2004 Annual Report 1.What major problem or issue is being resolved and how are you resolving it (summarize project aims and objectives)? How serious is the problem? What does it matter? Mainstream or conventional farming systems are accelerating the degradation of our soil and water resources, and are creating food quality and both food and farm worker safety issues due to excessive tillage, synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and fungicides. To overcome these problems, both growers and consumers are looking more to the production and consumption of organically grown food products. Today, the production of food carrying the USDA organic label is based primarily on a trial-and-error approach conducted on small family farms and is not as based on the scientific approach of hypothesis testing as warranted. Furthermore, starting from October 2002, the USDA has implemented national organic labeling standards for the production and sale of all organic foods. Guidelines, based on scientific research and economic analysis, for developing farming systems that meet organic standards would greatly minimize the risk of converting from conventional to organic farming systems. This project proposes to develop organic management systems that meet USDA guidelines for the production and sale of selected organic fruits and vegetables. To accomplish our research objectives, we have developed a comprehensive program that takes the holistic approach of combining both basic and applied research from a variety of disciplines such as agronomy, plant physiology, biochemistry, soil science, and food technology. First, we will attempt to understand the dynamics of converting conventional farms into organic farms. Second, we seek to understand the biochemistry of plant phenomena as they interact with soil conditions, cultural practices, and the environment under conventional and organic production. Third, we will investigate how different cover crops (grasses and legumes) contribute to soil organic matter, soil nutrient status, and microbial populations. Fourth, scientific studies will be conducted to evaluate food quality under organic and sustainable management, compared with quality of food produced under conventional farming systems. This information will be invaluable for adjusting cultural and management practices to produce healthy and nutritious food effectively and economically under the conditions that have low environmental quality impacts. The problem of pollution of our water resources (surface and groundwater), the problem of poor food quality and nutritional value, the problem of farm worker safety due to toxic chemicals, and the problem of contaminated foods from pesticides, all are viewed differently by the scientific community and the public at large; but we believe that problems caused by today's conventional farming systems may contribute to serious health and environmental problems and that organic production systems are a potential solution to many of these problems. 2.List the milestones (indicators of progress) from your Project Plan. Year 1 (FY 2005) First cycle cover crop/vegetable study. Plant/soil analyses. Greenhouse experiment moisture stress/microbe responses. Start experiments with cuttings; initiate grafting and temperature control experiments. Report establishment, mortality, and early growth characteristics of orchard crops. Report spring/fall 2005 results on particle film application to peppers. Complete analyses: effects of soil amendments, foliar sprays on pecan production following 2004 harvest. Reevaluate treatments and modify, as required. Year 2 (FY 2006) Second cycle cover crop/vegetable study. Plant/soil analyses. Report first 2 years. Continue greenhouse studies - biochemistry. Study flowering experiments under controlled conditions. Perform reciprocal grafting experiments between early and late varieties. Report early peach, orchard performance. Report on the use of particle film on pepper/melon crop performance and citrus yield and quality. Complete analyses: effects of soil amendments, foliar sprays on pecan production following the 2006 harvest. Year 3 (FY 2007) Third cycle cover crop/vegetable study. Plant/soil analyses. Report findings. Continue greenhouse studies - microbiology. Complete experiments on flowering under control conditions. Assess performance of L712 clones at or near Carrizo Springs. Report on the orchard performance of 3 peach fruiting seasons. Complete analyses: effects of soil amndments, foliar sprays on pecan production following the 2007 harvest. Year 4 (FY 2008) Fourth cycle cover crop/vegetable study. Plant/soil analyses. Report findings. Continued greenhouse studies. Record and analyze data. Transfer technology. Summarize 5 growing seasons (peach crops) and make technical recommendations. Complete studies and transfer technologies. Year 5 (FY 2009) Fifth cycle cover crop/vegetable study. Plant/soil analyses. Report findings. Continue greenhouse studies. Technology transfer. 3.Milestones: A. List the milestones that were scheduled to be addressed in FY2004. How many milestones did you fully or substantially meet in FY2004 and indicate which ones were not fully or substantially met, briefly explain why not, and your plans to do so. The milestones listed below were scheduled to be addressed under FY2004 are: Obtaining approval of the new project plan. Fully met. Purchasing protein analysis equipment for the olive protein studies. Bids are being obtained for the equipment purchase. Obtaining land and building at the new USDA-ARS Rio Farms field research station. Farm implement storage at the USDA-ARS Rio Farms is still not available requiring us to drive tractors and farm equipment 20 miles on a 4-lane busy highway. The FY2004 harvest season for pecans at the organic production site will take place in early FY2005 (November). Thus no data has been collected or analyzed. B. List the milestones that you expect to address over the next 3 years (FY 2005, 2006, & 2007). What do you expect to accomplish, year by year, over the next 3 years under each milestone? Year 1 (FY 2005) Complete analyses of effects of applications of soil amendments and foliar sprays on the organic production of pecans following the FY2005 harvest (November 2004). Establish a Prunus persica planting in killed-cover crop and conventionally tilled plants with and without biological inoculation in order to improve stand and long-term orchard life against Phymatotrichum omnivorum. Evaluate summer cover crops (forage sorghum [Sorghum bicolor], cowpeas [Vigna unguiculata]) for effects on organic matter, fertility and the production of onion (Allium sp.). Experiments on the role of environmental conditions on induction of flowering in olives will continue in the locally designed and fabricated environmental chambers. Additional experiments will be conducted to develop easy propagation methods. Trees will be planted at various sites within Texas that will be selected based on the data from the experiments conducted in environmental chambers. Experiments on propagation methods will be continued. Year 2 (FY 2006) Complete analyses of effects of applications of soil amendments and foliar sprays on the organic production of pecans following the FY2006 harvest (November 2005). Quantify the effect of organic amendments on soil health and fruit quality. Develop smother-crop and weed barrier technologies in order to minimize chemical herbicide use in vineyard and orchard scenarios. Evaluate combinations of cover crop types for plant biomass production, soil fertility effects, soil microbial responses, and production of summer crops (tomato, watermelon) and winter vegetables (onion). Trees will be planted at additional sites within Texas that will be selected based on the data from the experiments conducted in environmental chambers. Experiments on propagation methods will be continued. Clones of the selected trees from Carrizo Springs and Mercedes will be planted at one or two sites. Year 3 (FY 2007) Complete analyses of effects of applications of soil amendments and foliar sprays on the organic production of pecans following the FY2007 harvest (November 2006). Quantify the effect of organic amendments on soil health and fruit quality. Initiate experiments to evaluate the effects of particle film application on peach tree water use efficiency and fruit quality. Determine soil nutrient status after three years of cover crop and vegetable growth. Determine soil quality indices (organic matter content, aggregate size distributions and stabilities, phosphatase and cellulase activities). Performance of olive trees for flowering and fruiting will be evaluated at various sites where the trees were planted in the previous years, and based on this data new large-scale experiments will be initiated in collaboration with local farmers. 4.What were the most significant accomplishments this past year? A. Single most significant accomplishment during FY 2004: None. B. Other Significant Accomplishment(s), if any. None. C. Significant activities that support special target populations. None. 5.Describe the major accomplishments over the life of the project, including their predicted or actual impact. No major accomplishments. The project was established 7/1/04. 6.What science and/or technologies have been transferred and to whom? When is the science and/or technology likely to become available to the end-user (industry, farmer, other scientists)? What are the constraints, if known, to the adoption and durability of the technology products? None. 7.List your most important publications in the popular press and presentations to organizations and articles written about your work. None.