The Current State and Future Directions of Organic No-Till Farming with Cover Crops in Canada, with Case Study Support

Abstract

Abstract:Eliminating regular tillage practices in agriculture has numerous ecological benefits that correspond to the intentions of organic agriculture; yet, more tillage is conducted in organic agriculture than in conventional agriculture. Organic systems face more management challenges to avoid tillage. This paper identifies factors to consider when implementing no-till practices particularly in organic agronomic and vegetable crop agriculture and describes techniques to address these factors. In some cases, future research is recommended to effectively address the current limitations. The format includes a literature review of organic no-till (OrgNT) research and two case studies of Ontario organic farmers that highlight no-till challenges and practices to overcome these challenges. Cover crops require significant consideration because they are the alternative to herbicides and fertilizers to manage weeds and provide nutrients in the OrgNT system. Equipment requirements have also proven to be unique in OrgNT systems. In the future, it is recommended that researchers involve organic farmers closely in studies on no-till implementation, so that the farmers' concerns are effectively addressed, and research is guided by possibilities recognized by the practitioners.

Using mulch from cover crops to facilitate organic no-till soybean and maize production. A review

“…Organic MNT has also been studied in Canada and has been adapted to a shorter growth season and low temperatures (Beach et al 2018). Canadian trials integrated MNT into the production of spring wheat, flax, and soybean on sandy loam soil (Halde et al 2017).…”

Green and animal manure use in organic field crop systems

“…Developing organic no‐tillage strategies may lead to increases in SOC storage, decreases in erosion and the C footprint, reduced labor requirements, and facilitate the expansion of organic farmland (Oberholtzer, Dimitri, & Jaenicki, 2013). Considerable research has explored how tillage can be eliminated when growing field crops organically in North America (Beach, Laing, Walle, & Martin, 2018; Carr, Mäder, & Creamer, 2012a; Carr, 2017; Delate et al., 2015; Halde, Gagné, Charles, & Lawley, 2017; Mirsky et al., 2013; Silva & Delate, 2017; Wallace et al., 2017). Cover/green manure crops can provide a vegetative mulch for weed suppression in no‐tillage systems (Halde, Gulden, & Entz, 2014; Reberg‐Horton et al., 2012; Smith et al., 2011; Teasdale & Mohler, 1993, 2000; Teasdale, Mirsky, Spargo, Cavigelli, & Maul, 2012), and PAN to cash crops that follow in a rotation (Parr et al., 2011; Stute & Posner, 1995a, 1995b).…”

“…Extreme yield reductions in some years (X yield loss = 65%) occurred when maize followed hairy vetch in Iowa (Delate et al., 2012). No‐tillage organic maize yields in southwestern Ontario, Canada, were 33% lower than tilled maize yields (Beach et al., 2018). Maize failed to produce grain following a hairy vetch CGM crop in western North Dakota (Carr, Horsley, Gunderson, Winch, & Martin, 2013b).…”

“…Adoption of a no‐tillage rye–soybean crop sequence was successful in regions outside of the U.S. Northeast and Mid‐Atlantic region (Beach et al., 2018; Bernstein, Posner, Stoltenberg, & Hedtcke, 2011; Delate et al., 2012; Silva & Vereecke, 2019), but challenges remain. Organic no‐tillage soybean yields were almost 25% lower than tilled soybeans in research conducted in Wisconsin (Bernstein et al., 2011), and almost 50% less in one of two years in Iowa (Delate et al., 2012).…”

“…Considerable effort has been made to develop organic, no‐tillage field crop systems that rely on CGMs for soil fertility maintenance and weed suppression in eastern Canada (Beach et al., 2018, Halde et al., 2017, Marshall & Lynch, 2018). Significant obstacles must be overcome before there will be widespread adoption.…”