Vegetable quality in a conventional and three organic cropping systems

Summary

Differences in nutrient availability and methods of pest management may affect crop growth and product quality.
The question is if conventional and organic cropping systems, which differ clearly in strategies for nutrient and pest management, influence the harvest and sensory quality of the products?
Lettuce and onion were grown in a conventional and three organic vegetable cropping systems with different levels of external inputs and use of cover- and inter-crops for nutrient re-cycling and natural pest management in
the period of 2007-2009 (VegQure project). The crop rotation consisted of 8 fields of vegetables and cereals. Onion was grown after a year of oat and iceberg lettuce after winter rye. There were 3 replicates of each
cropping system each year. Sensory analysis of samples of iceberg lettuce was performed as quantitative descriptive
analysis by a trained sensory panel of 10 assessors. A sensory profile of 9 attributes was evaluated on a 15-cm non-structured continuous scale.
Harvest and sensory quality were not affected by the clear differences in nutrient and pest management between the four cropping systems.