The nutrient concentration of fruits and vegetables in the U.S.A. has declined in the past 50–70 years. Crop management practices utilizing on-farm inputs are thought to increase crop nutritional quality, but few studies have evaluated this under long-term side-by-side trials. An experiment was conducted from 2004 to 2005 at Rodale Institute’s long-term Farming Systems Trial to investigate the nutritional quality of vegetables under organic manure (MNR) and conventional (CNV) farming systems, with or without arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) treatment. AMF reduced the vitamin C content in carrots in both systems in 2004, but the reduction was 87% in CNV and 28% in MNR. AMF also reduced antioxidants in carrots in both CNV and MNR. This trend was likely due to the suppression of native AMF colonization by the non-native AMF inoculum used. Between 2004 and 2005, MNR increased the vitamin C in green peppers by 50% while CNV decreased the vitamin C in red peppers by 48%. Tomatoes under MNR had a 40% greater vitamin C content compared to CNV in 2005. The vegetable yield declined between 2004 and 2005, except for tomato, where the yield increased by 51% and 44% under CNV and MNR, respectively. In general, MNR tended to increase the nutrient concentration of vegetables compared with CNV, while the AMF effects were inconclusive.

Since 1981, the Rodale Farming Systems Trial (RFST) differentiated organic (org) from conventional (con) farming systems showing that org systems can have a transformative potential to increase soil quality.On the other hand, throughout the RFST history, con system never increased soil organic carbon (SOC) nor soil nitrogen, (SON).During the first 5 years, org systems were increased significantly (p = 0.05) for SOC and SON.Organic farming systems do not employ org restricted inputs i.e. synthetic fertilizers and pesticides instead they relied on biologically based inputs such as cover crops, extended legume rotation and organic amendment.Conventional system used recommended fertilizer and herbicide without biological based inputs.Both Org systems, significantly increased both SOC and SON but were not statistically different from each other.Increased SOC and SON opened a research venue supporting testing hypotheses of how soil improvement can affect i) crop nutrition ii) disease reactions and iii) adaptability.Unique org and con system legacies allowed effective SOC/SON differentiations and comparison.Different soil levels were compared under the same location and same genotypes eliminated confounding factors to better evaluate the effect of the differentiated soil condition.Over 22 plus years of systematic trial conventional maize and soybean farming failed to yield any statistical increase in either soil carbon or nitrogen from their original values SOC 1.8 to 2.0% SON 0.28 (p=0.05ns); on the other hand, the organic farming legacies showed statistically significant with both SOC and SON increased (p=0.05)(soil carbon 2.3 to 2.6% and soil nitrogen 0.33 to 0.35%).Oats Avena sativa L. Ogle, 2003, maize Zea mays L. 2005, jalapeno peppers Capsicum annum L. Campell, tomato Solanum lycopersicum and carrots Daucus sativa form sp carota 2004 and 2005 were used as soil improvement bioindicators.In addition to SOC and SON improvement, crop mineral foliar nutrients were found highly significantly improved (p=0.01) under the organic agricultural system legacy.Organic system mineral increase varied from 8% for potassium to 74% for boron with a mean of 32.3% organic advantage over conventional soil legacy control from foliar analysis in oats 2003 significant differences were also found in oat grain composition for mineral contents.Crop mineral contents from org differentiated soils were significantly elevated (p=0.01)compared to the conventional soil legacy baseline.In addition to improved SOC/SON, crop mineral nutrients in oats, the antioxidant levels of tomato fruit, carrot roots and jalapeno pepper fruits were all significantly higher in organic legacy 18% (in jalapeno pepper) to 36% organic advantage (p=0.05)compared to conventional system legacy.Disease assessments were tested for how soil improvement would affect crop health/adaptability.Disease were not constraining in all environment/year combinations.Nevertheless, when present and constraining, disease reactions were consistently superior under org compared to a con soil legacy.In the org legacy significant reductions in disease were found for jalapeno pepper virus complex incidence, carrot splitting percent and carrot leaf blight and tomato late blight severities.Results confirm of a positive association between soil improvement, crop nutrient content, antioxidant, plant adaptability, and negative association with disease incidence and severity.Soil organic matter appears to have wide pleiotrophic effects deserving additional study for their detailed modes of action.

T he field system represents the most basic socio-ecological system through which human communities interact with the biosphere. Field systems are complex, comprising both biotic components (plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria) and abiotic components (chemical and physical elements such as soil minerals, sunlight, moisture, and temperature) that interact through biogeochemical cycles and ecological processes. Energy from the sun flows into the field system and flows out as crop and animal products. Field systems affect natural ecosystems that surround them and, when aggregated, influence regional and global systems. An agricultural plot is an excellent example of a field agroecosystem. For many smallholders, a single plot is the entire farm enterprise. For others, multiple plots make up a farm enterprise. The mosaic of fields that create a farm is, together with adjacent or adjoining natural areas, part of a local watershed and a larger regional ecosystem. Natural processes as well as decision making at these larger spatial scales affect processes and decision making within the single field and vice versa. For example, a farmer’s decision to plant corn intercropped with beans enhances diversity of the field and creates positive benefits for the field system such as additional nitrogen and host plants for beneficial insects. Furthermore, should one of these crops fail, the other may still be marketable. This provides an economic buffer for the farm system. Activity in an agricultural field also influences and is influenced by related social systems such as markets and governance. A good example of the relationship between policy and field systems is the application of subsidies—government inducements for farmers based on production. Often subsidies are given to farmers for specific crops, which can decrease the incentive for maintaining a diversified mix of crops in the field system. This, in turn, can have devastating effects on biodiversity in the field over the long term. In the Philippines, price supports have led to severe erosion and water quality problems as hillsides once covered by forests have been converted to corn and temperate zone vegetables (Coxhead et al. 2001). Given this interrelatedness, sustainable management of individual field systems is a priority in sustainable agriculture and natural resource management development programs.

From 1993 to 2001, a maize-vegetable-wheat rotation was compared using either 1) composts, 2) manure, or 3) synthetic fertilizer for nitrogen nutrient input. From 1993 to 1998, red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) and crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.) were used as an annual winter legume cover crop prior to maize production. From 1999 to 2001, hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth.) served as the legume green manure nitrogen (N) source for maize. In this rotation, wheat depended entirely on residual N that remained in the soil after maize and vegetable (pepper and potato) production. Vegetables received either compost, manure, or fertilizer N inputs. Raw dairy manure stimulated the highest overall maize yields of 7,395 kg/ha (approximately 140 bushels per acre). This exceeded the Berks County mean yield of about 107 bushels per acre from 1994 to 2001. When hairy vetch replaced clover as the winter green manure cover crop, maize yields rose in three of the four treatments (approximately 500-1,300 kg/ha, or 10-24 bu/a). Hairy vetch cover cropping also resulted in a 9-25 % increase in wheat yields in the compost treatments compared to clover cover cropping. Hairy vetch cover crops increased both maize and wheat grain protein contents about 16 to 20% compared to the clover cover crop. Compost was superior to conventional synthetic fertilizer and raw dairy manure in 1) building soil nutrient levels, 2) providing residual nutrient support to wheat production, and 3) reducing nutrient losses to ground and surface waters. After 9 years, soil carbon (C) and soil N remained unchanged or declined slightly in the synthetic fertilizer treatment, but increased with use of compost amendments by 16-27% for C and by 13-16% for N. However, with hairy vetch cover crops, N leaching increased 4 times when compared to clover cover crops. September was the highest month for nitrate leaching, combining high rainfall with a lack of active cash crop or cover crop growth to use residual N. Broiler litter leaf compost (BLLC) showed the lowest nitrate leaching of all the nutrient amendments tested (P= 0.05).

Summary Rodale Institute is located on a 333-acre certified organic farm in Kutztown, Pennsylvania and has spent 60 years doing extensive research to provide farmers with the know-how, tools and techniques they need to succeed, policy-makers the information they need to best support our farmers and consumers with the resources they need to make informed decisions about the food they buy and eat both in the United States and abroad.From aquaculture and amaranth studies to vetch varietals trials and design and experimentation with a cutting-edge roller-crimper tool for low-cost, low-input no-till, the on-farm and collaborative research of the Rodale Institute has spanned the width and breadth of agriculture. The farm is perhaps best known for its Farming Systems Trial ® (FST), the United State’s longest-running scientific experiment specifically designed to compare organic and conventional farming practices. Brief History The Institute was created by visionary J.I. Rodale who moved from New York in the late 1930s to rural Pennsylvania, where he was able to realize his keen personal interest in farming. He learned about or-ganic food-growing concepts being promoted by Lady Eve Balfour and Sir Albert Howard and theorized, based on their work and his own observations, that to preserve and improve our health we must restore and protect the natural health of the soil. Developing and demonstrating practical methods of rebuilding natural soil fertility became J.I. Rodale’s primary goal when World War II’s sudden shortage of nitrogen fertilizer – diverted to making munitions – exposed the natural nutrient poverty of the nation’s soil. In 1947, J.I. founded the Soil and Health Foundation, forerunner to the Rodale Institute. He also created successful periodicals, including Health Bulletin, Organic Farming and Gardening and Prevention maga-zines.The concept of “organic” was simple but revolutionary in the post World War II era. Manure, cover crops and crop mixtures were standard practices through World War I, but chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, artificial ingredients, preservatives and additives for taste and appearance in the years since the war had rapidly changed agriculture. As J.I. Rodale communicated the idea of creating soil rich in nutrients and free of contaminants, however, people began to listen and acceptance grew.J.I. Rodale died in 1971. His son Robert expanded the farm and health-related research with the pur-chase of the 333-acre farm near Kutztown, Pennsylvania. With his wife Ardath, Robert established what is now the Rodale Institute and an era of research began that continues today. Powerful testimony by Robert Rodale, and the farmers and scientists who swore by the sustainable methods pioneered at Rodale, convinced the U.S. Congress to include funds for regenerative agriculture in the 1985 Farm Bill. Today, federal, state and local governments, land-grant universities and other organizations nationwide are pursuing regenerative agriculture research and education programs. When Robert Rodale was killed in a traffic accident in Moscow in 1990, Ardath Rodale became the Insti-tute chairman and John Haberern became president. In 1999 Robert and Ardath Rodale’s son, Anthony became chairman of the board. Anthony and Florence, his wife, developed outreach efforts to children during their period of active program involvement before Anthony became an international ambassador for the Rodale Institute’s mission. Board member Paul McGinley became co-chair of the board with Ardath in 2005.Timothy J. LaSalle became the first CEO of the Institute in July 2007, bringing decades of experience in academic, agricultural and non-profit leadership to the task. Under his guidance, the Institute champions organic solutions for the challenges of global climate change, better nutrition in food, famine prevention and poverty reduction.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are potentially important tools in agricultural systems that reduce or ehirtinate chemical inputs common in modern agriculture. We tested the response of potato (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Superior) to inoculation with AM fungi in a field with very high available P (375 mu g g(-1) soil) in two growing seasons. Inoculation treatments included a commercially available inoculum containing Glomus intraradices, mixed species inocula produced on-farm in mixtures of compost and vermiculite, and a control treatment consisting of a freshly prepared compost and vermiculite mixture. In addition, two farming systems were imposed: conventional chemical fertilizers or dairy manure composted with leaves were applied to meet recommended nutrient requirements. Yields of tubers on a fresh weight basis in the first year were increased by AM fungus inoculum, 33% under conventional fertilizer application and 45% with compost addition vs. controls in each system. The response to inoculation the second year was less; however yields of inoculated plants were 10 to 20% greater than control,.;. There was a significant positive treatment effect of inoculation upon production of larger sized potatoes in the second year. Neither year saw a marked difference in yield response among AM fungus inocula. These results demonstrate the potential yield benefits of inoculation of potatoes with AM fungi produced on the farm.

produces stable, high-carbon humus from plant and animal residues or wastes. The composting process transforms these waste materials into a nutrient-rich, soil-like material that can be used to improve garden and farm soils around the world. Compost forms the foundation of modern organic farming, which can be traced back to the work of Sir Albert Howard (see sidebar, page 17), and its importance in sustainable and organic models of agriculture can hardly be overstated.

Various organic technologies have been utilized for about 6000 years to make agriculture sustainable while conserving soil, water, energy, and biological resources. Among the benefits of organic technologies are higher soil organic matter and nitrogen, lower fossil energy inputs, yields similar to those of conventional systems, and conservation of soil moisture and water resources (especially advantageous under drought conditions). Conventional agriculture can be made more sustainable and ecologically sound by adopting some traditional organic farming technologies.

inger wilt, caused by a bacterium known as Ralstonia solanacearum (Smith) Yabuuchi, is the most limiting factor in the production of culinary gin- ger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) in Hawaii. The disease was responsible for a 45 percent statewide production loss of the ginger crop in 1993. It is a complex and dif- ficult disease to control, infecting the ginger crop through all phases of a production cycle. It is present systemi- cally in seed rhizomes as both an active and latent in- fection that contaminates seed-pieces when they are cut and prepared for field planting. In open-field production, even when disease-free starting materials are used in a clean field, it is difficult for a grower to prevent introduction of the disease from nearby diseased fields by means such as water runoff (as described by Trujillo, 1964) and human, equipment, and animal traffic. In fact, it is becoming more difficult for ginger farmers in the eastern part of the Island of Hawaii to find suitable planting areas that are not al- ready contaminated by the ginger wilt bacteria. The availability of methyl bromide for use as a pre-planting soil fumigant against this pathogen is gradually being phased out by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Alternative disease management approaches have to be sought for ginger production to remain vi- able in Hawaii. The greenhouse production system we describe in this publication was inspired by a "noncirculating hy- droponic method" (Kratky 1998). Tissue-cultured gin- ger plantlets produced at PBARC in Hilo provided clean,