?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=Bundesprogramm+%C3%83%C2%96kologischer+Landbau+(B%C3%83%C2%96L)%3A+Pflanze&rft.subject=+Crop+husbandry&rft.description=The+Federal+Organic+Farming+Scheme+(FOFS)%0D%0AThis+scheme+is+a+temporary+funding+source+(2002+%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%93+2007%2F2008)+especially+to+support+the+whole+organic+farming+sector+(incl.+research)+in+Germany.++In+the+summer+of+2001%2C+the+Federal+Ministry+of+Consumer+Protection%2C+Food+and+Agriculture+commissioned+a+project+team+comprised+of+representatives+from+associations+and+science+and+headed+by+the+Federal+Agricultural+Research+Centre+to+develop+a+proposal+for+a+package+of+measures+to+foster+organic+farming+in+Germany.+A+hearing+of+representatives+from+trade+and+industry%2C+associations%2C+consultancy%2C+science+and+administration+laid+the+foundation+for+the+team's+work.+Based+on+this+work%2C+the+Federal+Minister+of+Consumer+Protection%2C+Food+and+Agriculture+Renate+K%C3%83%C2%BCnast+decided+to+incorporate+the+proposed+measures+into+the+Federal+Organic+Farming+Scheme+(FOFS)+to+translate+them+into+practice.+This+scheme+supplements+existing+support+measures+with+the+aim+of+improving+the+basic+conditions+necessary+for+expanding+organic+farming.+At+the+same+time%2C+it+strives+to+increase+supply+and+demand+on+a+balanced%2C+sustainable+basis.+These+measures+tackle+all+levels+of+organic+farming%2C+from+the+production+to+the+consumption+of+organically+produced+food.+Plans+include+training+and+information+measures.+Emphasis+is+also+being+placed+on+research+promotion%2C+the+development+of+new+technologies+and+steps+to+translate+research+findings+into+practice.+Currently+the+FOFS+is+the+main+pool+of+the+BMVEL+for+organic+research+funding.%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0ASubject+area+Plants+%2F+Crop+Husbandry%0D%0AProjects+on+crop+husbandry+are+generally+over-represented+within+the+German+Federal+Organic+Farming+Scheme.+The+structure+of+the+German+research+system+in+organic+agriculture+is+responsible+for+this%3A+research+capacities+for+crop+production+are+much+larger+than+in+other+areas%2C+such+as+animal+husbandry+and+food+research.+The+main+cause+for+this+imbalance+can+be+seen+in+the+fact+that+organic+farming+developed+as+an+alternative%2C+especially+to+conventional+plant+production.+%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0AThe+main+themes+within+the+research+area+of+plants+%2F+crop+production%0D%0A%0D%0A1)+Plant+protection+and+plant+breeding%0D%0AUnder+the+given+economic+conditions%2C+there+is+a+need+for+the+plant+production+in+Germany+to+rationalise+the+measures+for+soil+cultivation+up+to+crop+harvest.+The+growing+demand+for+products+of+consistent+and+high+quality+with+a+constant+availability+can+only+be+fulfilled+by+organic+farmers%2C+if+their+stock+is+healthy+and+if+they+can+achieve+high+yields.%0D%0AHence%2C+questions+concerning+plant+health+and+safety+are+of+main+importance.+This+was+reflected+by+the+fact+that+from+a+total+of+about+180+projects%2C+50+were+dedicated+to+organic+plant+protection+.%0D%0AThe+use+of+chemical+pesticides+as+applied+in+conventional+farming+is+forbidden+in+organic+agriculture.+Conventional+pesticides+treat+plants+symptom-oriented%2C+while+organic+agriculture+works+system-oriented.+This+systemic+view+includes+soil+cultivation%2C+crop+rotation%2C+the+use+of+disease-resistant+varieties+and+the+specific+application+of+biological+pesticides%2C+up+to+the+appropriate+living+conditions+for+beneficial+insects.%0D%0AThe+projects+of+the+Federal+Scheme+try+to+meet+these+challenges.+Therefore%2C+several+projects+were+initiated+in+the+field+of+plant+breeding.+These+dealt+with+breeding+of+resistant+crops%2C+such+as+wheat+and+fruits.+Furthermore%2C+one+project+addresses+the+issue%2C+to+what+extent+organic+wheat+varieties+need+a+special+and+modified+licensing+procedure%2C+which+is+to+be+established+deviant+from+conventional+testing+parameters.%0D%0APlant+protection+in+organic+agriculture+is+far+more+complex+than+in+conventional+agriculture.+Thus%2C+its+needs+to+be+system-oriented+(see+above).+Nevertheless%2C+it+is+important+that+single+measures+need+to+be+effective.+This+means+that+also+biological+plant+protection+preparations+have+to+be+reliable+in+their+effect.+If+this+is+not+the+case%2C+then+they+are+unable+to+fulfil+their+duty+in+context+of+soil+cultivation%2C+crop+rotation+and+selection+of+crop+variety.%0D%0AMany+projects+of+the+Federal+Organic+Farming+Scheme+are+devoted+to+the+research+of+active+ingredients%2C+their+formulations+in+different+concentrations%2C+their+compositions%2C+etc.+Highly+qualified+scientists+work+in+such+projects.+Based+on+their+research+topic%2C+the+scientists+have+to+analyse+and+solve+relatively+isolated+research+questions.+The+research+results+that+were+presented+in+October+2003+and+November+2004%2C+showed+that+this+can+constitute+a+danger%3A+The+clarification+of+chemical+interrelations+should+not+lead+to+the+systematic+approach+of+organic+plant+protection+to+get+lost.+Plant+protection+in+organic+farming+should+not+be+a+simple+substitution+of+conventional+methods.+The+results+of+single+research+questions+should+be+re-included+into+the+overall+context+of+the+biological+cultivation+system+and+also+include+existing+practical+experiences.%0D%0AThe+example+of+plant+protection+makes+it+quite+clear%2C+how+important+and+equally+difficult+it+is+to+fill+the+requirement+of+interdisciplinary+and+transdisciplinary+research+with+life.%0D%0AA+special+problem+within+organic+plant+protection+is+the+intensive+use+of+the+heavy+metal+copper.+At+present%2C+there+is+no+alternative+available.+Nevertheless%2C+there+are+several+projects+in+viticulture+and+potato+cultivation+that+deal+with+the+following+aspects%3A+which+kind+of+formulation+will+reduce+the+copper+concentration+in+the+applied+medium%2C+what+kind+of+cropping+measures+will+help+avoid+the+use+of+copper+and+which+active+substance+can+replace+copper+in+the+long-term.+%0D%0A%0D%0A2)+Plant+strengthening+preparations%0D%0AThe+organic+pesticides+available+on+the+German+market+are+subject+to+great+dynamism.+A+large+amount+of+preparations%2C+as+well+as+small+manufacturers+that+are+sometimes+unable+to+keep+up+on+the+market%2C+are+responsible+for+this.+Furthermore%2C+there+is+a+category+in+Germany+called+%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%9Cplant+strengthening+preparations%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%9D%2C+which+are+subject+to+a+simplified+licensing+procedure.+This+category+does+not+exist+in+all+European+countries.+Therefore%2C+it+is+difficult+for+the+farmers+to+choose+the+appropriate+preparation+for+their+crops+and+their+cultivation.+In+order+to+improve+this+situation+a+project++was+started%2C+which+provides+a+list+containing+all+relevant+information+about+plant+strengthening+preparations+and+other+inputs+available+on+the+market%2C+their+components%2C+their+effect+as+defined+by+the+manufacturer%2C+as+well+as+independent+research+results.+This+input+list+is+continuously+updated.+Thus+the+farmer+and+the+advisor+have+a+transparent+overview+of+all+currently+available+preparations+and+their+usability.%0D%0AFurthermore%2C+the+development+of+improved+mechanised+repelling+methods+against+thistle+(Cirsium+arvense+(L.)+Scop)+and+dock+varieties+(Rumex+spp.)%2C+as+well+as+the+use+of+developed+prototypes%2C+was+subject+of+projects+within+the+Federal+Scheme.%0D%0A%0D%0A3)+Plant+nutrition%0D%0AOrganic+crop+production+refrains+from+using+supplemental+mineral+fertiliser%2C+as+its+availability+for+the+plant+is+quite+predictable.+The+management+within+a+closed+cycle+and+the+use+of+organic+fertilisers+is+the+basis+for+plant+nutrition+in+organic+agriculture.%0D%0ADue+to+increasing+specialisation%2C+organic+farming+has+to+deal+with+a+growing+number+of+farms+operating+with+low+or+without+any+animals.+Therefore%2C+fertiliser+from+animal+husbandry+is+hardly+available+to+these+farms.+They+have+to+focus+on+organic+fertilisers+of+plant+origin%2C+and+on+the+design+of+a+sustainable+crop+rotation.+These+issues+are+taken+up+by+the+Federal+Scheme%3A+e.g.+reasons+for+a+depression+in+harvest+and+other+cultivation+problems+on+farms+operating+without+animal+husbandry+are+being+investigated.+Furthermore%2C+the+effect+of+fertilisation+from+leguminous+plants+in+field+vegetables+or+faba+bean+meal+for+different+crops+are+studied.%0D%0AFor+the+prediction+of+available+minerals+of+the+organic+material%2C+as+well+as+the+soil+nutrients+available+in+the+long-term%2C+importance+is+placed+on+the+balance+of+soil+humus.+The+methods+used+in+conventional+agriculture+cannot+simply+be+applied+here.+Systematic+research+on+humus+balance+has+not+been+done.+In+order+to+remove+this+deficit+and+to+supply+the+organic+farmers%2C+as+well+as+the+advisors+with+a+balancing+method%2C+which+is+quite+accurate+and+still+practical%2C+a+broad+project+was+recently+started.+%0D%0A&rft.type=Research+Programme+description&rft.type=NonPeerReviewed&rft.identifier=%7BProgramme+part%7D+B%C3%83%C2%96L%3A+Bundesprogramm+%C3%83%C2%96kologischer+Landbau+(B%C3%83%C2%96L)%3A+Pflanze.+[Federal+Organic+Farming+Scheme+(FOFS)%3A+Plant.]+Runs+2002+-+2008.+Programme+Leader(s)%3A+Lange%2C+Stefan.+More+information+online+at+%3Chttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.bundesprogramm-oekolandbau.de%2Fausschreibungen_f_und_e_massnahmen.html+%3Chttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.bundesprogramm-oekolandbau.de%2Fausschreibungen_f_und_e_massnahmen.html%3E%3E.&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Forgprints.org%2F5970%2F