Organic Cereals

Summary

This leaflet gives detailed and condensed instructions for a successful cereal production for food and feed grain, i.e. summer and winter wheat, spelt, rye, barley, oat, triticale, emmer and einkorn.
A Swiss farmer can learn how to improve its quality, with the given criteria in variety choice. Besides the protein content a producer should consider, wet gluten content, Zeleny-values and a high hectolitre weight for a high baking quality.
Soil and climatic requirements, strengths and weaknesses are listed for each variety to help the farmer choose the appropriate one.
Techniques and practical recommendations on crop rotations, nutrient supply, manuring, sowing, undersowing, pest and disease control, weed management, harvest, and storage are listed.
Swiss farmers will find useful indications on price recommendations for trade and costs of variety conversion.
The leaflet provides additional information and contacts on variety testing, seedbanks and breeding in the Swiss context.