2017 ASHS Annual Conference

Conventional tillage practices such roto-tilling and other conventional soil management techniques can cause costly nutrient losses because of runoff and leaching, and serious depletion of soil organic matter. Cultivating can facilitate crop establishment, but prolonged bare-soil periods increase the risk of erosion and crusting, depress soil biological activity and open niches for weed growth. Alternatively, cover crops and conservation tillage techniques help producers sustain healthy soils, which are the foundation for organic vegetable production. These sustainable farming practices can be used to obtain high crop yields, while building and maintaining high soil quality for long-term production capacity. Cover crops and insectary flowering strips play a key role in organic vegetable production because they protect and feed the soil, improve tilth, promote nutrient availability and balance, reduce weed pressure, and provide habitat for beneficial insects. Additionally, organic exudates from living cover crop roots sustain beneficial root-zone bacteria and fungi during off-seasons in annual vegetable rotations. Conservation soil tillage practices, such as no-till and strip/zone tillage techniques disturb the soil as little as possible, retaining a cover of crop residue. This residue left on the soil surface can suppress weeds, retain soil moisture, and reduce erosion. As organic matter increases over time, soil fertility improves and biological diversity increases. This workshop will discuss cover crop planting dates and cultivar selection, reduced tillage techniques for improving soil health, and management of weed and insect densities.