Showing papers on "Organic farming published in 2010"
TL;DR: The results showed that there was no obvious geographical difference in antibiotic distribution between soil and manure, and a simple migration model can be easy and quick to predict the accumulation of antibiotics in soil.
745 citations
TL;DR: The argument that rejuvenation of ecosystem function requires restoration of species evenness, rather than just richness, is strengthened, as organic farming potentially offers a means of returning functional evenness to ecosystems.
Abstract: Declining species number (richness) harms ecosystems, and conservation efforts have largely focused on conserving or restoring particular rare species. However, greater disparity in species relative abundances (evenness) might also do ecological harm, which could only be reversed by altering the densities of many species at once. A new survey of organic and conventionally managed potato fields shows that species evenness is greater under organic management. Replicating these levels of evenness in a field trial shows that the evenness of natural enemies found in organic fields promotes pest control and increases crop biomass. In organic crops many beneficial species (that eat pest insects) are equally common, which in potatoes leads to fewer pests and larger plants. A survey of organic and conventional potato fields shows that species evenness is greater under organic management. Replicating these levels of evenness in a field trial shows that the evenness of natural enemies found in organic fields promotes pest control and increases crop biomass. This is independent of the identity of the dominant enemy species, so is a result of evenness itself. Human activity can degrade ecosystem function by reducing species number (richness)1,2,3,4 and by skewing the relative abundance of species (evenness)5,6,7. Conservation efforts often focus on restoring or maintaining species number8,9, reflecting the well-known impacts of richness on many ecological processes1,2,3,4. In contrast, the ecological effects of disrupted evenness have received far less attention7, and developing strategies for restoring evenness remains a conceptual challenge7. In farmlands, agricultural pest-management practices often lead to altered food web structure and communities dominated by a few common species, which together contribute to pest outbreaks6,7,10,11. Here we show that organic farming methods mitigate this ecological damage by promoting evenness among natural enemies. In field enclosures, very even communities of predator and pathogen biological control agents, typical of organic farms, exerted the strongest pest control and yielded the largest plants. In contrast, pest densities were high and plant biomass was low when enemy evenness was disrupted, as is typical under conventional management. Our results were independent of the numerically dominant predator or pathogen species, and so resulted from evenness itself. Moreover, evenness effects among natural enemy groups were independent and complementary. Our results strengthen the argument that rejuvenation of ecosystem function requires restoration of species evenness, rather than just richness. Organic farming potentially offers a means of returning functional evenness to ecosystems.
484 citations
TL;DR: In this article, an up-to-date exhaustive and critical evaluation of the nutritional and sanitary quality of organic food was performed by the French Agency for Food Safety (AFSSA).
Abstract: Food security, nutritional quality and safety vary widely around the world. Reaching these three goals is one of the major challenges for the near future. Up to now, industrialized production methods have clearly shown severe limitations such as a worldwide contamination of the food chain and water by persistent pesticide residues, and reduced nutrient and flavor contents through low-cost intensive food production and/or processing. In line with several published literature reviews, the French Agency for Food Safety (AFSSA) performed under my coordination an up-to-date exhaustive and critical evaluation of the nutritional and sanitary quality of organic food. This review is based on the AFSSA report issued and recently published studies. The major points are: 1/ organic plant products contain more dry matter and minerals (Fe, Mg); and contain more anti-oxidant micronutrients such as phenols and salicylic acid, 2/ organic animal products contain more polyunsaturated fatty acids, 3/ data on carbohydrate, protein and vitamin levels are insufficiently documented, 4/ 94–100% of organic food does not contain any pesticide residues, 5/ organic vegetables contain far less nitrates, about 50% less; and 6/ organic cereals contain overall similar levels of mycotoxins as conventional ones. Thus, organic agricultural systems have already proved able to produce food with high quality standards. I propose also improvements of organic production to achieve sustainable food production for humans in the near future.
320 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss the mitigation and adaptation potential of organic agricultural systems along three main features: farming system design, cropland management and grassland and livestock management.
Abstract: This article discusses the mitigation and adaptation potential of organic agricultural systems along three main features: farming system design, cropland management and grassland and livestock management. An important potential contribution of organically managed systems to climate change mitigation is identified in the careful management of nutrients and, hence, the reduction of N2O emissions from soils. Another high mitigation potential of organic agriculture lies in carbon sequestration in soils. In a first estimate, the emission reduction potential by abstention from mineral fertilizers is calculated to be about 20% and the compensation potential by carbon sequestration to be about 40‐72% of the world’s current annual agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, but further research is needed to consolidate these numbers. On the adaptation side, organic agriculture systems have a strong potential for building resilient food systems in the face of uncertainties, through farm diversification and building soil fertility with organic matter. Additionally, organic agriculture offers alternatives to energy-intensive production inputs such as synthetic fertilizers which are likely to be further limited for poor rural populations by rising energy prices. In developing countries, organic agricultural systems achieve equal or even higher yields, as compared to the current conventional practices, which translate into a potentially important option for food security and sustainable livelihoods for the rural poor in times of climate change. Certified organic products cater for higher income options for farmers and, therefore, can serve as promoters for climate-friendly farming practices worldwide.
309 citations
TL;DR: It is argued that to strengthen organic farming’s transformative potential, the debate must move beyond its focus on the bifurcation between artisanal and conventionalised organic farms, so as to capture the full range of empirical heterogeneity.
Abstract: Organic farming is widely perceived as being more environmentally friendly than conventional farming. As a form of sustainable agriculture, it receives substantial support from policy for its contribution to environmental protection as well as the provision of amenities such as biodiversity and cultural landscapes. Consumers are attracted to organic foods as they are produced without synthetic chemicals and comply with higher animal welfare standards. Although organic farming certainly has the potential to fulfil these expectations, studies have shown that some certified organic farms do not. Their practices comply with the regulations, but not with the principles of organic farming. This trend has been called ‘conventionalisation’ of organic farming. In this paper we review the studies that discuss the conventionalisation of organic farming, focusing on the farm level and on evidence from Europe. We argue that to strengthen organic farming’s transformative potential, the debate must move beyond its focus on the bifurcation between artisanal and conventionalised organic farms, so as to capture the full range of empirical heterogeneity. Our core argument is that to adequately understand the dynamics within organic farming and their potential impact on the ability of organic farming to fulfil the expectations of consumers and policy-makers, it is not sufficient to focus on structural changes. Instead, we need to assess whether or not the observed changes comply with the principles and values that are the fundament of organic farming.
306 citations
TL;DR: In this article, opportunities to improve nitrogen-use efficiency in cropping and farming systems are analyzed and discussed, and it is concluded that N supply should match N demand in time and space, not only for single crops but for a crop rotation as an integrated system, in order to achieve a higher agronomic Nuse efficiency.
Abstract: The impact of modern agriculture on natural resources has become a major global concern. Population growth and expanding demand for agricultural products constantly increase the pressure on land and water resources. A major point of concern for many intensively managed agricultural systems with high external inputs is the low resource-use efficiency, especially for nitrogen. A high input combined with a low efficiency ultimately results in environmental problems such as soil degradation, eutrophication, pollution of groundwater, and emission of ammonia and greenhouse gases. Evidently, there is a need for a transition of current agricultural systems into highly resource-use efficient systems that are profitable, but at the same time ecologically safe and socially acceptable. Here, opportunities to improve nitrogen-use efficiency in cropping and farming systems are analyzed and discussed. In the past and present, increased productivity of the major plant production systems has been derived from genetic improvement, and from greater use of external inputs such as energy, fertilizers, pesticides and irrigation water. Aiming at improving resource-use efficiencies, in high-input systems the focus should be on more yield with less fertilizer N. In low-input systems additional use of N fertilizer may be required to increase yield level and yield stability. Developing production systems that meet the goals of sustainable agriculture requires research on different scales, from single crops to diverse cropping and farming systems. It is concluded that N supply should match N demand in time and space, not only for single crops but for a crop rotation as an integrated system, in order to achieve a higher agronomic N-use efficiency. A combination of quantitative systems research, development of best practices and legislation will be needed to develop more environmentally-friendly agricultural systems. The growing complexity of managing N in sustainable agricultural systems calls for problem-oriented, interdisciplinary research.
248 citations
TL;DR: Considering ecological concerns, cultivation and breeding of micronutrient-efficient genotypes in combination with proper agronomic management practices appear as the most sustainable and cost-effective solution for alleviating food-chain micronUTrient deficiency.
Abstract: About 4 billion people will be added onto the present population by 2050. To meet further demand for food, agricultural production should increase on the existing land. Since the Green Revolution, higher crop production per unit area has resulted in greater depletion of soil phytoavailable micronutrients while less attention has been paid to micronutrients fertilization. Now, micronutrient deficiency has become a limiting factor for crop productivity in many agricultural lands worldwide. Furthermore, many food systems in developing countries can not provide sufficient micronutrient content to meet the demands of their citizens, especially low-income families. There are several solutions such as soil and foliar fertilization, crop systems, application of organic amendments to correct micronutrients deficiency and to increase their density in edible parts of plants. This review article presents (1) agronomic approaches to improve crop yield and micronutrient content of food crops, and (2) genotypic variation in uptake and accumulation of micronutrients. Considering ecological concerns, cultivation and breeding of micronutrient-efficient genotypes in combination with proper agronomic management practices appear as the most sustainable and cost-effective solution for alleviating food-chain micronutrient deficiency. Micronutrient-efficient genotypes could provide a number of benefits such as reductions in the use of fertilizers, improvements in seedling vigor, and resistance to abiotic and abiotic stresses. Using bioavailable micronutrient-dense staple crop cultivars can also be used to improve the micronutrient nutritional status of human.
212 citations
TL;DR: The findings show that the organic strawberry farms produced higher quality fruit and that their higher quality soils may have greater microbial functional capability and resilience to stress.
Abstract: Background
Sale of organic foods is one of the fastest growing market segments within the global food industry. People often buy organic food because they believe organic farms produce more nutritious and better tasting food from healthier soils. Here we tested if there are significant differences in fruit and soil quality from 13 pairs of commercial organic and conventional strawberry agroecosystems in California.
Methodology/Principal Findings
At multiple sampling times for two years, we evaluated three varieties of strawberries for mineral elements, shelf life, phytochemical composition, and organoleptic properties. We also analyzed traditional soil properties and soil DNA using microarray technology. We found that the organic farms had strawberries with longer shelf life, greater dry matter, and higher antioxidant activity and concentrations of ascorbic acid and phenolic compounds, but lower concentrations of phosphorus and potassium. In one variety, sensory panels judged organic strawberries to be sweeter and have better flavor, overall acceptance, and appearance than their conventional counterparts. We also found the organically farmed soils to have more total carbon and nitrogen, greater microbial biomass and activity, and higher concentrations of micronutrients. Organically farmed soils also exhibited greater numbers of endemic genes and greater functional gene abundance and diversity for several biogeochemical processes, such as nitrogen fixation and pesticide degradation.
Conclusions/Significance
Our findings show that the organic strawberry farms produced higher quality fruit and that their higher quality soils may have greater microbial functional capability and resilience to stress. These findings justify additional investigations aimed at detecting and quantifying such effects and their interactions.
197 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: Mahdi et al. as discussed by the authors reviewed the use of bio-fertilizers in organic agriculture and found that they play vital role in maintaining long term soil fertility and sustainability by fixing atmospheric dinitrogen (N=N), mobilizing fixed macro and micro nutrients or converting insoluble P in the soil into forms available to plants, there by increases their efficiency and availability.
Abstract: Experiencing the adverse effects of synthetic input dependent agriculture the concept of organic agriculture is gaining momentum. Almost 31 million hectares of land are currently managed organically by more than 6, 00, 000 farmers worldwide, constitutes 0.7 per cent of agriculture land. India had brought more than 2.5 m ha land under certification of organics. In these systems production is based in synergism with nature, which makes systems of unending life i.e. sustainable. Deteriorative effects of synthetic chemical inputs are obvious, but, at the same time we need to revive soil health and living which support to sustainable production system. Soil environment needs to be made congenial for living of useful microbial population, responsible for continuous availability of nutrients from natural sources. Bio-fertilizers being essential components of organic farming play vital role in maintaining long term soil fertility and sustainability by fixing atmospheric dinitrogen (N=N), mobilizing fixed macro and micro nutrients or convert insoluble P in the soil into forms available to plants, there by increases their efficiency and availability. Currently there is a gap of ten million tonnes of plant nutrients between removal of crops and supply through chemical fertilizers. In context of both the cost and environmental impact of chemical fertilizers, excessive reliance on the chemical fertilizers is not viable strategy in long run because of the cost, both in domestic resources and foreign exchange, involved in setting up of fertilizer plants and sustaining the production. In this context, organic manures (bio-fertilizers) would be the viable option for farmers to increase productivity per unit area. The mycorrhizal associations (VAM) in alleviating Al toxicity, increasing N, P and micronutrient uptake, maintaining soil structure by the production specific protein called “Glomulin” has been repeatedly demonstrated. Liquid bio-fertilizer technology now, shares more advantage over conventional carrier based bio-fertilizers and can be considered as a breakthrough in field of Bio-fertilizer technology and should find greater acceptance by farmers, extension workers and commercial bio-fertilizer manufactures. In this review, the established facts observed and the work carried out by many researchers on bio-fertilizers is discussed. Key words: Bio-fertilizers, Crop growth, Sustainability, VA-mycorrhizae S. Sheraz Mahdi et al. Bio-fertilizers in Organic Agriculture. J Phytol 2/10 (2010) 42-54
195 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors discuss the economic and ecological benefits of these ecosystem services on farmland in general and its linkages with organic agriculture, and the provision of ES on farmland may help to motivate the redesign of small-scale farms using new eco-technologies based on novel and sound ecological knowledge, which has potential to meet the food demand of growing population without damaging human health and the environment.
179 citations
TL;DR: This paper aims to review the main considerations and tradeoffs of GM crop varieties in developing countries and investigates whether GM crops can co-exist with organic farming.
TL;DR: Testing the effect of farming practices differing in disturbance intensity on the abundance, species richness and community composition of three trophic levels in Swiss vineyards concludes that disturbance in organically farmed vineyards appears to be too low to be beneficial for biodiversity.
TL;DR: This work measured the density and species richness of butterflies on organic farms, conventional farms and grassland nature reserves in 16 landscapes and predicted the optimal land-use strategy to maintain yield whilst maximizing butterfly abundance under different scenarios.
Abstract: Organic farming aims to be wildlife-friendly, but it may not benefit wildlife overall if much greater areas are needed to produce a given quantity of food. We measured the density and species richness of butterflies on organic farms, conventional farms and grassland nature reserves in 16 landscapes. Organic farms supported a higher density of butterflies than conventional farms, but a lower density than reserves. Using our data, we predict the optimal land-use strategy to maintain yield whilst maximizing butterfly abundance under different scenarios. Farming conventionally and sparing land as nature reserves is better for butterflies when the organic yield per hectare falls below 87% of conventional yield. However, if the spared land is simply extra field margins, organic farming is optimal whenever organic yields are over 35% of conventional yields. The optimal balance of land sparing and wildlife-friendly farming to maintain production and biodiversity will differ between landscapes.
TL;DR: It is concluded that the claim for beneficial effects of organic farming on SOC is premature and that reported advantages of organic Farming for SOC are largely determined by higher and often disproportionate application of organic fertilizer compared to conventional farming.
Abstract: Organic farming is believed to improve soil fertility by enhancing soil organic matter (SOM) contents. An important co-benefit would be the sequestration of carbon from atmospheric CO2. Such a positive effect has been suggested based on data from field experiments though many studies were not designed to address the issue of carbon sequestration. The aim of our study was to examine published data in order to identify possible flaws such as missing a proper baseline, carbon mass measurements, or lack of a clear distinction between conventional and organic farming practices, thereby attributing effects of specific practices to organic farming, which are not uniquely organic. A total of 68 data sets were analyzed from 32 peer-reviewed publications aiming to compare conventional with organic farming. The analysis revealed that after conversion, soil C content (SOC) in organic systems increased annually by 2.2% on average, whereas in conventional systems SOC did not change significantly. The majority of publications reported SOC concentrations rather than amounts thus neglecting possible changes in soil bulk density. 34 out of 68 data sets missed a true control with well-defined starting conditions. In 37 out of 50 cases, the amount of organic fertilizer in the organic system exceeded that applied in the compared conventional system, and in half of the cases crop rotations differed between systems. In the few studies where crop rotation and organic fertilization were comparable in both systems no consistent difference in SOC was found. From this data analysis, we conclude that the claim for beneficial effects of organic farming on SOC is premature and that reported advantages of organic farming for SOC are largely determined by higher and often disproportionate application of organic fertilizer compared to conventional farming.
Journal Article•
TL;DR: There was an overall improvement in soil quality in terms of various parameters, viz. physical, chemical, biological properties, availability of macro- and micronutrients, indicating an enhanced soil health and sustainability of crop production in organic farming systems.
Abstract: A survey was made on certified organic farms in the country to ascertain the real benefits and feasibility of organic farming in terms of the production potential, economics and soil health in comparison to the conventional farms. The study revealed that organic farming, in spite of the reduction in crop productivity by 9.2%, provided higher net profit to farmers by 22.0% compared to conventional farming. This was mainly due to the availability of premium price (20-40%) for the certified organic produce and reduction in the cost of cultivation by 11.7%. In cases, where such premium prices were not available and the cost of cultivation was higher primarily due to purchased off-farm inputs, organic farming was not found economically feasible. However, there was an overall improvement in soil quality in terms of various parameters, viz. physical, chemical, biological properties, availability of macro- and micronutrients, indicating an enhanced soil health and sustainability of crop production in organic farming systems.
Journal Article•
TL;DR: Although in vitro studies of organic fruits and vegetables consistently demonstrate that organic foods have greater antioxidant activity, are more potent suppressors of the mutagenic action of toxic compounds, and inhibit the proliferation of certain cancer cell lines, in vivo studies of antioxidant activity in humans have failed to demonstrate additional benefit.
Abstract: The multi-billion dollar organic food industry is fueled by consumer perception that organic food is healthier (greater nutritional value and fewer toxic chemicals) Studies of the nutrient content in organic foods vary in results due to differences in the ground cover and maturity of the organic farming operation Nutrient content also varies from farmer to farmer and year to year However, reviews of multiple studies show that organic varieties do provide significantly greater levels of vitamin C, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus than non-organic varieties of the same foods While being higher in these nutrients, they are also significantly lower in nitrates and pesticide residues In addition, with the exception of wheat, oats, and wine, organic foods typically provide greater levels of a number of important antioxidant phytochemicals (anthocyanins, flavonoids, and carotenoids) Although in vitro studies of organic fruits and vegetables consistently demonstrate that organic foods have greater antioxidant activity, are more potent suppressors of the mutagenic action of toxic compounds, and inhibit the proliferation of certain cancer cell lines, in vivo studies of antioxidant activity in humans have failed to demonstrate additional benefit Clear health benefits from consuming organic dairy products have been demonstrated in regard to allergic dermatitis
TL;DR: In this paper, the effects of maize-legume intercrops on the weed community in an organic cropping system were analyzed and a statistically significant negative correlation between the fraction of photosynthetically active radiation (F int PAR) intercepted by the canopy, and both weed density and weed dry matter was found.
Abstract: In organic agriculture, intercropping is receiving increasing attention as it offers potential advantages for increasing sustainability in crop production. However, intercropping can increase competition between crops and weeds. In this study, we analyzed the effects of maize–legume intercrops on the weed community in an organic cropping system. We were concerned only with competition between crops and weeds for light. We recorded a statistically significant negative correlation between the fraction of photosynthetically active radiation (F int PAR) intercepted by the canopy, and both weed density and weed dry matter. Maize–legume intercropping led to a higher soil canopy cover (leaf area index) than sole crops. The lowest values for F int PAR were received in sole crops. Thus, in maize–legume intercrops the decrease in available light for weeds led to a reduction of weed density and dry matter, compared to sole crops. Intercropping maize and legumes considerably reduced the weed density in the intercrop ...
TL;DR: It is suggested that invertebrate feeders particularly benefit from organic farming because of improved foraging conditions through increased invertebrates abundances in otherwise depauperate homogeneous landscapes.
Abstract: It has been suggested that organic farming may benefit farmland biodiversity more in landscapes that have lost a significant part of its former landscape heterogeneity. We tested this hypothesis by comparing bird species richness and abundance during the breeding season in organic and conventional farms, matched to eliminate all differences not directly linked to the farming practice, situated in either homogeneous plains with only a little semi-natural habitat or in heterogeneous farmland landscapes with abundant field borders and semi-natural grasslands. The effect of farm management on species richness interacted with landscape structure, such that there was a positive relationship between organic farming and diversity only in homogeneous landscapes. This pattern was mainly dependent on the species richness of passerine birds, in particular those that were invertebrate feeders. Species richness of non-passerines was positively related to organic farming independent of the landscape context. Bird abundance was positively related to landscape heterogeneity but not to farm management. This was mainly because the abundance of passerines, particularly invertebrate feeders, was positively related to landscape heterogeneity. We suggest that invertebrate feeders particularly benefit from organic farming because of improved foraging conditions through increased invertebrate abundances in otherwise depauperate homogeneous landscapes. Although many seed-eaters also benefit from increased insect abundance, they may also utilize crop seed resources in homogeneous landscapes and conventional farms. The occurrence of an interactive effect of organic farming and landscape heterogeneity on bird diversity will have consequences for the optimal allocation of resources to restore the diversity of farmland birds.
TL;DR: In this article, the diversity and abundance of the within-field seedbank and emerged weed flora, were measured in over 100 fields from conventional, integrated and organic farms across the arable east of Scotland.
TL;DR: In this paper, an environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) was performed in China to investigate environmental consequences of the life cycle of pears in terms of fossil energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
TL;DR: Investigation of whether isolated organic farms, in a conventionally farmed landscape, provided local benefits for insect pollinators and pollination services in an intensively farmed area of Northeast Italy found the impact of the surrounding landscape was stronger than the local management.
TL;DR: In this paper, the effects of organic and conventional management systems were evaluated by using soil chemical, biochemical and biological parameters, and the overall results demonstrated that even in the short-term, the implementation of organically managed stockless systems in Mediterranean areas determined significant changes of some attributes for soil quality evaluation.
TL;DR: In this paper, the potential environmental impacts of four different types of organic dairy farms are compared, based on a survey of 27 farms classified by a percentage of grassland on total farm area and feeding intensity, and analyzed environmental impact categories were energy consumption, climate impact, land demand, ammonia emissions, nitrogen leaching, conservation of soil fertility, biodiversity, animal welfare and milk quality.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors describe a model designed for analyzing interrelated nitrogen fluxes in farming systems, which combines the partial N balance, farm gate balance, barn balance and soil surface balance, in order to analyse all relevant N fluxes between the subsystems soil-plant-animal-environment and to reflect conclusive and consistent management systems.
TL;DR: The authors' analysis points to a more energetically efficient use of cropland for food than for fuel production and large differences in efficiencies attributable to management, which suggests multiple opportunities for improvement.
Abstract: The prospect of biofuel production on a large scale has focused attention on energy efficiencies associated with different agricultural systems and production goals. We used 17 years of detailed data on agricultural practices and yields to calculate an energy balance for different cropping systems under both food and fuel scenarios. We compared four grain and one forage systems in the U.S. Midwest: corn (Zea mays) - soybean (Glycine max) - wheat (Triticum aestivum) rotations managed with (1) conventional tillage, (2) no till, (3) low chemical input, and (4) biologically based (organic) practices, and (5) continuous alfalfa (Medicago sativa). We compared energy balances under two scenarios: all harvestable biomass used for food versus all harvestable biomass used for biofuel production. Among the annual grain crops, average energy costs of farming for the different systems ranged from 4.8 GJ ha−1 y−1 for the organic system to 7.1 GJ ha−1 y−1 for the conventional; the no-till system was also low at 4.9 GJ h...
Journal Article•
TL;DR: The use of synthetic pesticides has undoubtedly resulted in achievement of green revolution in different countries through increased crop production, but in recent years there has been considerable pressure on consumers and farmers to reduce or eliminate synthetic pesticides.
Abstract: Sustainable agriculture aims at reducing the incidence of pests and diseases to such a degree that they do not seriously damage crops without upsetting nature’s balance. One of the aims of sustainable agriculture is to rediscover and develop strategies whose cost and ecological side-effects are minimal. The use of synthetic pesticides has undoubtedly resulted in achievement of green revolution in different countries through increased crop production. However, in recent years there has been considerable pressure on consumers and farmers to reduce or eliminate synthetic pesticides in agriculture. This concern has encouraged researchers to look for better alternatives to synthetic pesticides.
01 Jan 2010
TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss sustainable agriculture and food production: ecological, environmental, food safety and nutritional quality issues; Reza Ghorbani, E. Lichtfouse, and Vito Sardo.
Abstract: Contents: 1. Society issues, painkiller solutions, dependence and sustainable agriculture; Eric Lichtfouse. 2. Sociology of sustainable agriculture; Ezatollah Karami. 3. Sustainable versus organic agriculture; Vito Sardo. 4. Organic agriculture and food production: ecological, environmental, food safety and nutritional quality issues; Reza Ghorbani. 5. Sustainability of energy crop cultivation in Central Europe; Volkhard Scholz. 6. Phosphorus, plant biodiversity and climate change; Nicole Wrage. 7. Co-evolution and migration of bean and rhizobia in Europe; Paula A. Rodino. 8. Non-isotopic and 13C isotopic approaches to calculate soil organic carbon maintenance requirement; David Clay. 9. Soil solarization and sustainable agriculture; Trifone D'Addabbo. 10. Soil functions and diversity in organic and conventional farming; Supradip Saha. 11. Indigenous soil knowledge for sustainable agriculture; Iin P. Handayani 12. Composting to recycle biowaste; Gyorgy Fuleky 13. Nematodes as biocontrol agents; Tarique Hassan Askary 14. Allelopathy and organic farming; Jana Kalinova 15. Occurrence and physiology of zearalenone as a new plant hormone; Jolanta Biesaga-Kocielniak 16. Homestead agroforestry, a potential resource in Bangladesh; Giashuddin Miah
TL;DR: In this article, the authors evaluate the contribution of organic farming to the increase of energy efficiency in Spanish agriculture and find that non-renewable energy efficiency is higher in organic farming, whilst the consumption of this type of energy is lower.
Abstract: The use of non-renewable energy in farming, a factor which considerably reduces its energy efficiency, continues to increase. Moreover, there is growing worldwide concern regarding the emission of greenhouse gases and their effect on our climate, which is directly related to the use of fossil energy. All this creates a need for energy studies on changing tendencies in the management of agricultural systems, among which we find that of organic farming. This article uses energy balances to evaluate the contribution of organic farming to the increase of energy efficiency in Spanish agriculture. To achieve this objective, comparative studies were carried out on 78 organic crops and their conventional counterparts. Primary data were obtained via direct surveys carried out at farms distributed across the whole of Spain. The results indicate that non-renewable energy efficiency is higher in organic farming, whilst the consumption of this type of energy is lower. For this reason, although certain qualifications a...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a review of agricultural practices that mitigate greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions in organic dairy farms in northern Europe such as organic mixed crop-dairy systems.
Abstract: Dairy production systems represent a significant source of air pollutants such as greenhouse gases (GHG), that increase global warming, and ammonia (NH3), that leads to eutrophication and acidification of natural ecosystems. Greenhouse gases and ammonia are emitted both by conventional and organic dairy systems. Several studies have already been conducted to design practices that reduce greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions from dairy systems. However, those studies did not consider options specifically applied to organic farming, as well as the multiple trade-offs occurring between these air pollutants. This article reviews agricultural practices that mitigate greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions. Those practices can be applied to the most common organic dairy systems in northern Europe such as organic mixed crop-dairy systems. The following major points of mitigation options for animal production, crop production and grasslands are discussed. Animal production: the most promising options for reducing greenhouse gas emissions at the livestock management level involve either the improvement of animal production through dietary changes and genetic improvement or the reduction of the replacement rate. The control of the protein intake of animals is an effective means to reduce gaseous emissions of nitrogen, but it is difficult to implement in organic dairy farming systems. Considering the manure handling chain, mitigation options involve housing, storage and application. For housing, an increase in the amounts of straw used for bedding reduces NH3 emissions, while the limitation of CH4 emissions from deep litter is achieved by avoiding anaerobic conditions. During the storage of solid manure, composting could be an efficient mitigation option, depending on its management. Addition of straw to solid manure was shown to reduce CH4 and N2O emissions from the manure heaps. During the storage of liquid manure, emptying the slurry store before late spring is an efficient mitigation option to limit both CH4 and NH3 emissions. Addition of a wooden cover also reduces these emissions more efficiently than a natural surface crust alone, but may increase N2O emissions. Anaerobic digestion is the most promising way to reduce the overall greenhouse gas emissions from storage and land spreading, without increasing NH3 emissions. At the application stage, NH3 emissions may be reduced by spreading manure during the coolest part of the day, incorporating it quickly and in narrow bands. Crop production: the mitigation options for crop production focus on limiting CO2 and N2O emissions. The introduction of perennial crops or temporary leys of longer duration are promising options to limit CO2 emissions by storing carbon in plants or soils. Reduced tillage or no tillage as well as the incorporation of crop residues also favour carbon sequestration in soils, but these practices may enhance N2O emissions. Besides, the improvement of crop N-use efficiency through effective management of manure and slurry, by growing catch crops or by delaying the ploughing of leys, is of prime importance to reduce N2O emissions. Grassland: concerning grassland and grazing management, permanent conversion from arable to grassland provides high soil carbon sequestration while increasing or decreasing the livestock density seems not to be an appropriate mitigation option. From the study of the multiple interrelations between gases and between farm compartments, the following mitigation options are advised for organic mixed crop-dairy systems: (1) actions for increasing energy efficiency or fuel savings because they are beneficial in any case, (2) techniques improving efficiency of N management at field and farm levels because they affect not only N2O and NH3 emissions, but also nitrate leaching, and (3) biogas production through anaerobic digestion of manure because it is a promising efficient method to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, even if the profitability of this expensive investment needs to be carefully studied. Finally, the way the farmer implements the mitigation options, i.e. his practices, will be a determining factor in the reduction of greenhouse gas and NH3 emissions.
TL;DR: In this paper, the Tobit model was used to identify the factors that discourage or encourage the complete adoption of organic farming and to assess why farmers differ in the share of total cultivated crop area they allocate to organic practices.
Abstract: Using a sample of organic producers in Saskatchewan, Canada, this study uses a Tobit model to identify the factors that discourage or encourage the complete adoption of organic farming and to assess why farmers differ in the share of total cultivated crop area they allocate to organic practices. In particular, the study evaluates the effect of transaction costs on the decision to convert partially or completely from conventional to organic practices. The results highlight the importance of lowering certain transaction costs to encourage the adoption of organic management practices. Significant transaction costs were found to include infrastructure and services, satisfaction with marketer performance, marketing problems, and Internet use. Results suggest that farmers with smaller land holdings are more inclined to undertake complete adoption. While the education levels of organic farmers show no significant effect on the probability of adoption, younger organic farmers allocate significantly less of their cultivated area to organic practices.