Anecic earthworms and associated ecosystem services in a ley-arable crop

Een vruchtwisseling van gras en maïs zou duurzaam kunnen zijn in termen van nutriëntengebruik, maar het effect op regenwormen is nog onvoldoende bekend. Regenwormen zijn verzameld in permanent akkerland, permanent grasland en grond waarop een vruchtwisseling was toegepast. De hoeveelheid regenwormen was het hoogst in permanent grasland. Na gebruik als akkerland heeft de populatie heeft minstens drie jaar nodig om te herstellen. De populatie anenic wormen waren echter na deze periode nog niet hersteld

Energy Use and Energy Use Efficiency of Specialised Dairy Farms in Flanders

Our highly mechanised agriculture largely depends on ever declining stocks of fossil energy and hence contributes to global warming through the emission of greenhouse gases. Therefore, energy use (efficiency) is an important aspect of eco-efficient and sustainable agricultural production systems. In this study, we estimated direct and indirect energy use on a representative set of specialised dairy farms in Flanders (334 farm datasets in 1989-1990 and 147 farm datasets in 2000-2001) and we calculated their energy use efficiency. We studied the observed evolution between 1989-1990 and 2000-2001

Nitrogen Use Efficiency of Specialized Dairy Farms in Flanders: Evolution and Future Goals

Efficient use of nutrients is one of the major aims of eco-efficient and sustainable agricultural production systems. We determined the nitrogen use efficiency of a representative set of specialised dairy farms in Flanders, between 1989-1990 and 2000-2001 and set achievable eco-efficiency targets for sustainability

Genetic Variation in Perennial Ryegrass for Volatile Fatty Acid Production in Rumen Fluid

In perennial ryegrass genetic variation was shown not only for in vitro organic matter degradation (OMD) in rumen fluid and neutral detergent fibre content (NDF) but also for production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) upon in vitro incubation in rumen fluid. The correlations among concentrations of VFAs in the incubation fluid were high. OMD and NDF, on the other hand, were poorly correlated to the VFA concentrations

Soil aggregate stability governs field greenhouse gas fluxes in agricultural soils

Agriculture is responsible for 30–50% of the yearly CO2, CH4, and N2O emissions. Soils have an important role in the production and consumption of these greenhouse gases (GHGs), with soil aggregates and the inhabiting microbes proposed to function as biogeochemical reactors, processing these gases. Here we studied, for the first time, the relationship between GHG fluxes and aggregate stability as determined via laser diffraction analysis (LDA) of agricultural soils, as well as the effect of sustainable agricultural management strategies thereon. Using the static chamber method, all soils were found to be sinks for CH4 and sources for CO2 and N2O. The application of organic amendments did not have a conclusive effect on soil GHG fluxes, but tilled soils emitted more CO2. LDA was a useful and improved method for assessing soil aggregate stability, as it allows for the determination of multiple classes of aggregates and their structural composition, thereby overcoming limitations of traditional wet sieving. Organic matter content was the main steering factor of aggregate stability. The presence of persistent stable aggregates and the disintegration coefficient of stable aggregates were improved in organic-amended and no-tilled soils. Predictive modelling showed that, especially in these soils, aggregate stability was a governing factor of GHG fluxes. Higher soil CH4 uptake rates were associated with higher aggregate stability, while CO2 and N2O emissions increased with higher aggregate stability. Altogether, it was shown that sustainable agricultural management strategies can be used to steer the soil's aggregate stability and, both consequently and outright, the soil GHG fluxes, thereby creating a potential to contribute to the mitigation of agricultural GHG emissions.</p

The European Ryegrass Core Collection: A Tool to Improve the Use of Genetic Resources

A core collection of 162 populations of ryegrass (Lolium perenne) native to 18 European countries, is being evaluated across Europe in a multi-country trial. Each participating country contributed the lesser of 10% or 25 accessions from its collection of native populations. The accessions are being grown at 18 sites in 17 countries. Quick, cheap protocols were developed for evaluation. Preliminary results are presented for performance during the first winter. Populations of northern origin showed uniformly low winter damage and low winter growth at all evaluation sites. Populations of Mediterranean origin were more affected by the environment used for evaluation, developing higher winter yield at sites with mild winters, lower winter yield where winters were colder, and suffering severe damage at sites with the coldest winters