Organic Pilot Farms in North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany)

Since 1993, research, advisory service and practice work together in the German Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) on solutions for selected issues of plant cultivation and animal husbandry with practical relevance for organic farmers. The project that is funded by NRW and the European Union entails demonstration and optimisation of selected organically operating farms and their methods of production as well as professional advice. The project is coordinated by the Institute of Organic Agriculture and executed in cooperation with the Chamber of Agriculture and contributes effectively to the expansion of Organic Agriculture (OA) in NRW. In this successful participatory and interdisciplinary cooperation between practice, extension service and research, 30 farms that are distributed all over NRW and integrate a wide range of different types of production in their typical local region are involved in developing the research questions, executing experiments and discussing results. Solutions are assessed and optimised on farm level and demonstrated in the practice of major farms in order to secure the knowledge transfer in extended agricultural practice. The feasibility of the methods is immediately assessed by practitioners and transmitted to colleagues

Bedeutung der Wirtschafts- und Sekundärrohstoffdünger für den ökologischen Landbau

Die Düngerwirtschaft im historischen Selbstverständnis des ökologischen Landbaus wird dargestellt. Nährstofflüsse durch innerbetrieblich erzeugte und durch zugekaufte organische Düngemittel werden diskutiert

Environmental Impacts and Economic Differences in grassland based Organic Dairy Farms in Germany – Modelling the Extremes

Differences in environmental impact and economic returns between intensive and low-input organic dairy production are investigated using two simplified model farms with different amounts of concentrates being fed. In four scenarios, ecological and economic effects of restricting the more intensive farm management practice beyond the existing regulations of organic farming are analysed. In the initial situation, the intensive farm has a financial advantage of about 600.00 € per ha compared with the low-input farm, while the environmental risks caused by its production system are higher in several Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) categories. We showed for the model case that limiting livestock density and using regional grown concentrates bring about considerable improvements in LCA results, while restricting the amount of concentrates used does not. These three scenarios result in economic deterioration for the intensive farm. A fourth scenario increasing the share of pasture in daily dry matter intake (DMI) to a minimum of 50% during the grazing season has positive effects environmentally as well as economically

Anbauerfahrungen mit Artischocken im Organischen Landbau

The aim of this study was to gain experience in the organic cultivation of artichokes (Cynara scolymus L.) under the condition of the temperate climate of the Lower Rhine Bay. The effects of reducing the number of buds by removing bastard branches on the yield of two cultivars were tested in a field experiment. Cultivar ‘Imperial Star’ yielded up to 10.31 t FM / ha, for cultivar ‘JW 109’ the yield was up to 7.63 t FM / ha. In both cultivars, removing bastard branches resulted in higher bud weight, whereas total yield per ha was reduced

Anbau und Düngung von Winterraps (Brassica napus L.) im Ökologischen Landbau

At the experimental farm Wiesengut in Hennef (Germany) in 2007/8 four different cultivation methods of rapeseed and an application of fertiliser in springtime were tested in order to manage weeds, to reduce nitrogen losses during wintertime and to enhance grain yield. Cultivation methods tested included i. narrow row distance (12 cm), no mechanical weed control; ii. wide row distance (24 cm), mechanical hoeing; iii. rapeseed sown in double rows intercropped with buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) sown in double rows, row distance 12 cm, no mechanical weed control; iv. rapeseed sown in double rows and left double rows free, row distance 12 cm, mechanical hoeing. In a two factorial completely randomised block design these treatments were fertilised (I. 80 kgN/ha as PPL, Potato Protein Liquid) and not fertilised (II.) in March 2008 at EC 30. In contrast to the hypothesis treatment iii. (rapeseed intercropped with buckwheat) did not control weeds efficiently nor enhanced nitrogen uptake before winter. Grain yield was significantly lower in this treatment compared to all other treatments. The most cost-efficient treatment i. controlled weeds effectively. Grain yield was not significantly lower in this treatment compared to the more cost-intensive treatments (ii. & iv.) where hoeing was performed. Across treatments calculated, application of PPL increased grain yield significantly

Untersuchung von Traubensaft mit den drei Bildschaffenden Methoden Kupferchloridkristallisation, Steigbildmethode und Rundfilterchromatographie

Ten encoded grape samples from 2006 were taken from a long-term field trial on the comparison of different organic and conventional production systems at Geisenheim, Germany. The samples were examined with the picture forming methods biocrystallization according to Pfeiffer, capillary dynamolysis according to Wala and circular chromatography according to Pfeiffer. The pictures of the encoded samples were i. differentiated and ii characterised. Two encoded samples of each of the five production methods ‘conventional’, ‘bio-organic’, ‘bio-dynamic without horn silica’,‘bio-dynamic with three horn silica applications’ and ‘bio-dynamic with four horn silica applications’ were clearly differentiated with highest accuracy, i.e. 100%

Kontrolle von Rumex spp. mit Citronella-Öl im Organischen Landbau

Citronella is an oil, extracted from lemon grass species (Cymbopogon sp) and has been identified as a potential burn-down bioherbicide. In greenhouse pot experiments two fractions of dock roots, Rumex obtusifolius and Rumex crispus (light root fraction, LW: 5-12 g root weight and heavy root fraction, HW: 15-30 g weight) were planted. 116 days after planting the mass of the untreated control gave an increase of 600% (LW) and 300% (HW) root mass, respectively. Citronella oil hindered the accumulation of assimilates in the roots showing a slight decrease of the initial root mass. Efficacy of citronella oil was higher as with cutting the leaves. Citronella oil also showed its efficacy to decrease the leaf area of dock plants after application of lower concentrations (12.5%, 25% and 50% of the recommended concentration), rather than their counterparts acetic acid and pelargonic acid

Monitoring Agriotes lineatus and A. obscurus in organic production using pheromone traps

Wireworms, particularly Agriotes lineatus and A. obscurus are becoming a problem in organic crop production causing economically severe damage on potatoes and other arable crops. Since pesticide application for direct control is not allowed in organic farming, reliable methods for quantifying wireworm infestation levels and forecasting damage are urgently needed for any control strategy. In the present work, the assessment of the range of attractiveness of pheromone traps to male A. lineatus and A. obscurus beetles was investigated in 2006 and 2007. The results indicated that the trap recovery rate of released beetles was more dependent on release distance than on time. Recovery rates greater than 40% were only noted for short release distances (up to 10 m), while less than 10% of the beetles released at a distance of 60 m returned to the traps. Recovery rates of click beetles were also negatively affected by cold and wet weather conditions. Most of the beetles were recovered within the first 3 days

Direct Seeding of Faba Beans in Organic Agriculture

Field experiments carried out at two experimental sites over two years showed that temporary direct seeding (DS) of faba beans (FAB) is possible in Organic Agriculture (OA) when weed pressure of perennials is low. Weed density of DS treatments was significantly lower when compared with mouldboard plough (MP, control) although no clear effects on annual weeds were given by the precrop oats neither by the amount of crop residues (0, 4, 6 t ha-1) nor the sowing density of autumnal sown oats (0, 600, 1200, 1800 seeds m- ) simulating hail-shattered grains. No significant differences in grain yield but lower costs of labour and fuel were determined for DS compared with MP. Estimated DS gross margins exceeded MP gross margins when DS yield losses remained lower than 0.95 t ha-1 as compared with MP yields

Effects of weed management strategies on quality and enteric pathogen contamination of organic lettuce

Quality requirements for raw edible produce like lettuces include nutritional value and hygienic quality. Organic lettuce is often considered to cause a potential health risk for immunocompromised individuals due to assumed pathogen transfer from organically manured soils into lettuce heads (Lactuca sativa, var. capitata). The effect of different weed management strategies (rotary tiller, mouldboard plough combined with flame weeding, plastic mulch and straw layer, resp.) on pathogen transfer from fresh and composted farm yard manure were assessed in four field experiments in 2006 and 2007. Results gave no hint on any pathogen transfer given by the assumed pathways (contaminated soil particles transported by mechanical tools and/or splash effect of rain drops). Nitrate contents in lettuce were low ranging from 269 mg/kg to 828 mg/kg in fresh matter respectively. A new method for measuring leaf tissue firmness is being developed by using an artificial denture. Substantial negative effects of manure on lettuce quality were not recorded