Objective:
Field trials with vegetable and biofuels crops will identify profitable production combinations. Over the next 5 years we will focus on the following objective and sub-objectives: Objective 1: Develop management practices and production systems for South Central region farms to help small- and medium-sized producers diversify farm income and increase profitability. Sub-objective 1.A. Develop rotations to integrate biofuel feedstocks as components with specialty vegetable crops in production systems. Sub-objective 1.B. Determine effects of different crop components in rotations on input costs, productivity, and whole-system profitability. Objective 2: Develop soil-borne and post-harvest disease suppressive practices applicable to organic and reduced input specialty vegetable crop production systems.

Approach:
All projects will be conducted on a Bernow fine-loamy, siliceous, themic, Glossic Paleudaulf soil in Lane, OK, at the South Central Agricultural Research Laboratory. The proposed research will address efficacy of rotations including economic realities of production, effects of fertilizer management within rotations, effects of weed control within rotations, and specific questions concerning applicability of organic herbicides in biofuel feedstock production, and use of biofumigation as it affects establishment of crops. Concerns from stakeholders regarding weed control in particular vegetable crops will also be addressed. The proposed research projects and expected end products will provide specific cost comparisons and decision making tools for production systems.