IPM research in organic crop production underway

By the NPM program

This fall, UWEX Field Crops Entomologist, Eileen Cullen and NPM outreach educator, Kevin Shelley, were awarded a grant to conduct a participatory research and educational outreach project pertaining to insect management in organic field crop production.  The four-year grant is one of 10 funded nationally this year under the USDA’s Integrated Organic Program.  

As Cullen states, “We’ve learned from organic producers that they rely on crop rotation, soil and crop nutrient management practices, biological control and natural enemy habitat enhancement and attractant methods to suppress insect pests.”  

Some observers suggest that organic crops don’t see the intense pressure from insect pests as often as conventional crops do, while other reports document significant insect pest management challenges.  Cullen and Shelley, together with an advisory committee of organic farmers, will explore the link between crop plant nutrition and insect response and the premise that applied organic fertility management practices play a sizeable role in integrated pest management in organic agriculture.

Specifically, the project seeks to learn how organic soil fertility management influences crop plant nutrient profiles and the interaction of crops with both insect pests and beneficial insects.  A panel of seven southern Wisconsin organic crop producers (two are also dairy) helped the researcher/educator team identify a representative crop rotation and three particular crop – insect associations for the study’s focus.  These include: Corn – European Corn Borer; Soybean – Soybean Aphid; Alfalfa – Potato Leafhopper.  The rotation will include the above crops as well as a small grain for alfalfa establishment.  Controlled experiments will be conducted in fields undergoing a transition to organic at the UW Arlington Research Station.  Similar data will be collected by producers and researchers from up to six established organic farms in southern Wisconsin.

NPM’s Shelley provides organic agronomic expertise to the project, working with the Arlington staff on production management for the crops in the trials.  He also stewards the farmer advisory committee, coordinating communication between them and research personnel.  He will also play a lead role in keeping the organic and cooperative extension communities informed of project results and will conduct associated educational programming. 

The project will also partner with Paul Whitaker, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences at UW Marathon County.  Dr. Whitaker will involve student interns at this two-year UW campus in collecting additional crop plant nutrient and insect response data from organic farms in north central Wisconsin.  This component broadens the multi-institutional, participatory approach taken by the project toward research and education on these fundamental questions for organic crop producers.         

The project’s ultimate goal is to develop and disseminate practical, research-based information and recommendations on insect pest management to organic farmers, educators and the agricultural industry.  The project was awarded with possible continuation beyond four years as a CSREES long-term continuation grant.  For more information, contact Eileen Cullen (608-261-1507 or cullen@entomology.wisc.edu) or Kevin Shelley (608-262-7846 or kshelley@wisc.edu).