Case studies of integrated/whole farm system designs: Field-scale replicated IPM trials

Young, Frank L.; Papendick, R. I.

doi:10.1017/s0889189300005579

Cited by 12 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…A prime example of this dilemma occurred during the Integrated Pest Management Project (1985)(1986)(1987)(1988)(1989)(1990)(1991)(1992)(1993)(1994) in Pullman, Washington, USA 13 . At the conclusion of the project, several growers voiced concern over the lack of research/ grower interaction and government research agency's exclusive use of research farms to conduct experiments.…”

Section: The Diffusion Of Research Innovation: a Theoretical Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The question of whether or not the Ralston Project impacted local growers in ways that encouraged the diffusion of its technology has remained speculative and undocumented. We chose to evaluate and document the impact of this specific project because it represented the wheat-fallow region's first and longest-running project that combined multiple design elements previously documented to increase grower receptivity to research 12,13,19 , specifically long-term, large-scale, multi-/interdisciplinary, multiagency, grower-directed, integrated and crop system-level research.…”

Section: The Ralston Project: Case Evaluation Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Increasing the effectiveness of technology transfer for conservation cropping systems through research and field design

Forté-Gardner¹,

Young²,

Dillman³

et al. 2004

RAF

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A survey was conducted in 2002 to measure the success of technology transfered to growers (i.e., changes in attitudes and behaviors) from a long-term, large-scale, integrated cropping systems experiment called the Ralston Project, near Ralston, Washington, USA. Non-irrigated, cereal and oilseed growers who participated in biennial field tours (1996)(1997)(1998)(1999)(2000) were mailed a self-administered questionnaire, which asked about: (1) their interest, use and adoption of technology developed or demonstrated in the project; (2) their opinions about the project's collaborators, planning and design; and (3) their overall impressions of the project. One hundred and one eligible growers responded to the questionnaire, for a 55% overall response rate and a 62% completion rate. Survey results confirmed that the Ralston Project field tours were a successful means of technology transfer among participants. Seventy-seven percent of growers found one or more project technologies particularly useful to their own production operation(s). More than 60% conducted independent trials with one or more technologies, with 50% of these trials resulting in permanent adoptions. The project's planning and design had a more positive effect on growers' opinion of the project than the type of collaborations and sources of funding. Specific strategies that had a substantially positive effect on growers' opinions included: (1) the project's 'whole system' treatment design; (2) use of large plots to accommodate field-sized equipment; and (3) collaboration among scientific disciplines and with local growers. Seven variables known to influence the adoption of innovation were also tested against growers' decisions to try any of the project's technology in their own farm operations. Personal character variables influenced individuals' decisions to try project technology more so than environmental conditions. Level of education, previous adoption behavior and average annual rainfall significantly influenced growers' behavior (P < 0.05). Our survey population consisted of early users of conservation-based farming technology, primarily innovators and early adopters. The Ralston Project made the greatest impact on current adopters and users of conservation-based farming technology. Interest among non-users was also high enough to suggest that the Ralston Project contributed positively to the diffusion of conservation cropping systems and associated technology into the greater grower community. We discovered from this survey that the planning and execution of field research plays a significant and influential role in transferring more complex, and perhaps high-risk, conservationbased farm technology. By understanding how research and field design affect different user groups within the grower community, professionals can identify appropriate strategies to expand interest beyond their primary target audience and influence attitudes and behaviors that facilitate widespread adoption.

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Section: The Diffusion Of Research Innovation: a Theoretical Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Ralston Project: Case Evaluation Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

Increasing the effectiveness of technology transfer for conservation cropping systems through research and field design

Forté-Gardner¹,

Young²,

Dillman³

et al. 2004

RAF

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“…An early systems study was done at the Rodale Research Center in Pennsylvania (Liebhardt et al, 1989). More recent studies highlighted at the Science and Sustainability Conference include those on cereal production in the Pacific Northwest (Young et al, 1994), tomato production in California (Temple et al, 1994), and livestock systems in Virginia (Luna et al, 1994).…”

Section: Field-size Systems Research Trialsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Innovative approaches for integrated research and educational programs

Bezdicek

DePhelps

1994

am j alt ag

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Over the past half century, American agricultural productivity has increased while the number of full time farmers and rural populations have decreased. Although most people believe we have a safe, nutritious, and affordable food supply, the high level of productivity has had negative impacts on the environment and rural communities and has increased farmers' dependence on purchased inputs. As Americans become more concerned about food safety and the environment, a new paradigm for American agriculture is emerging. This new alternative agriculture takes an ecological approach to food production. The challenge facing the land-grant university system is how to answer questions about sustainable agricultural systems, maintain productivity and respond to the needs and concerns of their broadened clientele. Whole farm case studies, focus groups, farm improvement clubs, on-farm research, field-size research trials, and whole farm comparisons are new qualitative and quantitative methods for interdisciplinary research and education. These methods integrate biological and social strategies and bring community members into the research and education process. When these groups work together, questions critical to maintaining the long-term sustainability and productivity of agricultural systems can be answered.

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“…These studies generally involve several agencies and must be interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary to identify important interacting agronomic, economic, and biological relationships (Martin et al, 1991; Schweizer et al, 1988; Young et al, 1994c). Integrated crop management studies are rarely attempted because they are expensive to conduct; require large areas of land; and utilize considerable labor to plant, harvest, and maintain plots, and to collect data (Cady, 1991; Young et al, 1994b). Reducing the size of long‐term field studies is desirable if downsizing does not sacrifice biological and economic information.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, the original proposal for the Pacific Northwest (PNW) ICM study called for 432 subplots rather than the final 144. The proposal was reduced by eliminating a tillage regime and fertility rates (Young et al, 1994b).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Downsizing an Integrated Crop Management Field Study Affects Economic and Biological Results

et al. 2001

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In recent years, there has been increased interest in long‐term, field‐scale cropping systems research to improve pest management, to protect air and soil quality, and to increase or maintain growers’ profits. However, these studies require large tracts of land, sizeable labor forces, and substantial inventories of equipment, which make them very expensive to conduct. Because of recent concerns about reducing field research costs, this study compares economic and biological results from an original complete 6‐yr integrated cropping management (ICM) systems field study to results from several downsized experiments, which were components of the complete study. Compared with the original ICM study, the downsized experiments reduced the number of treatment replications from four to three, reduced the number of crop rotation cycles from two to one (from 6 to 3 yr), or only grew one crop per rotation each year. The effect of downsizing on the profitability analysis and the statistical (biological) analysis were similar. Reducing replications altered both profitability and biological conclusions less than reducing the number of rotation cycles. Reducing crop rotation cycles markedly altered treatment profitability rankings compared with the complete study. Growing only one crop in a rotation per year was the most detrimental to biological results and entirely precluded computing mean annual cropping system profitability. This empirical study supports the importance of replicating treatments fully over time, over space, and over crop rotational positions.

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Case studies of integrated/whole farm system designs: Field-scale replicated IPM trials

Cited by 12 publications

References 5 publications

Increasing the effectiveness of technology transfer for conservation cropping systems through research and field design

Increasing the effectiveness of technology transfer for conservation cropping systems through research and field design

Innovative approaches for integrated research and educational programs

Downsizing an Integrated Crop Management Field Study Affects Economic and Biological Results

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