[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]

BARC Sustainable Ag. News



The Sustainable Agriculture Program at the Beltsville 
Agriculture Research
Center, Beltsville, Maryland, publishes an informal newsletter that reports
on sustainable agriculture research and demonstration activities at the
center.  The newsletter is distributed primarily to center researchers, as
well as to off-site cooperators in the program.

Staff from the National Agricultural Library's Alternative Farming Systems
Information Center suggested that the newsletter might be of interest to
SANNETers.  

This post includes the first newletter (from Sept. 1993) which gives a 
background on the BARC programs, and the most recent issue (Feb. 1995).
In the future, the BARC Sustainable Agriculture News will be posted as
published.

Any questions, commments, suggestions or encouraging words are appreciated
and can be sent via email to Laura Lengnick llengnic@asrr.arsusda.gov

If you have a specific question about a project, please call the project
coordinator. Phone numbers are listed in the body of the newsletter.  The
area code for Beltsville is 301.

-------------------------------------------

Sustainable Agriculture News 
A Roundup of Sustainable Agriculture Activities at BARC
September 1993

This is the first issue of the Sustainable Agriculture News, an occasional
newsletter reporting on sustainable agriculture activities at BARC.  The
News is compiled by Laura Lengnick, Soil Microbial Systems Laboratory. 

Sustainable Agriculture at BARC
   
   The effort to develop a sustainable agriculture program at BARC was
formally initiated with the naming of the Task Force on Sustainable
Agriculture Research at Beltsville in 1990.  The Task Force was charged
with delineating opportunities for BARC to become more involved in
research on sustainable agriculture.  This group (chaired by Don Bills,
PQDI) put out a report detailing 27 specific proposals for new research
programs in sustainable agriculture. 
   Besides identifying new research opportunities, the Task Force
concluded that BARC is an ideal location for the demonstration of
sustainable agriculture practices, because of its international standing
as a research institution and its proximity to federal policy makers. 
   As a result of the Task Force's work, in 1992 the Sustainable
Agriculture Project Coordinating Committee (co-chaired by Don Bills, PQDI
and Jim Anderson, WSI) was appointed to coordinate plans for research and
demonstration sites in agronomy (field crops), horticulture, and waste
utilization. 
   The field crops demonstration site was established in the Fall of 1992
on 17 acres at the South Farm.  It features treatments that compare
conventional practices with those that employ minimum cultivation, reduced
application of pesticides, and substitution of animal manure and legumes
for chemical fertilizers.  Data on economic costs, soil and plant
characteristics and crop yields will be collected for each system.  John
Teasdale, Weed Science Lab, is coordinating this project. 
   The field crops research site was established in early 1993 on 40 acres
at the corner of Edmonston and Beaver Dam Roads on BARC-East.  This
project will study the short- and long-term effects of sustainable and
conventional production practices on biological, environmental, and
economic aspects of field crop production in the Middle Atlantic states. 
The project involves three major cropping systems: sustainable with
animals, sustainable cash grain, and conventional cash grain.  Cooperating
scientists will compare soil quality, pest management, plant growth and
profitability in the three systems. This project includes an initial
two-year period of site characterization.  During this phase of the
project, soil and crop variability will be assessed using conventional
methods, remote sensing and Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
technology.  Laura Lengnick, Soil Microbial Systems Lab, is coordinating
this project. 
   The horticultural sustainable agriculture program aims to develop
systems that reduce the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers, find
substitutes for the use of plastic mulches, decrease erosion, improve soil
quality, and incorporate germplasm compatible with sustainability.  The
research emphasizes profitability, protection of the environment, and the
safety and quality of consumer products.  Aref Abdul-Bakki, Vegetable Lab,
is coordinating this project. 
   Finally, preliminary planning of a new waste management initiative is
underway.  Plans have been developed for research in and demonstration of
the use of rural, urban, domestic, and industrial wastes (as mixed waste
composts) in sustainable agriculture systems to enhance soil quality and
as an alternative to other organic amendments.  This research will focus
on eliminating waste disposal problems while benefitting agriculture.  Pat
Millner, Soil Microbial Systems Lab, is coordinating this project. 

Project Updates

This section includes an update of recent activities in the BARC
sustainable agriculture projects and general plans for the near future. 
Any questions about project activities or opportunities for collaboration
should be directed to the project coordinators. 

Field Crops Demonstration

This project demonstrates management practices for reduction of tillage,
fertilizer, and pesticide inputs in contrast with conventional practices. 
Animal manures and legumes are substituted for fertilizers and cultivation
or cover crops are substituted for herbicides.  Tillage treatments include
no-till, minimum-till and plow-till.  Treatments are applied to a two year
corn-barley-soybean rotation on 1/3 acre plots with 4 replications. 
   Corn was planted on May 27 and a good stand was established in most
plots.  The drought in June and July left the corn stunted at tasselling
but August rains will assure harvestable grain this fall. 
   Barley was harvested on June 25.  The highest yield of 65 bu/A (close
to the Maryland state average) was achieved in the plow-till/commercial
fertilizer treatment.  All no-till treatments and all reduced input
treatments yielded approximately half that of the best treatment. 
   No-till soybeans were planted into barley stubble of the conventional
treatments on July 8.  An acceptable stand was established in the no-till
(low barley yields) plots but there was very poor establishment in the
plow-till (high barley yields) plots. Apparently there was only sufficient
soil moisture for one good crop in this droughty year. 
   Red clover was overseeded into the reduced input barley plots in April. 
A good stand of clover was established in most plots and will be harvested
for hay this month. 
   Weed bank samples were taken prior to planting corn. These data will be
used to monitor weed populations over years as well as to determine weed
control requirements. Call John Teasdale, Weed Science Laboratory
(504-5504), if you have any questions or comments about this project. 

  
                                    
                     Waste Utilization Demonstration

   Six potential sites for the waste utilization demonstration project
were inspected at BARC during July and August.  Composite soil samples
were taken and analyzed for micronutrients to determine if deficiencies or
excesses were present. 
   Discussions of the types of wastes and the application rates to be used
in the demonstration are underway.  The present design is one repetition
of 5 to 8 wastes or waste mixtures applied at low and moderate rates.  It
is expected that the demonstration site will be established with the
planting of a 1993 fall crop. Call Larry Sikora, Soil Microbial Systems
Lab (504-9384), if you have any questions or comments about this project. 

Horticultural Crops Research

   Under the horticultural program, alternative production practices that
reduce off- farm chemical inputs (herbicides, pesticides, plastic mulches,
and synthetic fertilizers) through the use of cover crop mulches are being
developed. There are a number of ongoing projects in the sustainable
horticulture program:  (1) Winter annual mulches- hairy vetch, crimson
clover, and red clover, alone or in combination with rye, are being
compared with plastic mulches and bare soil in a fresh-market tomato
production system.  A comparison of no-till and conventional till is also
being conducted with selected treatments.  The annual mulch treatments
receive one-half of the N input of the other treatments.  Yield, fruit
quality, earliness, and production costs will be assessed;  (2) N response
of tomatoes under winter annual mulches- fertilizer N requirements of
fresh-market tomatoes under vetch and black plastic mulches are being
compared in replicated plots with 4 N application levels (0, 50, 100, 150
lb. N/acre);  (3) Use of winter annual mulches in fresh-market vegetable
production-a variety of annual mulches are compared with plastic mulches
and bare soil in fresh market production of peppers, eggplants,
strawberries, and processing tomatoes. Yield will be measured; (4) Sweet
corn production under different systems- Sweet corn is being grown under
five production systems differing in tillage and nutrient source: no-till
hairy vetch mulch (0 N addition), no-till crimson clover mulch (0 N
addition), no-till dying red clover mulch (0 N addition), organic (red
clover + 15 tons manure plowed down), and a tilled, conventional system
(commercial fertilizer, 125 lb N/acre). Field establishment, earliness,
yield, and product quality will be assessed. 
   The Vegetable and Fruit Labs are also cooperating in experiments to
test the use of cover crop mulches in the production of strawberries and
the establishment of blueberries and apples. Call Aref Abdul-Bakki,
Vegetable Lab (504-5057), if you have any questions or comments about
these projects. 

Field Crops Research

   The Field Crops research project is in the first few months of a
two-year uniformity trial.  During this period, experimental treatments
will be finalized, data will be collected from three uniformity crops
(silage corn-barley-soybeans), a detailed characterization of the site
will be carried out using remote sensing and soil survey methods, site
characteristics will be compiled in an information GIS data base, and the
data base will be used to locate homogeneous blocks on the 40 acre site. 
Experimental plots are scheduled to be established in the spring of 1995. 
   Characterization of the research site got underway in early June with
the completion of soil survey sampling and planting of no-till corn for
silage.  The drought severely impacted corn growth in June and July and
created marked variation in corn growth throughout the 40 acre site.  Near
infrared aerial photography was acquired during this period as a record of
drought-induced site variability. 
   With the early August rain, corn development resumed, and silage will
likely be harvested late this month.  Yield estimates will be made from
located samples taken on a 25 m grid ( 350 sample points), as well as from
each 0.5 ha subsection of the field.  A no-till barley crop will be
planted following silage harvest.  Initial soil sampling to 90 cm
(subdivided by horizon) on the 25 m grid is scheduled in Nov./Dec. 
Standard chemical analyses will be performed on soil (CEC, pH, P, K, Mg,
base saturation, %C, total N, texture) and plant samples (macro-nutrient
content). 
   GIS efforts will concentrate on creating a database with the yield and
soils data collected from the site, and the digitizing of soil survey
maps, historical aerial photography, and the infrared aerial photography
acquired in April, June, and September of this year. 
   Planning of the major cropping systems to be established at the Field
Crops site is underway.  Finalization of the experimental design is
scheduled for early next year.  Call Laura Lengnick, Soil Microbial
Systems Lab (4-9214) if you have any questions or comments about this
project. 

Sustainable Ag. Bulletin Board

*The BARC Information Office has published a flyer, available to those
taking tours of the station, on the sustainable agriculture projects here
at BARC. 

*J.D. Anderson, WSL, won the Field Crops Demonstration Barley Harvest
Estimation Contest by a landslide.  His estimates deviated from the true
yield by an average of 5 bu/A.  Other contestants deviated by an average
of 9 to 15 bu/A. 

*ASA Special Publication #54, Mycorrhizae in Sustainable Agriculture, is
an up-to- date discussion of the state of mycorrhizae knowledge, and the
potential for the u of mycorrhizae in sustainable agriculture systems. 

--------------------------------------

Sustainable Agriculture News 
A Roundup of Sustainable Agriculture Activities at BARC
February 1995

This News is an informal, occasional publication produced to inform area
researchers about sustainable agriculture programs at the Beltsville
Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, MD.  The newsletter is compiled
by Laura Lengnick, Soil Microbial Systems Laboratory. 

Sustainable Agriculture at BARC

 The Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) is the site of several
new and on-going field research and demonstration projects in sustainable
agriculture.  Coordinated by a committee consisting of Don Bills, Natural
Resources Institute, Jim Anderson, Weed Science Laboratory, and Tim
Badger, Farm Operations Branch, research and demonstration projects are
underway in the areas of agronomy (field crops), horticulture, and waste
utilization. 
 The field crops demonstration features reduced-tillage treatments that
compare conventional practices with those that employ cover crops, reduced
application of pesticides, and substitution of animal manure and legumes
for chemical fertilizers. 
 The waste utilization project demonstrates the use of rural, urban,
domestic, and industrial wastes (as mixed waste composts) in sustainable
agriculture systems. 
 The horticultural production program aims to develop systems that reduce
the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers, find substitutes for the
use of plastic mulches, decrease erosion, improve soil quality, and
incorporate germplasm compatible with sustainability. 
 The field crops research project will study the short- and long-term
effects of sustainable and conventional production practices on
biological, environmental, and economic aspects of field crop production
in the Middle Atlantic states. 
 The BARC sustainable agriculture projects offer an opportunity to conduct
research in a systems-oriented, multidisciplinary, field-scale research
environment.  BARC scientists are encouraged to consider how their
research may be enhanced by cooperation in one or more of the sustainable
programs. 
 
Project Updates

This section includes an update of recent activities in the BARC
sustainable agriculture projects and general plans for the near future. 
Any questions about project activities should be directed to the project
coordinators. 

    Ben Coffman has been named Field Manager of the sustainable
agriculture projects.  Ben is a research agronomist with experience
developing field crop weed management systems that emphasize reduced
tillage and herbicide inputs.  As Field Manager, Ben will be responsible
for coordinating field operations and research activities at the BARC
sustainable agriculture sites. 

Field Crops Demonstration

   An excellent growing season resulted in record corn yields on this site
and throughout Beltsville.  The highest yield of 188 bu/A was obtained
with a no-tillage system with corn preceded by hairy vetch and reduced
fertilizer and herbicide inputs.  The standard no-tillage system was not
significantly different at 180 bu/A.  The organic system with manure and
red clover substituted for fertilizer and cultivation substituted for
herbicides produced 155 bu/A.  Corn yields in this system were limited by
weed competition and poor crop establishment. Competition from weeds also
appeared to reduce yields in the crownvetch living mulch system, which
produced 143 bu/A. 
   A map of soil types at the site is now available.  This map should aid
in the interpretation of treatment differences by providing information
about soil variability. 
   The Systems Research Laboratory is providing an economic analysis of
the different cropping systems.  The Weed Science Laboratory is analyzing
weed population dynamics. 
   There is a need for analysis of nutrient cycling and soil quality in
these plots, as well as a cooperator with an interest in quantifying
environmental consequences, such as soil erosion and pesticide and
nutrient losses, either through direct measurement on site or modeling. 
 
Call John Teasdale, Weed Science Laboratory (504-5504), if you have any 
questions or comments about this project.  

Waste Utilization Demonstration

   In the spring of 1994, two sets of plots were established on the South
Farm to test the effects of organic and inorganic wastes amendments on
corn yield and quality.  Cattle and poultry manure were compared to sewage
sludge compost, crab waste compost, municipal refuse compost, municipal
refuse plus manure compost, yard waste compost, and BARC farm compost
containing plant residues and manure.  A second set of plots were amended
with inorganic wastes such as cement residues, mineral fines from
construction aggregate production in Maryland, New York and Georgia, and
bottom ash from a coal burning power plant. 
    The individual plots were split with 90 Kg N per ha added to half the
organic plots and 60 t of yard waste compost per ha added to half the
inorganic plots.  One plot contained fertilizer alone, split with 90 and
134 Kg N per ha, and two plots were left unamended. 
   Of the organic amendments, sewage sludge compost produced the highest
corn grain yield of about 200 bu/A followed by poultry manure, BARC farm
compost, manure plus municipal refuse compost, cattle manure, yard wastes
compost, crab waste compost and municipal refuse compost which yielded
only 80 bu/A.  The yields for the 94 and 134 Kg N per ha fertilizer plots
were about the same at 200 bu/A.  The unamended plot yielded 80 bu/A. The
addition of N fertilizer increased the yields of the municipal refuse
compost by 90% and crab waste compost by 33%.  The yields from the
remaining organic wastes amendments were increased by 20% or less with the
addition of the N fertilizer. 
   Corn from the municipal refuse plots exhibited N deficiency early in
the season and the final yield was equal to the no amendment treatment. 
With the additional of N or when the refuse was mixed with cattle manure
and composted, N deficiency was not evident and the final yields were near
that of the complete fertilizer. 
   Of the inorganic amendments, cement residue produced the highest corn
grain yield of 111 bu/A.  The lowest yield was 80 bu/A for Maryland
basaltic mineral fines.  The addition of yard waste compost increased
yields 33% for New York glacial outwash mineral fines and less than 5% for
the basaltic mineral fines. 
   In this first year of the study, the data must be considered preliminary
because the plots are not yet replicated.  The data suggest a yield benefit
in blending fertilizer with organic waste or a combining inorganic and
organic waste as a method to utilize wastes that alone are incomplete
fertilizers. 
   Wheat was planted on the plots this fall and will be followed by
soybeans next summer.         

Call Larry Sikora, Soil Microbial Systems Lab (504-9384), if you have any 
questions or comments about this project. 

Horticultural Production Research

   In the fourth consecutive year of field testing on fresh-market tomato
production, the yields in the hairy vetch mulch system were 40% greater
than the conventional polyethylene mulch system and the production costs
were about $800 less per ha.  Likewise, the second year of testing a
number of processing tomato varieties gave similar results. 
   The benefits of using the hairy vetch mulching system were further
confirmed by on-farm research by two private farmers collaborating with
the Sustainable Agriculture Research program here at BARC.  The Starkey's
farm in Galena, MD compared a hairy vetch-rye mulch combination with their
conventional farming practice using polyethylene mulch.  The vetch- rye
mulch out produced the polyethylene by increasing yields by 65%, improving
fruit quality, and extending the harvest season.  Farmer- researcher Norma
Wilson obtained similar results at the Butterfly Hill Products Farm in
Lovettsville, VA.  Comparing a hairy vetch mulch to a polyethylene mulch
in tomatoes under organic management, the hairy vetch mulch increased
yields by 21%, reduced disease pressure late in the season, and extended
the harvest season by 4 weeks. 
   During the 1995 growing season, research will focus on whether any
additional N will be needed by tomatoes grown in the vetch mulch.  Tests
of the vetch mulch system will be expanded to cover other major vegetables
including sweet corn, peppers, snap beans, muskmelons and egg plants. 
Studies will also be initiated to assess differences in stress imposed by
pathogens on tomatoes grown under different cultural practices with the
objective of reducing pesticide applications during the growing season. 
   Details on how to use the hairy vetch mulch system in tomato production
have recently been released by ARS in the ten-page farmers' bulletin
(FB-2279) "Sustainable Production of Fresh-Market Tomatoes with Organic
Mulches." 
  
Call Aref Abdul-Baki, Vegetable Lab 
(504-5057), if you have any questions or comments about these projects. 

                        Field Crops Research

   Characterization work is proceeding well at the project site along
Beaver Dam and Edmonston Roads.  The Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
data base has been constructed and preliminary analyses for site planning
is underway. 
   During the past 18 months researchers from the University of Maryland
and several BARC Labs (RSRL, BPDL, NL, WSL) have cooperated in the effort
to build a GIS data base to support comprehensive geostatistical analyses
of spatial variation in soil characteristics and crop productivity. 
   Soil pedological and chemical properties have been characterized by
sampling to a 1 m depth on a 50 by 75 m grid (50 points) and to a 45 cm
depth on a 25 m square grid (300 points). 
   Spatial variation in crop productivity was investigated by collecting
crop growth and development data in uniformity trial crops on a 25 m
square grid (240 points).  The first two of three planned uniformity crops
(corn/winter wheat/soybean) were unsuccessful as a result of severe
climatic conditions in the summer of 1993 and winter of 1994.  No-till
corn was planted in May 1994.  Ideal weather conditions during the growing
season produced record yields and a unique data set describing variation
in crop productivity across the site. 
   Other data have also been acquired during the characterization period:
color infrared aerial photography of the crop canopy during the 1993 and
1994 growing seasons; a digital elevation model of the site; and, black
and white aerial photography of previous land use on the site during the
period of 1930 to 1960. 
   Planning of the systems to be included in the experiment got underway
with the meeting of a Farmer/Extension planning group in August 1994. 
This group proposed 9 potential cropping systems to be considered as
treatments for the project. Development of experimental treatments will
continue with input from BARC cooperators and a meeting this February of
BARC scientists interested in discussing design options. 
   During 1995, project plans are to complete the baseline
characterization work, finalize the experimental design, and continue to
actively seek cooperators in the Field Crops-Research project. 
Cooperators are especially needed this year to complete the baseline
characterization of soil physical and biological characteristics.  This
year will be the last opportunity for collecting "time zero" data because
research plots are scheduled to be established at the site in the spring
of 1996. 
   Any BARC scientist with an interest in cooperating in the baseline
characterization and/or systems planning is encouraged to contact Laura by
February 10. 
 
Call Laura Lengnick, Soil Microbial Systems Lab (504-8327) if you have any
questions or comments about this project. 

Sustainable Ag. Bulletin Board

*Get Connected!  Anybody with a computer account on ASRR can join the
Sustainable Agriculture Network's (SAN) electronic conference.  This
international newsgroup shares information and ideas regarding sustainable
agriculture.  Current issues/events impacting sustainable agriculture are
debated among the many researchers, administrators, farmers, public policy
makers, consumers and others posting to the newsgroup.  To subscribe to
SAN, send the message "subscribe sanet-mg" to almanac@ces.ncsu.edu. 


----------------------------------------------------
>
>Bat Conservation International has a web page:
>
>        http://www.hipark.austin.isd.tenet.edu/bat/main.html


Also, the latest issue of American Woodworker has plans for a bat
house.  Sorry, don't have it here at work so I can't get the phone
number, but it's widely available on newsstands.


Article 19524 of misc.rural:
Path: bigblue.oit.unc.edu!concert!news-server.ncren.net!taco.cc.ncsu.edu!gatech!news-feed-1.peachnet.edu!news.netins.net!wmcclain
From: wmcclain@worf.netins.net (Bill McClain)
Newsgroups: misc.rural
Subject: Re: Bats
Date: Tue, 25 Jul 1995 16:00:55 -0600
Organization: INS Information Services, Des Moines, Iowa, USA
Lines: 28
Message-ID: <3v3m5b$3g4@insosf1.netins.net>
References: <9550.134.uupcb@twplace.wb3ffv.ampr.org>
NNTP-Posting-Host: worf.netins.net
X-Newsreader: MacSOUP 1.0d5

Tom Lemmen <tom.lemmen@twplace.wb3ffv.ampr.org> wrote:

> Hi:
> My wife bought me this "bat house" after she saw
> a program on Public TV that said how huge
> an amount of insects bats can eat everyday.
>
> I put the damn thing up real high (like the
> instructions said) but Still no residents.
>
> It's up on my TV tower,  about 25 feet off the ground.
> There is a light underneath it that attracts bugs
> and I see bats flyin' around there every night.
>
> ANybody got any insights to this problem??

I've been told that it may take quite some time to attract bats. They
like to be quite hot during the day, and an eastern exposure for the
house is recommended.

I cannot vouch for this, but I have also been advised that spreading bat
poop under the box will lure them. Makes the site seem more "home-like".

Try Bat Conservation International:

        http://www.hipark.austin.isd.tenet.edu/bat/main.html

-Bill