Coffman |
C. BENJAMIN COFFMAN |
Summary of Research Dr. Coffman conducts research for three projects: 0.5 FTE on the Weed Biocontrol Project (1265-22000-062), 0.25 FTE on the Farming System Project (1265-21660-002), and 0.25 FTE on the Cover Crops Project (1265-12210-001). Contributes to experimental planning, field operations, and weed management in these projects. Provides weed characterization and weed management, agronomic inputs, field operations management, data collection, and technology transfer for the South Farm Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration and the Farming Systems Project. Contributes to weed management investigations on an organic farm in Frederick County, MD. Serves on the planning committee for the organic research project to be established at BARC. Cooperates with and facilitates research projects conducted by research associates. This included a long-term, fresh-market tomato disease investigation that led to several peer-reviewed publications. This currently includes investigations by Dr. J. Radhakrishnan of vinegar for its usefulness as an herbicide for organic agriculture. Developed a cooperative outreach effort for minority and under-served farmers in the mid-Atlantic area that included a Small Farmer Field Day at BARC and a small farmer workshop at Salisbury, MD. Began a technology transfer/outreach effort with Virginia State University to address the needs of minority tobacco and peanut farmers in southern Virginia and North Carolina as they transition from historical cropping systems into new production systems. This will involve a workshop in Petersburg in 2003, and is expected to eventually include cooperative research in crop production systems, marketing, economics, and rural sociology. Publications (2000-present) Hong, J.H., D.J. Mills, C.B. Coffman, J.D. Anderson, M.J. Camp, and K.C. Gross. 2000. Tomato cultivation systems affect subsequent quality of fresh-cut fruit slices. J. Am. Soc. Hort. Sci. 125:729-735. Teasdale, J.R., R.C. Rosecrance, C.B. Coffman, J.L. Starr, I.C. Paltineanu, Y.C. Lu, and B.K. Watkins. 2000. Performance of reduced-tillage cropping systems for sustainable grain production in Maryland. Am. J. Altern. Agri. 15:79-87. Shunxiang, W., Y.C. Lu, D.J. Mills, C.B. Coffman, and J.R Teasdale. 2002. Economic evaluation of alternative production systems for fresh-market tomatoes in the mid-Atlantic region. Journal of Vegetable Crop Production 8:91-107. Mills, D.J., C.B. Coffman, J.R. Teasdale, K.L. Everts, and J.D. Anderson. 2002. Factors associated with foliar disease of staked fresh market tomatoes grown under differing bed strategies. Plant Disease 86:356-361. Mills, D.J., C.B. Coffman, J.R. Teasdale, K.L. Everts, A.A. Abdul-Baki, J. Lydon, and J.D Anderson. 2002. Foliar disease in fresh market tomato grown in differing bed strategies and fungicide spray programs. Plant Disease 86:955-959. |