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USDA report and recommendation 1981 - Coggle Diagram
USDA report and recommendation 1981
3.2 CROP PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES
3.2.1 Cropping Practices
legume-based rotation with green manure or cover crops
vegetable farms receiving heavy applications of manure
non-irrigated land followed crop rotations
heavy green manure crop with a high nitrogen-demanding crop
deep and shallow rooted crops, root crops, and above-ground crops
using irrigation often did not follow rotations systematically
used recommended crop varieties and certified seed
questioned the adaptability of varieties for their particular soil and crop management systems
3.2.2 Cultural Practices
favored shallow tillage (no deeper than 3 to 4 inches)
active microflora
organic materials
fewer weed seeds
proper timing of tillage and planting for weed control
Small-scale : the need for smaller, less sophisticated equipment
3.2.3 Soil and Water Conservation
control runoff and erosion
Terraces, grassed waterways, stripcropping, and contour farming
3.2.4 Application of Plant Nutrients and Organic Matter
3.2.4.1 Supply of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium
N: legumes, animal manure, crop residues, and organic and inorganic fertilizers for high N use crops
P: rock phosphate, bonemeal
K: few apply greensand, wood ashes, muriate of potash
lime in limited quantities to increase soil pH
3.2.4.2 Manure
manure generated on organic farms was applied to the land.
imported manure from outside sources such as feedlots or packing plants
several their own composting systems
some stockpiled for several months without treatment.
purchased composted manure from commercial processors
Animal manure, crop residues, nitrogen symbiotically fixed in association with legumes, organic fertilizers,
little use of other materials such as sewage sludge, septage,or processing wastes
3.2.4.3 Crop Residues
return the crop residues to the soil
residues harvested for feed or grazed.
3.2.4.4. Chemical Fertilizers: as a supplement, use low rates,, infrequently or to limited acreage, During the transition
3.2.4.5 Other Products
various commercial products: soil humâtes, microbial fertilizers, microbial inoculants, soil (microbial) activators, soil conditioners, and plant growth stimulants
seaweed and fish emulsion products foliarly
3.2.5 Pest Control Methods
3.2.5.1 Weed Control
primarily by crop rotations, tillage, mowing
lesser extent by selective use of herbicides and hand weeding.
timely tillage, delayed planting, crop sequence selection
3.2.5.2 Insect Control
avoid synthetic chemicals for insect control
selective rotations and natural insect predators.
difficulty in controlling insects in vegetable and orchard crops
combinations of organic insecticides and biological methods of pest control.
the nonchemical control methods used (cultivation, delayed planting, and roguing)
Nematodes and plant pathogens did not appear
3.4 MARKETING
Most through conventional marketing channels
local organic food cooperatives, organic wholesalers,
organic retailers (such as natural or health food stores),
or directly to consumers.: often get premium price
roadside stands, pick-your-own and pre-pick
farmers' markets
remote area with high transportation costs.: 20 to 30 percent
3.5 GROWER AND MARKETING ORGANIZATIONS
no national organization of producers
35 regional organic farming groups
information exchange
to help certify, inspect, market, and distribute
The wholesale and retail distribution system
health food industry: 1,000 manufacturers and distributors. directly to wholesalers as well as to retail outlets.
IFOAM: international communicator as well as a coordinator of organic farming developments.
informative quarterly bulletin
network for the diverse bodies
4.3 ORGANIC FARMING AND ORGANIC WASTES
Improving Soils with Organic Wastes
seven major organic waste materials for use: (a) animal manures, (b) crop residues, (c) sewage sludge, (d) food processing wastes, (e) industrial organic wastes, (f) logging and wood manufacturing wastes, and (g) muni ci pat refuse.
quantity currently generated, current usage, potential value as fertilizers (based on major plant nutrients contained), cost of land application, competitive uses, and problems and constraints
Constraints and Competitive Uses
certain competitive uses: cotton gin trash and sugarcane bagasse sources of fuel for burning for energy
high costs of collection, processing, transportation, and application;
constraints on usage related to certain chemical and physical properties:
municipal refuse : solid fragments (glass, plastic, metal)
some food processing wastes may have extremely high acidity or alkalinity , heavy metals and some organic chemicals phytotoxic to plants
4.5 PEST CONTROL
4.5.1 Weed Control: Nonchemical methods of weed control: more costly and less effective, reduce the farm size. balanced approach for weed control
Tillage - mechanical and hand labor: cost of labor and limited availability of workers, higher energy costs, soil effects
Crop rotation: limited or noneconomic outlets
Preventive crop rotation: cleaning equipment, screening weed seed from irrigation water, and assuring that crop transplants, seed, and soil amendments
Crop spacing
Timing of seeding and planting: use quick germinating seeds and vigorous growing plants (e.g., corn, potatoes, radishes, etc, Less vigorous plants may be transplanted to compete weed
Mulching: most effective on annual weeds
more limited use include biological control : (the use of living organisms, insects, plant pathogens, nematodes, goats, and geese to stress or destroy weeds)
thermal control (briefly burning the plant with an electrical discharge or fuel burner)
genetic control (breeding crops that are more competitive with weeds or exude phytotoxins to inhibit weed growth)
4.6 ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT OF ORGANIC FARMING
substitute organic waste, green manure crops,
crop rotations, and/or organic fertilizers for synthetic fertilizers.
increased use of mechanical or hand methods
substitute biological pest control and crop rotations for chemical control
not solely for economic reasons, but to supplement their own food needs, for a hobby, or for recreation.
The future for organic farming is uncertain.: depends on the availability and price of fertilizer (especially nitrogen) and farm labor, produce-price relationships, the domestic and world demand for food, concern for soil and water conservation, concern for health and the environment, and U.S. policies
the shift from conventional to organic farming,
however, is limited by the availability and quality of resources.
lack of an adequate and economical supply of organic wastes and residues
soil nutrients and climatic conditions are not suitable for successful and profitable organic farming
probably be on small farms and on larger mixed crop/livestock farms
small-scale farms generally depend more on labor than on capital
difficult to assess the overall impact of increased organic farming
on total U.S. agricultural production, farm income, food prices, and exports.
small economic impact on total agricultural production, input usage, total farm income, food prices, or agricultural exports.
4.7 PRODUCTIVITY IN ORGANIC FARMING
4.7.1 Relation to energy
98 percent is used in the production of fertilizers: 85 percentis used to manufacture synthetic nitrogen fertilizers
some nonchemical methods of pest control may be very energy intensive.
conservation tillage systems, only 20 to 50 percent of the fuel consumed by conventional tillage practices
organic wastes would replace only about 6-20 percent of the chemical fertilizers
organic farmers used less total energy but more fuel.
Crop yields depend not only on soil fertility but upon seed varieties; climatic conditions; control of weeds, insects, and diseases; harvesting methods; and other crop management practices
4.9 WATER CONSERVATION
conservation tillage systems
shallow tillage, which incorporates crop residues near the
surface, may temporarily increase water infiltration
pesticides are required to control weeds and insects harbored in crop residues
pre or post- plant tillage as a substitute for pesticides
4.9.2 Cropping Practice: sod crops, such as eep-rooted alfalfa, increasing water infiltration
4.9.3 Organic Matter Effects