Organic Agriculture
Overview
Organic Agriculture
Overview
The Organic Agriculture Program at Virginia State University provides research-based information and education on organic and sustainable crop production. We help farmers and agricultural professionals increase productivity, improve soil health, and adopt environmentally responsible practices. The program currently focuses on organic vegetable production, disease management, and Extension education to support practical decisions in organic farming.
Programs and Resources
1. Organic Certification and Transition Program
Virginia State University's research farm is currently in the third year of the USDA organic certification transition process. This program serves as a demonstration site for growers interested in organic production and provides educational opportunities to help them learn organic standards, recordkeeping, soil fertility management, and organic production practices they can apply on their farms.
Program activities include:
Organic transition management
Organic certification requirements
Soil health and fertility management
Cover crop and crop rotation practices
Resources:
https://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/sales-certified-organic.shtml
https://www.nifa.usda.gov/topics/organic-agriculture
https://www.ams.usda.gov/reports/organic-certification-made-simple
https://smallfarm.ifas.ufl.edu/production/organic-production/
2. Tomato Organic Management and Improvement (TOMI)-3
The USDA-NIFA-funded Tomato Organic Management and Improvement (TOMI) project is a multi-state research and extension initiative to support organic tomato growers in managing foliar diseases. The project also provides educational resources, field demonstrations, and outreach programs to support organic tomato growers across the United States.
a. Biocontrol of Foliar Diseases in Organic Tomato
This research aims to help organic tomato growers reduce disease pressure, improve yield and fruit quality, and strengthen the long-term sustainability of their production systems. It focuses on developing sustainable, effective strategies for managing foliar diseases in organic tomato production. Studies evaluate OMRI-approved biological products, including beneficial microorganisms, to determine their effectiveness in reducing disease incidence and severity under open-field and high-tunnel conditions. Research also examines environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, leaf wetness, and rainfall that influence disease development and biocontrol performance. Disease monitoring tools, weather-based forecasting systems, and cultural practices such as pruning and canopy management are integrated to improve disease suppression and crop health.
Resources:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0261219419301267
Davis, Jeanine. 2024. Efficacy of fungicides for organic tomato production. New Crops & Organics. North Carolina State Extension. https://newcropsorganics.ces.ncsu.edu/2023/10/efficacy-of-fungicides-for-organic-tomato-production/
Hoagland, L., Colley, M., Dawson, J., Davis, J., Egel, D., Gu, S., Myers, J., Zystro, J., 2018. Tomato management and improvement project (TOMI): An interdisciplinary approach to managing foliar pathogens in tomato. Acta Horticulturae 1207:203-210.
Cultivar Evaluation for Organic Tomato Disease Management and Production
This research evaluates tomato cultivars for their performance in organic production systems, focusing on disease resistance, yield, fruit quality, and adaptability to diverse growing environments. Commercial cultivars, advanced breeding lines, and experimental selections are tested under field conditions to identify varieties that perform well under organic management.
Trials are conducted across multiple locations to assess cultivar stability and regional adaptation. Key traits evaluated include resistance to foliar diseases, marketable yield, fruit quality, plant vigor, and overall production performance. The results help growers make informed cultivar selection decisions and support the development of improved tomato varieties for sustainable organic production systems.
Resources
Carvallo Lopez, A., Nix, M., Hickey, T., and Dawson, J. C. 2024. Improved Tomato Breeding Lines Adapted to Organic Farming Systems Have Enhanced Flavor, Yield, and Disease Resistance. HortScience 59(9), 1299-1307.
Hoagland, L., Navazio, J., Zystro, J., Kaplan, I., Gomez Vargas, J., Gibson, K., 2015. Key traits and promising germplasm for an organic participatory tomato breeding program in the U.S. Midwest. HortScience 50(9):1-8
Contact Us
Sanjun Gu
Extension Specialist/Associate Professor – Horticulture
Program Leader: I-CARES (Innovative Cropping, Agroforestry Research, Environmental and Soil Systems)
Southern Region SARE Coordinator for Virginia
Email: sgu@vsu.edu
Phone O: (804) 524-5480
C: (804) 894-6828
Mamata Bashyal
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Specialty Area: Organic Agriculture Extension
Email: mbashyal@vsu.edu
Phone: (804) 524-5594
MAMATA BASHYAL, Ph.D.
Email: mbashyal@vsu.edu
EDUCATION
Ph.D., Horticultural Sciences — University of Georgia (2018–2023)
M.S., Environmental Studies — Kentucky State University (2016–2018)
B.S., Agriculture — Tribhuvan University, Nepal (2011–2015)
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Ø Postdoctoral Research Associate, Virginia State University (2025–Present)
• Conduct biocontrol trials for tomato foliar diseases in fields and high tunnels.
• Manage on-farm trials of elite tomato breeding lines.
• Conduct field, high tunnels, and greenhouse research on ginger, turmeric, and garlic.
• Coordinate field days, outreach events, grower and extension agent trainings.
Ø Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Massachusetts Amherst (2023–2025)
• Applied research on agrivoltaics, microclimate, and crop performance.
• Lead field sensor deployment, data collection, quality control, and analytics.
• Produce manuscripts, extension publications, reports, and presentations.
• Engage growers and stakeholders; supervise undergraduate researchers.
Ø Graduate Research Assistant, University of Georgia (2018–2023)
• Led shade net, irrigation, nitrogen, and high tunnel trials on multiple vegetable crops.
• Performed physiological measurements and mentored undergraduate researchers.
Ø Graduate Research Assistant, Kentucky State University (2016–2018)
• Conducted IPM and sustainability research in blackberry systems.
Ø Agriculture Research Assistant, JICA Nepal Earthquake Project (2016)
• Delivered farmer training, conducted agricultural surveys, and coordinated recovery programs.
PUBLICATIONS
· J.C. Diaz-Perez, T.W. Coolong, S. Bag, M. Bashyal, T. McAvoy, A.C. Hodges (2024). Plant growth, fruit yield, and Tomato Leaf Curl Disease of high tunnel organic tomato as affected by shade net and plastic mulch color. HortScience, 59(3), 323-331.
· M. Bashyal, T.W. Coolong, J.C. Diaz-Perez. Shade Nets Increase Plant Growth but Not Fruit Yield in Organic Jalapeño Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). Agriculture, 15 (16), 1757. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15161757.
EXTENSION OUTPUTS
· J.D. Sedlacek, E.K. Slusher, K.L. Friley, M. Bashyal, M. McCoun, S. Govindasamy (2017). Parasitoid wasps associated with blackberries bordered by native perennial plants versus pasture borders in Franklin County, Kentucky. Fruit and Vegetable Research Report, University of Kentucky. https://www2.ca.uky.edu/agcomm/pubs/PR/PR739/PR739.pdf
· M. Bashyal, S. G Corcoran, C. Clay. Butternut squash and lettuce production under agrivoltaics solar array in Grafton, MA. Information sheet: First-year preliminary results. https://ag.umass.edu/sites/ag.umass.edu/files/pdf-doc-ppt/grafton_summary_3-2024_0.pdf.
· M. Bashyal, S. G Corcoran, C. Clay. MA. Broccoli production under agrivoltaics solar array in Hadley, MA. Information sheet: First-year preliminary results. https://ag.umass.edu/sites/ag.umass.edu/files/pdf-doc-ppt/hadley_summary_3-2024_0.pdf
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