Indicators of Soil Health in an Organic Strawberry-Vegetable Rotation*

by J. MURAMOTO1, S. R. GLIESSMAN1, J. SCORSE1, J. R. HITCHCOCK2, S. T. KOIKE3, D. SCHMIDA4, and R. STEPHENS5.
Univ. of California-Santa Cruz1, Mission Ranches2, Univ. of California-Cooperative Extension3, Sandpiper Farms4, Elkhorn Ranch5

Abstract: Organic strawberry production has been practiced by growers on the Central Coast of California since the mid-1980s. To limit soil borne diseases, strawberries must be rotated off the land for up to 3 to 5 years of alternate crops, or put in long-term fallow, which inhibits most growers' ability to remain in production. A collaborative grower/land owner/researcher team is investigating an organic strawberry-vegetable rotation system with a goal of shortening the rotation period for strawberries and developing soil health indicators in the system at Elkhorn Ranch, Moss Landing, California. Since 1999 we have been monitoring soil for nitrate, Olsen-P, and Verticillium dahliae propagules as key soil health indicators in three cultivated fields (transitional since 1998 - 20 acres each) and a restoration field (fallow since 1994 - 10 acres). To monitor responses of soil health indicators, disease levels, and crop yields for different crop rotations and soil amendment applications, we have established an on-farm field experiment this year. The experimental field design and initial monitoring results will be presented.
* Presented at the Annual Meetings of the Agronomy Society of America, Oct. 22, 2001, Charlotte, NC.

Full Poster: Indicators of Soil Health in an Organic Strawberry-Vegetable Rotation  poster_2001.pdf