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Collaborative Project: Development of new strategies to increase and optimize the use of soil fertility
Project
Project code: 2808OE020
Contract period: 01.06.2008
- 30.11.2011
Budget: 145,569 Euro
Purpose of research: Applied research
Strategies to improve the performance of organic grain legumes (faba bean and pea) were tested in numerous field trials all over Germany. The key objectives were to evaluate the effect of reduced soil tillage / occasional direct seeding in combination with mulching, cover crops and nutrient supply on crop growth and yield. After reduced soil tillage / direct seeding compared with ploughing crop growth of faba bean and pea was retarded, but compensated in later stages. In the majority of the field trials, when densities of perennial weeds were low, grain yield of faba bean was not higher after ploughing compared with the reduced tillage methods. Nutrient deficiency, e.g. of sulphur, can be a yield limiting factor for faba bean and can be resolved by DRIS based nutrient supply. Non-leguminous cover crops increase net N2 fixation of faba bean. Site specific techniques of reduced soil tillage for faba bean, e.g. straw mulching, are generally possible, if weed pressure of perennials is low. In contrast, reduced soil tillage such as direct direct seeding significantly increases the risk of cultivation for pea.
Section overview
Subjects
- Crop Production
- Soil science
- Organic Farming
