Ausgewählte Parameter der Ökoeffizienz im ökologischen und konventionellen Marktfruchtbau Schleswig-Holsteins

Summary

Approximately 13 % of the total greenhouse gas emissions in Germany are caused by agricultural practices. From an environmental and economic point of view, gaseous N losses as well as nitrate leaching to groundwater play, a significant role. The aim of the present study is to analyze abiotic environmental effects of organic and conventional all-arable farming at a highly productive site in Northern Germany. Two different organic crop rotations with 25% vs. 40% legumes and no application of external N-fertilizers were compared over a two-year period to a typical site specific conventional rotation at an average mineral fertilser input of 195 kg N ha-1 a-1. For gas flux measurement, the closed-chamber method was applied. Nitrate leaching was measured by using ceramic suction cups. The results of the ongoing project show that organic farming can implement the objectives of water- and climate protection in the area more effectively than conventional systems. By trend, the GHG emissions of the organic crop rotations were lower, both per hectare and per unit of product. While for the organic systems nitrate leaching per hectare was lower, higher values were detected when using the product unit as a scale for comparisons.