Conservation complexities: conservationists’ and local landowners’ different perceptions of development and conservation in Sandaun Province, Papua New Guinea

For some people, conservation may be the story of saving the world as we know it. It may be perceived as conservationists’ continuous battles against gigantic forces such as population growth, extractive industries and corrupt governments in an attempt to save the planet’s biodiversity for future generations. For some rural forest dwellers, conservation may be seen as social and economic progress, social change and access to modern commodities. However, a quick look at recent debates of conservation tells the story of rural forest dwellers being dispossessed from their land due to the establishment of protected areas 9cf.Kelly 2011; Li 2011), of local disempowerment, and of unrealised expectations (cf.West 2006). (First paragraph of paper).AusAI

Organic field-testing of compounds to control apple scab (Venturia inaequalis) in combination with alleyway cover crops

To find new potential fungicides acceptable to organic production preventing apple scab (Venturia inaequalis) infections on leaf and fruits during primary apple scab infection period. The trials were carried out in combination with different cover crop treatments in single-tree plots. The formerly resistant variety ‘Delorina’ on rootstock M9, planted 1995 at a planting distance of 3.3 m x 1.6 m, unfertilized and with mechanical weed cleaning in the tree row, were used. The experimental orchard is located at Research Centre Aarslev (100 27´ E, 550 18´N)

Alleyway groundcover management and scab resistant apple varieties

The use of scab resistant apple varieties is the best way to prevent inflections of apple scab (Venturia inaequalis). In 1995 the then 10 most promising resistant apple varieties for Denmark where planted at Research Centre Àrslev, Denmark in an organic production system. Three different cover crops where established in the alleyways. Weed cleaning in the tree row was done mechanically and the trees were kept unfertilised. The annual shoot growth, nutrients in leaf sample, mineralised nitrogen in soil, content of water in the upper 50 cm soil, Fruit yield and Fruit quality were assessed. The annual cover crop caused the longest shoot growth, the highest content of nitrogen in leaves and soil, the smallest competition with the trees concerning soil water and the highest gross yield of the lowest quality. The resistance to apple scab was broken down in most varieties

Mere natur i økologiske hegn

Hegn i Danmark forbindes i høj grad med læ. Specielt i Jylland har læhegn været af stor betydning for landbruget. I dag har hegnene en bredere betydning, men der er kun lille viden om naturværdierne. DMU har i en undersøgelse vist overraskende klare forskelle på især plantelivet i hegn på økologiske og konventionelle bedrifter

Flora og insekter i hegn på økologiske og konventionelle bedrifter

The aim of the project was to compare flora and insect fauna of organic and conventional hedgerows and to study whether the drift of herbicides into hedgerows alone or in combination with differences in fertiliser application may explain any differences. The project consequently consisted of two parts, viz. collection of flora and insect data in existing hedgerows (multi-row hedgerows, age 10-15 years) on two soil types and an experiment in which a sown grassland vegetation was treated with combinations of glyphosate (0-25% label rate) and nitrogen (0-100 kg N/ha/year) as a simulation of the most important agricultural conditions having an effect on flora and insect fauna in different agricultural systems. In the experiment flora and insect fauna were studied for three years. In the hedgerows clear differences in the floral composition were found, with more plant species in hedgerows at organically grown fields than at conventionally grown fields, on both sandy and loamy soils. The insect fauna was correlated with the flora, but no clear differences were found between the two agricultural systems. Apart from the hedgerow flora, also the type of crop grown on the adjacent fields affected the abundance of herbivorous insects, especially bugs and weevils. In the experiment the effects of glyphosate and nitrogen treatments interacted strongly. In unfertilised plots the number of plant species decreased at increasing glyphosate dosages, whereas plant biomass was virtually unaffected, and litter biomass decreased. For plant and litter biomass the glyphosate effect increased at increasing fertiliser levels, i.e. there was a severe decrease in both plant and litter biomass as a consequence of glyphosate treatment. For numbers of plant species the interactive effect was opposite, as the glyphosate effect decreased at increasing fertiliser levels. Insect abundance and species numbers followed the picture seen for plant biomass, but with differences between insect groups

New fungicides for apple scab control in organic growing

In the future control of apple scab in organic apple growing could be based on the use of natural fungicides like plant extracts and oils. Current projects are testing this idea

Lower nitrogen supply gave better fruit quality in organic apples

The use of scab resistant apple varieties is the best way to prevent infections of apple scab (Venturia inaequalis). In 1995 the then 10 most promising resistant apple varieties for Denmark where planted at Research Centre Årslev, Denmark in an organic production system. Tree different cover crops where established in the allyways. Weed cleaning in the tree row was done mechanically and the trees were kept unfertilised. The annual shoot growth, nutrients in leaf sample, mineralised nitrogen in soil, content of water in the upper 50 cm soil, fruit yield and fruit quality were assessed. The best fruit quality due to colour, pest and disease damage was obtained in trees grown in permanent grass alley way system which gave a nitrogen sypply in the lower end of the optimum range. The resistance to apple scab was broken in most varieties. The varieties: 'Florina', 'Vanda', 'Redfree' and 'Retina' were less infected by apple scab

Flotte øko-æbler ved lavt kvælstofniveau

Der blev opnået et salgbart udbytte på 16 ton per hektar per år fra usprøjtede æbler i 3. til 7. produktionsår. En kvælstoftilførsel, som resultere i et kvælstofindhold i bladene i den nedre ende af optimalniveauet, giver den bedste frugtkvalitet med hensyn til farve og skader fra sygdomme og skadedyr i en usprøjtet æbleplantage. Resistensen overfor æbleskurv blev nedbrudt i de fleste sorter. Æblesorterne Florina, Vanda, Redfree og Retina var stadig forholdsvis modstandsdygtige over for æbleskurv