IMPROVING NITROGEN MANAGEMENT IN REDUCED TILLAGE SYSTEMS BY USE OF GREEN MANURES AND APPROPRIATE OFF-FARM INPUTS: REUSLTS OF TILMAN-ORG. TILMAN-ORG SESSION.

Summary

Abstract
The TILMAN-project aims to develop robust and sustainable arable crop production systems via the introduction of reduced tillage techniques combined with a strategic use of green manures in organic crop rotations, while maintaining and improving soil quality and crop productivity parameters. The adoption of reduced tillage and/or green manures strongly affects nitrogen quantity and availability during the vegetative period and throughout the crop rotation. Specifically, changing soil and water conditions may affect the availability pattern of nitrogen, notably in spring. We present aggregated data of several long- and medium-term European experimental field studies in which green manures including cut-and-carry-fertilizers, and reduced tillage techniques are used in organic cropping systems. By presenting and analyzing field level nitrogen budgets, insight is gained in the nitrogen dynamics of such systems and possible bottlenecks. Moreover, results of model simulations of these trials by the decision support tool Ndicea are shown and analyzed.