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•A further legume can be integrated in the crop rotation by maize-bean intercropping.•The appropriate bean cultivar is crucial for the success of this system.•The intercropping yields ...are comparable to those of pure maize.•Maize-bean intercropping fits into organic farming systems.•Maize-bean intercropping can be adopted to moderate maritime climate.
Maize-bean intercropping is currently gaining popularity among farmers in Germany, although there is hardly any data available on the yield potential under moderate maritime climate conditions in comparison to pure maize cultivation as well as on the choice of the bean cultivar. To assess the agronomic potential of maize-bean intercropping for organic farming, field-experiments over two growing seasons were conducted in Northern Germany (53°46′N, 10°30′E).
A split-plot design with two sowing times of the beans as main-plot-factor and different bean species and cultivars (Phaseolus vulgaris, cv.: Cobra, Eva, Tarbais, P. coccineus, cv.: Preisgewinner, Weiße Riesen, Vicia faba cv.: Isabell) as subplot-factor was applied. In both years, the average intercropping yield (11 t ha−1 in 2011 and 14 t ha−1 in 2012) of the two sowing dates was comparable to that of maize-control, except for Maize-Eva in 2011. The highest intercropping yields in 2011 were shown by cv. Tarbais and Preisgewinner with bean shares ranging from 34% to 39%. By contrast, the late-sown beans in 2012 had a share of 6–12% only, reflecting the overall higher maize yield level. Compared to maize control, the intercropping with Tarbais and Preisgewinner, which achieved the highest leaf mass scores, led to a significant improvement in crude protein yield by 36% and 18% in 2011, respectively. Earlier ripening bean cultivars (e.g. cv. Eva and Cobra) tend to lose their leaves before harvest. So cultivars with a longer growth period (e.g. cv. Tarbais), similar to maize, should be used to achieve high bean and crude protein yields.
Our results demonstrate the importance of cultivar choice for achieving high bean yields that have the potential to improve feed quality. Tarbais and Preisgewinner were the most suitable cultivars for maize-bean intercropping, as they achieved the highest bean yields and improved the crude protein yield in 2011. Even though further optimization is indispensable, we have shown that maize-bean intercropping can fit into organic farming systems under moderate maritime climate.
Quantifying changes in stocks of C, N, P, and S in agricultural soils is important not only for managing these soils sustainably as required to feed a growing human population, but for C and N, they ...are also important for understanding fluxes of greenhouse gases from the soil environment. In a global meta‐analysis, 102 studies were examined to investigate changes in soil stocks of organic C, total N, total P, and total S associated with long‐term land‐use changes. Conversion of native vegetation to cropping resulted in substantial losses of C (−1.6 kg m−2, −43%), N (−0.15 kg m−2, −42%), P (−0.029 kg m−2, −27%), and S (−0.015 kg m−2, −33%). The subsequent conversion of conventional cropping systems to no‐till, organic agriculture, or organic amendment systems subsequently increased stocks, but the magnitude of this increase (average of +0.47 kg m−2 for C and +0.051 kg m−2 for N) was small relative to the initial decrease. We also examined the conversion of native vegetation to pasture, with changes in C (−11%), N (+4.1%), and P (+25%) generally being modest relative to changes caused by conversion to cropping. The C:N ratio remained relatively constant irrespective of changes in land use, whilst in contrast, the C:S ratio decreased by 21% in soils converted to cropping – this suggesting that biochemical mineralization is of importance for S. The data presented here will assist in the assessment of different agricultural production systems on soil stocks of C, N, P, and S – this information assisting not only in quantifying the effects of existing agricultural production on these stocks, but also allowing for informed decision‐making regarding the potential effects of future land‐use changes.
Rural Social Movements and Agroecology Rosset, Peter M.; Martínez-Torres, Maria Elena
Ecology and society,
01/2012, Letnik:
17, Številka:
3
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Rural social movements have in recent years adopted agroecology and diversified farming systems as part of their discourse and practice. Here, we situate this phenomenon in the evolving context of ...rural spaces that are increasingly disputed between agribusiness, together with other corporate land-grabbers, and peasants and their organizations and movements. We use the theoretical frameworks of disputed material and immaterial territories and of re-peasantization to explain the increased emphasis on agroecology by movements in this context. We provide examples from the farmer-to-farmer movement to show the advantages that social movements bring to the table in taking agroecology to scale and discuss the growing agroecology networking process in the transnational peasant and family farmer movementLa Vía Campesina.
This article compares the impact of organic and conventional farming on biodiversity. Two opposing effects are taken into account: the higher biodiversity of organic farming and the lower land use of ...conventional farming. An evaluation of both effects on the basis of empirical data shows that the higher biodiversity on organically cultivated areas is not sufficient to compensate for the higher land use of organic farming. For example, if a complete transition from conventional to organic farming takes place, average yields will decrease by at least 50 %, while the total biodiversity would increase by only 108 %. In contrast, if conventional farming yields were reduced by the same amount, 50 % of agricultural land could be renaturated. This would lead to an increase in total biodiversity of 317 %. Okologischer und konventioneller Landbau wirken sich unterschiedlich auf die Biodiversitat aus. Zwei gegenlaufige Effekte sind dabei zu berucksichtigen: Die hohere Biodiversitat auf den Flachen des okologischen Landbaus und der geringere Flachenverbrauch des konventionellen Landbaus. Eine Bewertung beider Effekte auf der Basis empirischer Daten zeigt, dass die hohere Biodiversitat auf okologisch bestellten Flachen nicht ausreicht, um den hoheren Flachenverbrauch des okologischen Landbaus auszugleichen: So sinkt bei einer vollstandigen Umstellung auf okologischen Landbau der Ertrag im Vergleich zum konventionellen Landbau um mindestens 50 %, wahrend die Gesamtbiodiversitat um ca. 108 %o ansteigen wurde. Bei einer ertragsgleichen Reduzierung des konventionellen Landbaus konnten dagegen 50 %o der jetzigen Nutzflache renaturiert werden. Dies wurde zu einem Anstieg der Gesamtbiodiversitat um ca. 317 %o fuhren.
Organic agriculture is often perceived as more sustainable than conventional farming. We review the literature on this topic from a global perspective. In terms of environmental and climate change ...effects, organic farming is less polluting than conventional farming when measured per unit of land but not when measured per unit of output. Organic farming, which currently accounts for only 1% of global agricultural land, is lower yielding on average. Due to higher knowledge requirements, observed yield gaps might further increase if a larger number of farmers would switch to organic practices. Widespread upscaling of organic agriculture would cause additional loss of natural habitats and also entail output price increases, making food less affordable for poor consumers in developing countries. Organic farming is not the paradigm for sustainable agriculture and food security, but smart combinations of organic and conventional methods could contribute toward sustainable productivity increases in global agriculture.
Since the inception of the term sustainable development at the end of the 20th century as a reconciliation between the needs for socio-economic development and environmental protection, various ...concepts and production systems have been initiated to address demands for food and other products. These include organic agriculture and sustainable intensification, which vary with the sector and local context. Here, we provide outlooks to sustainable development aspects of apiculture focusing on a subsistent beekeeping country that tries to transform - Ethiopia. For this, a review of sustainable agriculture and apiculture including national reports from 2005 to 2020 was conducted. The major points are: (1) Annual honey production improved from 25,000 tons in 2005 to 150,000 tons in 2020 by increasing the number of honey bee colonies from 4.2 to 7 million (65%) and through the provision of higher yielding frame hives (17.9 kg per hive per year) and top-bar hives (13) compared to fixed-comb traditional hives (9.31). (2) Average honey yield of top-bar hives was 40% higher than that of traditional hives. (3) Export volume grew from 274 tons in 2009 to 481 tons in 2016. (4) Development initiatives focused on the introduction of frame hives (3%) compared to top-bar hives (1%). However, the traditional beehives that involve unfriendly management remained dominant (96%). Popularization of the locally developed top-bar hives can provide sustainable enhancement of honey production to supply to the domestic market without dependence on certification of a third country and foundation combs patterned by imported casting molds based on European bees.
•Weed arable flora have sharply reduced from the 50s in Catalonia (Spain).•Arable weed decline has been especially dramatic in segetal and rare species.•Agricultural intensification affected flora ...interesting to birds and invertebrates.•Organic farming recovers arable weed biodiversity in Catalonia.•Rare and segetal weeds and weeds related to fauna increase in organic fields.
The comparison of the frequency, richness and weed cover of total species and functional groups of weeds, including those of interest for birds, pollinators and other invertebrates, and the subset of segetal and rare species from the 1950s to the present, has allowed to detect the consequences of the agricultural intensification in Catalonia (NE Spain) at regional and field scales. We analyzed field plots of conventionally managed cereal fields of the periods 1953–88 and 1996–99 while cereal fields assessed in the period 2005–07 were organic and conventionally managed. Our results indicate a remarkable reduction in weed frequency (58%), species richness (47%) and total weed cover (69%) from the 1953–1988 to 2005–2007 periods. The diminishing species richness was observed in species that are important for birds, pollinators and other invertebrates, but the most drastic decline was observed in the segetal and rare species subsets (75% and 87%, respectively). In current organic crops, the frequency, richness and total weed cover per relevé are significantly higher than in conventional crops, especially for those groups of species that are interesting for fauna and for segetal (more than twice) and rare species (4-fold). Nevertheless, the increase in arable weeds by current organic management is still insufficient to recover the highest plant biodiversity values that were observed before the widespread agricultural intensification in Catalonia.
Organic farming is one of the most widely known sustainable models of agricultural production. Success in eco-agriculture also depends greatly on agri-environmental, territorial, economic, social, ...institutional and spatial conditions. Polish eco-farming is very regionally dispersed and diversified. Regarding the important contribution of organic farming, a better understanding of how this phenomenon develops and which factors affect its spatial distribution can be influential for policymakers in planning strategies that pursue sustainable development objectives in rural areas. This paper assesses the development and analyses the spatial distribution of organic farming in Polish LAU-2. The country’s eco-agriculture was mapped and defined using a synthetic measure, described by 27 sub-measurements of ecological crop cultivation, animal maintenance and eco-production. The local spatial patterns (direction, scale, and range) of organic farming were detected by spatial autocorrelation measurements. The analysis was conducted for the period 2014–2020. Possible external and internal determinants of this spatial dispersion were also defined. The results indicate that the distribution and spread of organic farming in Poland are related to public support, institutional regulations, social considerations, environmental concerns, the local job market and spatial dependencies.
Aim of this study was to determine the direct and residual effects of the vermicompost enriched with the various phosphate–solubilizing bacteria (PSB) on improvement of phosphorus (P) uptake by ...tomato and wheat plant and consequently the growth of these plants on a low P calcareous soil in a sequential cropping under greenhouse conditions. The vermicompost enriched with effective PSB significantly increased the shoot P concentration of tomato plant (26–53%) and wheat plant (20–39%) treated with the vermicompost to an adequate level (>0.30%) in the range of P–fertilized plants by decreasing soil pH (0.4–0.6 units decrease in pH) and increasing soil available P, soil respiration rate, and activity of soil dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase. The PSB used in enriching the vermicompost had different effects on the measured parameters. Our findings highlight the importance of vermicompost enriched with effective PSB as a natural fertilizer in calcareous soils for vegetable and cereals cultivation, which can supply enough P for maintaining sustainable production without additional P inputs. The information on the availability of P following PSB enriched–vermicompost addition to soil may help in better management of P–fertilization in calcareous soils.
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•Direct and residual effects of PSB enriched vermicompost on P availability were studied.•PSB enriched vermicompost had different effects on biological soil indicators.•The PSB had different effects on the supply of P for tomato and wheat plants.•PSB enriched vermicompost supplied enough P for the crops without P fertilizer.
Organic agriculture has the potential to contribute to environmental conservation, although its impact varies depending on management practices. To investigate the effects of no-tillage (NT) combined ...with a rye (RY) cover crop on energy efficiency and carbon footprint (CF) in soybean production, a four-year experiment was conducted. Three tillage methods moldboard plowing (MP), NT, and rotary tillage (RT) and two cover crop treatments fallow (FA) and RY were compared. NT had 39.6% and 34.0% lower energy input compared with MP and RT, respectively, due to reduced fossil fuel consumption. However, NT also showed decreased soybean yield compared with MP and RT. Nonetheless, RY cover crop management mitigated yield reduction in the NT system, with the yield of NT-RY being 20.4% higher than that of NT-FA, although not significantly different. NT-RY exhibited the highest energy use efficiency, with high energy outputs from yield and low energy inputs. Moreover, NT-RY resulted in a 3.5% increase in soil organic carbon stock, offsetting total carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent emissions, leading to the lowest CF (−1892.99 kg CO2 eq ha−1) and yield-scaled CF (−1.44 kg CO2 eq kg−1) among all treatments. Therefore, NT-RY management, with its high yield and energy efficiency and low CF, has the potential to be an environmentally friendly and sustainable cropping system for achieving cleaner agricultural practices in organic farming.
•No-tillage was combined with a rye cover crop in a four-year field experiment.•No-tillage improved energy efficiency in organic farming.•Both no-tillage and a rye cover crop served as a net carbon sink.•No-tillage combined with a rye cover crop resulted in a low carbon footprint.•Combining no-tillage with rye promotes sustainability in organic farming.
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