Effect of Different Tillage Systems on Soil Organic Carbon and Enzymatic Activity

The aim of the study was to compare the effect of conventional, simplified, and organic farming systems on changes in the content of soil organic carbon, organic matter fractions, total nitrogen, and the enzymatic activity. The research was conducted from 2016–2018 on arable land in the south-eastern part of Poland. The selected soils were cultivated in conventional tillage (C_Ts), simplified tillage (S_Ts), and organic farming (O_Fs) systems. The analyses were performed in soil from the soil surface layers (up to 25 cm depth) of the experimental plots. The highest mean contents of soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, and organic matter fractions were determined in soils subjected to the simplified tillage system throughout the experimental period. During the study period, organic carbon concentration on surface soil layers under simplified tillage systems was 31 and 127% higher than the soil under conventional tillage systems and organic farming systems, respectively. Also, the total nitrogen concentration in those soils was more than 40% and 120% higher than conventional tillage systems and organic farming systems, respectively. Moreover, these soils were characterised by a progressive decline in SOC and Nt resources over the study years. There was no significant effect of the analysed tillage systems on the C:N ratio. The tillage systems induced significant differences in the activity of the analysed soil enzymes, i.e., dehydrogenase (DH) and catalase (CAT). The highest DH activity throughout the experiment was recorded in the O_Fs soils, and the mean value of this parameter was in the range of 6.01–6.11 μmol TPF·kg−1·h−1. There were no significant differences in the CAT values between the variants of the experiment. The results confirm that, regardless of other treatments, such as the use of organic fertilisers, tillage has a negative impact on the content of SOC and organic matter fractions in the O_Fs system. All simplifications in tillage reducing the interference with the soil surface layer and the use of organic fertilisers contribute to improvement of soil properties and enhancement of biological activity, which helps to maintain its productivity and fertility.

Penerapan Sistem Pertanian Organik dengan Aplikasi Pupuk Organik Cair Urin Kelinci pada Padi Sawah

The Ngudi Tani farmer group is one of the farmer groups in Bobosan Village, North Purwokerto District, Banyumas Regency. The rice fields in the Bobosan village area have irrigation system and the water is always available throughout the year, however rice farming has not been applied environmentally friendly agricultural system yet. Liquid Organic Fertilizer (LOF) of urine rabbit with quince bengal fruit could apply as substitution of fertilizer and pesticide synthetics.The purpose of this service activity was to increase understanding and knowledge about organic farming systems with the application of LOF in lowland rice and how to make rabbit urine LOF. Methods of activities were carried out through counseling and training related to LOF application in rice fields and makes use of rabbit urine LOF. The rice field plot was focused on the appropriate way of working and techniques in supporting rice production through the application of rabbit urine LOF. Counseling, training, demonstration plots and rabbit livestock introduction is successful even though not to all members of the farmer groups. The knowledge and skills of farmers have increased regarding rabbit livestock and processing of urine into liquid organic fertilizer and its application to lowland rice. The introduction of rabbit urine LOF in lowland rice cultivation has been responded positively by some members of farmer groups and farmers have understood the procedure for processing rabbit urine waste into liquid organic fertilizer and its application in rice plants.

Update on animal welfare perception by Italian consumers: A descriptive survey

The aim of this study was to evaluate if and how the perception of animal welfare by Italian consumers and their purchasing behavior of animal-friendly foods have evolved in recent years. The research was carried out through a survey on a representative sample of Italian consumers (n=969). Responses showed that 69% of consumers declared to pay attention to animal welfare at time of purchasing, and they mostly acquired information about animal welfare through the mass media. In accordance with previous surveys, the categories perceived as having the highest welfare level were fish and dairy cows, whereas the lowest welfare level was attributed to broilers and pigs. Compared to previous surveys, Italian consumers seem to have improved their knowledge about the legislation on animal protection and increased their interest toward animal welfare issues. However, they still find it difficult to identify animalfriendly labels, together with a lack of knowledge about non-conventional (e.g. extensive and organic) farming systems.

Fertilization and Soil Nutrients Impact Differentially Cranberry Yield and Quality in Eastern Canada

High berry yield and quality of conventionally and organically grown cranberry stands require proper nutrient sources and dosage. Our objective was to model the response of cultivar “Stevens” to N, P, K, Mg, Cu, and B fertilization under conventional and organic farming systems. A 3-year trial was conducted on permanent plots at four production sites in Quebec, Canada. We analyzed yield predictors, marketable yield, and fruit quality in response to fertilization and soil properties. Cranberry responded primarily to nitrogen fertilization and, to a lesser extent, to potassium. Berry yield was closely related to the number of fruiting uprights (r = 0.92), berry counts per fruiting upright (r = 0.91), number of reproductive uprights (r = 0.83), and fruit set (r = 0.77). Nitrogen increased berry yield nonlinearly but decreased berry firmness, total anthocyanin content (TAcy), and total soluble solids content (°Brix) linearly, indicating a trade-off between berry yield and quality. Fertilizer dosage at a high-yield level ranged between 30 and 45 kg N ha−1 in both conventional and organic farming systems. Slow-release fertilizers delayed crop maturity and should thus be managed differently than ammonium sulfate. Berry weight increased with added K. Redundancy analysis showed a close correlation between marketable yield, berry quality indices, and soil tests, especially K and Ca, indicating the need for soil test calibration.

Comparison of Invasive Apple Snail (Pomacea canaliculata) Behaviors in Different Water Temperature Gradients

Pomacea canaliculata (known as invasive apple snail) is a freshwater snail native to South America that was introduced into many countries (including Asia and North America) as a food source or for organic farming systems. However, it has invaded freshwater ecosystems and become a serious agricultural pest in paddy fields. Water temperature is an important factor determining behavior and successful establishment in new areas. We examined the behavioral responses of P. canaliculata with water temperature changes from 25 °C to 30 °C, 20 °C, and 15 °C by quantifying changes in nine behaviors. At the acclimated temperature (25 °C), the mobility of P. canaliculata was low during the day, but high at night. Clinging behavior increased as the water temperature decreased from 25 °C to 20 °C or 15 °C. Conversely, ventilation and food consumption increased when the water temperature increased from 25 °C to 30 °C. A self-organizing map (an unsupervised artificial neural network) was used to classify the behavioral patterns into seven clusters at different water temperatures. These results suggest that the activity levels or certain behaviors of P. canaliculata vary with the water temperature conditions. Understanding the thermal biology of P. canaliculata may be crucial for managing this invasive snail.

The Performance of Oat-Vetch Mixtures in Organic and Conventional Farming Systems

The research aimed to compare the yields and yield components of mixtures of oats with common vetch grown for seeds in organic and conventional farming systems. Moreover, the selection of oat cultivars for the mixture and its performance in a crop rotation experiment in different growing years was analyzed. Additionally, the leaf area index (LAI) and the relative content of chlorophyll (SPAD) of the mixtures were assessed. The field experiment with four-field crop rotation in organic or conventional farming systems was carried out in 2012–2014 in southern Poland. Common vetch (Vicia sativa L., cv. ‘Hanka’) was mixed with one of two oat (Avena sativa L.) cultivars, ‘Celer’ or ‘Grajcar.’ The effects of all of the factors on the mixtures’ canopy indices and yield were found. The canonical analysis revealed that the weather course, especially drought, had the largest effect on the oat-vetch mixtures’ performance. Moreover, the mixtures developed the highest LAI (5.28 m2∙m−2) and seed yield (4.57 t ha−1) in the conventional farming system. On the contrary, the share of vetch seeds in the mixtures was 24% higher in the organic system than in the conventional one. The selection of cv. ‘Grajcar’ oats for the mixture with vetch increased the share of vetch seeds in the yield by 16.5%. In summary, a balanced share of oat-vetch mixture components depends on the proper selection of the oat cultivar, especially for organic farming systems.

Cocktails of pesticide residues in conventional and organic farming systems in Europe – legacy of the past and turning point for the future

<p>Considering that pesticides have been used in Europe for over 70 years, a system for monitoring pesticide residues in EU soils and their effects on soil health is long overdue. In an attempt to address this problem, we tested 340 EU agricultural topsoil samples for multiple pesticide residues. These samples originated from 4 representative EU case study sites (CSS), which covered 3 countries and four of the main EU crops: vegetable and orange production in Spain (S-V and S-O, respectively), grape production in Portugal (P-G), and potato production in the Netherlands (N-P). Soil samples were collected between 2015 and 2018 after harvest or before the start of the growing season, depending on the CSS. Conventional and organic farming results were compared in S-V, S-O and N-P. Soils from conventional farms presented mostly mixtures of pesticide residues, with a maximum of 16 residues/sample. Soils from organic farms had significantly fewer residues, with a maximum of 5 residues/sample. The residues with the highest frequency of detection and the highest content in soil were herbicides: glyphosate and its main metabolite AMPA (P-G, N-P, S-O), and pendimethalin (S-V). Total residue content in soil reached values of 0.8 mg kg-1 for S-V, 2 mg kg-1 for S-O and N-P, and 12 mg kg-1 for P-G. Organic soils presented 70-90% lower residue concentrations than the corresponding conventional soils. There is a severe knowledge gap concerning the effects of the accumulated and complex mixtures of pesticide residues found in soil on soil biota and soil health. Safety benchmarks should be defined and introduced into (soil) legislation as soon as possible. Soil remediation techniques should be developed to keep the levels of pesticide residues below such benchmarks. Furthermore, the process of transitioning to organic farming should take into consideration the residue mixtures and their residence time in soil.  </p>