Energy balance of different organic biogas farming systems

The ecological impact of biogas plants depends on their integration into a given farming system. Therefore only farm-specific and no general statements are possible. In this paper, two different concepts of biogas production for an organic cash crop farm have been energetically balanced using a model software. The analysis of input and efficient use of fossil energy carriers provides information on the environmental relevance of the farm operations. Apart from this, renewable energy production in the farming systems is compared to food production, and changes in the farm output are described. It turns out that organically run cash crop farms can benefit from a reasonable integration of a biogas plant, both in food crop and energy production. An increased orientation on the growing of energy crops, however, leads to worse utilization of fossil energy carriers and reduced food production

Wirkungen des Ökologischen Landbaus auf Bodenerosion durch Wasser

Soil erosion is still one of the major problems in relation to soil protection and it is necessary to have tools for assessment of soil losses. Changes of the farm structure like building a biogas power plant or changing the cropping system may affect soil losses. Before implementing those changes knowledge is necessary. The implemen-tation and application of an adequate tool is shown on the research farm Scheyern. The results of this model were compared with measured values for soil losses to demonstrate the applicability. Beside this attention is invited to conditions of ecological farming which have an impact on soil erosion

Einfluss des ökologischen Landbaus auf unterschiedliche Humuspools im Boden und Schlussfolgerungen zur Humusbilanzierung

Due to the results of organic matter balancing which showed a very high potential of soil organic matter accumulation in organic farming, a research project was started in spring 2005 with the objective to ascertain this hypothesis. Soil sampling was carried out on different organic and adjacent conventional farms in distinct regions of Ger-many. A comparison of the samples regarding Corg showed only minor differences between organic and conventional farms whereas the more sensitive indicators like Cmic and enzyme activities were more affected. However the main influencing factor of all these indicators in this investigation is soil texture. The cultivation system (inten-sive, extensive, stocking, crop rotation, tillage) is more important than the differentia-tion organic or conventional farming

Wirkungen differenzierter Bodenbearbeitungssysteme im Dauerversuch Scheyern

After a 12-year differing tillage in a 7-phase crop rotation with lay, potatoes, wheat, sunflowers, lay, wheat and rye it was found, that mouldboard-ploughing (P) resulted in less weed. Crop yields were as high as in the treatment with ploughing after lay and chiselling after potatoes and sunflowers (B). Lowest yields were obtained without ploughing but using the chisel (G). Weeds, esp. grasses, resulted in a huge competition for crops esp. after lay. Profit margins were highest in B due to lower expenditures for tillage and lowest in G. Soil organic carbon amounts differed by 1,5 t/ha and earthworm biomass by 0,25 t/ha between P and G after 12 years. It can be summed up for this experiment that G was not sustainable due to weeds and declining yields, and that B resulted in best economic profit, increasing SOM content and seems to be a sustainable compromise

Nachweis über die Dauer der Infektionsfähigkeit von Steinbrand- (Tilletia caries) und Zwergsteinbrandsporen (Tilletia controversa) im Boden und Stallmist in Biobetrieben

This research work is scoping on whether in the case of huge infestation with common and/or dwarf bunt farmers have to stop temporarily wheat cultivation and furthermore how many years wheat should not be grown on these fields. For answering these questions, 3-years randomized crop rotation field trials are performed at 3 sites with 4 replicates on infested fields with crop rotation links commonly used in organic farming to determine whether it is possible to decrease the spore potential in soil. Brassica species setting free isothiocyanate after mulching are cultivated to examine if it is possible to reduce the viability of spores. Additionally, the influence of stable manure on bunt spores it tested. Soil samples are taken half-yearly from each plot and common and dwarf bunt spore potential is determined under the microscope as well as the germination ability of the spores on agar plates. Variation of the number of spores in stable manure is determined half-yearly during storage. Physical and chemical facts hamper a really high finding of spores out of soil. Retrieval rates of about 50 % could be achieved at present. After one year storage, spore potential in the stable manure has been decreased by more than 90 %. Optimal germination conditions for common and dwarf bunt spores from bunt balls have been elaborated and established. These conditions are tested at present with spores out of soil

Treibhausgasflüsse beim Anbau von Winterweizen und Kleegras

At the experimental station Viehhausen, 30 km north of Munich in southern Germany, N2O, CO2 and CH4 fluxes between soil and atmosphere were measured to investigate the influence of site-related factors and cultivation-technique on the emissions of these greenhouse gases. Clover-grass as well as several wheat cropping systems (with and without biogas slurry) were analyzed under the conditions of organic farming. This paper shows the results of the vegetation period of 2009. The N2O emissions from the wheat fields were higher than those from clover-grass fields. Ploughing-in of the legume-grass biomass resulted in releasing distinctive N2O emissions. For CH4 fluxes the arable soils were a net sink, especially in cropping systems with winter wheat

Langzeituntersuchung der Kohlenstoff- und Stickstoffkreisläufe eines intensiven ökologischen Betriebssystems – am Beispiel des Versuchsgutes Scheyern

Carbon, nitrogen and energy flows are considered as an appropriate basis to characterize farming systems and to evaluate the environmental effects. Using the model REPRO the carbon and nitrogen flows of the experimental farm “Klostergut Scheyern” have been evaluated since 1991 on the basis of complete cultivation data as well as with the help of detailed site and weather data. Thus “Scheyern” is characterised as an intensive organic farming system with a high turnover of C and N

Optimierungsansätze zur Verbesserung von Nachhaltigkeit, Ressourceneffizienz und Tierwohl in ökologischen und konventionellen Betrieben im Netzwerk Pilotbetriebe

In a network of organic and conventional pilot farms with dairy and/or arable production in Germany (www.pilotbetriebe.de) aspects of sustainability, resource efficiency, animal health and welfare and economic aspects are analysed. This is based on on-farm assessments and on whole farm modelling. In the first interdisciplinary workshops on the project farms results were presented and scenarios were developed in a participatory approach by scientists, consultants and farmers to improve N, P and land use efficiency as well as dairy health and welfare. Typical areas of action to optimize sustainability in these aspects were identified on the farms, e.g., complete accounting of manure N (N balance), enrichment of crop rotations with clover grass and cover crops (humus balance), improving forage quality (productivity, nutritional imbalances), improvement of housing conditions and grazing access (animal health and welfare). Systematic integration and detection of interconnectedness of environmental performance of production, animal welfare, resource efficiency and productivity result in a new quality in development of farm concepts

Das Verbundprojekt StaPlaRes: N-Stabilisierung und wurzelnahe Platzierung als innovative Technologien zur Optimierung der Ressourceneffizienz bei der Harnstoff-Düngung

Das F&E-Verbundvorhaben StaPlaRes entwickelt, untersucht und bewertet neuartige Technologien im Rahmen der Harnstoff (HS)-Düngung mit dem Ziel größtmöglicher Ressourceneffizienz und Umweltschonung

Farmland biodiversity and agricultural management on 237 farms in 13 European and two African regions

Farmland is a major land cover type in Europe and Africa and provides habitat for numerous species. The severe decline in farmland biodiversity of the last decades has been attributed to changes in farming practices, and organic and low-input farming are assumed to mitigate detrimental effects of agricultural intensification on biodiversity. Since the farm enterprise is the primary unit of agricultural decision making, management-related effects at the field scale need to be assessed at the farm level. Therefore, in this study, data were collected on habitat characteristics, vascular plant, earthworm, spider, and bee communities and on the corresponding agricultural management in 237 farms in 13 European and two African regions. In 15 environmental and agricultural homogeneous regions, 6–20 farms with the same farm type (e.g., arable crops, grassland, or specific permanent crops) were selected. If available, an equal number of organic and non-organic farms were randomly selected. Alternatively, farms were sampled along a gradient of management intensity. For all selected farms, the entire farmed area was mapped, which resulted in total in the mapping of 11 338 units attributed to 194 standardized habitat types, provided together with additional descriptors. On each farm, one site per available habitat type was randomly selected for species diversity investigations. Species were sampled on 2115 sites and identified to the species level by expert taxonomists. Species lists and abundance estimates are provided for each site and sampling date (one date for plants and earthworms, three dates for spiders and bees). In addition, farmers provided information about their management practices in face-to-face interviews following a standardized questionnaire. Farm management indicators for each farm are available (e.g., nitrogen input, pesticide applications, or energy input). Analyses revealed a positive effect of unproductive areas and a negative effect of intensive management on biodiversity. Communities of the four taxonomic groups strongly differed in their response to habitat characteristics, agricultural management, and regional circumstances. The data has potential for further insights into interactions of farmland biodiversity and agricultural management at site, farm, and regional scale