Abstract
Organic no-till and strip-till systems have gained attention because of their reported capacity to enhance soil health and suppress annual weeds. This study, conducted at the Horticulture Research Station, Ames, IA, over 2 years (2013–14 and 2014–15) compared a cover crop–based no tillage (NT), strip tillage (ST), and conventional tillage (CT) in transitional organic broccoli ( Brassica oleracea L. var. italica ) production, with data collected on broccoli yield and quality, plant health, weed suppression, soil temperature, and cost of production. A cover crop mixture of cereal rye ( Secale cereal e L.) and hairy vetch ( Vicia villosa Roth.) was seeded in all plots in September, and was ended by rolling and crimping (NT and ST) or soil incorporation (CT) in late spring the following year. Each whole-plot tillage treatment was split into two subplot fertility treatments—one based entirely on organic preplant granular fertilizer, and the other split between preplant granular fertilizer and postplanting fertigation—to test the effect of fertigation on yield and plant growth under the typically nitrogen (N)-limited reduced tillage conditions. In 2014, yield of broccoli was highest in CT treatments, averaging 5.4 t·ha −1 , with no difference between ST and NT treatments. In 2015, yields were equal among tillage treatments, averaging 20.0 t·ha −1 . Changing the timing of fertilizer application through the use of fertigation did not affect yield. Weed density and biomass were lowest in the between-row (BR) regions of NT and ST plots in 2014, indicating effective early-season weed suppression. In 2015, NT and ST plots generally had lower weed biomass and density compared with CT plots, but weed growth in BR and in-row (IR) regions of NT and ST plots was similar. Soil temperature was highest in CT plots throughout the year, and higher in ST than in NT plots only during some periods. While production costs did vary slightly across treatments, profit per hectare was most strongly affected by yield. Our findings suggest that cover crop–based organic NT and ST systems may be viable options for organic broccoli growers.
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Claims 11
Claim · model-written summary
In 2014, broccoli yield was highest under conventional tillage, averaging 5.4 t·ha −1.
- Taxon
- broccoli
Brassica oleracea var. italicae0 - Treatment
- CT treatmentse1
- Outcome
- yielde1
- Direction
- higheste1
- Value
- 5.4 t·ha −1e1
- Qualifier
- In 2014e1
- Comparator
- ST and NT treatmentse1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“In 2014, yield of broccoli was highest in CT treatments, averaging 5.4 t·ha −1 , with no difference between ST and NT treatments”
e0“in transitional organic broccoli ( Brassica oleracea L. var. italica ) production”
Claim · model-written summary
In 2014, broccoli yield did not differ between strip tillage and no tillage.
- Taxon
- broccoliBrassica oleracea var. italicae0
- Treatment
- STe1
- Outcome
- yielde1
- Direction
- no differencee1
- Qualifier
- In 2014e1
- Comparator
- NT treatmentse1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“In 2014, yield of broccoli was highest in CT treatments, averaging 5.4 t·ha −1 , with no difference between ST and NT treatments”
e0“in transitional organic broccoli ( Brassica oleracea L. var. italica ) production”
Claim · model-written summary
In 2015, broccoli yields were equal among tillage treatments, averaging 20.0 t·ha −1.
- Taxon
- broccoliBrassica oleracea var. italicae0
- Treatment
- tillage treatmentse2
- Outcome
- yieldse2
- Direction
- equale2
- Value
- 20.0 t·ha −1e2
- Qualifier
- In 2015e2
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e2“In 2015, yields were equal among tillage treatments, averaging 20.0 t·ha −1”
e0“in transitional organic broccoli ( Brassica oleracea L. var. italica ) production”
Claim · model-written summary
Changing fertilizer timing through fertigation did not affect broccoli yield.
- Taxon
- broccoliBrassica oleracea var. italicae0
- Treatment
- fertigatione3
- Outcome
- yielde3
- Direction
- did not affecte3
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e3“Changing the timing of fertilizer application through the use of fertigation did not affect yield”
e0“in transitional organic broccoli ( Brassica oleracea L. var. italica ) production”
Claim · model-written summary
In 2014, weed density and biomass were lowest between the rows of no-till and strip-till broccoli plots.
- Taxon
- broccoliBrassica oleracea var. italicae0
- Treatment
- NT and ST plotse4
- Interactor
- Weede4weed
- Outcome
- Weed density and biomasse4
- Direction
- loweste4
- Qualifier
- between-row (BR) regionse4
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e4“Weed density and biomass were lowest in the between-row (BR) regions of NT and ST plots in 2014, indicating effective early-season weed suppression”
e0“in transitional organic broccoli ( Brassica oleracea L. var. italica ) production”
Claim · model-written summary
In 2015, no-till and strip-till broccoli plots generally had lower weed biomass and density than conventional tillage plots.
- Taxon
- broccoliBrassica oleracea var. italicae0
- Treatment
- NT and ST plotse5
- Interactor
- weede5weed
- Outcome
- weed biomass and densitye5
- Direction
- lowere5
- Comparator
- CT plotse5
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e5“In 2015, NT and ST plots generally had lower weed biomass and density compared with CT plots”
e0“in transitional organic broccoli ( Brassica oleracea L. var. italica ) production”
Claim · model-written summary
In 2015, weed growth between the rows and in the in-row region of no-till and strip-till plots was similar.
- Taxon
- broccoliBrassica oleracea var. italicae0
- Treatment
- NT and ST plotse6
- Interactor
- weede6weed
- Outcome
- weed growthe6
- Direction
- similare6
- Qualifier
- BRe6
- Comparator
- in-row (IR) regionse6
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e6“but weed growth in BR and in-row (IR) regions of NT and ST plots was similar”
e0“in transitional organic broccoli ( Brassica oleracea L. var. italica ) production”
Claim · model-written summary
Soil temperature was highest in conventional tillage plots throughout the year.
- Taxon
- broccoliBrassica oleracea var. italicae0
- Treatment
- CT plotse7
- Outcome
- Soil temperaturee7
- Direction
- higheste7
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e7“Soil temperature was highest in CT plots throughout the year”
e0“in transitional organic broccoli ( Brassica oleracea L. var. italica ) production”
Claim · model-written summary
Soil temperature was higher in strip tillage than in no-till plots only during some periods.
- Taxon
- broccoliBrassica oleracea var. italicae0
- Treatment
- STe1
- Outcome
- Soil temperaturee7
- Direction
- highere1
- Qualifier
- only during some periodse1
- Comparator
- NT plotse1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“higher in ST than in NT plots only during some periods”
e7“Soil temperature was highest in CT plots throughout the year”
e0“in transitional organic broccoli ( Brassica oleracea L. var. italica ) production”
Claim · model-written summary
Profit per hectare in organic broccoli was most strongly affected by yield.
- Taxon
- broccoliBrassica oleracea var. italicae0
- Outcome
- profit per hectaree2
- Qualifier
- by yielde2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e2“profit per hectare was most strongly affected by yield”
e0“in transitional organic broccoli ( Brassica oleracea L. var. italica ) production”
Claim · model-written summary
Cover-crop based organic no-till and strip-till systems may be viable options for organic broccoli growers.
- Taxon
- broccoliBrassica oleracea var. italicae0
- Outcome
- viable options for organic broccoli growerse1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“may be viable options for organic broccoli growers”
e0“in transitional organic broccoli ( Brassica oleracea L. var. italica ) production”
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