OSPUDOSPUD!!Participatory Organic Potato ProjectParticipatory Organic Potato Project

12 farmers (next slide)12 farmers (next slide)Alex Stone, Dan Sullivan, Paul Jepson (PIs)Alex Stone, Dan Sullivan, Paul Jepson (PIs)Lane Selman (coordinator)Lane Selman (coordinator)Mario Mario AmbrosinoAmbrosino (post(post--doc entomology)doc entomology)John McQueen (grad student soil fertility)John McQueen (grad student soil fertility)Isabel Vales and Solomon Isabel Vales and Solomon YilmaYilma (potato breeding program)(potato breeding program)Al Mosley (retired potato specialist)Al Mosley (retired potato specialist)Gwendolyn Ellen (participatory process)Gwendolyn Ellen (participatory process)

NW Farmer to Farmer Exchange

Projects inspired by F2FXProjects inspired by F2FX

Weed ‘Weed ‘EmEm and Reap DVD seriesand Reap DVD seriesPart 1: tools (cultivation, mulching, flaming)Part 1: tools (cultivation, mulching, flaming)Part 2: systems strategies (high residue no Part 2: systems strategies (high residue no till and living mulch systems)till and living mulch systems)

Participatory potato projectParticipatory potato project

OSPUDOSPUD FarmsFarmsGathering Together FarmGathering Together FarmPersephone FarmPersephone Farm4747thth Ave. FarmAve. FarmSauvieSauvie Island OrganicsIsland OrganicsSpringhill FarmSpringhill FarmFields Farm (Bend, OR Fields Farm (Bend, OR –– east side)east side)FoundhornFoundhorn GardensGardensFry Family FarmFry Family FarmWintergreen FarmWintergreen FarmBlue Fox FarmBlue Fox FarmRalph’s Greenhouse (WA) Ralph’s Greenhouse (WA) -- wholesalewholesaleNash’s Organic Produce (WA)Nash’s Organic Produce (WA)

Objectives:Objectives:

Pilot a participatory approach to learning Pilot a participatory approach to learning and adaptation of novel farming systems and adaptation of novel farming systems strategiesstrategiesEvaluate nutrient and pest management Evaluate nutrient and pest management strategies strategies Extend project findings to a larger Extend project findings to a larger audience of farmersaudience of farmers

Questions that Questions that (continue to)(continue to)shape this project:shape this project:

How can farmers and researchers better How can farmers and researchers better understand how diversified organic vegetable understand how diversified organic vegetable cropping systems function? cropping systems function? How can farmers and researchers problemHow can farmers and researchers problem--solve at a “systems” level?solve at a “systems” level?Can we create some kind of “workbook” to help Can we create some kind of “workbook” to help farmers with this kind of problemfarmers with this kind of problem--solving?solving?How can we document what we learn and How can we document what we learn and share with other farmers and researchers?share with other farmers and researchers?

Why potatoes?Why potatoes?

We are interested in integrated decision We are interested in integrated decision making when dealing with multiple issues making when dealing with multiple issues (nutrients, pests, water management) in a (nutrients, pests, water management) in a rotational and landscape settingrotational and landscape settingPotatoes are the gift that keeps on giving….Potatoes are the gift that keeps on giving….In lit, chronically underIn lit, chronically under--yielding in organic yielding in organic vsvsconventional comparisonsconventional comparisonsFarmers know less about growing them than Farmers know less about growing them than many other cropsmany other cropsInsect, disease, nutrient, water management Insect, disease, nutrient, water management problemsproblems

Process: group IDs issuesProcess: group IDs issues

Winter meeting one: Winter meeting one: PrePre--meeting: meeting:

farmer survey: how do you grow potatoes and what are farmer survey: how do you grow potatoes and what are your problems?your problems?Collected ugly tubers and Collected ugly tubers and ID’dID’d problemsproblems

At meeting:At meeting:ugly tuber “quiz” ugly tuber “quiz” distribution of project binders (incl. grower survey of distribution of project binders (incl. grower survey of potato production practices and problems)potato production practices and problems)project and budget outlineproject and budget outlinehandshands--on ugly tuber ID with Al Mosley on ugly tuber ID with Al Mosley walk though potato production process and identification walk though potato production process and identification of problem areasof problem areasnutrient management presentationnutrient management presentationugly tuber reugly tuber re--quizquiz

Major outcome: participatory problem area prioritizationMajor outcome: participatory problem area prioritization

Process: group sets agendaProcess: group sets agenda

Winter meeting two Winter meeting two Presentations on possible strategies for Presentations on possible strategies for management of problem areasmanagement of problem areasDiscussion of various scenarios/budgets Discussion of various scenarios/budgets Farmers signed up for projectsFarmers signed up for projects

Hi (3) or lo (9) intensity nutrient and pest Hi (3) or lo (9) intensity nutrient and pest samplingsamplingNo additional fertilization experiment (6)No additional fertilization experiment (6)Late blight resistant potato variety trial (5)Late blight resistant potato variety trial (5)Potato cropping system description (5)Potato cropping system description (5)

What are we doing in What are we doing in growing season one?growing season one?

N managementN managementInsect pest diagnosis and managementInsect pest diagnosis and managementDisease diagnosis and managementDisease diagnosis and management

We want to match N supply to crop N demandWe want to match N supply to crop N demandWe are working with the farmers to develop an We are working with the farmers to develop an N management decisionN management decision--making process making process Key decision times:Key decision times:

preplantpreplanttuber initiationtuber initiation

The SARE project is helping put the pieces of The SARE project is helping put the pieces of the N puzzle together.the N puzzle together.

N managementN managementDan Sullivan and Dan Sullivan and John McQueen, Soil ScienceJohn McQueen, Soil Science

Nicola: a “mediumNicola: a “medium--early” yellow varietyearly” yellow varietyWeekly: Sample nine plants Weekly: Sample nine plants (approximately 9 ft row)(approximately 9 ft row)Three Three subsamplessubsamples (3 ft row): determined (3 ft row): determined dry weight (biomass) and N concentration dry weight (biomass) and N concentration (OSU Central Analytical Laboratory)(OSU Central Analytical Laboratory)Calculated N uptake =Calculated N uptake =Biomass (lb DM) x N (% of DM) x plots per acreBiomass (lb DM) x N (% of DM) x plots per acre

Timing and amount Timing and amount of N uptake of N uptake by a potato cropby a potato crop

Potato nitrogen uptakeNicola, OSU Veg Farm, 2005

Days after planting (June 3)

20 40 60 80 100

Cro

p N

upt

ake

(lb/a

cre)

0

50

100

150

200

250TopsTubersTops + tubers

Incubation in lab to determine N Incubation in lab to determine N mineralization potentialmineralization potential

Days at 22 oC

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

NItr

ate-

N (m

g kg

-1)

0

20

40

60

80

100

2005 organic farms2006 organic farms

Insect pest managementInsect pest managementMario Mario AmbrosinoAmbrosino and Paul Jepson, and Paul Jepson,

OSU IPPCOSU IPPCNick Andrews, OSU Small FarmsNick Andrews, OSU Small FarmsLane Selman, coordinatorLane Selman, coordinator

WirewormWireworm

Tuber flea beetleTuber flea beetle

Insect pest managementInsect pest management(cont’d (cont’d –– year one goals)year one goals)

Refine and develop sampling methods and Refine and develop sampling methods and diagnostics for adults, larva (wireworms only) diagnostics for adults, larva (wireworms only) and tuber damage.and tuber damage.Elaborate a basic Elaborate a basic phenologyphenology model for key model for key species.species.Determine scope for basic prevention and Determine scope for basic prevention and mitigation tactics. mitigation tactics. Develop diagnosis/management fact sheets with Develop diagnosis/management fact sheets with IPM guidelines for organic producers.IPM guidelines for organic producers.Develop mechanistic hypotheses for year 2.Develop mechanistic hypotheses for year 2.

Late blight managementLate blight managementAlex Stone, HorticultureAlex Stone, HorticultureIsabel Vales and Solomon Isabel Vales and Solomon YilmaYilma, ,

potato breeding programpotato breeding program

Scout fields for LB and other diseases to determine Scout fields for LB and other diseases to determine which diseases are important and in which regionswhich diseases are important and in which regions

TroubleTrouble--shoot to identify contributing factors on shoot to identify contributing factors on farms with LBfarms with LB

Assist farmers in adopting control strategies Assist farmers in adopting control strategies (management of culls and volunteers, field layout, (management of culls and volunteers, field layout, irrigation management, copper)irrigation management, copper)

BlightMOPBlightMOP project: EUproject: EU

FoliarFoliar blightblight: England 2001: England 2001UK

0

20

40

60

80

100

220 230 240 250 260 270 280 290

CaraNicolaClaretDonellaLady BalfourPrincessSarpo MiraEve Balfour

Foliar blight (%)

Julian day

SeptemberAugust Octoberfrom Leifert et al

On farm nonOn farm non--replicated nonreplicated non--inoculated variety trialsinoculated variety trials

5 farms evaluating cultivars for yield, quality, 5 farms evaluating cultivars for yield, quality, flavor, and market potentialflavor, and market potentialOne onOne on--farm trial with LB epidemicfarm trial with LB epidemicIn this trial, Defender and Jacqueline Lee In this trial, Defender and Jacqueline Lee appear to have good LB resistance and flavorappear to have good LB resistance and flavor

Island Sunshine was less resistant and flavorful Island Sunshine was less resistant and flavorful than Jacqueline Leethan Jacqueline LeeNo comparative yield or quality data yetNo comparative yield or quality data yet

Jacqueline LeeJacqueline Lee

Defender, after on-farm LB epidemic

A University of Idaho release

Potato breeding programPotato breeding programinoculated, replicated field trialinoculated, replicated field trial

All OSU specialty potato All OSU specialty potato germplasmgermplasmCultivars described as LB resistant in Moose Tubers catalogCultivars described as LB resistant in Moose Tubers catalogJacqueline Lee, Island Sunshine, DefenderJacqueline Lee, Island Sunshine, DefenderConducted by Isabel Vales and Solomon Conducted by Isabel Vales and Solomon YilmaYilmaFunded by OSU Ag Research Foundation grantFunded by OSU Ag Research Foundation grant

In addition, we will screen the OSU In addition, we will screen the OSU germplasmgermplasm for tuber for tuber insect resistanceinsect resistance

Process:Process:Second year winter meetingsSecond year winter meetings

First meetingFirst meetingDebrief Debrief Discuss data and farmer experiencesDiscuss data and farmer experiencesAdaptive nutrient management workshopAdaptive nutrient management workshop

Second meetingSecond meetingSurvey participant knowledge and understandingSurvey participant knowledge and understandingPlan second season workPlan second season workEvaluate project process and outcomesEvaluate project process and outcomes

Projected products:Projected products:

Website (Website (ospud.orgospud.org))Workshops Workshops

Adaptive nutrient management, 2007 (Adaptive nutrient management, 2007 (ospudospud participants only)participants only)Adaptive potato management, 2008 (taught by Adaptive potato management, 2008 (taught by ospudospud farmers, for farmers, for other farmers)other farmers)

Extension publicationsExtension publicationsUsing participatory methods for tackling cropping systems probleUsing participatory methods for tackling cropping systems problemsmsAdaptive organic potato management in the western PNW Adaptive organic potato management in the western PNW (workbook?)(workbook?)LB resistant fresh market potato cultivars for western PNWLB resistant fresh market potato cultivars for western PNW

Journal articles (ultimately)Journal articles (ultimately)N dynamics and management in western PNW organic potato N dynamics and management in western PNW organic potato productionproductionTuber flea beetle Tuber flea beetle phenologyphenology

OSPUD.org

Many thanks to Western Region SARE for funding this project!