3629: Produktequalität von Weizen und Nachhaltigkeit der Produktion bei ökologischer und konventioneller Bewirtschaftung (DOK-Versuch) [Wheat quality and sustainability in organic and conventional farming systems (DOK trial)]

Mäder, Paul and Dubois, David (2005) Produktequalität von Weizen und Nachhaltigkeit der Produktion bei ökologischer und konventioneller Bewirtschaftung (DOK-Versuch) [Wheat quality and sustainability in organic and conventional farming systems (DOK trial)]. Paper presented at 8. Wissenschaftstagung Ökologischer Landbau – Ende der Nische, Kassel, 01.03.2005 - 04.03.2005.

Summary

Consumers have become more aware of healthy and safe food produced with low environmental impact. We studied the quality of wheat (Triticum aestivum L., winter form) grown in a 21-year agro-system comparison between organic and conventional farming in Central Europe, known as the DOK experiment.
The 71% lower addition by plant available nitrogen to the organic field plots led to 14% lower wheat yields. However, the nutritional value, i.e. protein content and baking quality, were hardly affected by the farming systems. Despite exclusion of fungicides from the organic production systems, the quantities of mycotoxins detected in wheat grains did not differ. Food preference tests, as an integrative method, indicated a tendency for rats to prefer organically produced wheat over conventionally produced wheat.

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