Organic Eprints
Not a member yet
39174 research outputs found
Sort by
Protecting organic seeds: Research on seed treatments for organic farming
Full text linkSeeds represent the fundamental basis of agricultural production, accounting forapproximately 90% of the world’s food crops. However, seeds can also serve as a vehicle forthe transmission of plant pathogens that pose a threat to food production. Seedbornepathogens infect seedlings after seed germination, causing diseases that affect both yieldsand crop quality, and therefore have a significant impact on farmers’ incomes and foodsecurity. Furthermore, seedborne pathogens can disseminate within agricultural fields,infecting other plants, and they can often survive in the soil for long time periods until theyencounter new hosts and initiate further infections. Despite the implementation of preventivemeasures to avert the transmission of diseases, the presence of pathogens on seeds and insoil can be inevitable.
In conventional agriculture seeds are treated with chemical fungicides to protect against bothseed-borne and soil-borne diseases. However, organic agriculture demands alternativeapproaches avoiding the use of artificial inputs and that should adhere to European organicregulations. These treatments primarily involve the use of natural compounds (e.g., plantextracts, plant oils, chitosan), physical treatments (e.g., mechanical, thermal), or theapplication of beneficial microorganisms. While these treatments can be highly effectiveagainst certain diseases in specific crops, some crops or crop-pathogen systems still needsolutions suitable for an organic production. Furthermore, treatments that are effectiveeradicating seed pathogens can sometimes have unintended negative effects on seedhealth, such as reducing seed vigor, or negatively impacting the natural seed microbiome,which can also have beneficial roles in seeds. Consequently, further research is necessary toidentify novel seed treatments against specific diseases affecting organic crop production.
At the Research Institute of Organic Farming (FiBL) we are investigating new organic seedtreatments. Our two primary areas of focus are protecting seeds against soil-bornepathogens, and disinfecting seeds infected by seedborne pathogens. In the SeednSoilproject, which is funded by Fenaco, the focus is on investigating seed treatments that protect wheat seeds from soil-borne infections, such as common bunt disease (caused by Tilletiacaries ) and snow mold disease (caused by Microdochium nivale ). These diseases have thepotential to cause considerable yield losses in organic farming. In the EU-funded projectLiveSeeding, the objective is to investigate novel seed treatments to sanitize seeds of variousvegetables, and thereby, provide protection against seedborne diseases. These treatmentsare developed to be compatible with the facilities of seed companies, by working togetherwith seed companies in Switzerland (Sativa Rheinau AG), Germany (Bingenheimer SaatgutAG) and Greece (Oikos seeds). Seed treatments with protective potential against plantpathogens have been identified in both projects. These results will be presented
Agroforestry on organic farms in Europe
No full textThe course is a series of six videos:
1) What is agroforestry? Fundamentals for temperate climates;
2) How agroforestry boosts biodiversity & fights climate change in temperate climates;
3) Agroforestry in practice: Tips for getting started in temperate climates;
4) Planning agroforestry systems in temperate climates;
5) How to finance agroforestry systems in Europe;
6) Agroforestry on organic farms in Europe: Naturland real-life examples
Neue Zwischenfrüchte für eine innovative Landwirtschaft
Full text linkZiel des Vorhabens ist, die zwischenfruchtbasierte Minimalbodenbearbeitung in Deutschland weiter zu entwickeln, und den Anbau von Leguminosen als Zwischenfrucht zu intensivieren. Hierzu sollen neue Zwischenfruchtarten für unterschiedliche Erfordernisse bereitgestellt, neue Anbauverfahren entwickelt bzw. getestet, sowie ihre Auswirkungen auf die Ökosystemleistung untersucht werden. Geeignete Zwischenfrüchte können wesentlich zur N-Versorgung beitragen, Unkräuter effizient unterdrücken und damit zur Einsparung von Herbiziden beitragen. Ein Hauptproblem ist aber, den richtigen Zeitpunkt und geeignete Methoden zur Nutzung der Zwischenfrüchte als Mulch zu finden, dabei die Bodenbearbeitung zu minimieren und einen Wiederaufwuchs der Zwischenfrüchte zu vermeiden. ZIL verfolgt einen integrierten Ansatz, in dem sowohl anbautechnische als auch pflanzengenetische und phytopathologische Aspekte berücksichtigt werden. Das Projekt bearbeitet folgende Themen: (a) Evaluierung genetischer Ressourcen, basierend auf vorangegangenen Arbeiten der Antragsteller (b) Prüfung eines Teilsortiments von 8 Arten auf ihre Eignung als Zwischenfrüchte in mulchbasierten Minimalbodenbearbeitungssystemen (c) Prüfung der Möglichkeiten einer engeren Fruchtfolgestellung bei Leguminosen als Zwischenfrüchte aus phytopathologischer Sicht: Da Zwischenfrüchte nur über einen Teil ihres potentiellen Vegetationszyklus genutzt werden, ist der Infektionsdruck auf nachfolgende Kulturen voraussichtlich geringer. Weitere Phytopathologische Untersuchungen betreffen die Anfälligkeit neuer Leguminosenarten gegenüber Pathogenen aus dem Ascochyta und Fusarienkomplex mit weitem Wirtskreis. Eine direkte Übernahme der Techniken durch Praktiker wird angestrebt und durch Beratung unterstützt, verbunden mit Anregungen, neue Arten, sofern international auf dem Markt erhältlich, in die Sortimente der Saatgutunternehmen aufzunehmen. Zusätzlich wird Züchtungsunternehmen neues genetisches Material zur Verfügung gestellt
Effectiveness of companion planting on organic strawberry fruit quality
No full textBerry production and quality are influenced by a range of abiotic and biotic stressors, with pests and diseases being among the most significant challenges. One promising approach to mitigate these issues is the use of companion plants in organic intercropping systems, which have been shown to offer numerous benefits, including enhanced productivity, improved fruit quality, and better taste. To investigate these effects, a trial was conducted at the Rodagria Agricultural Cooperative in Southeastern Romania, focusing on the Amandine® strawberry variety, grown under polytunnels using organic cultivation methods. Borago officinalis L. flower strips were planted along the pole lines of the polytunnels to act as companion plants. Strawberries harvested in June 2022, September 2022, and June 2023 were assessed for various quality parameters to evaluate the impact of these cultivation practices. The results indicated that the intercropping system with companion plants did not significantly affect fruit weight, size, dry matter content, or titratable acidity of the strawberries. However, a slight increase in soluble solid content was observed in the 2023 season, suggesting that the presence of Borago officinalis L. may have subtly enhanced fruit sweetness. More notably, the integration of borage as a companion plant significantly enhanced the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity in both the 2022 and 2023 harvests compared to the control. This suggests that borage positively influences the accumulation of antioxidant compounds in strawberries and potentially improves their nutritional value. Additionally, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) fingerprinting was used to identify sugars in the strawberries, revealing specific absorption bands specific to fructose (1074 cm−1), glucose (1034 cm−1), sucrose (1010 cm−1), and fructans (954 cm−1). These findings highlight the potential of using companion plants like Borago officinalis L. in organic strawberry cultivation, offering a sustainable strategy to enhance fruit quality, nutritional value, and antioxidant properties
From farmers to "farmfluencers": growing Kenya's organic market and consumer awareness through social media storytelling
No full textFarmers hold powerful stories that can shape consumer perceptions of organic products. Yet, their voices often go unheard. The Farmfluencer Campaign in Kenya trained 40 motivated farmers in social media and digital content creation, empowering them to connect directly with consumers, boost their visibility, increase sales, and bring organic farming into the spotlight.
The campaign was implemented as part of the Sustainable Lifestyle Influencing Approach (SuLIA), developed by FiBL in collaboration with Kenyan partners KOAN, WOWZI, and the Leopold Bachmann Foundation
Czechia - Organic sector factsheet
Full text linkThis factsheet provides an overview of the organic agriculture sector in Czechia, including farmland area, market trends, and key figures on organic production. It also outlines CAP policy support, detailing financial allocations, eco-schemes, and strategic goals for organic farming. Additionally, it highlights national action plans and support measures for organic aquaculture and market development
Estonia - Organic sector factsheet
Full text linkThis factsheet provides an overview of the organic agriculture sector in Estonia, including farmland area, market trends, and key figures on organic production. It also outlines CAP policy support, detailing financial allocations, eco-schemes, and strategic goals for organic farming. Additionally, it highlights national action plans and support measures for organic aquaculture and market development
Latvia - Organic sector factsheet
Full text linkThis factsheet provides an overview of the organic agriculture sector in Latvia, including farmland area, market trends, and key figures on organic production. It also outlines CAP policy support, detailing financial allocations, eco-schemes, and strategic goals for organic farming. Additionally, it highlights national action plans and support measures for organic aquaculture and market development
Spain - Organic sector factsheet
Full text linkThis factsheet provides an overview of the organic agriculture sector in Spain, including farmland area, market trends, and key figures on organic production. It also outlines CAP policy support, detailing financial allocations, eco-schemes, and strategic goals for organic farming. Additionally, it highlights national action plans and support measures for organic aquaculture and market development
South Africa’s land redistribution: an agent-based model for assessing structural and economic impacts
Full text linkSouth Africa’s land redistribution aims to redress the historical injustices of apartheid. This paper evaluates the efficacy of an agent-based model to support and refine the process. Using the Impacts of Land Use Patterns in South Africa model, developed from surveys of 658 commercial farmers and 833 commercially oriented smallholders, we simulate three scenarios: the current willing seller, willing buyer mechanism as our baseline, a second scenario that includes land subdivision to produce emerging farm parcels, and a third scenario that includes expropriation of underperforming farms. We find that the current mechanism is likely to redistribute only 14% of the targeted 30% of commercial farmland. Including land subdivision increases the number of beneficiary farms from 4,383 to 73,600, improving access to land but reducing farm sizes and thus possibly economic sustainability. Including expropriation adds about 2.4 million hectares, mainly for grazing, with a small allocation for field crops and horticulture. All three scenarios could reduce production volumes, with marked differences in impact across agricultural subsectors in the subdivision scenario. Realising these scenarios over an eight-year period is projected to require substantial financial investment, with estimated costs ranging from R422 billion to R626.9 billion, heavily weighted towards operational capital to maintain farm productivity and viability. The study demonstrates the model’s value for policymakers, enabling them to explore and evaluate the outcomes of different land redistribution strategies, ensuring more informed and effective policy-making