Legume Pick ‘n’ Mix

In Spring 2009, ORC set up a legume trial on an organic farm, Barrington Park in Gloucestershire, as part of a large research project called Legume LINK. One of its aims is to compare the performance of several legume and grass species for use in fertility building leys. ORC researchers Thomas Döring and Oliver Crowley report that the trial shows the advantage of mixing species grows over time

Using minimum tillage to improve the efficiency of ecosystem service delivery on organic farms

Organic farming practices aim to maximise the delivery of ecosystem services in the agricultural landscape. However, in order to maintain optimal crop productivity the mouldboard plough is often used to control weeds and this can have negative effects on a range of soil parameters, thereby jeopardizing delivery of these services. Reduced tillage (RT) can be beneficial to soils and could improve both the efficiency of production and the delivery of ecosystem services on organic farms. However, abandoning the plough on organic farms is challenging due to impaired weed control. Here we report on a two year trial where an RT system with the Ecodyn, with duck feet shares operating at a depth of 7.6 cm in combination with seed drilling, was compared with mouldboard ploughing. Spring oat and spring barley establishment was improved under RT. Weed cover and biomass was greater under RT, but there was no difference in cereal grain yields in either year. The RT system used 71% less fuel and tillage operations took 72% less time that the plough system

Against the grain

An Organic Research Centre project is examining how diversity-based tools can assist in the on-farm improvement of organic wheat. Successful organic crop production requires varieties that are resistant to diseases, competitive against weeds, and effective at scavenging nutrients. Yet conventional plant breeding has largely neglected organic systems by breeding varieties exclusively for high input conditions. As a consequence, organic producers currently do not have enough choice of plant varieties for organic conditions. One way to expand the choice is to create plant diversity anew and subject it to natural selection on organic farms. After several generations the dominating plants would be better suited to organic systems. This idea is being tested in the Organic Research Centre’s Wheat Breeding LINK project

Variance and Failure of Proof in Montana

Variance and Failure of Proof in Montan

Professor David R. Mason

Professor David R. Maso