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.

Biological Properties of Soil as Influenced by Different Organic Manures

Abstract: A field experiment was conducted during December - May (2003-2004) with tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum. Mill) Var, PKM 1 as a test crop in Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai to study the influence of different organic N sources viz, FYM, Vermicompost and coir pith compost with bioferilizers on the soil physical properties, nutrient availability and biological properties. Based on N content of the organic N sources on dry weight basis, the quantity required for the substitution of recommended doses at 50, 75 and 100 per cent level worked out and applied along with 2 kg azospirillum. Application different organics with azospirillum favorably influence the soil physical, chemical and biological environment such as bulk density, water holding capacity, organic carbon, available nitrogen, beneficial bacterial and fungal population over the inorganics alone applied plot. Among the different organic N sources the application 75 per cent Vermicompost with azospirillum was found to be superior in improving soil health over the other treatments. The above finding revealed that organic farming would able to sustain the soil fertility for a longer period by meeting the demands of present and future generation.

The β‐diversity of arable weed communities on organic and conventional cereal farms in two contrasting regions

Abstract: Questions Do diversity components (α, β and γ) differ across contrasting regions? What is the relative contribution of organic and conventional farming practices to the structuring of arable weed species diversity and different functional groups (legumes, grasses and broad-leaves)? To what extent do arable weed communities differ between regions and farming systems (organic vs conventional)? Location Twenty-six farms in total in northeast Spain (Catalonia) and north Germany (Lower Saxony). Methods We examined the weed flora in paired organic and conventional farms at each locality and assessed diversity components by additive partitioning of species richness (α, β and γ). Results The weed species composition differed greatly between the two regions. Only 18 of 135 arable weed species were shared. The α-, β- and γ-diversity of all functional groups was significantly higher under organic farming practices for both regions, indicating an increasing homogenization of local communities by agricultural intensification within each region. β-diversity contributed most to the total observed species richness in both regions (69.8% and 35.8% on organic and conventional farms, respectively, in Catalonia; and 62.4% and 53.0% on organic and conventional farms, respectively, in Lower Saxony). These results demonstrate the great importance of environmental heterogeneity and of farm-specific differences in agricultural practices for the richness of arable weed species. Conclusions Regardless of the substantial differences in arable weed community composition across regions, our study emphasizes the great importance of organic farming for arable weed species richness. Understanding the patterns and causes of the dissimilarity of local communities appears to be a key factor for species conservation and the development of effective European-wide agri-environmental schemes at landscape and regional scales. This approach is in contrast to current nature conservation practices that are restricted primarily to local (field- and farm-scale) implementation.

Increased weed diversity, density and above-ground biomass in long-term organic crop rotations

Abstract: While weed management is consistently a top priority among farmers, there is also growing concern for the conservation of biodiversity. Maintaining diverse weed communities below bioeconomic thresholds may provide ecosystem services for the crop and the surrounding ecosystem. This study was conducted to determine if weed diversity, density and biomass differ within and among organic and conventional crop rotations. In 2007 and 2008, we sampled weed communities in four long-term crop rotations near Mead, Nebraska using seedbank analyses (elutriation and greenhouse emergence) and above-ground biomass sampling. Two conventional crop rotations consisted of a corn (Zea mays) or sorghum (Sorghum bicolor)–soybean (Glycine max)–sorghum or corn–soybean sequence and a diversified corn or sorghum–sorghum or corn– soybean–wheat (Triticum aestivum) sequence. Two organic rotations consisted of an animal manure-based soybean–corn or sorghum–soybean–wheat sequence and a green manure-based alfalfa (Medicago sativa)–alfalfa–corn or sorghum–wheat sequence. Species diversity of the weed seedbank and the above-ground weed community, as determined by the Shannon diversity index, were greatest in the organic green manure rotation. Averaged across all sampling methods and years, the weed diversity index of the organic green manure rotation was 1.07, followed by the organic animal manure (0.78), diversified conventional (0.76) and conventional (0.66) rotations. The broadleaf weed seedbank density in the tillage layer of the organic animal manure rotation was 1.4r, 3.1r and 5.1r greater than the organic green manure, diversified conventional and conventional rotations, respectively. The grass weed seedbank density in the tillage layer of the organic green manure rotation was 2.0r, 6.1r and 6.4r greater than the organic animal manure, diversified conventional and conventional rotations, respectively. The above-ground weed biomass was generally greatest in the organic rotations. The broadleaf weed biomass in sorghum and wheat did not differ between organic and conventional rotations (CRs), but grass weed biomass was greater in organic compared to CRs for all crops. The above-ground weed biomass did not differ within CRs, and within organic rotations the grass weed biomass was generally greatest in the organic green manure rotation. The weed seedbank and above-ground weed communities that have accumulated in these rotations throughout the experiment suggest a need for greater management in long-term organic rotations that primarily include annual crops. However, results suggest that including a perennial forage crop in organic rotations may reduce broadleaf weed seedbank populations and increase weed diversity.

Nutrient Supply in Organic Agriculture – Plant Availability, Sources and Recycling

Abstract: This chapter examines the practice of applying nutrients in organic or slowly soluble inorganic form in the belief that plants will obtain balanced nutrition through the actions of soil microbes. The organic principle of only fertilising the soil and not directly feeding the crop with water-soluble nutrients has no support in science. The release of organically bound nutrients in soil through biological activity is not necessarily synchronised with crop demands and occurs even at times when there is no crop growth. Changes in the soil biological community do not overcome this limitation. Despite the ideal of organic agriculture being self-sustaining through cycling of nutrients, in principle only on-farm wastes are recycled and most municipal wastes are excluded due to concerns about pollutants and philosophical views on life (biodynamic agriculture). Nutrient supply in European organic agriculture is mainly covered through purchase of straw, manure and fodder from conventional agriculture and by-products from the food industry. Untreated minerals seem to play a minor role. The fertility of agricultural soils can only be maintained over the long-term if plant nutrients removed are replaced with equivalent amounts and if added sources have a higher solubility than those present in the soil. These conditions are in most cases not fulfilled in organic agriculture. It can thus be concluded that the naturalness of nutrient sources is no guarantee of superior quality and that promotion of organic principles does not improve the supply and recycling of nutrients but excludes other more effective solutions for nutrient use in agricultural systems.