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Some days I work here:

Other times, I go out to CEFS to collect data:

Or, you might find me in the strawberries in the greenhouse:

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The next 2.5 years of my life, summarized:

Priority area: Research on Components of Sustainable Systems Sub discipline: Horticulture: Soil ecology

Abstract

Organic strawberry production is a growing market and can offer alternatives for the loss of methyl bromide in conventional strawberry systems and transition from tobacco in North Carolina. Soil borne pathogens, root rot diseases, weeds, and nematodes can considerably reduce strawberry yields, especially when strawberries are replanted in the same site. The majority of organic strawberry production research, however, has been conducted in California where climate, soils, production practices and pest pressures differ vastly from the Southeastern United States. It is imperative to investigate sustainable practices specific for organic strawberry producers in this region that improve soil fertility, minimize disease and weed incidence and enhance soil biological activity.

In this study, we will examine the use of summer cover crops as an integrated soil and pest management approach for organic strawberry production in North Carolina. Using cover crops in rotation is an important strategy for many sustainable and organic systems to prevent erosion, increase soil organic matter and fertility, enhance biological activity, and break up pest cycles. The use of cover crops is relatively unexplored in practice in organic strawberry production. Selective cover crop species may also improve the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal inoculum potential and subsequent crop benefit from AM. Arbuscular mycorrhizas have been demonstrated to benefit strawberry growth by increasing nutrient acquisition and decreasing damage caused by Phytophthora root rot. Many commercial AM inoculants are available with variable success. Locally adapted AM fungal isolates, however, can be produced on farm and may be more effective than introduced species. Selection of cover crops that also function as good AM hosts can increase the activity of indigenous AM fungi, strawberry growth and overall soil community sustainability. To our knowledge, no study has combined the use of cover crops and their effects on indigenous AM fungi in an organic strawberry production system.

We will carry out this study with three approaches: a field experiment at the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS), greenhouse experiments and on-farm research trials. In the field experiment, we will investigate six cover crop species and combinations (sudan grass, pearl millet, soybean, velvetbean, sudan grass/soybean combination, and pearl millet/velvetbean combination) compared to a control treatment (no cover crop) for their effects on yields of strawberry plants pre-inoculated with the indigenous AM fungi or a commercial inoculum. To develop farm-level practices, we will carry out on-farm trials with selective cover crops in collaboration with three strawberry producers, NC County Extension Agents and with the NC Strawberry Association. Results from this study will be shared with farmers, researchers, extension personal and students through formal and informal presentations and publications. Evaluation of cover crop species for diverse functions, including enhancing AM fungi, as proposed in this study, is a major advancement towards developing an integrated approach for sustainable soil and pest management in organic strawberry production in North Carolina and the Southeastern United States.