Investigaciones en la producción orgánica de vegetales en Oklahoma, USA

Authors: SHREFLER, JAMES - OSU, LANE, OK; TAYLOR, MERRITT - OSU, LANE, OK; Russo, Vincent; ROBERTS, WARREN - OSU, LANE, OK; Davis, Angela; EDELSON, JONATHAN - OSU, STILLWATER, OK; Webber Iii, Charles; Bruton, Benny; Perkins Veazie, Penelope; KHANAL, KALPANA - OSU, STILLWATER, OK; Fish, Wayne

Submitted to: Meeting Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/7/2007
Publication Date: 9/1/2008
Citation: Shrefler, J., Taylor, M., Russo, V.M., Roberts, W., Davis, A.R., Edelson, J., Webber III, C.L., Bruton, B.D., Perkins Veazie, P.M., Khanal, K., Fish, W.W. 2008. Investigaciones en la producción orgánica de vegetales en Oklahoma, USA. In: Proceedings of the Interamerican Society for Tropical Horticulture, October 7-12, 2007, Morelia, Mexico. 51:212-214.

Interpretive Summary: In addition to carrying out research to define the parameters of the most efficient ways to produce vegetable crops using organic methods and materials, it is equally important that the information be provided to producers. A demonstration project was established at the facilities jointly shared by Oklahoma State University and the USDA, ARS at Lane, OK, USA. This project included a four-year rotation using cowpea, sweet corn, tomato and watermelon in a four-year rotation. During the period the project was open to the community and discussed during field days. The project was designed to demonstrate the opportunities and challenges of producing crops following practices and procedures used based on regulations described in the USDA National Organics Program. Except for the last year of the program in which precipitation amounts far exceeded norms, quantity and quality of yields were acceptable. The project demonstrated that organic production of these crops is feasible, and the project will be continued.

Technical Abstract: Nationally recognized standards for certified organic farming were established in 2002 in the United States. This action stimulated increased scientific research on production methods that can be used in certified organic growing. In 2003, a multi-disciplinary scientific team in Oklahoma that consists of soil, vegetable and pest management scientists initiated a 4-year, 4-crop organic vegetable production research and demonstration project that included sweet corn, cowpea, watermelon and tomato. Two principle objectives of the project were 1) evaluate the potential for producing these crops under organic production conditions and 2) develop baseline information that would be useful to growers interested in certified organic vegetable production. Production practices and procedures used in the demonstration plantings were selected based on the USDA National Organics Program (NOP) list of approved practices and, when available, existing research-based information. This presentation will discuss the results obtained including crop productivity, problems encountered, and insights on research needs for the future.