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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Citrus and Other Subtropical Products Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #361150
Research Project: Integrated Strategies for Managing Pests and Nutrients in Vegetable and Ornamental Production Systems

Location: Citrus and Other Subtropical Products Research

Title: Advances in organic cultivation of vegetables

Author
item ZHAO, XIN - University Of Florida
item DI GIOIA, FRANCESCO - Pennsylvania State University
item DELATE, KATHLEEN - Iowa State University
item Rosskopf, Erin
item GUAN, WENJING - Purdue University

Submitted to: Organic Vegetable Production
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/7/2019
Publication Date: 9/25/2019
Citation: Zhao, X., Di Gioia, F., Delate, K., Rosskopf, E.N., Guan, W. 2019. Advances in organic cultivation of vegetables. Organic Vegetable Production. http://dx.doi.org/10.19103.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.19103

Interpretive Summary: Eighty-seven countries have established organic agriculture regulations as of 2016 with a total area of 57.8 million hectares (ha) for organic agricultural land worldwide and a total value of 89.7 billion U.S. dollars for organic market sales. From 2012 to 2016, the global increase of organic agricultural land and market value reached approximately 54.1% and 40.6%, respectively. Vegetable crops play an important role in growing organic agriculture with the total organic vegetable acreage rising from 244856 ha in 2012 to 437443 ha in 2016. Despite the surge in organic farming and organic food consumption, the lower productivity of organic crops in comparison with the conventional counterparts remains a major concern. Soilborne pest and nutrient management are areas in which significant advances could lead to increased organic crop yields. Emerging areas that have potential for increasing yield include development of a better understanding of nutrient use and cycling in systems that are dependent upon organic amendments, and the use of vegetable grafting and anaerobic soil disinfestation for managing soilborne pests.

Technical Abstract: Organic farming is considered an agroecological system focused on promoting biological cycles, soil biological activity, and biodiversity toward enhancing resource conservation and environmental quality. The global growth of organic market and production drives the research to improve organic cropping systems. This chapter discusses practices and challenges in organic vegetable production with a focus on nutrient and soilborne pest management. Organic amendments, cover crops, crop rotation, soil solarization, anaerobic soil disinfestation, organic fertilizers, plant biostimulants, vegetable grafting, and no-till vegetable production are among the major topics included. An interdisciplinary, holistic approach is stressed in developing and advancing organic systems to enhance nutrient availability and use efficiency as well as plant and soil health in vegetable production.