home    about    browse    search    latest    help 
Login | Create Account

2004 Cereals reveal an intriguing surprise: the performance of cereals on organic farms

Wolfe, Martin and Hinchsliffe, Kay (2005) 2004 Cereals reveal an intriguing surprise: the performance of cereals on organic farms. Elm Farm Research Centre Bulletin, 2005 (76), pp. 5-8.

[thumbnail of 4186.pdf] PDF - English
234kB


Summary

The great variability in the performance of cereals on organic farms that we have highlighted from past research trials has been confirmed in a new and more widely based trial. Participation from 20 producers gives the results a robust character and has enabled us to spot something we had not previously noted. EFRC researchers Prof Martin Wolfe AND Kay Hinchsliffe set out the results.
Introduction
EFRC is currently working on a Defra-funded project designed to use participatory research and development methodology, and is conducted on sites across the country with the participation of 20 farmers, seed producers and more than 10 researchers (EFRC, NIAB, Middlesex University, University of Kingston & HDRA). The idea is to integrate the contributions of different stakeholders into developing a robust system for identifying, testing, multiplying and marketing cereal varieties, lines, mixtures, and populations best suited to organic production in different parts of the country .
Three high quality winter wheat varieties, Hereward, Solstice and Xi 19 and their mixture, were selected for the trial based on their performance in previous years’ replicated variety trials. Participating farmers drilled each variety in strips (total area of 1/10 ha) surrounded by their own winter wheat crop. This article summarises data from the first year of field trials (2003-4); since this is the first year they should be treated with caution. The trial is being repeated and has already been planted by essentially the same group of participating farmers.


EPrint Type:Newspaper or magazine article
Keywords:organic cereals; participation; research and development methodology; research trials; yields; varieties; site variation;
Subjects: Knowledge management > Research methodology and philosophy > Systems research and participatory research
Crop husbandry > Crop combinations and interactions
Crop husbandry > Production systems > Cereals, pulses and oilseeds
Crop husbandry > Breeding, genetics and propagation
Research affiliation: UK > Organic Research Centre (ORC)
Deposited By: Woodward, Lawrence
ID Code:4186
Deposited On:19 Jan 2005
Last Modified:12 Apr 2010 07:30
Document Language:English
Status:Published
Refereed:Not peer-reviewed

Repository Staff Only: item control page

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

View more statistics