 |
 |
> HRT/PSMS Spring 2015 Seminar Series > > Dr. Ajay Nair* > Iowa State University > > will present > > Sustainable vegetable production from the land of corn and hogs! > > For nearly a decade there has been increased awareness toward food quality, health standards and global environmental issues. Agricultural production practices are being modified to minimize any deleterious effects to the environment and society. Sustainable agriculture has since emerged as a powerful tool in providing adequate quantity and quality of food to the growing world population with minimum footprint on the environment. This seminar will focus on research conducted in the area of sustainable vegetable production primarily in Iowa. The seminar will also provide a quick snapshot of the agriculture industry in Iowa. Research topics would include cover crops, conservation tillage, and soil amendments such as biochar. Cover crop studies will highlight the use of short duration cover crops in vegetable crop production for both open field and high tunnel crop production. Short duration summer cover crops such as cowpea, sorghum sudangrass, buckwheat, etc. are being increasingly utilized to add organic matter, suppress weeds, and enhance soil quality and health. Research conducted in the area of conservation tillage will showcase results from studies that compared no tillage, strip tillage (NT), and conventional tillage in organic production of broccoli and bell pepper. Research into the use of biochar will explain biochar properties and characteristics and highlight how biochar affected soil and crop performance in a potato production system. > > Thursday, March 26, 2015 @ 4:10 pm > A149 Plant & Soil Science Bldg > > Refreshments will be served @ 4:00 pm > > *Horticulture Organization of Graduate Students (HOGS) Invited Speaker > > Sherry M. Mulvaney > Office Assistant > Michigan State University > Department of Horticulture > 1066 Bogue St, Room A288 > Plant & Soil Sciences Bldg. > East Lansing, MI 48824-1325 > Office: 517-355-5191 ext. 1362 > Fax: 517-355-0249 Julie Cotton, M.S. Academic Specialist Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Michigan State University A264 Plant and Soil Science Building East Lansing, MI 48824 [log in to unmask] 517-355-0271 ext. 1156