Project Number: 6602-22000-037-04
Project Type: Reimbursable

Start Date: Jan 22, 2008
End Date: Mar 31, 2010

Objective:
1) Determine the effectiveness of organic transition strategies to manage weeds and improve soil quality in three prior land-use types. 2) Evaluate the impact of transition practices and weed management strategies on organic peanut production, pest management, and returns on investment. 3) Determine how management characteristics (physical and human) of farms relate to crop yield and economic returns of organic transition strategies across the transition period.

Approach:
Four organic transition strategies will be tested. The treatments were structured so that peanuts will be harvested at least three years and one month after the last non-approved chemical application and therefore can be certified organic. These transition strategies were selected because they all provide some pre-season weed management benefits and a cash flow at some point during the transition period. All fields will be fertilized with composted poultry litter at rates consistent with soil test recommendations. All seed will be untreated, and as much as possible, produced organically. Insect pests and diseases will be managed using prevention, use of disease-resistant varieties, and good cultural control. Pest and disease infestations will be noted for each treatment and treated accordingly using OMRI-approved materials. In the spring of the third growing season, peanut seed of moderately disease-resistant cultivars (Georganic and/or DP-1) will be planted in all plots. An economic analysis of profitability across the entire experiment will be conducted based on cooperator records for each treatment, crop yield, and crop value. Cost and returns will be calculated for all production practices associated with transitioning to organic peanut production over the three-year time period.