WSU Scientists Win $1 Million Grant to Explore Organic Dryland Cropping Systems
(excerpted from On Solid Ground, 9/23/09)
“We’re trying to make organic dryland wheat production agronomically and economically successful to benefit both the growers and the environment." -- Rich Koenig, co-principal investigator for the grant and chair of the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences
Replacing costly chemicals with new crop rotations and no-till technology to raise dryland crops such as wheat and barley organically will be the focus of a team of WSU scientists thanks to a $1 million grant from USDA’s Integrated Organic Program.
“This adds an important new dimension to our organic agriculture program,” said Dan Bernardo, dean of WSU’s College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences. “While we’ve received a lot of publicity in recent years for being the first in the country to offer a four-year degree in organic ag, we have been conducting research in organic systems for years. This grant allows us to continue leading the way in translating some of the most economically sound practices of organics to dryland cropping systems.”
“We’re trying to make organic dryland wheat production agronomically and economically successful to benefit both the growers and the environment,” said Professor Rich Koenig, co-principal investigator for the grant and chair of WSU's Department of Crop and Soil Sciences. Koening is part of a multi-disciplinary team of scientists and Extension educators from WSU and other institutions who are collaborating on the project.
The research will explore weed control, soil fertility and the economics of growing wheat organically. Primary tools include the use of seven different rotation crops, including alfalfa, which help fight weeds and fixes nitrogen in the soil. Organic alfalfa is a high-value commodity that would help the bottom line for growers using the dryland cropping system. Dry peas, another rotation crop in the project, serve as a green manure fertilizer.
Koenig said the research team also will examine the effectiveness of using minimally invasive tillage on the project as a way to control weeds and minimize soil erosion.
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