Sustainable Potato Cropping Systems for Irrigated Agriculture in the Pacific Northwest

Introduction

Our research focuses on the identification and evaluation of microbial and biochemical processes under conventional and conservation irrigated vegetable production systems. The microbial studies are part of a team effort for developing integrated potato production systems. Using an interdisciplinary approach we are studying the effects of cover crops and reduced tillage in irrigated potato rotations on (i) soil microbial populations and their activities; (ii) soil borne plant pathogens; (iii) plant parasitic and free-living beneficial nematodes; and, (iv) abundance and diversity of beneficial and deleterious insects.