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Student 10-Minute Paper

Plant-Insect Ecosystems

Student Competition

Student

Grad Competition P-IE: Biocontrol - Predators

Cattle manure management impacts pests and weeds in organic grain production

Monday, November 6, 2023
8:12 AM – 8:24 AM ET
Location: Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, Maryland 1-2
In-Person Student Competition
Maintaining fertility in organic farming systems is essential for preserving soil quality, and can have a significant impact on plant growth and pest populations. Manure is a valuable source of nutrients for organic farming as it is rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and other essential plant nutrients. However, manure may interact with other challenges faced by organic producers: pests and weeds. Insects and weeds may be exacerbated or better controlled by manure. Our study investigates the effects of three cattle manure management methods on production of organic and organic-transition grain for livestock feed production. Treatments include three cattle manure treatments- liquid, composted and dry stacked plus an unfertilized control in a corn-soy-wheat rotation. We measured pest pressure by scouting early, mid- and late season, above-ground predator activity density using pitfall traps, and biological control potential using sentinel prey. To determine how manure influences weeds, we measured weed biomass throughout the season and weed seed predation. We also measured yield across all treatments. These data will help us make conclusions about better manure treatment methods that will help organic growers combat pest and weed problems and increase productivity.