Onion culture

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Conversion to organic field vegetable production OF0126T

Despite a high and growing demand for organic vegetable UK growers have been slow to convert to organic production. One of the reasons has been the lack of data and information relating to the conversion period. This roject aims to rectify this by collecting and evaluating agronomic and econmic data from farms undergoing conversion to organic fiel vegetable production. A total of eleven farms are being monitored; one main site (Hunts Mill at HRI Wellesbourne) and 10 commercial reference farms. The results of these studies are being made available for farmers undergoing or considering conversion. The project if of direct relevance toDEFRA's objectives of encouraging organic production, of substituting imports, protecting the environment and providing a firm scientific base for policy decisions. The main conclusions from the first phase of the project (1996-2000) were that most farmers have managed the initial stages of their conversions to organic vegetable production satisfactorily. Growers' anticipated problems with pest, disease and weeds were found to be less serious than they had expected. Difficulties with soil management, however, have been on established organic farms, though the lower yields have often been offset by significant price premiums which have made overall financial returns competetive with comparable conventional crops. Many of the farmers have experienced a decline in Net Farm Income during the in-conversion period. The decline in income has been partly offset when there is the ability to claim organic aid and set aside payments on fertility building leys. Growers require a number of positive messages from policy makers and from the market to encourage them to make the decision to convert to organic production

Fertility building strategies during the conversion period – assessment of performance in a stockless field vegetable rotation

This report was presented at the UK Organic Research 2002 Conference of the Colloquium of Organic Researchers (COR). Nutrient off-takes, residue returns and nutrient inputs were measured during and after conversion from a conventional arable system to organic vegetables with cereals. This data was used to construct nutrient budgets to assess the effectiveness of contrasting fertility building strategies and various cropping regimes. The effect of placing the cereal crops in different places in the crop sequence was also considered

An organic vegetable crop rotation aimed at self-sufficiency in nitrogen

The paper describes the organic vegetable crop rotation. The ideas behind the design of the crop rotation, the use of green manures and catch crops, and how information on crop root growth has been used to try to design a crop rotation with a high NUE and minimal N leaching losses. The results from the first years of the rotation, in terms of yield and N uptake of the crops and of the content of inorganic N in the soil are presented

Organic Vegetable Storage in Wales – Opportunities and Constraints

There is a growing interest in buying local produce, but there is insufficient produce available in Wales to meet this demand. One problem is lack of storage. Much organic vegetable produce in Wales is lost by poor storage. ADAS has undertaken this study on behalf of Organic Centre Wales under the Farming Connect Scheme, to assess opportunities for improving storage and increasing the available quantity of Welsh vegetables. The number of organic vegetable producers in Wales in 2006 was estimated to be 118 (Horticultural Network, 2006). The main crops stored in Wales are potatoes, carrots, squash, onions, cabbage and celeriac. Many factors may contribute directly or indirectly to suitability for storage, these include length of life in store and quality of the crops in store. Costs of storage are perceived to be high but investment in storage facilities can increase turnover and maximise marketable potential. The majority of growers in Wales use field storage due to its simplicity, but there are disadvantages to field storage. Alternatives to field storage include indoor and outdoor clamps and cold storage. Each method has advantages and disadvantages. Recommendations • A joint effort by the whole organic fruit and vegetable industry is required to increase the amount of organic produce produced within Wales. • Processing and Marketing grants for improvement of storage for SME and or cooperatives are required to increase the amount of local produce produced and sold in Wales. • Research is needed into the economic feasibility and issues involved with setting up and running storage facilities using alternative energy • The practicalities and costs of using biodegradables needs to be investigated • Best storage practices should be establishe

Conversion to Organic Field Vegetable Production (Phase 2)

Introduction, aims and objectives When this project began in 1996 the UK supply of organic vegetables, from 2400 hectares, was insufficient to meet the growing market and the majority of organic vegetables were imported. It was a policy objective to enable UK farmers to meet the demands of this growing market. A farmer converting to organic agriculture is faced with a range of specific agronomic and economic challenges different from those of conventional agriculture and of established organic systems and a lack of knowledge about these challenges was recognised as a major barrier for individual farmers considering conversion. The overall aim of this project was therefore to provide information on the agronomic and economic performance of farming systems which included field vegetables as part of their rotations during the conversion period and in the years immediately afterwards. The project was commissioned in 1996 as Project OF0126T, later continued as OF0191; this report describes the findings from both projects. The projects were led by HDRA with HRI (now Warwick HRI), EFRC (Elm Farm Research Centre), and the Institute of Rural Sciences (University of Wales, Aberystwyth) as subcontractors. The main objectives were: 1. To convert 12 ha (Hunts Mill) of the farm at HRI Wellesbourne to an organic system, with a rotation including field vegetables and arable crops. 2. To assess agronomic and economic performance of the crops grown, soils, weeds, pest and diseases, during conversion and for the first target rotation at Hunts Mill. 3. To assess the overall agronomic and financial performance during the first full cycle of the rotations at Hunts Mill, comparing scenarios where the initial fertility building phase was 29 months, 17 or 7 months. 4. To assess the agronomic and economic performance during conversion at 10 commercial reference farms, representing contrasting scenarios of organic vegetable production. 5. To interpret and evaluate the data and to produce information appropriate to aid farmers who are undergoing, or who are considering undergoing conversion to organic systems, and to aid future policy making on related farming issues. The reference farms were selected to represent three different scenarios of conversion (from conventional arable, from conventional intensive vegetable and from conventional mixed farms with livestock). The farms represented a range of sizes and were located in all the principle vegetable growing areas of England. The assessment period covered the two-year conversion period itself plus at least the first three years of certified organic production. The basic experimental approach was to use all the farms as case studies for monitoring and documenting the performance of the systems undergoing conversion. Comparisons were made between Hunts Mill and the reference farms and also between the reference farms representing the same vegetable production scenario and between the three different scenarios. See main document for a summary of findings. More specific key agronomic and economic findings can also be found in the main report. Conclusions The project has demonstrated that the process of conversion from conventional agriculture to organic vegetables production is often quite complex involving a significant number of innovations and restructuring of the farm systems, including changes in production, the introduction of new enterprises and marketing methods. These have resulted in a number of physical, financial and management changes both during the transition process and on the final organic farm businesses. The project has demonstrated that large-scale organic vegetable production is technically feasible, with soil fertility, weeds and pest and disease problems overcome without too much difficulty. The biggest challenges have been marketing, managing labour and making it financially viable at the farm level. Organic Farming Scheme payments have only made small contributions to the ‘cost of conversion’. Conversions, especially on the larger farms, would seem to be preferable over a 5 to 10 year period, allowing time to make the necessary learning and adjustments. Further research Monitoring at Hunts Mill has been extended until 2006 as part of a new project: Organic field vegetable production – baseline monitoring of systems with different fertility building strategies (OF 0332). Monitoring of some of the reference farms has continued as part of the project The Sustainable Vegetable Systems Network (OF 0340). This project monitors agronomy and economics and aims to assist in the development of established organic vegetable systems. Economic conditions change and the impact of the new CAP reforms beginning in 2005 would merit further research. The models developed within this project could form the basis for this work

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Meadow birds on organic and conventional arable farms in the Netherlands: abundance and nest success

Intensification of agriculture is mentioned to be the key drive behind the decline of farmland birds on grassland and on arable land. This raises the question whether a less intensive system, such as organic, can stop or reverse these declines. The present study compares (1) the territory densities of meadow birds on organic and conventional arable farms, and (2) the nesting success of Lapwings (Vanellus vanellus) on both farm types. The study was carried out in Oostelijk Flevoland and Noordoostpolder, two polders reclaimed during the 1950s and 1930s respectively. Both areas are homogenous, large-scale, and mainly arable areas. In total 20 pairs of arable farms were selected, each pair consisting of one organic and one conventional farm. Both farms of a pair were selected in such a way that landscape features and soil type were equal for both. All organic farms have been managed organically for at least 5 years. Conventional farms grew relatively more potatoes, sugar beet and winter cereals, whereas organic farms had a more diverse cropping pattern with larger areas of spring cereals. In 2004 and 2005 territories were mapped on respectively 10 and 20 pairs of farms. In total 6 meadow bird species were found: Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava), Lapwing, Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis), Skylark (Alauda arvensis), Common Quail (Coturnix coturnix), and Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus). In both years Skylarks were more abundant on organic farms. The same held true for the Lapwing in 2004. In contrast Yellow Wagtails showed higher densities on conventional farms in 2005. For all other species no differences in abundances were found. Differences in crop rotation convenschemes between organic and conventional farms are likely to explain the differences in abundances of Skylark and Yellow Wagtail. The Skylark showed a preference for spring cereals that were more grown on organic farms. In contrast Yellow Wagtails reached highest densities in winter cereals and potatoes. These both crops are grown more on conventional farms. Comparisons on crop level (e.g. organic potatoes vs. conventional potatoes) showed no differences in abundances. This indicates that the crop itself is more important for territory establishment than crop management. For Lapwings differences in crop rotation scheme were unlikely to explain the differences in abundance in contrast to crop management. The latter might affect the densities of prey species, e.g. earthworms and ground-dwelling insects, of the Lapwing. In 2005 the nesting success of Lapwings was determined for 80 nests on organic farms and 45 nests on conventional farms. The daily nest survival rates were almost significantly lower on organic farms as a result of higher farming activities, notably tilling of land and mechanical weeding.Als eine der Hauptursachen für den Rückgang der Wiesenvögel in westeuropäischen Grünland- und Ackerbaugebieten wird die Intensivierung der Landwirtschaft gesehen. Es stellt sich deshalb die Frage, ob eine weniger intensive Bewirtschaftung, z.B. in Form des ökologischen Landbaus, diese Abnahmen stoppen oder sogar wieder umkehren kann. Die hier präsentierte Studie beschäftigt sich vergleichend (1) mit den Siedlungsdichten von Wiesenvögeln auf konventionell und ökologisch bewirtschafteten Ackerflächen, sowie (2) mit dem Schlupferfolg von Kiebitzgelegen auf diesen Standorten. Die Studie wurde in zwei Poldergebieten (Oostelijk Flevoland, Noordoostpolder) durchgeführt, die erst in den 1950er bzw. den 1930er Jahren dem Meer abgerungen wurden. Beide Gebiete weisen homogene, großräumige Ackerflächen auf. Insgesamt wurden 20 „Hofpaare“ ausgewählt, wobei jedes Paar aus einem ökologisch und einem konventionell bewirtschafteten Betrieb bestand. Die beiden Betriebe eines jeden Paares wurden so gewählt, dass sich ihre Betriebsflächen in Landschaftsstruktur und Bodenverhältnissen nicht unterschieden. Alle ökologisch geführten Betriebe produzierten seit mindestens 5 Jahren in dieser Weise. Während die konventionell wirtschaftenden Betriebe mehr Kartoffeln, Zuckerrüben und Wintergetreide anbauten, wiesen die ökologisch arbeitenden Betriebe ein größeres Spektrum an Anbaufrüchten und mehr Flächen mit Sommergetreide auf. In 2004 und 2005 wurden die Brutvogeldichten auf Betriebsflächen von 10 bzw. 20 „Hofpaaren“ ermittelt. Dabei wurden insgesamt 6 Arten in größerer Dichte festgestellt: Schafstelze (Motacilla flava), Kiebitz (Vanellus vanellus), Wiesenpieper (Anthus pratensis), Feldlerche (Alauda arvensis), Wachtel (Coturnix coturnix), und Austernfischer (Haematopus ostralegus). In beiden Jahren war die Feldlerche auf ökologisch bewirtschafteten Flächen häufiger vertreten. Kiebitze traten in solchen Flächen ebenfalls in höherer Dichte auf, wenn auch nur in 2004 statistisch signifikant. Die Schafstelze dagegen siedelte in 2005 auf konventionell bewirtschafteten Flächen in höherer Dichte. Für alle anderen Arten konnten keine Abundanzunterschiede zwischen beiden Bewirtschaftungstypen ermittelt werden. Flächenunterschiede im Fruchtanbau zwischen ökologisch und konventionell wirtschaftenden Betrieben scheinen für die Abundanzunterschiede bei Feldlerche und Schafstelze verantwortlich zu sein. Feldlerchenreviere fanden sich vor allem in Sommergetreide, das stärker von ökologisch arbeitenden Betrieben angebaut wird. Schafstelzen besiedelten dagegen vor allem Kartoffeläcker und Wintergetreideflächen. Diese Früchte werden häufiger auf konventionell bewirtschafteten Äckern angebaut. Ein Vergleich der Siedlungsdichte beider Vogelarten auf der Ebene einzelner Feldfrüchte (z.B. Öko-Kartoffelfläche vs. konventionell bewirtschafteter Kartoffelacker) ergab keine Unterschiede. Es zeigt aber, dass die Feldfrucht für die Habitatwahl wichtiger ist als die Bewirtschaftungsweise. Beim Kiebitz gehen die Abundanzunterschiede zwischen ökologisch und konventionell bewirtschafteten Flächen nicht auf Flächenunterschiede im Anbau einzelner Feldfrüchte zurück. Vielmehr scheinen Unterschiede in der Bewirtschaftung einzelner Feldfrüchte wesentlich entscheidender zu sein. In 2005 wurde vergleichend der Schlupferfolg von Kiebitzgelegen auf ökologisch bewirtschafteten (n = 80 Gelege) und konventionell bewirtschafteten Ackerflächen (n = 45 Gelege) ermittelt. Die Überlebenswahrscheinlichkeit der Gelege war auf ökologisch bewirtschafteten Flächen deutlich niedriger. Ursächlich war der höhere Maschineneinsatz sowohl bei der Feldbestellung als auch beim Jäten der Flächen

AN ANALYSIS OF THE COMPETITIVENESS OF SOUTHEASTERN FRESH VEGETABLE CROPS USING QUADRATIC PROGRAMMING

This study determined the competitive potential of the temperate southeastern U.S. region to produce selected fresh vegetables for the national market. Results indicated that the region may be competitive in the production and marketing of snap beans, cucumbers, bell peppers, and spring tomatoes. The region would also be competitive in the production and marketing of broccoli, summer and fall tomatoes, and spinach, given cost reductions of 10 to 15 percent. Major cost reductions were required for the region to be competitive in the production and interregional marketing of sweet onions in the absence of effective product differentiation.Crop Production/Industries,