The Value for Agricultural Use of Grass Seed Mixtures of Species and Varieties in Comparison with Single Varieties

22 commercial mixtures were compared in a mowing trial (complete block design, 2 replicates) in 4 locations during 3 consecutive years. These mixtures contained mainly diploid and tetraploid varieties of Lolium perenne L.. Festuca pratensis Huds., Phleum pratense L. and Trifolium repens L. were also included at various times. 250 - 400 kg N.ha-1.year-1 was used. Dry matter yield (DM-yield), disease resistance and persistence were evaluated. Similar results were obtained for all three performance parameters (DM-yield, crown rust resistance and persistence) of the mixtures as compared with the individual components. There was almost no relationship between the percentage of diploid perennial ryegrass in the mixture and its persistence (R2 = 0.18). Similar results were obtained for the relation between the percentage of tetraploid perennial ryegrass in the mixture, as well as for disease resistance of the mixture in late summer (R2 = 0.25)

Safe Food for all European Consumers: The Farm to Table Principle - 50 Years

There are more than ten million farmers in the European Union (EU), accounting for more than five percent of direct jobs. Agriculture also provides employment to many people in the supply, the trade and services and in the food processing industry. The food in Europe comes for a significant proportion of farms in the EU. In response to the food shortages during and after World War II, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) of the EU stimulated in the beginning mainly the production of large quantities of food so that the union could supply its own needs. In general, this meant that farmers received more money if they produced more food. After some time, this resulted in over-production. This policy became too costly for taxpayers and lead to distortions in the pricing on the world market (through import levies and export subsidies). The recognition of this problem coincided with a growing concern about whether the CAP was an incentive for more intensive farming methods, which may impact on the environment and food safety. It led to a gradual reform (by the introduction of quotas, set-aside, ...) of the CAP, and finally payment of quantity was switched to direct income support to farmers

REDUCTION OF SOIL EROSION AND SOIL CARBON AND NUTRIENT LOSSES BY "REDUCED TILLAGE" CULTIVATION IN ARABLE LAND

Soil erosion can be considered, with different level of severity, an EU-wide problem. Erosion is a natural geological phenomenon resulting from the removal of soil particles by water or wind, transporting them elsewhere. However some human activities can dramatically increase erosion rates. Soil organic matter assures the binding and buffering capacity of the soil, an essential determinant of erosion resistance and soil fertility. Crops grown without tillage, use water more efficiently, the water-holding capacity of the soil increases, and water losses from runoff and evaporation are reduced. In addition, soil organic matter and populations of beneficial insects are maintained, soil and nutrients are less likely to be lost from the field and less time and labour is required to prepare the field for planting. Greater water-stability of surface soil aggregates, higher microbial activity and earthworm populations and higher total carbon can be found In general, the greatest advantages of reduced tillage are realized on soils prone to erosion and drought, but significant advantages are only seen after more than 10 years of application

Economy and Ecology: Twin Span for a Qualitative Agricultural Production in Europe?

It is an objective of the European Union (EU) to reach the right balance between a competitive agricultural production (economy) and the respect for nature and environment (ecology). Since Agenda 2000, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has two pillars: the market and income policy (first pillar) and the sustainable development of rural areas (second pillar). In both pillars the 2003 CAP reform and the 2008 Health Check brought greater quality to environmental integration. Concerning market and income policy, the cross-compliance is the core instrument. The 2003 CAP reform also involved decoupling most direct payments from production. From 2005 (2007 at the latest) a single payment scheme was established, based on historical reference amounts. As regards the rural development policy, compliance with minimum environmental standards is a condition for eligibility for support under several rural development measures. The complexity of the relationship between agriculture and the environment has conditioned the approach to environmental integration in the context of the CAP. Central to the understanding of this relationship is the principle of Good Agricultural Practice which corresponds to the type of farming that a reasonable farmer would follow in the region concerned. The ecological footprint is a useful indicator for assessing progress on the EU Resource Strategy. A public consultation held in 2010, identified food security, environment protection and rural diversity as the three main goals of the future policy. The European Commission unveiled last November 2010 its blueprint for reforming the CAP and the debate was started July 2011

Good agricultural and environmental condition of agricultural land: cross compliance of the new EU policy

the main goal of the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is enhancing the competitiveness of the Community agriculture and promoting food quality and environment standards. Therefore it is necessary to complete the shift from production support to producer support by introducing a system of decoupled income support for each farm. The farmer, receiving direct payments (“single payment”), has to respect the statutory management requirements, published in 18 Directives and Regulations in the areas: public, animal and plant health, environment and animal welfare (“cross compliance”). In order to avoid the abandonment of agricultural land and ensure that it is maintained in good agricultural and environmental condition, standards for soil erosion, soil organic matter, soil structure and minimum level of maintenance should be established. It is therefore appropriate to establish a Community framework within which the Member States discuss a common policy, adopting standards taking account of the specific characteristics of the areas concerned, including soil and climatic conditions and existing farming systems (land use, crop rotation, farming practices) and farm structure

Forage Quality Evaluation

The challenge for the research in crop and animal husbandry is how to determine the quality of a speci¬fied crop as a forage for ruminants by the chemical analysis of only a small amount of sample". Since more than hundred years scientists try to give an answer to that question. The most applied is the Weende and Van Soest system, together with the digestibility in vitro technique developed by Tilley and Terry. During the last decennia also non destructive methods, like the Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy NIRS, are used more frequently. Forages contain a lot of quality parameters (protein, fat, sugars, structural carbohydrates, vitamins, … but some of them contain also anti quality components (alkaloids, nitrates, …). The diet of domestic ruminants exists of more than only 1 component. Other diet components may interfere and mostly result in a synergism. The combination of a protein rich forage (legumes) with starch riches ones results in better animal productions than given as sole diet component. Fast and reliable non destructive methods are more attractive and acceptable than laborious, polluting and animal unfriendly ones

Fixarea dioxidului de carbon: favorabila pentru producţia culturilor agricole si pentru mediu

Dezvoltarea agriculturii pe parcursul secolelor si deceniilor trecute a antrenat consumul rezervelor de carbon din sol, care au fost create de-a lungul unei lungi perioade de timp. În cea mai mare parte a solurilor cultivate, în special în zonele aride si semi – aride, aceasta acondus la reducerea productivitaţii acestora în relaţie directa cu degradarea si desertificarea lor. Acum a sosit momentul sa sa schimbe sensul acestei tendinţe. S-a demonstrat faptul ca acest lucru este posibil, dar cu condiţia modificarii tipului de agricultura practicat. Sechestrarea carbonului implica si posibilitatea unei soluţii cu câstig dublu, precum si noi beneficii pentru comunitaţile din zonele aride. Trebuie atrasa atenţia autoritaţilor guvernamentale asupra beneficiilor potenţiale si a necesitaţii iniţierii unui proces de colectare de date si analiza a rezervelor si fluxului de carbon, din diferite situri atent alese, la o anumita scara

La Fixation du Dioxyde de Carbone: Bon pour le Rendement des Cultures et Bien pour l’Environnement

Le développement de l'agriculture au cours des siècles et des décennies passés a entraîné la consommation des stocks de carbone dans le sol créés pendant une évolution à long terme. Dans la plupart des sols cultivés, en particulier dans les régions arides et semi-arides, cela a conduit à une réduction de la productivité des terres en relation avec la dégradation et la désertification des terres. Il est maintenant temps d'inverser cette tendance. On a démontré que c'était faisable, mais seulement si le type d'agriculture est changé. La séquestration du carbone comporte aussi la promesse d'offrir des options doublement gagnantes et de nouveaux bénéfices pour les communautés des zones sèches. L'attention des gouvernements doit être attirée sur ces bénéfices potentiels et le besoin d'initier un processus de collection de données et d'analyse de stocks et de flux de carbone sur différents sites sélectionnés à une échelle déterminée

Leguminous Forage Crops in Sustainable Cattle Husbandry

Within Europe, half the annual requirement for feed is provided by grass. However, although the EU is a net exporter of feed grain it is a substantial importer of protein and non grain feed ingredients. For several economical and ecological reasons there is a renewed interest to grow forage legumes and the European Union strengthen the role of protein-rich crops, by providing a supplementary payment for farmers producing these crops. In order to develop sustainable, legumebased live stock production systems, we need to understand the complex relationships that exist between herbivores and the plants they consume. To increase farmers confidence in the use of forage legumes, it is necessary to have more reliable establishment techniques and to reduce the variability in legume contribution within and between years, particularly for legumes in mixed swards

The Effect of Low-input Grassland Management on Arnica montana L. Species in Apuseni Mountains, Romania

Arnica montana is a valuable medicinal plant, protected all over in Europe, which grows in mountain area. Some of the most important areas of grassland with this species in Europe are located in Romania, in the area of Apuseni Mountains. By this paper we meant to study the possible effects of different cutting frequency on the evolution of Arnica Montana sp. Our studies were carried out in the Apuseni Mountains, in Garda de Sus village area. In order to meet our objectives, we proposed one experimental area with 5 variants in 5 repetitions. The experimental area was set as follows: V1 - abandoned meadow, V2 - traditional mowing, V3 - early mowing, V4 - mowing twice, V5 - grazing simulation by repeated mowing. Mowing was done gradually, taking into consideration the experimental protocol established, on a period between June and October.  Harvesting was done in August, using a rotary mowing machine. Floristic composition was analyzed with special attention on the evolution of Arnica montana, according to the applied management measures. The results showed that there were significant differences on Arnica montana L. production as a result of the applied management