Sustainable Vegetable Production Land Management Guide:

To Long-Term High-Yield Cropping

By Gary Gross(Rose, 2013)

Productive Agriculture Land

The Farmer’s Greatest Asset

(Camel Valley, 2013)

Issues of Over Cropped LandLoss of Soil Organic Matter

Regular Deep Tillage Lack of Cover Crops

Soil Compaction Heavy Foot & Vehicle Traffic Loss of Macro-Aggregates

Saline & Sodic Soil Conditions Over Use of Synthetic Fertilizers High EC Irrigation Water

(Eickmeier, 2012)

(Nguyen, 2011)

Soil Organic Matter (SOM) is any plant or animal material within the soil profile that goes through decomposition

Besides adding plant nutrients to the soil it is the main source of Organic Carbon in the soil

Highly productive soils have between 2% to 10% SOM

What is Soil Organic Matter (SOM)?

(Bot, 2005)(Roach, 2013)

Negative Effects WhenSOM < 2% Increases

Soil Bulk Density Soil Salinity Nutrient Leaching

DecreasesSoil PorosityMacro-aggregationWater & Air InfiltrationMicrobial BiomassCrop Yields

Loss of Soil Organic Matter (SOM)

(Youngman, 2010)

(Jackson, 2004)

Decreases: Soil Bulk DensitySoil SalinityNutrient Leaching

Increases: Soil PorosityMacro-aggregationWater & Air InfiltrationMicrobial BiomassCrop Yields

SOM Effects on Soil Structure

(Wang, 2013)(Jackson, 2004)

By Incorporating “Green Manure” cover crop, Animal Manure and/or Compost into the soil

In continuously cropped soil it take approximately 2.2 Tons/acre per year to maintain SOM at constant levels (Sullivan, 2003)

How to Manage SOM Content

CropBiomass

Tons/acre (Dry Weight)

Total N(lb/ac/yr)

Hairy Vetch 1.15 – 2.5 90 – 200Crimson Clover 1.75 – 2.75 70 – 130

Sweet Clover 1.5 – 2.5 90 – 170Field Pea 2 – 2.5 90 – 150

Alfalfa 3.6 – 7.4 130 - 220Rye 1.5 – 5 -

Barley 1 – 5 -Oats 1 – 5 -

Sorghum-sudan 4 - 5 -

Table 1. Biomass and Nitrogen Fixation of Selected Cover Crops

(SARE, 2007) (Rosenberg, 1996) (Miyamoto, 2008)

Ensure C:N ratio is between 15:1 – 25:1 to prevent nutrient immobilization

Incorporate OM at least 6 weeks before planting the season’s cash crop to allow time for mineralization

Can use to incorporate OM into the soil:Inversion Tillage Minimum tillage techniques

Ripper Plough“Sundance” System

No-TillFlail mowerRolling Stalk Chopper

Strategies of OM Incorporation

(Sullivan, 2003)(Sullivan, 2003)

Soil Compaction & Loss of Soil StructureCauses:

Regular Deep TillageFoot & Vehicle TrafficLoss of Organic Matter

within the Soil

Effects:High Bulk DensityMicro-AggregationReduced Infiltration

WaterAir

(Ontario, 2009) (Arthur, 2013)

Remediating Soil CompactionIncrease SOM

Between 2% - 10% with Plant and Animal Waste

Grow Deep Rooting Cover Crops that Act as a “Biological Plow”

Depth (feet) Cover Crop

5 – 7Red Clover, Lupine, Radish, Turnips

3 – 5Common Vetch, Mustard, Black Medic, Rape

1 - 3White Clover, Hairy Vetch, Rye, Sorghum-sudan

3 - 15 Alfalfa (Wyland, 1996) (SARE, 2007) (Sullivan, 2003)

(Sullivan, 2003)

Table 2. Average Rooting Depth of Selected Cover Crops

Negative Effects of Saline & Sodic SoilsInhibits:

Soil PermeabilitySoil Enzymatic ActivityPlant Uptake of Ca, K,

N & P

Disrupts:Plant Water UptakePlant Gas ExchangePhotosynthesis

(TNAU, 2013)

(Tejada, 2006)

Remediating Saline & Sodic Soils

Standard Practice Check Field

DrainageAmend Soil with

LimeLeach Out Salts with

WaterDryland Situation

Green ManureReduces ESP

Animal ManureIncreases Soil

Biochemical Properties

(Clark, 2008)(Tejada, 2006)

Increases Production Cost by 5%

On-Farm Trials in CA, Concluded that the Addition of Organic Matter is a Commercially Viable Culturing Practice due to the Added Benefits Associated with it

Economics of Maintaining SOM

(Solutions, 2013)

(Wyland, 1996)

Organic Matter Source

Cost/acre

Cover Crop Seed & Sowing

$28

Dairy Manure $33Liquid Manure $32

On-Farm Compost $5 - $32Off-Farm Compost $272(Elliott, 2012) (Rynk, 1992) (Sullivan, 2003)

Table 3. Cost of Select Organic Matter Sources & Application

Economics of Organic Matter Application

The Soil Needs Organic Carbon to Live & be Healthy

Take Home Message: Plants Need a Living & Healthy Soil to Thrive

(Veganicpermaculture.com, 2011)

(Feffer, 2012)

Questions?

(Paassen, 2013)

Arthur, E. (2013). Density and permeability of a loess soil: Long-term organic matter effect and response to compressive stress. Geoderma, 236-245.Bot, A. (2005). The importance of soil organic matter: Key to drought-resistance and sustained food and production. FAO Soils Bulletin 80.CamelValley. (2013). Camel Valley: Gallery. Retrieved April 21, 2013, from Camel Valley Vineyard:

http://www.camelvalley.com/gallery/vineyardClark, J. K. (2008). Mustard cover crop in a vineyard. University of California.Eickmeier, J. (2012, February 16). Photo of the Day. Retrieved April 21, 2013, from MYGLOBALMASTERS: http://www.myglobalmasters.com/category/blog/page/8/Elliott, A. (2012). 2012 fertility recommendations. 1-4.Feffer, J. (2012, Oct 13). From pacific pivot green revolution. Retrieved April 24, 2013, from John Feffer: http://www.johnfeffer.com/from-pacific-pivot-to-green-revolution/Howard, S. A. (1956). An Agricultural Testament. India: Earthcare Books.Jackson, L. E. (2004). On-farm assessment of organic matter tillage management on vegetable yield, soil, weeds, pests and economics in California. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, 443-463.Miyamoto. (2008). Nitrogen Fixation. Cornell University Cooperative Extension: Fact sheet 39, 1-2.Nguyen, B. T. (2011). Comparative study of soil properties under various cultivation regimes of different crops. Soil Research, 595-605.Ontario. (2009, March 12). Compaction - Soil diagnostics. Retrieved April 24, 2013, from Ontario Ministry of Agriculture: Food & Rural Affairs: http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/IPM/english/soil-diagnostics/compaction.htmlPaassen, R. (2013). Boerenkool. Retrieved April 24, 2013, from Shutterstock: http://www.shutterstock.com/pic- 23052913/stock-photo-dutch-winter-landscape-with-farmland-full-of-kale-a-k-a-boerenkool-a-typical- dutch-winter.html

Works Cited:

Roach, M. (2013). Cover crops: feeding the soil that feeds me. Retrieved April 8, 2013, from http://awaytogarden.com/cover-crops-feeding-the-soil-that-feeds-meRose, T. G. (2013). Living Mulch. Retrieved April 8, 2013, from http://thegreenrose.tumblr.com/post/14999926691/living-mulch-system-improves-soil-health-and-pestRosenberg, R. J. (1996). Alfalfa forage production. SOREC, 1-5.Rynk, R. (1992). On-Farm Composting Handbook. Northeast regional agricultural engineering service, 1-204.SARE. (2007). Managing cover crops profitably, 3rd edition. SARE Publication, 1-244.Solutions, C. C. (2013). Cover Crops That Pay. Retrieved April 24, 2013, from Cover Crop Solutions:

http://www.covercropsolutions.com/Sullivan, P. (2003). Overview of Cover Crops and Green Manures. ATTRA, 1-6.Tejada, M. (2006). Use of organic amendment as a strategy for saline soil remediation: Influence on the physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil. Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 1413-1421.TNAU. (2013). Stress Management: Salinity. Retrieved April 24, 2013, from TNAU Agritech Portal:

http://agritech.tnau.ac.in/agriculture/agri_salinity_about.htmlVeganicpermaculture.com. (2011). Living Mulch Management. Retrieved April 24, 2013, from Veganicpermaculture: http://veganicpermaculture.com/agroecology.htmlWang, D. K.-H. (2013). Sustainable pest management laboratory. Hawaii. Retrieved April 8, 2013,

from http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/WangKH/cover-crop.htmlWyland, L. (1996). Winter cover crops in vegetable cropping system: Impact on nitrate leaching, soil water, crop yield, pest and management costs. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 1-17.Youngman, M. (2010, October 15). From drought to flood - water images across the globe. Retrieved April 21, 2013, from Puliter Center: on crisis reporting: http://pulitzercenter.org/slideshows/water-ar