Mulch Comparison | Weed Management

Comparison of Mulches for Sweet Potato Production听听听听听听听听听听

ORGANIC AGRICULTURE CHALLENGES

Organic agriculture has gained international recognition as a valid alternative to conventional food production. The demand for organic food products has recently increased in the U.S. and worldwide. The production of organic crops in the Southeastern U.S., including Tennessee, presents various challenges, including weed management which is perhaps the most challenging.

WEED MANAGEMENT AMONG SWEET POTATO CROP

Sweet potato is a highly nutritious staple food crop.听听 Dr. Dilip Nandwani 听has begun research on utilization of various mulches, which can suppress annual weeds and offer other important benefits such as organic matter, nutrients, moisture conservation, soil protection, and moderation of soil temperature in organic sweet potato production.听 Research is being conducted following specifications of the National Organic Program into a certified organic research and demonstration farm at the 麻豆传媒.

Dr. Nandwani took the first step toward this goal by converting a ten-acre plot at TSU's traditional farm into a Certified Organic farm and initiated organic agricultural research studies.听 Research on sweet potato and specialty vegetables is underway in organic management systems at the certified organic fields and TSU is moving forward with its longstanding goal of enhancing agricultural programs and facilities to become a world leader in Sustainable Organic Farming.听

Specific research efforts of the program include: Identify, assess and promote organic farming practices; production challenges, prevalent in organic management systems growing vegetables, provide professional, efficient and objective organic certification process guidelines to stakeholders and promote specialty or alternative crops to Tennessee growers.

听2014 Vegetable Research Trial at Certified Organic Farm听

Tomatoes听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 Heirloom tomatoes 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 Cucumbers听 听 听 听 听 Cucumbers (Pickling type) 听 Heirloom Tomatoes听 听 听 Green tomatoes are the favorite
听Melon听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听Melons 听 听 听 听 听 听听 听Beans, melon and cantaloupe听 Butternut Squash, Beans and 听 听 听Cucumbers (slicing type) 听 听 听 听听 听 听Field 6 weeks after planting听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听Sweetpotato field 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听
Research student collecting data on organic sweet potato听Graduate student Sochinwechi Nwosisi collecting field trial data
听 听 听 听 听听		 Field tour at the 2014 Small Farm Expo听 听Stakeholders touring the farm during 2014 Summer Expo 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听听 听 Organic Sweet Potato -- wow!听Field staff harvesting sweetpotato with new potato digger 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听 听听

听Organic sweetpotato slips of three varieties planted in June 2014 in various mulches听

No Mulch (control)

Control Plot (no mulch)		 Plastic Mulch

Plastic mulch		 Pine Needles听听听听听听听听听听
Pine needles		 Wheat Straw听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听
Wheat straw

听Fruits of labor

Organic Heirloom tomatoes taste good!听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 I love organic green tomatoes!听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Bountiful harvest of butternut squash听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Harvesting organic cucumbers听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听
AGSC3210 Class in the field

听Class of AGSC 3210 in a field trip and it's wet day!

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