4213: Effect of annual self-reseeding legumes on subsequent crops in organic rotation programme
(2005) Effect of annual self-reseeding legumes on subsequent crops in organic rotation programme. Paper presented at Researching Sustainable Systems - International Scientific Conference on Organic Agriculture, Adelaide, Australia, September 21-23, 2005.
Full text available as: |
Summary
Soil fertility management is a critical issue in organic agriculture, and nitrogen supply is the most important aspect, especially in the Mediterranean region. Biological nitrogen fixation by legumes seems to be a successful strategy in that nitrogen-fixing legumes can provide most of the nitrogen used in Mediterranean agriculture in a form not readily leached. According to Pimentel et al., 1992, in the U.S., an estimated $50 billion worth of nitrogen is provided by biological N fixation. Thus, the inputs of nitrogen into Mediterranean agricultural systems by biological fixation in nodulated legumes are fundamental to obtain sustainable and economic production.
This study aimed at evaluating the impact of annual self-reseeding legumes on subsequent crops performances in a rotation programme in organic farming.
15 cultivars of annual self-reseeding legumes belonging to the genera Trifolium, Medicago, Ornithopus and Biserrula were grown over two cropping cycles as green manures followed by lettuce and corn.
All legume treatments had significant positive effects on both subsequent crops.. In fact, marketable yield of lettuce increased an average of 55% over the control and yield of maize grain was an average of 15% over the control. Medicago sphaerocarpa cv Orion, Trifolium subterraneum cv York, T. glanduliferum cv Prima, and T. spumosum cv WCT36 gave the best results with both crops.
| Document Language: | English |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | Biological nitrogen fixation, annual self-reseeding legumes, nitrogen uptake, rotation programme, green manure, organic agriculture, Mediterranean region and climate. |
| Subject Areas: | Crop husbandry > Production systems > Cereals, pulses and oilseeds |
| Research affiliation: | International Conferences > ISOFAR conferences > Researching Sustainable Systems 2005 |
| Total budget (Euro): | 0 |
| Orgprints ID Number: | 4213 |
| Contact: | ISOFAR, |
| Deposited On: | 10 October 2005 |
| EPrint Type: | Conference paper |
| Published?: | Unpublished |
| Peer Review Status: | Peer-reviewed and accepted |
| Additional Publishing Information: | The paper presented here is the final paper submitted by the authors to the conference Researching Sustainable Systems. The final edited papers are available with the following publication: Köpke, Ulrich; Niggli, Urs; Neuhoff, Daniel; Cornish, Peter; Lockeretz, Willie und Willer, Helga, (Hrsg.) (2005) Researching Sustainable Systems. Proceedings of the First Scientific Conference of the International Society of Organic Agriculture Research (ISOFAR), Held in Cooperation with the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) and the National Association for Sustainable Agriculture, Australia (NASAA), 21 – 23 September 2005, Adelaide Convention Centre, Adelaide, South Australia.. Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL, CH-Frick, and International Society of Organic Agriculture Research (ISOFAR), c/o Institute of Organic Agriculture (IOL), DE-University of Bonn. http://orgprints.org/4013/ Distribution: Paper copies may be ordered from FiBL at a cost of 28 Euros plus mailing costs (see FiBL shop at http://www.fibl.org/shop); FiBL order number 1394. A PDF version is available free of charge for ISOFAR members via the member area of www.isofar.org. |
| Related Links: | http://orgprints.org/4013/, http://www.isofar.org/adelaide2005, http://orgprints.org/view/projects/int-conf-isofar-2005.html |
Archive Staff Only: edit this record
