Maintaining Agroecosystem Health in the Organic Management of a Strawberry/Vegetable Rotation System*

by J. MURAMOTO1, S. R. GLIESSMAN1, S. KOIKE2, D. SCHMIDA3, and R. STEPHENS4.
Univ. of California-Santa Cruz1, Univ. of California-Cooperative Extension2, Sandpiper Farms3, Elkhorn Ranch4

Abstract: Continued growth of organic strawberry and vegetable production on the central coast of California faces two challenges: soil-borne disease management without use of chemical fumigants, and fertility management to optimize fertility input use while ensuring protection of vulnerable habitats. The goals of this project are to demonstrate indicators and strategies for soil-borne disease and fertility management. To limit soil-borne plant diseases without chemical fumigation, organic strawberries must be rotated off the land for several years. This inhibits the ability of most growers specialized in this crop to increase their production. A team of organic growers, multidisciplinary researchers, and the landowner has worked together to design an organic strawberry/vegetable rotation system on the central coast of California. In 2001, we initiated a five-year on-farm rotation trial to assess the ability to shorten strawberry rotations through integration of multiple ecological practices and to optimize fertility management. Soil health indicators (Verticillium dahliae propagule number, soil inorganic nitrogen, and other physicochemical indicators) and agroecosystem health indicators (yield, disease incidence, and field-scale nutrient budgets) will be monitored in the trial over five years. Results from the first and the second year will be presented.

* Presented at the Annual Meetings of the Agronomy Society of America, Nov. 4, 2003, Denver, CO.

Full Poster: Maintaining Agroecosystem Health in the Organic Management of a Strawberry/Vegetable Rotation System. poster_2003.pdf