Forage cuts as a by-product in organic seed production

A major problem in organic grass seed production on arable farms is to provide for a sufficient nitrogen supply. A nitrogen-fixing crop may be able to cover the nitrogen requirement - wholly or partly. However mixed cropping of a grass seed and a nitrogen-fixing crop is expected to reduce the establishment of the seed crop, especially for species that require a long establishment period. One way to achieve a satisfactory establishment of the seed crop can be to introduce an intervening year for cutting forage between cover crop harvest and seed harvest. This will enhance tillering, since the light supply for the undersown grass is increased after each cut. However excessive biomass will hinder drying of the crop at maturity and therefore the growth of the nitrogen-fixing crop must be terminated or reduced in the seed production year. One of the first organic seed experiments at Research Centre Flakkebjerg focused on the above-mentioned factors

MOVE - Marketing of Organic VintagE plant material

Markets for products with history, distinct characteristics and/or regional origin are in rapid expansion and constitute a promising emerging market. Recent studies suggests that differentiated development in production presents a plausible future for increased biodiversity in the food sector, with different ‘worlds of production’ emerging. This includes the production of vintage (rare) vegetables with distinct characteristics. In Denmark, as in the rest of Europe, interest in preserving and utilizing vintage plant material is growing and projects focusing on e.g. history of the varieties, distinct characteristics (such as potential health aspects) and agronomic robustness have been initiated in recent years and has further increased public interest. Along with these projects there has been a resurgence of interest in making available, vintage plant material with distinct characteristics for growing mainly organic products on larger scale and hence for commercial sale. Danish organic and conventional vegetable producers are at present requesting seed of such varieties, but so far no commercial seed production of this material has been initiated. The project MOVE (Marketing of Organic VintagE plant material) was recently initiated (2016) and therefore no results are presented here. In the coming years MOVE aims to make a model for commercial growth of interesting varieties with distinct characteristics that cannot necessarily justify the cost of an official DUS (Distinct, Uniform and Stable) testing from discovery to final production. The project consists of three steps: 1) the process of approval and introduction onto the common Catalogue; 2) demonstration of qualtity seed multiplication of requested vintage varieties at experienced seed growers sites; 3) securing seed quality for organic producers of cultivars with distinct characteristics. The vegetable varieties MOVE will focus on originates from NordGen (the Nordic Genetic Resource Center). Special attention will be given to cabbage and beets and to varieties from NordGen previously tested in the project MaxVeg (Maximising the taste and health value of plant food products - impact on vegetable consumption, consumer preferences and human health factors' supported by the Danish Strategic Research Council 2010-2015: http://www.crt.dk/media/55975/3_markets_for_bitter_and_strong_tasting_vegetables_and_the_new_nordic_kitchen_maxweg.pdf ). Clinical studies in the MaxVeg project showed that bitter and strong tasting cabbage and root vegetables had an Cabbage Seed Production; Photo: Lise Christina Deleuran additional positive effect on diabetes type 2 patients compared to more mild and sweet tasting cabbage and root vegetables. The taste differences were obtained by use of the diversity of taste characteristics found among vintage varieties from NordGen and by influence of cropping conditions. Project participants are Aarhus University, Vikima Seed and NordGen. Find more information about the progress of the project http://icrofs.dk/forskning/dansk-forskning/organicrdd-22/move/ MOVE is a project under the Danish Organic RDD 2.2 programme coordinated by ICROFS (International Centre for Research in Organic Food systems). It is funded by the Green Development and Demonstration Programme under the Ministry of Environment and Food Contact: Senior adviser Lise Christina Deleuran, Aarhus University, Department of Agroecology, Denmar

Frøavl i tunnel - økologisk produktion af grønsagsfrø i tunnel

Frøavl i tunnel - økologisk produktion af grønsagsfrø i tunne

Cancer genetic counseling in China and Denmark; a comparative anthropological perspective

This dissertation compares cancer genetic counseling in China and Denmark using an anthropological perspective.It uses anthropological theory to argue how ideas of genetic responsibility and demands for responsibility investments may be understood as the products of everyday practices unfolding within local worlds. Finding very different forms of cancer genetic counseling in China and Denmark, it analytically argues that the local organization of health care provides a salient example of a local world. It uses an STS framework to analyze how differences in the organization of health care in China and Denmark, may be seen as promoting very different webs of everyday human and non-human actors, resulting in very different cancer genetic counseling practices, respectively. For professionels, patients and their families in China and Denmark, these differences lead to very different demands for patient- family collaboration and interdependence, and ultimately to very different local forms of genetic responsibility. 

Økologisk produktion af grønsagsfrø

Økologisk produktion af grønsagsfr

Nyt fra Danmarks JordbrugsForskning

Inden for de dyrkningstekniske forsøg i græsfrøavl er aktiviteterne for øjeblikket samlet omkring efterårsbehandlinger, snitning af frøgræshalm, rækkedyrkningssystemer samt gradueret gødskning, og inden for økologisk frøproduktion fokuseres på hvidkløver. Flere af disse forsøg blev etableret i 1996/97, da frøforsøgene flyttede fra Roskilde til ForskningscenterFlakkebjerg, og de forsøg er nu under afslutning

Organic forage seed production in Denmark

Organic forage seed production in Denmark

Guleroden i fokus - produktion af frø

Produktion af gulerodsfrø kræver en lang sommer med sol og varme. Regn og rusk giver svampeangreb og dårlige frø, og derfor produceres frø til danske gulerodsmarker i Frankrig eller Italien. Økologiske gulerodsfrø er en mangelvare, men ved dyrkning i tunneler kan der produceres økologiske frø af høj kvalitet i Danmark