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.

Nitrate leaching from organic arable crop rotations : effects of location, manure and catch crop

Abstract: Nitrate leaching from crop rotations supporting organic grain production was investigated from 1997 to 2000 in a field experiment at three locations in Denmark on different soil types. Three experimental factors were included in the experiment in a factorial design: (1) proportion of N2-fixing crops in the rotation (crop rotation), (2) catch crop (with and without), and (3) manure (with and without). Three, four-course rotations were compared, two at each location. The nitrate leaching was measured using ceramic suction cells. Leaching losses from the crop rotation with grass–clover green manure and without catch crops were 104, 54 and 35 kgNha21 yr21 on the coarse sand, the loamy sand, and the sandy loam, respectively. There was no effect of manure application or time of ploughing-in the grass–clover green manure crop on the accumulated nitrate leaching from the entire rotation. Catch crops reduced nitrate leaching significantly, by 30–38%, on the sandy soils. At all locations catch crops reduced the annual averaged nitrate concentration to meet drinking water quality standards in the crop rotation with green manure. On the coarse sand there was a time lag between the onset of drainage and the start of N-uptake by the catch crop.

The World of Organic Agriculture 2005 - Statistics and Emerging Trends

Abstract: According to the study, currently more than 26 million hectares of farmland are under organic management worldwide. This is more than two million hectares more than in the previous year. In terms of organic land, Australia leads pack with 11.3 million hectares, followed by Argentina (2.8 million hectares) and Italy with more than one million hectares. Regarding the share of organic farmland in comparison with the total agricultural area, Austria, Switzerland and Scandinavian countries lead the way. In Switzerland for example more ten percent of the agricultural land is managed organically. In 2003, the market value of organic products worldwide reached 25 billion US$, the largest share of organic products being marketed in Europe and North America. For the upcoming years.

Mineralizable soil nitrogen and labile soil organic matter in diverse long-term cropping systems

Abstract: Sustainable soil fertility management depends on long-term integrated strategies that build and maintain soil organic matter and mineralizable soil N levels. These strategies increase the portion of crop N needs met by soil N and reduce dependence on external N inputs required for crop production. To better understand the impact of management on soil N dynamics, we conducted field and laboratory research on five diverse management systems at a long-term study in Maryland, the USDA- Agricultural Research Service Beltsville Farming Systems Project (FSP). The FSP is comprised of a conventional no-till corn (Zea mays L.)–soybean (Glycine max L.)–wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)/double-crop soybean rotation (NT), a conventional chisel-till corn–soybean–wheat/soybean rotation (CT), a 2 year organic corn–soybean rotation (Org2), a 3 year organic corn–soybean–wheat rotation (Org3), and a 6 year organic corn–soybean–wheat–alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) (3 years) rotation (Org6). We found that total potentially mineralizable N in organic systems (average 315 kg N ha−1) was significantly greater than the conventional systems (average 235 kg N ha−1). Particulate organic matter (POM)–C and –N also tended to be greater in organic than conventional cropping systems. Average corn yield and N uptake from unamended (minus N) field microplots were 40 and 48%, respectively, greater in organic than conventional grain cropping systems. Among the three organic systems, all measures of N availability tended to increase with increasing frequency of manure application and crop rotation length (Org2 < Org3 ≤ Org6) while most measures were similar between NT and CT. Our results demonstrate that organic soil fertility management increases soil N availability by increasing labile soil organic matter. Relatively high levels of mineralizable soil N must be considered when developing soil fertility management plans for organic systems.

Impact of seaweeds on agricultural crop production as biofertilizer

Abstract: Seaweeds or marine macroalgae are rich in diverse compounds like lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, phytohormones, amino acids, osmoprotectants, antimicrobial compounds and minerals. Their potential for agricultural applications is used since antiquity, but recent demands of organic farming and organic food stimulated much the application of organic treatments like seaweed extracts in agriculture. The benefits of seaweeds application in agricultural field are numerous and diverse such as stimulation of seed germination, enhancement of health and growth of plants namely shoot and root elongation, improved water and nutrient uptake, frost and saline resistance, biocontrol and resistance toward phytopathogenic organisms, remediation of pollutants of contaminated soil and fertilization. In this review, scientific progress in this field was collected and critically assessed to lay grounds for further investigations and applications.