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Organic Heirloom Spring Wheat Variety Trial, Heather Darby

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

No abstract provided.

Organic Heirloom Winter Wheat Variety Trial, Heather Darby, Hillary Emick, Erica Cummings

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Many consumers are interested in heirloom wheat for flavor, perceived health benefits, or its history, while many farmers are interested in heirloom wheat because it may have superior genetics better adapted to the challenging growing conditions in the Northeast. Production of heirloom wheat may also provide a farmer with a value added market with increased returns. This variety trial was established to determine heirloom winter wheat varieties that are suitable for production in Vermont’s growing conditions. This was the fifth year that this trial was conducted in Vermont. These projects were funded through the UNFI Foundation that has set a …

Organic Spring Wheat Variety Trial, Heather Darby, Nate Brigham, Julija Cubins, Erica Cummings, Hillary Emick, Sara Ziegler

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

In 2016, the University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program evaluated eighteen hard red spring wheat to determine which varieties thrive in organic production systems. The trial was established at the Borderview Research Farm in Alburgh, Vermont. Several varieties that did not perform well in previous trial years were eliminated from the 2016 variety trial. Newly released varieties were also sought for evaluation.

Small Grain Disease And Insect Pest Scouting Report, Heather Darby, Ann Hazelrigg, Erica Cummings, Gabriella Maia

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

A survey of small grain diseases and insect pests were conducted in Vermont, New York, and Massachusetts during the 2016 growing season. Pests were scouted on six Vermont farm locations in the towns of Alburgh, North Troy, Shelburne, Bridport, Glover, and Berlin, as well as in Essex, New York and Northfield, Massachusetts.

Winter and spring wheat (heirloom and commercially available) as well as spring barley were scouted between spike emergence and flowering, and again at the soft dough growth stage. Disease and insect samples were taken and identified with assistance from the University of Vermont (UVM) Plant Diagnostic Clinic.

Performance Of Green Manure Species Seeded Into Spring Barley, Heather Darby, Hillary Emick, Erica Cummings

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

With the revival of the small grains industry in the Northeast and the strength of the locavore movement, craft breweries and distilleries have expressed an interest in sourcing local barley for malting. Many farmers are also interested in barley as a concentrated, high-energy feed source for livestock. Depending on the variety, barley can be planted in either the spring or fall, and both two- and six-row barley can be used for malting and livestock feed.

Winter Barley Planting Date And Nitrogen Amendment Trial, Heather Darby, Hillary Emick, Erica Cummings

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

With the revival of the small grains industry in the Northeast and the strength of the locavore movement, craft breweries and distilleries have expressed an interest in sourcing local barley for malting. Malting barley must meet specific quality characteristics such as low protein content and high germination. Many farmers are also interested in barley as a concentrated, high-energy feed source for livestock. Depending on the variety, barley can be planted in either the spring or fall, and both two- and six-row barley can be used for malting and livestock feed. Winter barley has not been traditionally grown in the Northeast …

Winter Barley Seeding Rate, Cover Crop And Variety Trial, Heather Darby, Hillary Emick, Erica Cummings

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

With the revival of the small grains industry in the Northeast and the strength of the locavore movement, craft breweries and distilleries have expressed an interest in sourcing local barley for malting. Malting barley must meet specific quality characteristics such as low protein content and high germination. Many farmers are also interested in barley as a concentrated, high-energy feed source for livestock. Depending on the variety, barley can be planted in either the spring or fall, and both two- and six-row barley can be used for malting and livestock feed. Winter barley has not been traditionally grown in the Northeast …

Hop Biofungicide Trial, Heather Darby, Julija Cubins, Scott Lewins, Julian Post

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Downy mildew has been identified as the primary pathogen plaguing northeastern hop yards. This disease causes reduced yield, poor hop quality, and, in severe cases, plant death. Control measures that reduce disease incidence and have a low environmental impact are desperately needed for the region. Regular application of protectant fungicide sprays is an effective method for managing downy mildew pressure in hop yards. However, regular chemical applications can lead to residual toxicity in the soil and have a negative effect on beneficial organisms. Extended use of protectant and curative fungicides can also lead to pathogen resistance. The goal of this …

Hop Crowning Trial, Heather Darby, Julian Post, Julija Cubins, Scott Lewins

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Downy mildew has been identified as the primary pathogen plaguing our northeastern hop yards. This disease causes reduced yield, poor hop quality, and can cause the plant to die in severe cases. Control measures that reduce disease infection and spread while minimizing the impact on the environment, are desperately needed for the region. Mechanical control is one means to reduce downy mildew pressure in hop yards. Scratching, pruning, or crowning is a practice initiated in the early spring when new growth has just emerged from the soil.

Hop Pest Scouting Report, Heather Darby, Scott Lewins

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

During the 2016 growing season, the major pest challenges we encountered at the hop yard at the Borderview Research Farm in Alburgh, Vermont were two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae), potato leafhopper (Empoasca fabae), and hop downy mildew (Pseudoperonospora humuli).

Hop Optimal Irrigation Trial, Heather Darby, Julija Cubins, Scott Lewins, Julian Post

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Hops reportedly use about 610 to 715 mm (24 to 28 inches) of water per year (Evans 2003). Rainfall can contribute to this total, however, due to climatic variability, it is important that hops are irrigated regularly to combat moisture stress. Moisture deficit during the hop growing season has been shown to cause reductions in hop cone yield (Hnilickova et al. 2009). Irrigation systems can help to alleviate some of the potential drought stress, but timing of water application is just as important as the amount of water hops are receiving. Hops require the majority of their water in the …

Industrial Hemp Seeding Rate Trial, Heather Darby, Abha Gupta, Julija Cubins, Lindsey Ruhl, Sara Ziegler University Of Vermont

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Hemp is a non-psychoactive variety of cannabis sativa L. The crop is one of historical importance in the U.S. and reemerging worldwide importance as manufacturers seek hemp as a renewable and sustainable resource for a wide variety of consumer and industrial products. The crop produces a valuable oilseed, rich in Omega-3 and other essential fatty acids that are often absent in western diets. When the oil is extracted from the seed, what remains is a marketable meal coproduct, which is used for human and animal consumption. The fiber has high tensile strength and can be used to create cloth, rope, …

Industrial Hemp Planting Date X Variety Trial, Heather Darby, Abha Gupta, Julija Cubins, Lindsey Ruhl, Sara Ziegler

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Hemp is a non-psychoactive variety of cannabis sativa L. The crop is one of historical importance in the U.S. and reemerging worldwide importance as manufacturers seek hemp as a renewable and sustainable resource for a wide variety of consumer and industrial products. The crop produces a valuable oilseed, rich in Omega-3 and other essential fatty acids that are often absent in western diets. When the oil is extracted from the seed, what remains is a marketable meal coproduct, which is used for human and animal consumption. The fiber has high tensile strength and can be used to create cloth, rope, …

Industrial Hemp Weed Control Trial, Heather Darby, Abha Gupta, Erica Cummings, Julija Cubins, Hillary Emick, Julian Post, Lindsey Ruhl, Sara Ziegler

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Hemp is a non-psychoactive variety of cannabis sativa L. The crop is one of historical importance in the U.S. and reemerging worldwide importance as manufacturers seek hemp as a renewable and sustainable resource for a wide variety of consumer and industrial products. The crop produces a valuable oilseed, rich in Omega-3 and other essential fatty acids that are often absent in western diets. When the oil is extracted from the seed, what remains is a marketable meal coproduct, which is used for human and animal consumption. The fiber has high tensile strength and can be used to create cloth, rope, …

Organic Soybean Variety Trial, Heather Darby, Julija Cubins, Sara Ziegler

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

In 2016, the University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Team evaluated yield and quality of organic soybean varieties at Borderview Research Farm in Alburgh, VT. Growing conditions in Alburgh are conducive to grow soybeans from maturity group 1.8 and under. Due to the short growing season in Vermont, little research has been conducted on soybeans and the insects and diseases that can affect their harvest yield and quality. Soybeans are grown for human consumption, animal feed, and biodiesel. In an effort to support and expand the local soybean market throughout the northeast, the University of Vermont Extension Northwest …

Organic Hop Variety Trial Final Report, Heather Darby, Julian Post, Lily Calderwood, Julija Cubins, Erica Cummings, Abha Gupta, Scott Lewins, Lindsey Ruhl, Sara Ziegler

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Hops production has increased steadily throughout the Northeast over the past 6 years. While hops were historically grown in the Northeast, they have not been commercially produced in this region for over a hundred years. With this large gap in regional production knowledge, we have a great need for region-specific, science-based research on this reemerging crop. The vast majority of hop production in the United States occurs in the arid Pacific Northwest on a very large scale. In the Northeast, the average hop yard is well under 10 acres and the humid climate provides challenges not addressed by existing hops …

Soybean Variety Trial, Heather Darby, Julija Cubins, Julian Post, Sara Ziegler

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

In 2016, the University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Team evaluated yield and quality of short season soybean varieties at Borderview Research Farm in Alburgh, VT. Due to the short growing season in Vermont, little research has been conducted on soybeans and the insects and diseases that can affect their harvest yield and quality. Soybeans are grown for human consumption, animal feed, and biodiesel. In an effort to support and expand the local soybean market throughout the northeast, the University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crop and Soils (NWCS) Program, as part of a grant from the Eastern Soybean …

Cover Crop Mix In Corn Silage Trial, Heather Darby, Abha Gupta, Lily Calderwood, Erica Cummings, Julian Post, Sara Ziegler

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

While growing corn silage, it is important to plan for soil health management during the season. Cover cropping is one way to prevent soil erosion, maintain and/or improve soil nutrients, improve soil aggregation, prevent nutrient loss from runoff, and increase water retention. Such soil improvements can promote conditions that add resiliency to a crop, especially in light of extreme weather patterns that may affect yields. It can be challenging to grow cover crop into corn silage without having proper interseeding equipment, or correct timing, so that the cover crop will be able to survive. In this trial, our goals were …

Sunflower Planting Date X Variety Trial, Heather Darby, Sara Ziegler, Nate Brigham, Julija Cubins, Abha Gupta

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Sunflowers are being grown in the Northeast for their potential to add value to a diversified operation as fuel, feed, fertilizer, and an important rotational crop. However, pest pressures from seed-boring insects, disease, and birds can limit yield and quality, making the crop less viable for existing and potential growers. Addressing some of these pest pressures with agronomic management strategies may help mitigate yield losses. One cultural pest control strategy is manipulation of planting date. To evaluate the impacts of altered planting dates on sunflower pests and yields across varieties, an on-farm trial was designed and implemented by the University …

Winter Canola Variety Trial, Heather Darby, Sara Ziegler, Julija Cubins, Hillary Emick, Abha Gupta

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

No abstract provided.

High Glucosinolate Mustard As A Biofumigant Trial, Heather Darby, Abha Gupta, Erica Cummings, Julija Cubins, Hillary Emick, Sara Ziegler

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Brassicaceae plants (mustard family) contain chemicals called glucosinolates. These compounds are present in the leaves, stems, roots, and seeds of the plants. When the plant biomass is incorporated into the soil, these glucosinolates are broken down into a number of secondary compounds, including a compound called isothiocyanate. Isothiocyanate can be biocidal to seeds, insects, nematodes, and other microbes (fungi, bacteria, etc.). In recent years, plant breeders have worked to develop varieties of mustards with high glucosinolate content to be used as biofumigants in crop production. These high glucosinolate mustards (HGM) are being used as cover crops and the entire plant …

Pasture Productivity Trial, Heather Darby, Abha Gupta, Julija Cubins, Julian Post, Sara Ziegler

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Pasture is an essential component of the ration on organic dairy farms. Productivity of pastures is key to ensure the cattle have a plentiful source of high quality feed during the entire grazing season. Optimal management of pastures should include animal, plant, and soil factors. This project aims to identify weak links in the pasture system and evaluate the impact of adopting new strategies to overcome barriers to productivity. In this case, soil fertility was identified as the primary weak link to productivity.

Soybean Cover Cropping Trial, Heather Darby, Julija Cubins

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

In 2016, the University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Team interseeded cover crops into soybean varieties to evaluate cover crop establishment and effect on soybean yield at Borderview Research Farm in Alburgh, VT. Growing conditions in Alburgh are conducive to grow soybeans from maturity group 1.8 and under. Due to the later harvest date of soybeans in Vermont, little research has been done of cover crop establishment. Cover crops, particularly legumes, have difficultly establishing after the late soybean harvest and are not able to develop enough biomass to protect the otherwise bare soil during the winter. In an …

Tillage Radish Planting Date X Seeding Rate Trial, Heather Darby, Nate Brigham, Erica Cummings, Hillary Emick, Abha Gupta, Sara Ziegler

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Farmers are interested in growing tillage radishes as they may potentially offer many environmental and economic benefits. Tillage radishes are quick at scavenging excess nitrogen (N), provide good ground cover, and break down very quickly in the spring to make way for spring planting. The plants winter kill, but the dead frozen plant material can still supress the earliest spring weeds from establishing. The roots themselves are known to drill through compacted soil layers as they grow, and the holes left by decomposed roots the next spring may also allow more water to infiltrate into the soil. Growing tillage radish …

Evaluating The Efficacy Of Organic Approved Fungicides For The Control Of Powdery Mildew In Squash, Heather Darby, Abha Gupta, Julija Cubins, Julian Post, Lindsey Ruhl, Sara Ziegler

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Powdery mildew grows well in environments with high humidity and moderate temperatures and can be problematic on crops in the Northeast. Cucurbit crops face powdery mildew and often downy mildew on a yearly basis and significant yields losses have been reported. The family of cucurbits is an important part of the diversified crop mix of a typical commercial vegetable farm in Vermont and throughout the Northeast. Growers have been using cultural practices, fungicides, and multiple plantings to mitigate crop loss from powdery mildew, however, the impact of the disease is seasonally dependent and still represents a consistent loss.

Vegetable Fertility Management Trial, Heather Darby, Abha Gupta, Julija Cubins, Hillary Emick, Sara Ziegler

Northwest Crops & Soils Program

Many organic vegetable producers have been relying heavily on livestock composts as a source of fertility on farms. Often, high rates of compost are applied to meet the nitrogen (N) needs of crops. When this strategy is implemented, it can lead to over application of phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). As an example, a grower may apply poultry manure at 6 tons ac-1 per year to supply vegetable crops with adequate N. This can contribute as much as 180 lbs ac-1 of P per year, where vegetable crop removal of P ranges from 10-80 lbs ac-1 per season. In this …