News Releases (Reprinted from Davis Enterprise)

June 24, 2005

Sustainable ag field day showcases experiments

by Sharon Stello, Davis Enterprise

Tom Lanini (center, standing) presents at the 2005 SAFS field day at UC Davis' Russell Ranch. (photo by Lyra Halprin)

UC Davis researchers are studying farming techniques such as reduced tillage, the use of cover crops in winter and underground drip irrigation to reduce weeds and pests, cut costs and lessen environmental impacts without decreasing yields.

Experiments testing these methods were showcased June 24, 2005 during a sustainable agriculture field day at UCD's Russell Ranch, home of a 17-year-old farming comparison project, west of the main campus.

The ranch is home to long-term agriculture studies and provides a living laboratory for students and the new Agricultural Sustainability Institute at UCD. More than 20 faculty, Cooperative Extension researchers and growers are participating in experiments at the site and working on outreach with UC's statewide Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program.

Local growers, ag students and others with an interest in the latest approaches to farming management attended the field day event. Tractor-pulled hay wagons took them to four research fields for demonstrations, followed by guest speaker presentations and a panel discussion.

At one plot of tomato plants, researchers said they reduced the amount of tillage with promising results.

"We have very few weeds in this field," said Dennis Bryant, associate director of the Long-Term Research in Agricultural Systems experiment.

However, Aaron Ristow, a graduate student researcher in the department of land, air and water resources, said reduced tillage may not be good for water quality, at least in the short term.

In another method, underground drip irrigation sends water directly to each plant's roots. William Horwath, project leader and professor of soil and biochemistry in the department of land, air and water resources, explained that by not flowing water across the soil's surface, there are fewer weeds and less need for herbicides. There are also fewer emissions of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide.

Graduate student Cynthia Kallenbach, a soil researcher with the International Agricultural Development graduate group, said preliminary results of her studies show lower carbon dioxide emissions during the growing season. She believes this is because sub-surface watering allows the plant roots to expend less energy to access water and nutrients.

Gene Miyao, a UC Cooperative Extension farm adviser for Yolo, Solano and Sacramento counties, noted that underground drip irrigation may be too costly for farmers to install. Those who do often find themselves forced to grow only high-paying crops like tomatoes year after year.

"Some tools can also be economic obstacles for us," Miyao said. On another plot, researchers have grown wheat without fertilizer or irrigation, leaving the land fallow every other year.

"It was the traditional farming system in California before irrigation," said Steve Kaffka, a UC Cooperative Extension agronomy specialist.

Kent Brittan, a UC Cooperative Extension farm adviser for Yolo, Solano and Sacramento counties, said farmers in the Midwest and Eastern states have been using no-till techniques for about 30 years with much success. But they grow only one or two crops — usually wheat and corn — which is not profitable in California, where growers are forced to diversify.

The problem is California farmers rotate crops and their yield takes a hit when trying reduced tillage.

There's no easy answer. Researchers continue to experiment with different combinations of methods.

"Weeds are what's killing us in conservation tillage," said Tom Lanini, a UC Cooperative Extension specialist in weed ecology. "Every time you find a solution, the weeds retrench and come back. So I'll have a job forever."

Lanini said he believes even with the reduced tillage approach, it's good to till the land every five years or so.

"I think if you do anything too long, you end up with problems with that system," Lanini said.

After the research site tour, local farmers took part in a panel discussion to talk about promising methods they've tried.

Tony Turkovich, owner of Turkovich Ranch in Winters, said he has tried a diverse range of crop-management techniques. The challenge, he said, is different soil conditions make it impossible to employ the same methods on each field.

Turkovich said he's pleased by the university's research into alternative methods.

"We're glad to see them pushing the envelope to see what can be done," Turkovich said. First-generation farmer Scott Park, who has been using cover crops for about 16 years, summarized the grower's point of view by saying he is interested in sustainability if he can "make the ground better and still make a buck."

Media contacts:

William Horwath, UC Davis Department of Land, Air & Water Resources, (530) 754-6029, wrhorwath@ucdavis.edu

Lyra Halprin, UCSAREP, (530) 752-8664, lhalprin@ucdavis.edu

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