Cost-benefit analysis of abatement measures for nutrient emission from agriculture

In intensive animal husbandry areas surface water N and P concentrations often remain too high. The Water Framework Directive calls for additional nutrient emission abatement measures. Therefore, costs and benefits for possible agricultural measures in Flanders were first analysed in terms of soil balance surplus. Finally, abatement measures for agriculture, households and industry were set off against each other and ranked according to their cost-efficiency by the Environmental Costing Model. Increased dairy cattle efficiency, winter cover crops and increased pig feed efficiency turn out very cost efficient. Other agricultural measures are less cost efficient than for instance collective treatment for households and industry.nitrogen and phosphorus abatement, surface water, cost efficiency, Environmental Economics and Policy, Livestock Production/Industries,

Architectural analysis of vegetative growth of 2-year-old 'Van' sweet cherry trees grown on two rootstocks under varied nutrient regimes

'Van' sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) was grown on Inmil (GM 9) and 'Mazzard' (F.12/1) rootstocks under seven different nutrient regimes over two seasons. In the nutrient solutions N and P were varied to modify tree vigour, in addition to the vigour effects of rootstock. Variables were calculated that describe the growth of the main axis and the length and position of branches. These were used to calculate architectural differences between trees using multivariate data analysis. The branched trees were grouped architecturally by cluster analysis and the correlations described using discriminate analysis. In general, trees on F.12/1 were more branched than on Inmil. This is particularly true for sylleptic branching in the first year. Similarly, more branching is observed on more vigorous nutrient regimes. The effect of vigour on branching is discussed in relation to the plasticity of tree architecture within a genotype.Conference Pape

Cost-benefit analysis of abatement measures for nutrient emission from agriculture

In intensive animal husbandry areas surface water N and P concentrations often remain too high. The Water Framework Directive calls for additional nutrient emission abatement measures. Therefore, costs and benefits for possible agricultural measures in Flanders were first analysed in terms of soil balance surplus. Finally, abatement measures for agriculture, households and industry were set off against each other and ranked according to their cost-efficiency by the Environmental Costing Model. Increased dairy cattle efficiency, winter cover crops and increased pig feed efficiency turn out very cost efficient. Other agricultural measures are less cost efficient than for instance collective treatment for households and industry