Comparison of Organic and Conventional Agricultural Production in till and No-till Systems: Effects On Water Quality and Yield.

Non-point source pollution from agricultural systems is an ever growing concern and the removal of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment from agriculture land is not only crucial to our water quality but to the management and value of our agricultural products. The objective of this study is to compare nutrient and sediment losses, as well as yield, from organic and conventional agricultural production under standard tillage practices and conservation tillage management. The research is being conducted at the Mountain Horticultural Crops and Extension Research Station on field plots that have long-term (18 years) management under organic and conventional standards. There are four replications of five treatments: organic production with conservation tillage, organic production with conventional tillage, conventional production with conservation tillage, conventional production with conventional tillage, and control (no added fertilizer and conventional tillage). Water quality data (flow and nutrient and sediment concentration) is being monitored, as is soil nitrogen by depth as a surrogate for nitrate and ammonium leaching. Agronomic information of the sweet corn is also being collected. Data suggest that there is an interaction between tillage and production types relative to surface nutrient load losses of sediment and nutrients. Sweet corn yields were always lower under organic production due to several important agronomic circumstances, such as lower available nitrogen and weed competition.