organic science cluster results - canadian organic growers...a.1: soil p dynamics and availability...
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www.dal.ca dal.ca
Organic Science Cluster Results Dr. Andrew Hammermeister
Margaret Savard and Joanna MacKenzie
Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada
Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University
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About the OACC • OACC’s Vision:
– Sustainable and science-based organic agricultural systems supporting healthy Canadian communities.
• OACC’s Mission:
– OACC facilitates research and education for organic producers and consumers to build sustainable communities.
• Linking Organic Knowledge
• www.oacc.info
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OACC
• Andy Hammermeister (Director)
• Margaret Savard (Program Officer)
• Joanna MacKenzie (Communications Officer)
• Karen Nelson & David Hobson (Technicians)
• National Advisory Board
• Affiliate: Derek Lynch
• Graduate and summer students, etc.
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Organic Science Cluster
• Led by the OACC & the Organic
Federation of Canada (OFC)
• 2009 to 2013
• $6.5 million AAFC,
matched by $2.2 million in
industry funding
• 27 research activities
• 84 scientists participating
• 35 research sites including
Government, University & Industry
(+ on-farm collaborators)
A Part of the AAFC Growing
Forward Science Cluster Intiative
• to facilitate a national strategic
approach to organic science in
• link scientists
• disseminate results to
stakeholders
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Organic Science Cluster (OSC) Supported by contributions from industry partners
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Organic Science Cluster Projects • A: Biologically-Based Fertility Management
• B: Integrated Grain-Based Cropping Systems
• C: Organic Greenhouse Production
• D: Integrated Management of Horticultural Field Crops
• E: Environmental Stewardship & Product Branding
• F: High Value Fruit Production
• G: Benchmarking the Organic Dairy Production System
• H: Organic Food Processing
• I: Sheep Parasite Control
• J: Communications
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A.1: Soil P dynamics and availability
under organic crop production • Goal: Characterize soil P dynamics and develop
practices to enhance P availability in organic systems.
• Organic yields often do not reflect P deficiencies. – Up to 80% of soil P may be in organic forms.
• Soils in organically managed plots in a long-term
rotation (Glenlea) retain more P
than conventional, but have less
labile (inorganic) P.
• Replacement of P in long-term
organic systems is essential.
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A.2: Predictive tools for characterizing
mycorrhizal contributions to P uptake
by organic crops • Goal: Quantify, identify and evaluate effectiveness of
arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi communities in
agricultural soils.
• A few dozen species of AMF dominate agricultural
soils across Canada.
– Independent of crop & management
system.
• A commercial diagnostic tool is
in development.
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B.1 Changing weed populations under
long-term organic crop production • Goal: Develop organic crop rotations that reduce yield
losses and weed populations.
• Determine how weed population dynamics differ
between organic & conventional systems.
• Effects of enhanced crop diversity (through crop
rotation) on weed pressure.
• Effects of management
practices on yield.
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B.2: Organic cereal crop breeding • Goal: Superior wheat & oat breeding lines that are
adapted for organic production.
– Nutrient availability, weed pressure, disease pressure &
soil biology.
• Long-term project.
• Performance of new lines at multiple
locations under organic management.
– Yield, protein, lodging, etc.
• Three organically bred wheat lines and
one oat line in registration testing.
• Participatory breeding.
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B.4: Low-tillage grain systems that
suppress weeds and minimize tillage • Goal: Recommendations for reduced till organic
systems in Canada.
– Tillage equipment and mulch species.
• Tillage: blade roller, flail mower, noble blade vs.
standard tillage.
– Effects on weed pressure, mulch residue.
• Green manures: barley, hairy vetch,
pea, oilseed radish, sunflower.
– Thick mulches (hairy vetch) suppresss
weeds.
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B.6: Integrated grain-based cropping
systems for sustainability • Goal: Assess biological, economic and ecological
sustainability, yield stability.
• Glenlea rotation – established in 1992.
• Perennial rotations provide better weed control.
• But, export of nutrients from forage crops in organic
plots, lowering yields.
– Offset by composted manure.
• More overall & active soil
microbes in organic.
– Prairie plots have highest SOM.
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C.1: Crop nutrition for vegetable plant
propagation • Goal: Optimize transplant growth, colour, vigour.
– Organic tomato, pepper, cucumber.
• Explore organic substrates for greenhouse use.
– Must be grown in a soil-based medium.
– Liquid organic fertilizers can be
problematic for fertigations systems.
– Compost – can supply needed
fertility and act as growth substrate.
• Healthy growth for 5 weeks
achieved with best treatments.
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C.5: Improve energy use efficiency and
reuse crop effluent for nutrients • Goal: Develop a more sustainable organic growing
system for vegetables.
– Nutrient & energy efficiency, yield, nutrient recycling.
• Artificial wetlands and passive bioreactors– effective
at removing pathogens in recirculated effluent.
– Also reduce N & P in wastewater.
– Biochar can reduce GHG.
• Wood biomass for heating can
reduce CO2 footprint.
• Biochar as amendment.
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C.6 Explore intercropped tomato & sweet
pepper under supplemental lighting
• Goal: Develop an organic greenhouse production
system for intercrop tomato and extended sweet
pepper crop under supplemental lighting.
• Supplemental lighting - growth throughout the winter.
• High pressure sodium lamps also provide heat.
• Lights within, as well as above, the canopy.
• Intercrop and adjust row
spacing to maximize
productivity.
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C.7: Geothermal energy & heat
exchangers for heat & humidity control • Goal: Evaluate economic feasibility of these systems
under northern climate.
• Traditional system – ventilating.
– Can lose CO2 that stimulates photosynthesis.
• Heat exchangers – Cool & dehumidify.
– Coil fan system.
– Cold water curtain.
– Both effective.
• Geothermal.
– Can both heat & cool.
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C.8: Optimizing fertilization & irrigation
for a closed organic tomato greenhouse • Goal: Develop management systems for organic soil-
based greenhouses.
• Soil based system for organic greenhouses.
– Cannot follow traditional irrigation/fertigation practices.
• Examine:
– Potential organic media.
– Potential fertility sources.
– Variable irrigation management.
• Maintained yields & quality.
• Increases sustainability.
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C.9: Production of organic cuttings &
potted plants
• Goal: Develop a sustainable, organic growing system
for greenhouse ornamental cuttings and potted plants.
• Still a small part of the sector, but potential for growth.
• Selection of growing media, container, fertilization
schedule, pest control, growth promoters.
• Survey consumer acceptance.
• Able to produce potted plants
organically with similar quality to
those produced conventionally.
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D.1: Agroecosystem management for
pest control in organic vegetables • Goal: Management for organic vegetable production
systems that increase biodiversity & minimize pests.
• Crimper rolled rye for vegetable transplants.
– Effect on weed & insect populations.
• Companion planting of carrot & leek.
– Effect on carrot rust fly, leek moth.
• Trap plants to attract insect pests.
– Yellow rocket in cabbage.
– Jimsonweed in potato.
• Flowering strips for biodiversity.
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D.2: System productivity and N flows in
organic vegetable long term rotations • Goal: Examine productivity and N flow in organic
vegetable rotations under varying management.
• High intensity versus low intensity rotation.
• Contribution of various legume varieties with differing
N release patterns to fertility of vegetables.
• Sweet corn:
– Looking at organic alternatives: intercropping red clover,
mulches, transplants.
– Compare quality, yield, risks, costs,
revenues.
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D.4: Organic production of vegetable
transplants for gardeners • Goal: Develop an organic greenhouse production
system for vegetable and herb transplants.
• Growing media.
• Fertilization management and effects.
– Growth, quality.
• Plant growth stimulators.
– Quality, disease tolerance.
• Biodegradable container.
• Consumer demand, profitability.
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D.5: Organic production of peat blocks
for vegetable seedlings and detection
of abiotic and biotic stresses • Goal: Develop methods to consistently deliver high
quality organic transplants.
• Growing media, wetting agent, fertilizers, plant growth
stimulators for peat blocks.
• Evaluate handling quality,
transplant success.
• Method to detect transplant
stress.
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D.7: Development of a weed
management system for pumpkins
grown for seed in Ontario • Goal: Develop sustainable production system for
organic seed pumpkins.
• Pumpkin seed - snack food or oil.
• Weed management.
– Reduced or no-till with cover crops
& rolling, straw.
• Seed yield & quality.
– Baby bear, Kakai, Snackface
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E.1: Modeling farm scale energy and
nutrient efficiency, and Global Warming
Potential, as affected by management • Goal: Evaluate effects of pasturing and organic
management practices on emissions and assess
whole-farm organic dairy GHG emissions.
• Holos model – estimates whole-farm, lifecycle GHG
emissions, Global Warming Potential.
– Exploring impacts of management decisions.
– On-farm user sessions and field studies.
• Estimate GHG emissions on organic
dairy farms - 15 farms & trials.
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E.2: Modeling Global Warming Potential
(GWP) reductions associated with
transition to organic farming • Goal: Model GWP reductions associated with
transition to organic agriculture.
• Development of a modeling system to track GHG
reductions during transition.
• Transitioning may reduce GHG
emissions.
– Cropping patterns.
– Animal density.
– Inputs.
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F.1: Organic Management of Black
Currant During Early Establishment • Goal: Develop a management system to optimize
yield and harvestability and quality of organic black
currants.
• Mechanical harvesting requires tall bushes.
• Fertility management.
• Rates, timing
• Weed management. - Critical for establishment.
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F.2: Weed management for organic
wild blueberry production • Goal: Develop viable weed management options for
organic lowbush blueberry fields.
• Perennial crop, natural stands.
– Difficult to use many organic weed management techniques.
• Burning to kill or suppress weeds,
impact weed seed bank.
• Sulfur to alter pH.
• Mowing or weed clipping.
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F.3: Ecologically sound soil
management in perennial fruit plantings • Goal: Identify best organic management practices to
overcome poor initial establishment of fruit plantings.
• Apple replant disease.
– Poor establishment, slow growth, economic impact.
• Improve health of root zone using biological
amendments.
– Rhizobacteria.
• Screening P solubilizing bacteria.
– 5 strains identified in lab now being
tested.
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F.4: Innovative herbicide and fungicide
replacement strategies for organic apple
production • Goal: Provide organic apple growers with effective
weed and scab management strategies.
• Orchard floor management practices for Honeycrisp.
– Reflective mulch with composted manure lowers weeds
while supporting tree growth & yield.
• Trunk injections of plant resistance
inducers.
– For disease control – apple scab.
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F.6: Organic production of strawberries
and raspberries under tunnels • Goal: Design and develop a system for producing
organic strawberries & raspberries in high tunnels.
• High tunnels: Season extension, limit pathogens,
improve yield & quality.
• Day-neutral strawberry. – Fertility, growing medium, cultivar.
– Extended season by 4 weeks.
• Raspberry. – Fertility, foliar spray.
– Extended season by 40 days.
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F.7: Control of Rosy Apple Aphid in
Organic Apple Orchards • Goal: Develop strategies to reduce the spring
populations of rosy apple aphids in organic orchards.
• Mechanical strategies:
– Removal of plantain (alternate host).
– Flail mowing, rotavating, reseeding.
• Chemical strategies:
– Spring and autumn oil applications.
– Degree-day modeling for timing.
– Well timed sprays reduce aphids
by up to 75%.
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G.1: Assessment of health, welfare & milk
composition on organic & conventional
dairy farms • Goal: To evaluate the health, welfare and milk quality
and fatty acid composition.
• Health & Welfare:
– Associations with housing & management.
• 59 farms: – 41 conventional (12 pastured), 18 organic.
– Tie stalls, free stalls & packed barns.
• Body condition score, hock lesions,
cleanliness, mastitis, milk & fatty acids.
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H: Organic Food Processing
• Processing limited by volume
and food safety concerns.
• Demand outweighs supply.
• Goal: Develop effective
alternatives to direct addition
of nitrite for organic cured
meats.
• Examining vegetable extracts
– Natural source of nitrates.
Replace or reduce nitrate
and nitrites in organic cured
meats while maintaining
quality and safety
Dr. J. Arul, Laval
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I.1: Over-Wintering of Gastrointestinal
Parasites in Organic Sheep Production • Goal: Improve understanding of factors that affect two
major sources of gastrointestinal nematodes
responsible for parasitic infections in sheep.
• Overwintering larvae (in ewes and on pasture)
contaminate early spring pasture.
– Can infect new lambs.
• Examine effect of climate on
overwintering.
• Examine impact of lambing
season on ewe infection.
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Canada’s Organic Science Cluster II Planning for the future Strong and direct impacts on the Organic Industry:
• Builds credibility for the organic sector
• Increases profitability
• Enhances competitiveness for Canadian producers and
processors
• Captures new opportunities
• Aims at reducing risks (environmental, social, economic)
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Cluster Administrative Structure
• Applicant: Organic Federation of Canada
• Managed by: Dalhousie University (OACC)
– Manager: Andy Hammermeister
– Program Officer: Margaret Savard
• Steering Committee: Research and
Innovation Working Group
• Science Advisory Body: Independent
(Industry, AAFC, University)
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Organic Science Cluster II • Open call for Letters of Intent circulated
– Excellent response – 100 LOIs received,
Listing 270 researchers from across Canada.
• LOIs evaluated for relevance, potential
impact and stakeholder inolvement
• Successful researchers invited to submit a
full proposal
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Organic Science Cluster II A. Field Crops: Optimizing productivity and competitiveness
through adaptable systems for field crops (12)
B. Horticultural crops: Advancing the science of vegetable
and fruit production (10)
C. Crop pests: Innovation in sustainable pest management
strategies (19)
D. Livestock: Optimizing animal health and welfare for
productivity and quality (7)
E. Markets: Adding value to capture markets, understanding
consumer demand and marketing structures (4)
F. Knowledge Transfer: Creating impact through knowledge
transfer to organic stakeholders (4)
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Samples of Activities Invited to Proposal Stage
• Development of an Alternative Fishmeal Based on Microalgae
for the Organic Aquaculture Industry.
• Optimization of a Land-Based Recirculating Aquaculture System
(RAS) for Production of Organic Fish.
• Effect of Exercise and Stall Modifications on Cow Comfort and
Performance in Tie-Stall Farms.
• Social Science: Local Organic Food Co-Operatives.
• Understanding Canadian Consumer Beliefs, Attitudes, Values,
and Purchasing Behaviour toward Organic Food.
• Development of Postharvest UV Light Therapy Technology for
Extended Preservation of Fresh Organic Fruits and Vegetables.
• Participatory Plant Breeding and Seed Production Approaches
for Canadian Organic Crop Production.
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Samples of Activities Invited to Proposal Stage
• Maximizing Organic Practices for Superfood Production: Quinoa
and Amaranth
• Giving Back to the Earth - From City to Farm: Enhancing the
Use of Municipal Composts in Organic Agriculture
• Impact of Organic Fertilization on Growth and Yield of
Secondary Hop Compounds Intended for Food and
Nutraceutical Processing
• Impacts of Reduced Tillage and Diversified Cropping Sequences
Under Organic Management in the Semi-Arid Brown Soil Zone
• Production of Organic Mother Plants under LED Artificial Light
for the Production of Potted Flowers
• Microbial Management in Organic Viticulture: Using Arbuscular
Mycorrhizal Fungal Inoculants
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Samples of Activities Invited to Proposal Stage • Development of Validated Seed Disinfection Strategies for the
Organic Production of Sprouted Vegetables
• Development of Pheromones for Organic Pest Management in
Christmas Trees
• Using Floral Beds to Optimize Conservative Biological Control of
Caterpillar Pests of Cruciferous Crops
• Identifying and Overcoming Limiting Factors to Organic Food
Processing in Canada
• The Health Benefits of Soil Management Techniques to Improve
Flavor and Phytochemical Content of Carrot: Linking Healthy
Soil, Healthy Plants & Healthy People
• Organic Insecticide for Stored Grain and Warehouses
• Organic Production of Vegetable Extracts for Food Markets and
Neutraceuticals
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Knowledge Transfer • Within research Activities:
– Integrating stakeholder participation in
research
– Disseminating research results
• Overall Plan (OACC led)
– Targeted literature reviews
– Website/e-news and popular press
– Conferences (2)
– Translation
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For more information on OSCII:
www.oacc.info/osc2/
Andrew Hammermeister
andrew.hammermeister@dal.ca Phone: (902) 893-8037
Questions?
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