Canada's Organic Science Cluster

Activity D.2: System productivity and N flows in two organic vegetable long term rotations: high intensity stocked rotation versus a low intensity stockless rotation

Objectives:

1. Compare a high intensity stocked vegetable rotational system (3 vegetable crops in 4 years, with grazing and manure cycling) with a low intensity stockless vegetable rotational system (1 vegetable crop in 4 years with leguminous cover crops)

• Compare crop quality and yield
• Analyse costs/revenues of inputs and outputs

2. Evaluate the contribution of various legume varieties with differing N release patterns to fertility of companion plantings of vegetables

• Use ion exchange membrane technology to evaluate in-season N availability and nutrient cycling patterns
• Use tissue N sampling to assist with interpretation of ion exchange data
• Elaborate simple N flow patterns within a red clover/corn companion planting system

Learn More:

• Activity Summary
• Background and Supporting Documents
• Activity Researchers

Interesting Results to Date:

• NEW!! Innovative agronomic techniques for growing profitable high quality organic sweet corn
• Cross Canada Green Manure Use on Organic Vegetable Farms
• Please stay tuned for additional reports, newspaper articles, and extension bulletins related to this activity.

 

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