Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gbm5v Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T19:38:07.111Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Agronomic performance and quality of spring wheat and soybean cultivars under organic culture

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 October 2009

H.G. Nass*
Affiliation:
Spring and winter wheat breeder
J.A. Ivany
Affiliation:
Soil scientist, Crops and Livestock Research Centre, Agriculture and Agri-food Canada, 440 University Avenue, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, CanadaCIA 4N6.
J.A. MacLeod
Affiliation:
Soil scientist, Crops and Livestock Research Centre, Agriculture and Agri-food Canada, 440 University Avenue, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, CanadaCIA 4N6.
*
Get access

Abstract

Spring milling wheat (Triticum aestivum L em. Thell) and soybean (Glycine max L.) cultivars were managed to International Organic Certification Standards on two organically certified farms to evaluate two physical weed control methods, cultivar performance and quality. Nutrients were supplied as manure and compost. There was no difference (P<0.05) between flaming plus fingerweeding versus fingerweeding twice, 10 days apart, on weed control, yield, and protein in both crops. The spring wheat cultivar, AC Barrie, may be particularly well suited to production under an organic system, as indicated by its superior performance to AC Walton at the Springfield site in 2000, when growth conditions were favorable. A severe drought in 2001 limited the mineralization of soil and manure nitrogen, with the result that all spring wheat cultivars at the Springfield site did not make 13.5% grain protein, required to meet milling quality criteria. Also, in 2001 at both sites, soybean yields were reduced by 50% compared to 2000 because of reduced moisture availability and weed competition. Delays in field operations, lack of sufficient soil moisture and reduced mineralization of manure during the 2001 growing season were major factors in influencing crop production, especially at Springfield.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2003

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Advisory Committee on Cereal, Protein, Corn and Forage Crops. 1991. Atlantic provinces field crop guide. Advisory Committee on Cereal, Protein, Com and Forage Crops, Edmunston, NB, Agdex no. 100.32.Google Scholar
Andres, L.A., and Clement, S.L.. 1990. Opportunities for reducing chemical inputs for weed control. In Kral, D.A. and Hawkins, S.L. (eds.). Organic farming: Current technology and its role in a sustainable agriculture. ASA special publication no. 46, ASA, Madison, WI. p. 129140.Google Scholar
Atlantic Advisory Committee on Field Crops. 2002. Cereal guide to cultivar and pesticide selection. Atlantic Advisory Committee on Field Crops, Halifax, NS.Google Scholar
Barberi, P., Silvestri, N., Peruzzi, A., and Raffaelli, M.. 1999. Finger-harrowing of durum wheat under different tillage systems. Biological Agriculture and Horticulture 17:285303.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bullock, D., Khan, S., and Rayburn, A.. 1998. Soybean yield response to narrow rows is largely due to enhanced early growth. Crop Science 38:10111016.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cacek, T., and Langer, L.L.. 1986. The economic implications of organic farming. American Journal of Alternative Agriculture 1:2529.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Canada Grains Council. 2002. Canada Grains Council Statistical Handbook. Canada Grains Council, Winnipeg, MB.Google Scholar
Cosser, N.D., Gooding, M.J., Thompson, A.J., and Froud-Williams, R.J.. 1997. Competitive ability and tolerance of organically grown wheat cultivars to natural weed infestations. Annals of Applied Biology 130:523535.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Entz, M.H., Guilford, R., and Guilden, R.. 2001. Crop yield and soil nutrient status on 14 organic farms in the eastern portion of the northern Great Plains. Canadian Journal of Plant Science 81:351354.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Frick, B.L. 1993. Weed communities in organic and ‘conventional’ wheat fields. In Proceedings of the Soils and Crops Workshop, Extension Division, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK. pp. 164169.Google Scholar
Genstat 5 Committee. 1993. Genstat 5 Release 3 reference manual. Clarendon Press, Oxford. UK.Google Scholar
Gruber, H., Handel, K., Broschewitz, B., Haas, H.U., and Hurle, K.. 2000. Influence of farming system on weeds in thresh crops of a six-year crop rotation. Proceedings of the 20th German Conference on weed biology and weed control, Stuttgart-Hohenheim, Germany, March 14–16, 2000. Zeitschrift fur Pflanzenkrankheiten und Pflanzenschutz 17:3340.Google Scholar
Hanson, J.C., Lichtenberg, E., and Peters, S.E.. 1997. Organic versus conventional grain production in the mid-Atlantic: an economic and farming system overview. American Journal of Alternative Agriculture 12:29.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Küpper, G. 2000. Organic soybean production. Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA), Fayetteville, AR, USA.Google Scholar
Lampkin, N. 1990. Organic Farming. Farming Press Books, Ipswich, UK.Google Scholar
McCloskey, M.C., Firlbank, L.G., Watkinson, A.R., and Webb, D.J.. 1998. Interactions between weeds of winter wheat under different fertilizer, cultivation and weed management treatments. Weed Research 38:1124.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mengel, K. 1983. Responses of various crop species and cultivars to fertilizer application. Plant and Soil 72:305319.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Munn, D.A., Coffing, G., and Sautter, G.. 1998. Response of corn, soybean and wheat crops to fertilizer and herbicides in Ohio compared with low-input production practices. American Journal of Alternative Agriculture 13:181189.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Organic Crop Improvement Association International, Inc. 1999. International certification standards. OCIA International, Lincoln, NB.Google Scholar
Pang, X.P., and Letey, J.. 2000. Organic farming: challenge of timing nitrogen availability to crop nitrogen requirements. Soil Science 64:247253.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Poutala, R., Korva, J., and Varis, E.. 1993. Spring wheat cultivar performance in ecological and conventional cropping systems. Journal of Sustainable Agriculture 3:6375.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Prince Edward Island Department of Agriculture and Forestry. 2002. Soybean variety guide. Prince Edward Island Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.Google Scholar
Samuel, A.S., and Guest, J.. 1990. Weed studies in organic and conventional cereals. BCPC Mono. No. 45. Organic and low input agriculture. British Crop Protection Council, Farnham, Surrey, UK.Google Scholar
Starling, W., and Richards, M.C.. 1993. Quality of commercial samples of organically-grown wheat, Cereal quality III. Aspects of Applied Biology 36:205209.Google Scholar
Sloppier, H. 1988. Zur Eignung von Winterweizensorten hinsichtlich des Anbaues und der Qualität der Produkte in einem System mit geringer Betriebsmittelzufuhr von aussen. PhD Thesis, University of Kassel, West Germany [cited in Lampkin, 1990].Google Scholar
Storey, T., Hogan, R., and Humphreys, J.. 1993. The growth, yield and quality of winter wheat and winter oats grown under an organic conversion regime. Aspects of Applied Biology 36:199204.Google Scholar
Taylor, B.R., Stockdale, E.A., McKinlay, R.G., Younie, D., and Cranstoun, D.A.S.. 2001. Current practices and future prospects for organic cereal production: survey and literature review. HGCA Research Review, No. 45.Google Scholar
Tersbol, M., and Peterson, P.H.. 1999. Field trials and experiences with mechanical weed control. 16th Danish Plant Protection Conference. Crop protection in organic farming. Pests and diseases. DJF-Rapport. Markbrug, Denmark.Google Scholar
Thompson, A.J., Gooding, M.J., and Davies, W.P.. 1993. The effect of season and management on the grain yield and breadmaking quality of organically grown wheat cultivare. Aspects of Applied Biology 36:179188.Google Scholar
Walker, D., and Smith, A.. 1990. Evaluation of triticale/wheat, barley and oat cultivare under a sustainable production protocol - Woodstock 1991. New Brunswick Department of Agriculture. Adaptive Research Reports 12:132134.Google Scholar
Walker, D., and Smith, A.. 1991. Evaluation of spring wheat, oat and hulless oat and barley cultivare under a sustainable production protocol – Woodstock 1991. New Brunswick Department of Agriculture. Adaptive Research Reports 13:305308.Google Scholar
Walker, D., and Smith, A.. 1992. Evaluation of spring wheat, oat and hulless oat and barley cultivare under an organic production protocol – Woodstock 1992. New Brunswick Department of Agriculture. Adaptive Research Reports 14:257260.Google Scholar
Walker, D., Smith, A., Scott, J., and Fleischhaker, S.. 1999. Evaluation of spring milling wheat cultivars for organic production at Speerville, Debec, Havelock, and South Branch, 1999. New Brunswick Department of Agriculture. Adaptive Research Reports 21:111.Google Scholar