Research - Teaching Integration in Agroecology and Organic Farming

Integration of research and teaching enhances the success of students in both areas, and contributes to preparation of graduates who are capable of handling the complexity of location-specific challenges in farming and food systems. A European Network of Organic Agriculture Teachers (ENOAT) convened a workshop in Italy in 2007 to explore the current state of integration and potentials for further developing this learning strategy in universities. We concluded that integration brings motivation to students and greater relevance to their learning environment, both key issues in providing success in the learning landscape

ENOAT – European Network of Organic Agriculture Teachers

Curriculum development for organic agriculture was the initial point of an Erasmus group of 7 universities from 1995 till 1998. The expansion of EU member states coincided with the growing interest of further member states to become part of this informal group of university teachers. Since some years the group of meanwhile 23 countries is named ENOAT and seeks to improve the inter university exchange of students and staff members, to encourage the dissemination and implementation of organic agriculture courses, to organize annual meeting including workshops on teaching methodology, and to organize summer courses on specific topics relevant for organic agriculture

Förderung multi-funktionaler Vorteile von Untersaat-Gemüse-Mischanbau

The multifunctionality of living mulch systems was the underlying research question for field trials with cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. convar. Botrytis) and leek (Allium porrum L.). Field trials were conducted at the Hessian Research Estate Frankenhausen over 3 years, parallel demonstration plots were established over 2 years on commercial pilot farms for entomological investigations in a big scale mode, plots of 1000 m². In all trials white clover (Trifolium repens L.) was used as a single species living mulch. In the years 2012 and 2013 the experimental design consisted of a 2-factorial approach for the test of 3 cultivars and the effect of additive and substitutive system for the establisment of living. The cultivars of cauliflower were Chambord F1, Belot F1, and White ball, of leek Herbstriesen Hannibal, Axima, and Catcher F1. For the substitutive system of living mulch each third row was replaced by clover with the potential of common weeding in the areas covered by vegetables. The establishment of clover took place between 4 weeks after planting or later. In 2014 a one year trial was added for the investigation of different sowing dates of living mulch, 2 and 4 weeks after planting, towards the performance of cauliflower and leek, cultivated with one cultivar. The two year pilot farm activities were located at two organic field vegetable farms in Northrhine-Westfalia, each site in one year. Crop yields were mainly influenced by the fact that the Substitutive system had a plant density which was 2/3 of the figures in control and Additive system. Therefore all figures found were significantly lower. Opposite to these findings the data referred to single crops showed an advantage for the Substitutive system. With regard to the second system tested the addition of clover into the vegetable system did not cause reductions of yields in any case. This was obvious on the levels of nutrient yields of the crops. The samples of pit fall traps were measured over a time span between August and midth of September in 2013 and midth of August till end of September in 2014. The estimates were done on a family level. The main groups were found at each site, in each crop as dominant: Carabidae >> Staphilinidae > Arachnidae. The abundance was significantly different on the species level according to Kruskal Wallis evaluations, statistical distinctions on the system could not be found due to small diffenrences and partly inconsistent results

Ertrag und Zuckergehalte bei Möhren nach Applikation der biologisch-dynamischen Präparate Hornmist und Hornkiesel in verschiedenen Umwelten

In 2002 and 2003 field experiments with organically grown carrots (cv. 'Rodelika') were performed to investigate effects of ridge vs. flat cultivation, nitrogen supply, EM application and biodynamic spray preparations on yield and sugar fractions. Particularly in the dry summer of 2003 ridge cultivated carrots produced lower yields than those from the flat system. In both years EMs resulted in higher yields; nitrogen fertilization (horn pellets) affected yields only in the first year. Biodynamic horn manure preparation decreased yields and increased glucose content of the carrots in 2003. In 2002 horn silica increased quantities of monosaccharides

Ökologische Landwirtschaft in den Neuen EU-Mitgliedstaaten - Ergebnisse einer Befragung zu Fruchtfolgesystemen und Nährstoffmanagement

Within the EU-Project CHANNEL a status quo-analysis on organic agriculture practice was made for all new member countries, including Romania and Bulgaria as new accession countires and Austria and Germany as old member countries. Rotational and nutrient management in crop husbandry was evaluted through ques-tionnaires answered by experts of each country. Examples of typical rotations were proved with regard to duration, share of legumes and distribution of legumes. 21 of 93 rotations were shorter than 4 years and seemed to be very susceptible to unavoidable phytosanitary and compatibility problems. 20 of 93 rotations only con-sisted of non-legumes. Correspondingly the complete N management of these rota-tional systems has to be organised through external N sources: (1) a weak point in terms of dependencies upon conventional systems (purchase of farm yard manure, organic fertilizers, etc.), (2) a weak point in terms of missing contribution of forage (grass-) legumes towards weed and humus management in the long-term perspective of organic rotations. The application of farm yard manure is common practice in most of the participating countries. The practice of mostly uncovered, unprotected manure heaps indicates another field of improvement in order to avoid excessive degradation of organic matter during storage and uncontrolled nutrient leaching. The use of fertilizers seems to be quite restricted in the partner countries. Although rotational management and the application of farm yard manure or composts can substantially contribute to nutrient balances there are still some nutrients that have to be considered separately: (1) environmental influences can cause increased Ca losses through leaching, (2) P and K have to be taken into account especially in rota-tions with a high share of root crops and other vegetables. The other fact is derived by the presented examples for crop rotations and the found necessity for external nutrient inputs which contains N in first priority, but other nutrients as well. 23 answers from 14 partner countries are hartly sufficient to reflect the described situation

Einfluss unterschiedlicher Konkurrenzverhältnisse beim Mischanbau von Som-mergerste und Erbse auf den Kornertrag, die Kornqualitäten und der symbiontischen N2-Fixierung

Field experiments with spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and field pea (Pisum sativum L.) were carried out in three subsequent growing seasons 2004 to 2006 at the Hessian State Estate Frankenhausen located near Kassel in Central Germany. Spring barley and field pea were sown out as sole crops and intercropped with different seed rates in replacement and additive design, using two sowing modes: row by row (IC) and mixed intercropping (MC). Intercropping (IC and MC) was able to increase grain yield in most of the treatments. The Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) was always higher than 1, indicating that plant growth factors were used more efficiently by the intercrop than by the sole crop. Besides, the N content in spring barley grain was increased by intercropping. The influence of the sowing mode was much less profound than that of the seed rate. The proportion of nitrogen derived from the atmosphere (% Ndfa) of peas was higher when cultivated together with spring barley

Pheromone glands in the click beetle genus Athous (Elateridae)

Sexualpheromone sind im gesamten Tierreich weit verbreitet. Vor allem Insekten nutzen diese Art der Partnerfindung. Im Vergleich zu vielen Insektenarten, bei welchen die Art der pheromonbildenden Drüsenzellen, ihre Lage im Körper sowie die chemische Zusammensetzung ihrer Pheromone identifiziert wurde (s. Review von Blomquist & Vogt 2003) ist bei Schnellkäfern (Elateridae) noch sehr wenig bekannt. Die verschiedenen mitteleuropäischen Schnellkäferarten lassen sich anhand ihrer Pheromonspeicherung in zwei unterschiedliche Gruppen unterteilen. Die Weibchen der Unterfamilie Elaterinae, besitzen im letzten von außen sichtbaren Abdominalsegment ein paariges Drüsenreservoir in welchem das produzierte Sexualpheromon gespeichert wird. Im Gegensatz dazu fehlt bei den Weibchen der übrigen Unterfamilien ein solches Pheromonreservoir und es ist unklar, wo bei diesen Arten die Pheromone produziert werden. Beobachtungen von Ivastschenko & Adamenko (1980) deuten darauf hin, dass sich bei diesen Arten die pheromonproduzierenden Zellen im Bereich der Intersegmentalmembran zwischen dem Abdominalsegment VIII und IX befinden. Um zu klären, ob die Pheromondrüsen tatsächlich in diesem Bereich zu finden sind, wurden im Rahmen der vorliegenden Arbeit die Intersegmentalmembranen bei Weibchen und Männchen von Athous haemorrhoidalis und A. subfuscus auf mögliche Drüsenzellvorkommen untersucht.Although it is well known, that click beetles (Elateridae) use pheromones to find their mating partners, only from 10 out of approximately 170 Elateridae species in Central Europe sexual pheromones have been identified. This was successful only with members of the subfamily Elaterinae, where females have an adenoid pheromone reservoir in the abdominal tip. However, all other subfamilies which represent the majority of all Central European click beetle species do not posses such a reservoir. In this study we examine the hypothesis that in these species pheromone glands have no reservoir and are situated on the intersegmental membrane between the 8th and 9th abdominal segment. Using REM, a large number of type III gland cells were found in this area in females of Athous haemorrhoidalis und A. subfuscus. In males these glands are absent. Together with literature data this strongly suggests that these glandular structures represent the source of the sexual pheromones in the genus Athous

LEAFSE – Lernen durch (Studenten-)Austausch – Landwirtschaft-Nahrungskette-Umwelt

The LEAFSE project is the first EU sponsored joint venture project between four European and four Australian universities. It is funded for three years (2003 to 2005) and enables the exchange of 36 students from each continent. The umbrella subject of the project covers agriculture-food systems-environment. Experiential learning is the special focus for all students that are linked together through video-conference tools

Umsatz und Wirkung vegetabiler Düngemittel im Ökologischen Gemüseanbau

In diesem Projekt sollten verschiedene vegetabile Düngemittel hinsichtlich ihrer Stickstoff-Düngewirkung im ökologischen Gemüseanbau als Alternative zu organischen Düngemitteln tierischer Herkunft untersucht werden. Folgende Düngemittel wurden untersucht: (1) In Inkubationsversuchen bei 5 und 15°C Ackerbohnenschrot (Vicia faba L., Körnerschrot), Körnerschrote der Gelben und der Weißen Lupine (Lupinus albus L. und Lupinus luteus L.), Bio-Vegetal®, Phytoperls®, Rizinusschrot (Ricinus communis L., Körnerschrot) als gebräuchlicher vegetabiler Importdünger und Hornmehl als Referenzdünger tierischer Herkunft; (2) in Gefäßversuchen Ackerbohnenschrot, Körnerschrot der Gelben Lupine, Phytoperls®, Rizinusschrot und Hornmehl; (3) in Feldversuchen Ackerbohnenschrot, Körnerschrot der Gelben Lupine, Phytoperl® und Rizinusschrot. Die untersuchten Kulturen im Gefäß- und Feldversuch waren Radieschen (Raphanus sativus L. var. sativus), Möhren (Daucus carota L. ssp. sativus) und Weißkohl (Brassica oleracea convar. Capitata) (nur Feldversuch). Bio-Vegetal® ist wegen seines extrem niedrigen Kohlenstoff/Stickstoff-Verhältnisses und seiner sehr schnellen Stickstoff-Mineralisation nicht als geeignetes organisches Düngemittel im Sinne der Richtlinien des ökologischen Landbaus einzustufen. Hornmehl erwies sich bei mittleren Temperaturen als Dünger mit höchster Wirksamkeit. Rizinusschrot wird in seiner Stickstoff-Düngewirkung vom Körnerschrot der Gelbe Lupine nahezu erreicht, mit unter sogar übertroffen. Insbesondere im zeitigen Frühjahr mit seinen niedrigen Temperaturen ist die Düngewirkung des Körnerschrots der Gelben Lupine gleich wie oder sogar höher als die Düngewirkung verglichen zu anderen vegetabilen Düngemittel. Selbst im Vergleich zu Hornmehl ist bei niedrigen Temperaturen mit einer ähnliche Netto-Stickstoff-Mineralisation zu rechnen. Ackerbohnenschrot und Phytoperls® schnitten hinsichtlich der N-Düngewirkung schlechter ab als die Körnerschrote der Lupinen und als Rizinuschrot. Leicht umsetzbare vegetabile Düngemittel können den Humusumsatz im Boden vorübergehend deutlich erhöhen (sog. Priming-Effekt). Bei häufiger Anwendung dieser Dünger sollte der Humusgehalt am Standort deshalb regelmäßig in Bodenuntersuchungen mit einbezogen werden. Bis über 50 % des Dünger-Stickstoffs können nach der Ernte als mineralischer Stickstoff oder in leicht mineralisierbarer organischer Form auf dem Acker zurückbleiben. Dieser Dünger-Stickstoff sollte durch eine Zweitkultur oder Zwischenfrucht genutzt werden. Anderenfalls besteht Auswaschungsgefahr, was ökologisch und ökonomisch bedenklich ist

Vegetabile Düngemittel: I. N-Umsatz im Boden bei Inkubationsexperimenten und in Feldversuchen

Incubation and field experiments were carried out with a range of plant derived fertilisers. It could be shown that plant derived fertilisers, especially legume seed meals, have the potential to substitute common fast mineralising fertilisers such as horn meal