2013 ASHS Annual Conference

Objective(s):
Objectives: The working group will present new information and challenges related to organic seedling and stand establishments in comparison with conventional techniques. The focus would be to minimize losses in organic seedling supply chain and to promote transplant in organic farming.

Transplant technology has been gaining popularity among growers. However, organic producers are faced with numerous challenges in producing consistent quality organic seedlings from one season to the next. Probable causes may be due to the variability in organic substrates, constraints in the availability and supply of essential macro- and micronutrients in a single organic fertilizer in the industry, resulting in poor quality seedlings for establishment and field production. This is an additional burden to organic growers. Most of the organic fertilizer nutrient release curve does not synchronize with the seedling growth curve, which results in nutrient deficiency, toxicity, salinity, etc.  Applying organic fertilizers also alters the physical properties of substrates, creating additional challenges in managing optimal water and air holding capacity. The lack of standardization of organic substrates and fertilizers, and other issues related to seedling and stand establishment will be highlighted during the presentation.