Organic production in Norway - status 2009

This poster shows the development of organic acreage and organic farmers 1991-2008 in Norway. Data for organic crop and animal production for the year 2008 are also shown. It then outlines policy and market environment for the Norwegian organic sector in 2009, as well as education, inspection and research within the sector

Phosphorus Uptake in Six Selected Scandinavian Wheat and Barley Cultivars at Low Soil Phosphorus Availability as Related to Root Hair Length

Lower soil phosphorus (P) levels are to be expected if more sustainable agriculture practices (organic farming, low-input farming) are adopted. Crop plants can be adapted to lower soil P levels by selecting and breeding for higher P efficiency. Longer root hairs are found to enhance the P efficiency of cereals by increasing the P uptake. In this study, three pairs of Swedish and Norwegian cereal cultivars (wheat cvs. NK0058 and Diamant; 6-row barley cvs. NK94682 and Herse; 2-row barley cvs. Tyra and Herta), with respectively short and long root hairs within each pair as measured in solution culture were grown. The cultivars were grown at four soil P levels (P0: 35 mg P-AL kg-1 soil; P16: 49 mg; P32: 87 mg; P48: 130 mg) in a long-term PK fertilisation field trial. The choice of cultivars was based on root hair lengths measured in a previous solution culture experiment. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cultivar and soil P level on P concentration (P utilisation efficiency), P uptake efficiency, grain chemical composition, root hair length, dry matter production, grain yield, root growth, 1000-grain weight, hectolitre-weight and phenological development. The results showed higher dry matter production and grain yield at low soil P levels in Diamant, Herse and Herta than in NK0058, NK94682 and Tyra, respectively, indicating a higher P efficiency in these cultivars. Total P uptake at low soil P levels was also higher, and the P concentration (mg P g-1 shoot dry matter, P utilisation efficiency) tended to be lower, suggesting higher P uptake and P utilisation efficiencies in these three cultivars. Probably the P uptake efficiency accounted for most of the variation between the cultivars, whereas variation in the P utilisation efficiency was of less importance. Dry matter production, grain yield and P uptake generally increased with increasing soil P level. However for most cultivars, except for the modern cultivar Tyra, dry matter and grain yield decreased at the highest soil P level. As soil P level increased, the differences in yield and P uptake within the three pairs of cultivars diminished, suggesting that the factors increasing the P uptake at low soil P are less important at high soil P level. Recordings of phenological development and grain moisture content confirmed that increasing soil P level increases the rate of development in cereals. 1000-litre weight and hectolitre-weight were generally found to increase with increasing soil P level. Root growth in the topsoil was found to increase as the soil P level increased. The root hairs grew longer in field soil than in the previous solution culture experiment. The ranking of cultivars with regard to root hair was only in part similar to that found in solution culture, and the differences in root hair length was much smaller or insignificant in this study as compared to the solution culture experiment. Hence, ranking of cultivars in terms of root hair length might prove difficult. A previous study reported longer root hairs in barley as a response to lower soil P level. In contrast, these results suggested the opposite. The higher P uptake in Diamant, Herse and Herta might be due to longer root hairs. However, it is suggested that variations in other factors such as root exudation of organic acids and phosphatase and lowering of rhizosphere pH were as important factors for the higher P uptake. Grain concentrations of N, P, K, Ca and Mg were consistent with former findings. There were no effects of cultivar or P level on the grain concentrations of N, Ca and Mg in this study. In conclusion, this study suggested that there is great variation in P efficiency between cereal genotypes. This may only in part be explained by different root hair lengths. Adapting crops to lower soil P levels, by selection and breeding, is thus a possible means of increasing the sustainability of the agroecosystem

Hvordan kan økologisk landbruk bidra til å øke matsikkerheten i u-land?

I dag produseres det nok mat i verden til å mette alle. Likevel sulter nær én mrd. mennesker. Årsakene til den manglende matsikkerheten skyldes i hovedsak politiske, økonomiske og sosiale forhold som for eksempel fattigdom, sosial uro og manglende kjøpekraft - og ikke produsert mengde mat. Ei rekke eksempler fra utviklingsland har vist at økologiske landbruksmetoder har økt matsikkerheten, avlingene og inntektene blant fattige småbrukere som nettopp er de med høyest mat-usikkerhet. Med vektlegging av biodiversitet, resirkulering av næringsstoffer, synergier mellom planter, dyr og jord, samt bevaring og regenerering av naturressursene bidrar økologisk landbruk i utviklingsland til produksjon av trygg og variert mat. Først og fremst lokalt på gården og for lokale markeder, men også for eksport. Økologisk landbruk er bærekraftig på lang sikt

Rothår og fosforopptak i korn

Lavere nivå av fosfor i jorda er rapportert på gårder med økologisk drift. Jordbruksvekster kan til en viss grad tilpasses lavere fosfornivå ved utvalg og avl for høgere fosforeffektivitet. Danske forsøk har vist at lange rothår kan være en faktor som øker fosforopptaket i korn. Funn fra et nylig avsluttet MSc-arbeid tyder på at det er forskjell i fosforopptaksevne mellom bygg- og hvetesorter, men at andre faktorer enn rothår har vel så i stor betydning for fosforopptaksevnen

Regenerativt jordbruk - erfaringer fra fire referansegårder på Østlandet 2018-2020

Binding av karbon i jordbruksjord får økende anerkjennelse som en metode til å redusere mengden karbondioksid fra atmosfæren. På den annen side er jordkarbon (humus/mold/organisk materiale i jorda) viktig for jordfruktbarheten, avlingssikkerheten, vanninfiltrasjon og vannlagringsevne og evne til å motstå erosjon. Humusinnholdet i jordbruksjorda har etter andre verdenskrig blitt redusert i Norge og globalt gjennom moderne jordbruksmetoder (jordarbeiding, mineralsk gjødsel, plantevernmidler, ensidige vekstskifter og bar jord uten plantedekke). Den voksende regenerative jordbruksbevegelsen har som mål å snu denne trenden og regenerere jorda ved å binde inn mer karbon og samtidig øke jordas fruktbarhet. Dette prosjektet ville prøve ut i praksis under norske forhold et sett med metoder, med inspirasjon fra Mellom-Europa, for å øke jordfruktbarheten og karbonlagringa. Metodene var mineralsk utbalansering i henhold til en utvidet jordanalyse (Albrecht jordanalyse), permanent grønt plantedekke med et mangfold av plantearter, flatekompostering for mekanisk terminering av et grønt plantedekke, mikrobiell prosesstyring med ferment for å styre omdanningsprosessene mot det reduktive området og plantevitalisering/bladgjødsling for å fremme fotosyntesen i løpet av vekstsesongen. Fire referansegårder ble valgt ut, som ønsket å gjennomføre disse metodene i gårdsskala på sine gårder. Prosjektmålet var å tilpasse metodene til norsk klima og dyrkingsforhold, med fokus på korndyrking på Østlandet. De fire gårdene var Fossnes i Hvittingfoss, Nedre Skinnes ved Krøderen, Bygdø Kongsgård i Oslo og Sørli i Skjeberg. Tre driver økologisk planteproduksjon (korn) og Kongsgården driver økologisk melkeproduksjon. Gårdene fikk skreddersydd rådgiving til sin gård av kompetente rådgivere innen regenerativ dyrking og som kom på flere gårdsbesøk i løpet av sesongene. Det ble også et godt nettverk praktikerne imellom og med fagfolkene som var viktig for læringsprosessen. I løpet av prosjektperioden fikk vi prøvd ut og vist at alle metodene fungerer godt under norske forhold med lokale tilpasninger. I korndyrking fungerer en allsidig underkultur godt og bygger jordstruktur. Flatekompostering fungerer godt til å terminere et grønt plantedekke mekanisk når det agronomiske handverket beherskes. Imidlertid ser vi at dybdeløsning er viktig i tillegg for å mekanisk løsne jorda der den er pakket. Mineralsk utbalansering jamfør Albrechtanalysen er viktig, særlig der det er store ubalanser mellom kalsium, magnesium og kalium på kationbytteplassene i jorda. Dette ble særlig demonstrert på to skifter som hadde store ubalanser (overskudd og underskudd), og slet med ugras (høymole, kveke, burot). Urtefermentet (en antioksidant) bidro til mer innbindende og reduktive omdanningsprosesser ved flatekompostering og i husdyrgjødsel. Plantevitalisering viste seg å virke i noen tilfeller, men mer erfaring og kompetansebygging er nødvendig. Siden vi prøvde ut flere metoder samtidig kan vi ikke si sikkert hva som har ført til hva. Til det trengs forskningsprosjekt og mer dokumentasjon. Alt i alt kunne vi observere bedre jordstruktur, mer allsidig jordmikrobiologi, redusert ugrasmengde, bedre vanninfiltrasjon, mer lagelig jord og noen steder mørkfarging av jorda. Det var indikasjoner på økning av humusinnholdet på noen skifter, men det er vanskelig å si noe sikkert basert på de begrensede målingene fra prosjektet og den korte prosjektperioden

Organic Eprints – database for forskning innen økologisk landbruk

Organic Eprints er en internasjonal database hvor forskning innen økologisk landbruk og økologiske matvaresystemer gjøres synlig og søkbart. Søk etter artikler, prosjekter, program og forskningsinstitutt. Legg inn egne publikasjoner og forskningsprosjekt. Finn forsknings-kontakter, pågående forskning og forskningsresultat. Nettsida er: www.orgprints.org

Økologisk landbruk og matvaresikkerhet

Nesten en femdel av verdens befolkning er konstant underernærte. De viktigste begrensningene for matsikkerhet skyldes sosiale, politiske og økonomiske forhold. Økologisk landbruk kan øke matsikkerheten i utviklingsland gjennom større og mer stabile avlinger, reduserte kostnader og økte inntekter på grunn av økt jordfruktbarhet og større biologisk mangfold.publishedVersio

Overflatekompostering med tilsetning av urtefermentet Terra Biosa - Effekter på jordbiologi og nitrogen

Surface composting is an interesting method to end a cover crop without the use of glyphosate and ploughing. The purpose of the project was to investigate whether adding the herbal ferment Terra Biosa improves the effect of surface composting on soil fertility by stimulating faster and more controlled conversion of the organic material. We have investigated the effect on soil biology, the amount of mineral nitrogen in the soil and the plants' nutrient uptake and plant growth. The field trial will be carried out on the farm Ormo in Skjeberg in Sarpsborg municipality, hosted by Dag Molteberg. Conventional grain production with synthetic fertilizers has been carried out on the farm since the 1970s. Since 2020, the farm operation is run according to regenerative principles, i.e. all chemical-synthetic spraying is omitted, the use of synthetic fertilizers reduced, cover crops are used to avoid bare land and tillage is more gentle (surface composting with application of fermented herbs and microorganisms Terra Biosa). In the spring of 2021, spring wheat was sown with a cover crop mixture that grew throughout the autumn of 2021. The cover crop was relatively dense when it was surface composted on 1st of May 2022. The cover crop was shallowly mixed into the soil with a rotary tiller and the plant roots were cut off at a depth of about 3 cm. At the same time as rotary tilling, Terra Biosa (10 litres/day mixed with 30 litres/day of water) was sprayed on plots with Terra Biosa treatment. On 6th of May, the field was harrowed and seedbeds prepared. Six-row barley and a new cover crops were sown on 8th of May. The experimental field was not weeded. The experimental field was laid out as a block experiment with four replicates. Each route was 8.5 m wide and 25 m long. We expected that the addition of Terra Biosa would stimulate the content and activity of the soil microbiology and their metabolic processes. In our investigations, we cannot confirm that we have had a more controlled transformation of the plant material, but we found a significant effect of Terra Biosa on an increased content of fungi in the soil registered with microBIOMETER. At the first soil sampling on 5th of May, four days after surface composting with the addition of Terra Biosa, there was no significant effect on microbial carbon (fungi and bacteria), but the content of fungi increased throughout the season and after harvesting in September, significantly more fungi were measured with microBIOMETER. We found no significant effect of Terra Biosa on the concentration of nitrate and ammonium in the soil, soil respiration (Solvita CO2-C), microbial active carbon (POX-C), soil odor, microscopy according to the SoilFoodWeb methodology soil attachment ("root fur") on the barley roots. All these surveys were only done early in the season. Nutrient uptake was examined using leaf sap analyzes of the barley plants on 1st of June (2-3-leaf stage) and 15th of June (beginning stretch), but here too there was no difference between the treatments. We also found no effect of Terra Biosa on barley yield. Significant effect of Terra Biosa found late in the season suggests that beneficial processes may continue for a long time after application. Simultaneously, the 2022 season started dry and cool and may have reduced and delayed the effect of Terra Biosa. These facts may indicate that there are a greater effects of Terra Biosa than we could demonstrate in this survey. Therefore, more research is desirable to understand how Norwegian arable soil responds to the treatment of Terra Biosa during surface composting of cover crops and other organic material. More research is also needed on surface composting itself to find the best methods for different soil types and climates. Future investigations should therefore take place on several soil types, over a longer period of the growing season and perhaps over several seasons

Organic Food Consumption during Pregnancy and Hypospadias and Cryptorchidism at Birth: The Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa)

BACKGROUND: The etiologies of the male urogenital anomalies hypospadias and cryptorchidism remain unclear. It has been suggested that maternal diet and environmental contaminants may affect the risk of these anomalies via placental or hormonal disturbances. OBJECTIVES: We examined associations between organic food consumption during pregnancy and prevalence of hypospadias and cryptorchidism at birth. METHODS: Our study includes 35,107 women participating in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) who delivered a singleton male infant. Information about use of six groups of organically produced food (vegetables, fruit, bread/cereal, milk/dairy products, eggs, and meat) during pregnancy was collected by a food frequency questionnaire. Women who indicated that they sometimes, often, or mostly consumed organic foods in at least one of the six food groups were classified as organic food consumers in analyses. Hypospadias and cryptorchidism diagnoses were retrieved from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway. We estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: Seventy-four male newborns were diagnosed with hypospadias (0.2%), and 151 with cryptorchidism (0.4%). Women who consumed any organic food during pregnancy were less likely to give birth to a boy with hypospadias (OR = 0.42; 95% CI: 0.25, 0.70, based on 21 exposed cases) than women who reported they never or seldom consumed organic food. Associations with specific organic foods were strongest for vegetable (OR = 0.36; 95% CI: 0.15, 0.85; 10 exposed cases) and milk/dairy (OR = 0.43; 95% CI: 0.17, 1.07; 7 exposed cases) consumption. No substantial association was observed for consumption of organic food and cryptorchidism. CONCLUSIONS: Consumption of organically produced foods during pregnancy was associated with a lower prevalence of hypospadias in our study population. These findings were based on small numbers of cases and require replication in other study populations. CITATION: Brantsæter AL, Torjusen H, Meltzer HM, Papadopoulou E, Hoppin JA, Alexander J, Lieblein G, Roos G, Holten JM, Swartz J, Haugen M. 2016. Organic food consumption during pregnancy and hypospadias and cryptorchidism at birth: the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). Environ Health Perspect 124:357–364; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.140951