{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/33418"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/33418","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Nitrogen Management and the Effects of Compost Tea on Organic Irish Potato and Sweet Corn","abstract":"Supply and synchronization of plant-available nitrogen (N) to the soil is a major challenge for organic farmers, especially when growing crops in soils that are in transition from conventional to organic systems. This research evaluated the effects of site produced cover crops and application of soil amendments on N uptake and crop yield of organic Irish potato (Solanum tuberosum) and sweet corn (Zea mays). Cover crops were crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum) and forage radish (Raphanus sativus). Soil amendments included in-row application of commercially produced dehydrated compost tea absorbed on charcoal (Soil Biology Innovations) and post-plant sidedressing with organic N fertilizer. Irish potato and sweet corn were grown at the Kentland Agricultural Research Farm near Blacksburg, VA in an organic transition soil during the summers of 2006 and 2007. Nitrogen uptake and crop yield were not affected by cover crop species in either year. SBI increased yield of sweet corn, but not Irish potato for both years; SBI had no effect on N uptake of either crop. Post-plant N sidedressing increased N uptake and crop yield of Irish potato and sweet corn in 2007, but had no effect on crop yield in 2006, presumably because pre-plant organic fertilizer was applied at planting in 2006, but not in 2007. This study shows that the combination of site produced cover crops and applied soil amendments may be required to produce high marketable yields of organic Irish potato and sweet corn in the transition soil used in these experiments.","abstract_html":"Supply and synchronization of plant-available nitrogen (N) to the soil is a major challenge for organic farmers, especially when growing crops in soils that are in transition from conventional to organic systems. This research evaluated the effects of site produced cover crops and application of soil amendments on N uptake and crop yield of organic Irish potato (Solanum tuberosum) and sweet corn (Zea mays). Cover crops were crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum) and forage radish (Raphanus sativus). Soil amendments included in-row application of commercially produced dehydrated compost tea absorbed on charcoal (Soil Biology Innovations) and post-plant sidedressing with organic N fertilizer. Irish potato and sweet corn were grown at the Kentland Agricultural Research Farm near Blacksburg, VA in an organic transition soil during the summers of 2006 and 2007. Nitrogen uptake and crop yield were not affected by cover crop species in either year. SBI increased yield of sweet corn, but not Irish potato for both years; SBI had no effect on N uptake of either crop. Post-plant N sidedressing increased N uptake and crop yield of Irish potato and sweet corn in 2007, but had no effect on crop yield in 2006, presumably because pre-plant organic fertilizer was applied at planting in 2006, but not in 2007. This study shows that the combination of site produced cover crops and applied soil amendments may be required to produce high marketable yields of organic Irish potato and sweet corn in the transition soil used in these experiments.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Stevens, Paul Thomas"],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Horticulture","degree_department":"Horticulture","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Niemiera, Alexander X.","Morse, Ronald D."],"committee_members":["Harris, James Roger"],"year":2008,"date_issued":"2008-04-28","date_published":"2008-04-28","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:20:32Z","subjects":["Nitrogen","Organic Production","Cover Crops","Compost Tea","Sweet Corn","Irish Potato"],"languages":[],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["etd-06042008-164832"],"render_values":[{"text":"etd-06042008-164832","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/10919/33418","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Niemiera, Alexander X.","Morse, Ronald D."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Harris, James Roger"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Horticulture"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Stevens, Paul Thomas"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2014-03-14T20:39:21Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2014-03-14T20:39:21Z","2008-07-02"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2008-04-28"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Horticulture"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Nitrogen","Organic Production","Cover Crops","Compost Tea","Sweet Corn","Irish Potato"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["etd-06042008-164832"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/33418"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Supply and synchronization of plant-available nitrogen (N) to the soil is a major challenge for organic farmers, especially when growing crops in soils that are in transition from conventional to organic systems. This research evaluated the effects of site produced cover crops and application of soil amendments on N uptake and crop yield of organic Irish potato (Solanum tuberosum) and sweet corn (Zea mays). Cover crops were crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum) and forage radish (Raphanus sativus). Soil amendments included in-row application of commercially produced dehydrated compost tea absorbed on charcoal (Soil Biology Innovations) and post-plant sidedressing with organic N fertilizer. Irish potato and sweet corn were grown at the Kentland Agricultural Research Farm near Blacksburg, VA in an organic transition soil during the summers of 2006 and 2007. Nitrogen uptake and crop yield were not affected by cover crop species in either year. SBI increased yield of sweet corn, but not Irish potato for both years; SBI had no effect on N uptake of either crop. Post-plant N sidedressing increased N uptake and crop yield of Irish potato and sweet corn in 2007, but had no effect on crop yield in 2006, presumably because pre-plant organic fertilizer was applied at planting in 2006, but not in 2007. This study shows that the combination of site produced cover crops and applied soil amendments may be required to produce high marketable yields of organic Irish potato and sweet corn in the transition soil used in these experiments."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Nitrogen Management and the Effects of Compost Tea on Organic Irish Potato and Sweet Corn"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Niemiera, Alexander X.","Morse, Ronald D."],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Harris, James Roger"],"dc:contributor.department":["Horticulture"],"dc:creator":["Stevens, Paul Thomas"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2014-03-14T20:39:21Z"],"dc:date.available":["2014-03-14T20:39:21Z","2008-07-02"],"dc:date.issued":["2008-04-28"],"dc:description.abstract":["Supply and synchronization of plant-available nitrogen (N) to the soil is a major challenge for organic farmers, especially when growing crops in soils that are in transition from conventional to organic systems. This research evaluated the effects of site produced cover crops and application of soil amendments on N uptake and crop yield of organic Irish potato (Solanum tuberosum) and sweet corn (Zea mays). Cover crops were crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum) and forage radish (Raphanus sativus). Soil amendments included in-row application of commercially produced dehydrated compost tea absorbed on charcoal (Soil Biology Innovations) and post-plant sidedressing with organic N fertilizer. Irish potato and sweet corn were grown at the Kentland Agricultural Research Farm near Blacksburg, VA in an organic transition soil during the summers of 2006 and 2007. Nitrogen uptake and crop yield were not affected by cover crop species in either year. SBI increased yield of sweet corn, but not Irish potato for both years; SBI had no effect on N uptake of either crop. Post-plant N sidedressing increased N uptake and crop yield of Irish potato and sweet corn in 2007, but had no effect on crop yield in 2006, presumably because pre-plant organic fertilizer was applied at planting in 2006, but not in 2007. This study shows that the combination of site produced cover crops and applied soil amendments may be required to produce high marketable yields of organic Irish potato and sweet corn in the transition soil used in these experiments."],"dc:description.degree":["Master of Science"],"dc:identifier.other":["etd-06042008-164832"],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/33418"],"dc:publisher":["Virginia Tech"],"dc:rights":["In Copyright"],"dc:rights.uri":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"dc:subject":["Nitrogen","Organic Production","Cover Crops","Compost Tea","Sweet Corn","Irish Potato"],"dc:title":["Nitrogen Management and the Effects of Compost Tea on Organic Irish Potato and Sweet Corn"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Horticulture"],"thesis:degree_level":["masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science"],"thesis:institution_name":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:20:32Z"}