Long Term Field Experiments in Organic Farming

Abstract

A number of cultivation methods in Organic Agriculture, such as diversified crop rotations and the application of organic manure, have a long-term effect, especially on the physical, biological and microbial parameters of soils. It often takes decades for the quantity and quality of soil organic matter to reach a new dynamic equilibrium. Long-term experiments are thus essential to investigate the effects of crop rotations and organic fertilization on soils and, as a result, on crops. The continuation of long-term experiments is therefore of particular importance to Organic Agriculture. This volume contains a selection of 12 long-term experiments conducted under different site conditions in Germany, the USA, Italy, Denmark, Switzerland, Austria and Israel. Each experiment has a unique concept and scientific approach. But their common objective is to investigate characteristics of Organic Agriculture regarding key parameters of soil fertility, crop yield and quality. Many also examine environmental and economic parameters. This volume is the first comprehensive publication of that kind, based on the activities of ISOFAR’s working group for Long-Term Experiments (LTE)