Topic
Organic farming
About: Organic farming is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 7254 publications have been published within this topic receiving 138030 citations. The topic is also known as: pertanian organik & organic farming.
Papers published on a yearly basis
Papers
More filters
TL;DR: An interaction between potential yield and farming system indicates that other growth factors, possibly nutrients, are limiting the yields on organic farms more than on conventional farms.
Abstract: Knowledge of differences between organic and conventional crop yields is of interest for farmers, advisors, politicians, and research scientists. Based on collected data from Danish organic and conventional mixed dairy farms the yield difference was estimated to be 21–37% in grain crops and 12–18% in fodder beets and grass/clover depending on climatic conditions and soil type. A method is presented to correct for the influence of year and geographic differences using crop and farm-specific simulated potential yields as regression variables in a linear statistical model. An interaction between potential yield and farming system indicates that other growth factors, possibly nutrients, are limiting the yields on organic farms more than on conventional farms. The results might facilitate modelling and evaluation of economics and energetics of organic farming at the crop and farm level.
56 citations
TL;DR: It was concluded that to improve yields in this organic farming system it was more important to avoid soil compaction than to increase the manure rate or to choose one specific manure treatment method.
56 citations
TL;DR: The complex network of interactions between herbivores and parasitoids is mapped to examine the relationship between parasitoid species richness, functional group diversity and the provision of natural pest control services and it was found that the different habitats that make up each farm do not contribute equally to parasitoidal species diversity.
Abstract: Recent declines in biodiversity have increased interest in the link between biodiversity and the provision and sustainability of ecosystem services across space and time. We mapped the complex network of interactions between herbivores and parasitoids to examine the relationship between parasitoid species richness, functional group diversity and the provision of natural pest control services. Quantitative food webs were constructed for 10 organic and 10 conventional farms. Parasitoid species richness varied from 26 to 58 species and we found a significant positive relationship between parasitoid species richness and temporal stability in parasitism rates. Higher species richness was associated with lower variation in parasitism rate. A functional group analysis showed significantly greater parasitoid species complementarity on organic farms, with on average more species in each functional group. We simulated parasitoid removal to predict whether organic farms experienced greater robustness of parasitism in the face of local extinctions. This analysis showed no consistent differences between the organic and conventional farm pairs in terms of loss of pest control service. Finally, it was found that the different habitats that make up each farm do not contribute equally to parasitoid species diversity, and that hedgerows produced more parasitoid species, significantly more so on organic farms.
55 citations
TL;DR: The authors found that despite the apparent ease of converting to organic farming from low input practice, formal conversion to organic Farming was not the automatic outcome of this trajectory: instead, organic farming was identified as only one of a number of options for increasing the financial viability of the farming operation, which included other niche markets, pluriactivity and contracting land to and from other farmers.
55 citations
TL;DR: The environmental effects of organic farming in Australia is reviewed, with particular reference to Australia but using some international experience as well as findings from other ‘alternative’ farming systems where appropriate.
Abstract: This paper reviews the environmental effects of organic farming, with particular reference to Australia but using some international experience as well as findings from other ‘alternative’ farming systems where appropriate. Beneficial environmental effects include positive changes to soil physical, biological and chemical properties in comparison with some adverse effects associated with conventional agriculture. Other benefits are linked to the opportunities provided to recycle organic wastes, the reduced use of synthetic chemicals, improvements to plant and animal quality, reductions in erosion and runoff, and potential improvements to the serious problems of soil and water salinity and the loss and deterioration of ecosystems. However, there are also some adverse environmental effects which may accompany organic farming methods. They include diminishing soil fertility through the run-down of some soil nutrients, possible increases in soil acidity, contaminants associated with the use of some m...
55 citations