Vol. 51—1997 - NorthEastern Weed Science Society

BELTSV~LLE
11
SUSTAINABLEAGRICULTURERESEARCHFOR FIELD AND
VEGETABLECROPS
C. Benjamin Coffman and John R. Teasdale!
ABSTRACT
The Beltsville sustainable Agriculture Research Program
began in th fall of 1992 with the creation of the Field Crops
Demonstrati g· n Project. This research/demonstration project was
developed t evaluate reduced tillage systems for sustaining
productive ~oils on erodible land while minimizing environmental
degradation~ Plots ca 0.13 ha are located on a 6 ha site having
2 to 15% Sl!pes. Each treatment follows a 2-yr rotation of cornwheat-soybe
n and includes 1) no-tillage with recommended
synthetic f rtilizers and herbicides, 2) no-tillage with
recommended! synthetic fertilizers and herbicides and a crownvetch
(coronilla ~aria L.) living mulch, 3) no-tillage with winter
annual cove crops such as hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth)
before corn (Zea mays L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L) before
soybean [GI cine max (L.) Merr.], with reduced fertilizer and
herbicide ipputs, and 4) chisel plowed organic system using
animal and plan~ manures and mechanical weed management.
In 199· the sustainable Vegetable Production Research
Project was established to develop management practices for
summer and all vegetables. Conventional practices including
synthetic f. trtiiizers and plastic mulches are compared with cover
crops and r~duced synthetic inputs. Cover crops for summer
vegetables ~'nclude hairy vetch, crimson clover (Trifolium
incarnatum .), and rye (Secale cereale L.), with forage soybean
and German illet [Setaria italica (L.)] cover crops for winter
vegetables.:
The Fa~ming systems Project was established on 16 ha at
Beltsville 1n 1993 with an objective to investigate the effects
of 10ng-te~ alternative crop production systems on biological,
environment 1, and economic aspects of field crop production.
After 3-yr . f uniformity trials field plots were established in
1996. A shprt-term goal is to investigate the transition effect
of change.f~om conventional methods to farming systems that
differ in crop diversity, weed management, and nutrient source
strategies. Systems presently being studied include cash grain
rotations w.'th varying length and intensity using synthetic
fertilizers[, fresh and composted manures, and green manure.
Compon~nt projects include 1) studies of the feasibility of
using farm'lmuniciPle, and industrial byproducts as soil
amendments, 2) in-depth investigations of composting variables,
and 3) comp rison of an ARS developed strain of Bradyrhizobium
with conven~ional strains of rhizobia for soybean production.
Agronom1st and Plant Phys10l., USDA, ARS, Beltsville, MD 20705.