seven on-farm trials. The brush hoe cultivated closer to the seed row than the conventional cultivators used by the growers. It left uncultivated strips 2 7/8 inch wide while conventional cultivators generally left uncultivated strips four inches wide. The brush hoe provided comparable or improved weed control over conventional cultivation.

Organic Management of Garden Symphylans (Scutigerella immaculata) in Annual Cropping Systems

The garden symphylan is an increasingly common problem on organic farms. Symphylans have a diverse diet, feeding on decaying organic matter and on the roots of a very wide range of crops and other plants, including many weeds. Heavy symphylan populations can severely stunt, and even kill, most annual

Controlling weeds in organic crops through the use of flame weeders

Several recent developments have resulted in the need for a new examination of flaming as a nonchemical method of weed control. First, there has been an increase in the number of soybean producers growing organic soybeans for the edible soybean market. These producers need a method of weed control that does not rely on chemicals. Second, new technologies in burner design and the use of water shields have increased the efficiency and effectiveness of flame weeders in destroying weeds while at the same time decreasing the harmful effects of heat on the crop plant.

On-farm testing of organic weed control strategies in Indiana

Nashville, IN - In this on-farm study, organic vegetable producer Dale Rhoads tried out several organic herbicide materials and flaming in conjunction with a ‘stale’ seedbed to reduce the time and cost of hand-weeding leafy greens beds. The materials tested were Matran 5 (now reformulated and sold as Matran EC), two different vinegar solutions diluted to 13% and 10%, and Burnout II.

Cover Crops for Weed Management in Organic Vegetables

In the summer of 2000, we received a research grant from the Organic Farming Research Foundation to study over-seeded cover crops in summer vegetables to control weeds. We conducted this study at the WSU Vancouver Research and Extension Unit (WSU VREU), and intended to study the influence of summer over-seeded cover crops on vegetable crop production and weed populations in an organic

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