How organic farmers practice conservation agriculture in Europe

AbstractThe interest of organic farmers in adopting conservation agriculture principles, including minimal soil disturbance, permanent soil cover and crop rotation has been growing since the early 2000s. However, currently there is no network for organic farmers practicing conservation agriculture, and a lack of knowledge on how organic farmers implement conservation agriculture in practice. Consequently, few technical references are available for organic farmers when they start applying conservation agriculture practices, in particular on controlling weeds without the use of herbicides. The main objectives of this study were: (1) to explore the diversity of conservation agriculture techniques (i.e., reduced tillage, no-tillage and green manures) practiced among European farmers, and (2) to identify farmers’ main strategies for implementing conservation agriculture and the agronomic and environmental factors that determine these strategies. Strategies were identified by analyzing survey results on: (1) the type and degree of use of conservation agriculture practices by farmers, and (2) the effects it produces in terms of soil disturbance and soil cover (low, medium and high). We carried out a survey of 159 European organic farmers and collected 125 data sets on management of winter-sown crops. Among the conservation agriculture practices, reduced tillage was used by 89%, no-tillage by 27% and green manure by 74% of the 159 interviewed farmers. Green manures were more frequently used in northern Europe than in the south (below 45°N). Most of the farmers used crop rotations, with a mean duration of 6 years. A wide diversity of conservation agriculture practices were used, with farmers rarely using all three techniques (no-till, reduced till and green manures) within one system. The range of practices was grouped into five strategies ranging from intensive non-inversion tillage without soil cover to very innovative techniques with no-tillage and intercrops. The five strategies for conservation agriculture could be grouped into two larger categories based on weed control approach: (1) intensification of the mechanical work without soil inversion or (2) biological regulation of weeds with cover crops. The diversity of strategies identified in this study shows that organic farmers use innovative approaches to implement conservation agriculture without herbicides. This study's findings will help organic farmers to experiment with innovative practices based on conservation agriculture principles and also benefit conventional farmers who use conservation agriculture practices and would like to reduce or eliminate the use of herbicides.

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Impact of Weed Control by Hand Tools on Soil Erosion under a No-Tillage System Cultivation

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11050974 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 974

Author(s):

Rafael Blanco-Sepúlveda ◽

Amilcar Aguilar-Carrillo ◽

Francisco Lima

Keyword(s):

Soil Erosion ◽

Weed Control ◽

Soil Cover ◽

Soil Surface ◽

Conservation Agriculture ◽

Soil Disturbance ◽

No Tillage ◽

Tropical Mountains ◽

Litter Cover ◽

Vegetal Cover

In conservation agriculture, the no-tillage cultivation system and the retention of permanent vegetal cover are crucial to the control of soil erosion by water. This paper analyses the cultivation of maize under no-tillage, with particular reference to the effect produced on soil erosion when weed control is performed by a hand tool (machete), which disturbs the surface of the soil, and to the behavior of the soil cover in these circumstances. The study area is located in the humid tropical mountains of northern Nicaragua (Peñas Blancas Massif Nature Reserve). The results obtained show that 59.2% of the soil surface was affected by appreciable levels of sheet and splash erosion, although the vegetal cover of the soil was relatively high (with average weed and litter cover of 33.9% and 33.8%, respectively). The use of machetes for weed control provoked considerable soil disturbance, which explained the high rates of erosion observed. Moreover, this form of soil management disturbs the litter layer, making it less effective in preventing erosion. The litter remains loose on the soil surface, and so an increase in soil cover does not achieve a proportionate reduction in the area affected by erosion; thus, even with 80–100% weed and litter cover, 42% of the cultivated area continued to present soil erosion.

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Challenging conservation agriculture on marginal slopes in Sehoul, Morocco

Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems ◽

10.1017/s1742170513000446 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 30 (3) ◽

pp. 233-251 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

G. Schwilch ◽

A. Laouina ◽

M. Chaker ◽

N. Machouri ◽

M. Sfa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Cover ◽

Local Population ◽

Animal Husbandry ◽

Conservation Agriculture ◽

Field Trials ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

Soil Disturbance ◽

No Tillage ◽

Degraded Land ◽

Tillage Practices

AbstractIn Sehoul, Morocco, the use of marginal land for agriculture became a necessity for the local population due to increased poverty and the occupation of the best land by new owners. Desertification poses an additional threat to agricultural production on marginal slopes, which are often stony and degraded. In a participatory process embedded in the EU DESIRE research project, potential sustainable land management measures were selected to address land degradation and desertification. Promising experiences with no-tillage practices elsewhere in Morocco had motivated the Moroccan government to promote conservation agriculture throughout the country. This combination of crop rotation, minimal soil disturbance and soil cover maintenance, however, had not yet been tested on sloping degraded land. Field trials of grazing enclosure combined with no or minimum tillage were conducted on the plots of two farmers, and trial results were analyzed based on stakeholders’ criteria. Results suggest that increased soil cover with barley residues improved rainwater use efficiency and yields only slightly, although soil water was generally enhanced. Soil moisture measurements revealed that no-tillage was favorable mainly at soil depths of 5 cm and in connection with low-rainfall events (<20 mm); under these circumstances, moisture content was generally higher under no-tillage than under conventional tillage. Moreover, stakeholder discussion confirmed that farmers in Sehoul remain primarily interested in animal husbandry and are reluctant to change the current grazing system. Implementation of conservation agriculture is thus challenged both by the degraded, sloping and stony nature of the land, and by the socio-economic circumstances in Sehoul.

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Pesticide regulation in the European Union and the glyphosate controversy

Weed Science ◽

10.1017/wsc.2019.59 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 68 (3) ◽

pp. 214-222 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Per Kudsk ◽

Solvejg Kopp Mathiassen

Keyword(s):

European Union ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Conservation Agriculture ◽

Farm Income ◽

No Tillage ◽

The European Union ◽

Public Attention ◽

Pesticide Regulation ◽

The Impact ◽

The Eu

AbstractThe glyphosate controversy before the renewal of the authorization of glyphosate in the European Union (EU) once again turned the spotlight on pesticide regulation in the EU. In the EU, pesticides are attracting more public attention than in other parts of the world, and many nongovernmental organizations specifically target pesticide regulation, trying to influence politicians and other decision makers. Following an overview of the EU pesticide legislation and the impact hitherto on EU agriculture, this paper outlines the glyphosate controversy and presents the outcome of desk studies conducted in Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Sweden on the potential effects of a glyphosate ban on agricultural productivity and farm income. All studies concluded that the loss of income depends very much on farm type and cropping practice, but they all reached the conclusion that particularly no-tillage farming/conservation agriculture will be facing severe problems without glyphosate to control weeds and terminate cover crops. No-tillage/conservation agriculture is viewed as an effective strategy to prevent soil erosion and loss of nutrients, which could become larger problems without glyphosate. Other issues highlighted in the studies were the impact on resistance management, as glyphosate is largely seen as a “herbicide-resistance breaker.” Without glyphosate, fundamental changes in farming practices in the EU are required, and it is hard to imagine that they will come without a cost, at least in the short term.

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Emisi Gas Rumah Kaca dan Hasil Padi dari Cara Olah Tanah dan Pemberian Herbisida Di Lahan Sawah MK 2015

Jurnal Ilmu Lingkungan ◽

10.14710/jil.15.2.74-82 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 15 (2) ◽

pp. 74 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Miranti Ariani ◽

Hesti Yulianingrum ◽

Prihasto Setyanto

Keyword(s):

Rice Yield ◽

Ghg Emissions ◽

Conservation Agriculture ◽

Soil Disturbance ◽

N2o Emissions ◽

No Tillage ◽

Zero Tillage ◽

Deep Tillage ◽

Tillage Treatment ◽

Ch4 And N2o

Tanpa olah tanah (NT) telah banyak ditunjukkan sebagai praktik pengelolaan lahan sawah yang mampu mengurangi emisi gas rumah kaca (GRK) karena kemampuannya untuk menyerap karbon dalam tanah. Di luar negeri, bahkan juga oleh FAO, sekarang ini sedang banyak dikembangkan apa yang disebut dengan conservation agriculture, yaitu cara bercocok tanam dengan meminimalkan gangguan pada tanah atau dikenal juga dengan istilah No tillage/Zero Tillage (tanpa olah tanah). Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memperoleh informasi emisi CH4 dan N2O dari lahan sawah di daerah tropis dengan perlakuan cara olah tanah. Percobaan disusun dengan rancangan faktorial acak kelompok 3 ulangan. Perlakuan yang dicobakan terdiri dari 2 faktor, yaitu faktor I cara olah tanah (1) Olah tanah sempurna, (2) tanpa olah tanah, dan faktor II adalah pemberian herbisida berupa (1) glifosat, (2) paraquat dan (3) tanpa herbisida. Jarak tanam adalah tegel 20 cm x 20 cm. Emisi CH4 pada MK 2015 yang terendah adalah pada perlakuan tanpa olah tanah (TOT) dan pemberian herbisida glifosat, yaitu sebesar 201 kg CH4/ha/musim dan yang tertinggi pada perlakuan olah tanah sempurna tanpa penambahan herbisida yaitu sebesar 353 kg CH4/ha/musim. Tanpa olah tanah menghasilkan rerata fluks harian CH4 yang lebih rendah dibanding perlakuan olah tanah sempurna. Emisi N2O terendah dihasilkan pada perlakuan olah tanah sempurna dengan penambahan herbisida glifosat, yaitu sebesar 0,34 kg N2O/ha/musim, dan tertinggi pada perlakuan tanpa olah tanah dengan penambahan herbisida paraquat yaitu sebesar 0,65 kg N2O/ha/musim. Hasil padi pada semua perlakuan menunjukkan nilai yang tidak berbeda nyata. Faktor emisi N2O langsung dari lahan padi sawah irigasi dengan perlakuan olah tanah dan herbisida berkisar antara 0,0008 – 0,0015 kg N2O-N/kg N dengan kisaran hasil padi sebesar 4,96 – 5,12 t/ha GKG. Secara total, yang dinyatakan dengan GWP, perlakuan tanpa olah tanah menimbulkan emisi GRK yang lebih kecil dibanding perlakuan olah tanah sempurnaKata kunci: olah tanah, herbisida, GWP, CH4, N2OABSTRACTNo-tillage (NT) management has been promoted as a practice capable of offsetting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions because of its ability to sequester carbon in soils. Even FAO and many countries, are now being widely developed what so called conservation agriculture, on how to grow crops with minimize soil disturbance or also known as No tillage/Zero tillage. This study aimed to obtain information CH4 and N2O emissions and grain yield from rice fields in the tropics with tillage treatments. The experiment was arranged in a randomized factorial design with 3 replications. The treatments tested consisted of two factors, namely the first factor was tillage (1) deep tillage, (2) zero tillage, and the second factor is application of herbicide in the form of (1) glyphosate, (2) paraquat and (3) without herbicides, using tiles row spacing (20 x 20 cm). In DS 2015, the lowest CH4 emissions resulted from no-tillage (TOT) treatment combined with the application of glyphosate, which amounted to 201 kg CH4/ha/ season and the highest resulted from deep tillage treatment combined with no herbicide, which amounted to 353 kg CH4/ha/season. Daily CH4 fluxes from No tillage treatment are lower than those from deep tillage treatments. The lowest N2O emissions resulted from deep tillage treatments combined with the application of glyphosate, which amounted to 0.34 kg N2O/ha/season, and the highest resulted from no-tillage treatment combined with paraquat, which amounted to 0.65 kg N2O/ha/season. Rice yield were not significantly different among treatments. Direct N2O factors emissions from irrigated rice field applied tillage and herbicide treatments ranged from 0.0008 to 0.0015 kg N2O-N/kg N with rice yield range of 4.96 to 5.12 t/ha. In total, expressed by GWP, no tillage treatment resulted lower GHG emissions than deep tillage treatments.Keywords: tillage, herbicide, GWP, CH4, N2OCitation: Ariani, M., Yulianingrum, H. dan Setyanto, P. (2017). Emisi Gas Rumah Kaca dan Hasil Padi dari Cara Olah Tanah dan Pemberian Herbisida Di Lahan Sawah MK 2015. Jurnal Ilmu Lingkungan, 15(2), 74-82, doi:10.14710/jil.15.2.74-82

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Impact of Social and Institutional Factors on the Uptake of Conservation Agriculture: A Case of Zambia and Zimbabwe

Sustainable Agriculture Research ◽

10.5539/sar.v9n1p67 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 67

Author(s):

Putso Nyathi ◽

Thinah Moyo ◽

Helena Posthumus ◽

Joe Stevens

Keyword(s):

Social Influence ◽

Crop Rotation ◽

Social System ◽

Soil Cover ◽

Institutional Environment ◽

Conservation Agriculture ◽

Soil Disturbance ◽

Institutional Factors ◽

The Social ◽

The Many

Conservation agriculture (CA) involves the practice of three interlinked principles of minimum soil disturbance, a permanent soil cover and crop rotation. Despite the many stated benefits of the technology, its uptake in Africa has been slow. This study applies the theory of planned behaviour to investigate the attitudes, the role of the social system (social influence, by-laws and customs) and the institutional environment in the decision to practice CA principles and on the area under CA in Choma, Zambia and Nkayi, Zimbabwe. The study finds differing attitudes between districts towards CA outcomes. Local by-laws have a positive correlation with the practice of minimum soil disturbance but negative correlations with the practice of soil cover and crop rotation. Social influence and customs have significant relationships with the area under CA. Institutional support is perceived to be necessary for the practice of minimum soil disturbance but not so for the practice of crop rotation or on the area under CA. We conclude that the attitudes towards CA depend on the performance of the CA options promoted to farmers while the effects of the social system components and institutional factors on the uptake of CA depends on how the particular CA principle fits into the social and institutional environment in which it is promoted. We recommend agriculture extension services and policymakers to pay more attention to these issues in the promotion of CA.

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SOIL PROPERTIES AND AGRONOMIC PERFORMANCE OF WATERMELON GROWN IN DIFFERENT TILLAGE AND COVER CROPS IN THE SOUTH EASTERN OF BRAZIL

Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1017/s0014479714000313 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 51 (2) ◽

pp. 299-312

Author(s):

ROBERTO BOTELHO FERRAZ BRANCO ◽

RODRIGO HIYOSHI DALMAZZO NOWAKI ◽

FERNANDO ANDRÉ SALLES ◽

DENIZART BOLONHEZI ◽

RONAN GUALBERTO

Keyword(s):

Cover Crops ◽

Soil Cover ◽

Dry Mass ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

Agronomic Performance ◽

No Tillage ◽

Nutrient Accumulation ◽

Minimum Tillage ◽

White Lupine ◽

Tillage Methods

SUMMARYMuch of the watermelon (Citullus lanatus) cultivation in Brazil is conducted in sandy soil and topographic conditions that favour the erosion process. Therefore, conservation tillage methods are critical for the sustainability of the production chain of this vegetable crop. We studied different tillage methods and cover crops in watermelon cultivation in the area of the reform of degraded pasture. For this purpose, two tillage methods were established as experimental treatments: minimum tillage preparation with subsoiling only, and no tillage. As cover crops white lupine (Lupinus albus) and bristle oat (Avena strigosa) were seeded. As control, watermelon was cultivated with conventional tillage, without prior cultivation of cover crops. For the experimental design, randomised blocks in a factorial arrangement with four replications were used. After liming and phosphate fertilisation of the soil, cover crops were cultivated in soil with minimum tillage and no tillage to produce straw to be used for soil cover, where subsequently the watermelon was grown. The productivity of dry mass and nutrient accumulation in the shoot of cover crops, the soil properties and the watermelon agronomic performance were evaluated. White lupine had better performance in the production of dry mass and nutrient accumulation in shoot than bristle oat. There were differences among treatments for soil penetration resistance, where in conventional tillage the values were lower in the first 30 cm of depth in relation to no-tillage cultivation. The tillage method also affected the fertility of the soil at a depth of 0 to 20 cm. The no tillage provided increased nitrogen leaf content in watermelon regardless of cover crops but restricted root growth in relation to minimum tillage and conventional tillage. Watermelon had similar commercial production by different treatments, with reduction only in no tillage on bristle oat straw.

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Isolation and Screening of Extracellular PGPR from the Rhizosphere of Tomato Plants after Long-Term Reduced Tillage and Cover Crops

Plants ◽

10.3390/plants9050668 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (5) ◽

pp. 668 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Maria Chiara Guerrieri ◽

Elisabetta Fanfoni ◽

Andrea Fiorini ◽

Marco Trevisan ◽

Edoardo Puglisi

Keyword(s):

Plant Growth ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Growth Regulation ◽

Conservation Agriculture ◽

Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria ◽

Reduced Tillage ◽

Tomato Plants ◽

Rdna Sequencing ◽

Growth Promoting

Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria provide an innovative solution to address challenges in sustainable agro-ecosystems, improving plant growth as well as acting as agents of biocontrol. In this study autochthonous bacteria were isolated from the rhizosphere of processing tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cultivated with conservation agriculture practices (i.e., reduced tillage and cover crops), and evaluated for both growth-promoting activities (PGPAs), and antagonistic potential against the phytopathogenic pest Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Considering the several activities of PGPR, we decided to structure the screening with a hierarchic approach, starting from testing the capability of fixing nitrogen. The obtained bacteria were processed through the molecular typing technique rep-PCR (Repetitive Extragenic Palindromic) in order to discriminate microbial strains with the same profiles, and identified via 16S rDNA sequencing. Thirty-eight selected isolates were screened in vitro for different activities related to plant nutrition and plant growth regulation as well as for antifungal traits. Isolated bacteria were found to exhibit different efficiencies in indoleacetic acid production and siderophore production, phosphate solubilization and biocontrol activity against the widespread soil-borne plant pathogen S. sclerotiorum. All the 38 bacterial isolates showed at least one property tested. With a view to detect the suitable candidates to be developed as biofertilizers, the selected isolates were ranked by their potential ability to function as PGPR. Thus, consortium of native PGPR bacteria inoculants may represent a suitable solution to address the challenges in sustainable agriculture, to ensure crop yield and quality, lowering the application of chemicals input.

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Adoption of Conservation Agriculture in Rwanda: A Case Study of Gicumbi District Region

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11091732 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (9) ◽

pp. 1732

Author(s):

Yves Theoneste Murindangabo ◽

Marek Kopecký ◽

Petr Konvalina

Keyword(s):

Cover Crops ◽

Crop Residues ◽

Sampling Technique ◽

Conservation Agriculture ◽

Farming System ◽

Soil Disturbance ◽

Snowball Sampling ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Productivity Improvement ◽

Plant Associations

Conservation agriculture (CA) is described as a farming system that is founded around three principles: minimum soil disturbance (reduced or no tillage), keeping a permanent soil cover (with crop residues, cover crops or both) and plant species diversification (plant associations and sequences). Little to no information has been documented about conservation agriculture adoption in developing countries, such as Rwanda, with especially no information about its hilly and climate-varying part to which the Gicumbi district belongs. This study is targeted towards ascertaining the level of CA adoption in the Gicumbi district in relation to the socioeconomic status of the farming population, to suggest the relevant strategies for accelerating CA adoption specific to this region. The sampling technique used was a non-discriminative, snowball-sampling one, eventually gathering data from 500 households in three sectors. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using household questionnaires. Adoption of CA was related to the knowledge acquired during training and hands-on work on demonstration plots. Some farm-level constraints found were little to no material, few extension services and market problems. The impacts attributed to the use of CA were soil and productivity improvement.

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The Need for New Directions on Conservation Agriculture towards Weed Management: Review

International Research Journal of Pure and Applied Chemistry ◽

10.9734/irjpac/2020/v21i2430348 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 177-191

Author(s):

Rifat Un Nisa ◽

Tauseef A. Bhat ◽

Tahir A. Sheikh ◽

Owais Ali Wani ◽

M. Anwar Bhat ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Weed Control ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Crop Residues ◽

Central India ◽

Conservation Agriculture ◽

Soil Disturbance ◽

Plant Residues ◽

Agricultural System ◽

Weed Species ◽

Selective Herbicide

Agriculture conservation practices such as minimal soil disturbance, permanent soil covering by crop residues or cover crops, and crop rotations leads to higher farm productivity. Although conservation agriculture has been adopted in India since its inception, it has now been successfully used in Indo Gangetic Plains irrigated rice-wheat cropping systems and has recently been made known in parts of central India. In conservation agricultural system, cover crops play an important role in weed control, but their adoption level is still limited Changes in tillage practices, planting schemes, and other management techniques can change the soil environment and trigger a significant change in weed flora In intense tillage operations early season weed control could be obtained by turning the soil, which disrupts the germination of weed seeds and the growth of seedlings through burial. In addition, soil-administered herbicides that do not need to be manifested can have less persistence and efficacy in the presence of plant residues that can hinder and bind the chemical before it reaches the soil surface. Selective herbicide compounds that are effective on weed species and not on a specific crop, conferring non-selective herbicide tolerance on a crop may be enormously effectual for potent weed control.

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Adoption of Conservation Agriculture in Uganda: A Case Study of the Lango Subregion

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su10103375 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (10) ◽

pp. 3375 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Sara Kaweesa ◽

Saidi Mkomwa ◽

Willibald Loiskandl

Keyword(s):

Socioeconomic Status ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Crop Residues ◽

Sampling Technique ◽

Conservation Agriculture ◽

Soil Disturbance ◽

Snowball Sampling ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Ca Uptake ◽

The Impact

Conservation agriculture (CA) is based on three principles: minimum soil disturbance, maintaining a soil cover through mulching with crop residues or planting cover crops, and practicing crop rotations. CA is practiced in many parts of the world for its benefits to soil and ability to improve yields, among others. There is little documented information on the status of CA adoption in the Lango region in mid-Northern Uganda. This study aimed at determining the extent of CA adoption in relation to the socioeconomic status of the farming population and suggesting relevant strategies for accelerating CA uptake specific to this region. A non-discriminative snowball-sampling technique was used to gather data from 417 households spread over three districts. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using household questionnaires. Farmers’ uptake of CA was related to information gained from training and the benefits that were observed in their fields. Some farm-level constraints in the region included the diminutive ratio of shared tools and equipment; the minimum presence and involvement of extension services; and seasonal rural markets that are dominated by middlemen. The impact that was attributed to the use of CA at the household level was improved yields. The strategy that was used to spread CA information to farmers also played a key role in increasing CA uptake in the region. This information is important for increasing CA adoption in this context given the socioeconomic status of the region.

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