Cultivation in ridges and mixed cropping
The aim of the project is to increase the efficacy of row crop production by improving nutrient cycling and growth conditions at the field level and strengthening prophylactic measures against plant pathogens.
Ridge tillage and catch crops will manipulate nutrient cycling and growth conditions. Mixed cropping and catch crops will manipulate pathogens and pests. There will be focus on potato, but other row crops will be considered too. Crop yield, nitrogen uptake and nitrogen leaching will be used as key success indicators in relation to nutrient cycling and growth conditions. Reduction of late blight (Phytophtora infestans) and Rhizoctonia stem canker in potato will be used along with tuber yield and quality as key success indicators in relation to prophylactic measures. Ridges will be set in autumn, and it will be tested to what extent residual nitrogen and nitrogen from different combinations of organic manures and crop residues can be protected against leaching in winter. Furthermore catch crops and sub-soil loosening will be integrated into the ridge tillage system, and an evaluation of the ridge tillage system for organic row crop production will be performed. Interactions between catch crops and Rhizoctonia stem canker will be assessed based on the assumption that catch crop holds the possibility to reduce attack.
For mixed cropping two types of mixtures will be used: Mixtures of potato varieties and mixtures of potato and faba beans (Vicia faba). It will be tested whether mixed cropping can reduce late blight in potatoes and aphid problems in faba bean. By running the project we will be able to verify our assumptions, that ridge tillage and mixed cropping may improve organic row crop production in terms of higher yields and lower impacts on the environment.
Publications
Project title
I.6 Cultivation in ridges and mixed cropping - new approaches to organic row crop production (CARMINA)
Project leader
Jesper Rasmussen
The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Department of Agricultural Sciences
Agrovej 10, 2630 Tåstrup.
Phone: +45 35 28 34 56, Fax: +45 35 28 21 75
E-mail: jer@kvl.dk
Project participants
Christian Bugge Henriksen and Lisa Munk, KVL
Lars Bødker and Jens Peter Mølgaard, DIAS
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