SysCom and ProEcoAfrica/OFSA projects – Increasing knowledge on organic agriculture in the tropics
There is continued global debate on which agricultural production systems are more productive, natural resource conserving, environmentally friendly, economically viable and accepted by society. Many stakeholders have raised concerns about the long-term impact of conventional agriculture on soil productivity, yields and the ecosystem. Organic agriculture is one of the prominent alternative farming approaches, advocated for […]
Use of mason bees for pollination in covered organic orchards (BIOFRUITNET Practice Abstract)
Good pollination is essential for fruit yield and quality. However, the population of bees (honeybees, wild bees), the primary pollinators, is decreasing. Pollinators are often present in too few numbers in intensive fruit orchards, also organic ones. Mason bees, which fly at lower temperatures (4°C on) compared to honeybees, are placed into the orchards just […]
Welfare and environmental impact of organic pig production, a collection of factsheets
There are common animal welfare challenges related to piglet mortality and health problems around weaning. Further, outdoor concrete runs in systems for growing-finishing pigs challenge the organic goals of and are associated with a high risk of ammonia emissions, while pasture systems do facilitate natural living, but are challenged by a high risk of nutrient […]
“The World of Organic Agriculture 2023 – Statistics and Emerging Trends”
The 24th edition of “The World of Organic Agriculture”, published by the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL and IFOAM – Organics International, offers a comprehensive review of recent developments in global organic agriculture. It presents detailed statistics on organic farming that relate to area under organic management, land use and crops, the number of […]
Riboflavin for laying hens fed organic winter diets: effects of different supplementation rates on health, performance and egg quality
For reasons of aspired naturalness and cost reduction, vitamin additions should be kept low in organic livestock systems. To define safe lower threshold levels of riboflavin supplementation in organic poultry feeding, 135 hybrid layers were allocated to three dietary treatments supplemented with either 4.5 (R4.5), 3.0 (R3.0) or 1.5 mg (R1.5) GMO-free riboflavin added per […]
Performances de variétés de blés panifiables cultivées en agriculture biologique en conditions peu fertiles
L’azote est le principal élément limitant la production de blé panifiable en agriculture biologique. Son manque peut entrainer une baisse de la teneur en protéine du grain et donc des pénalités de paiement. Dans cette étude, cinq variétés de blé d’automne ont été cultivées on-farm sur quatre exploitations aux conditions pédoclimatiques et itinéraires techniques différents […]
Effects of riboflavin supplementation level on health, performance, and fertility of organic broiler parent stock and their chicks
RELACS – Improving inputs for organic farming – Data from breeder hens and chicks are particularly critical for the development of vitamin B2 recommendations for organic poultry. To test safe thresholds of supplementation, 100 breeder hens (Hubbard JA 57 K) and ten cockerels were allocated to ten housing groups, with each receiving supplementation of either 4.0 […]
Organic Farm Knowledge: Winter field peas as green manure before maize
On arable farms without livestock, nitrogen insufficiency can occur when cultivating nutrient demanding crops like maize. This can lead to yield losses and weed infestation. Use a green manure of winter field peas before growing crops that have a high nitrogen demand in the rotation. Ploughing in winter field peas in spring can provide more […]
Flame weeding: alternative weed control without herbicides
The use of plant protection products poses numerous risks to the environment, including biodiversity. The use of flame weeding can avoid herbicides and pesticides. In the leaflet “Flame weeding – Alternative weed control without herbicides” this weed control is presented.
Drosophila suzukii control: preventive measures in organic stone fruit orchards
A BioFruitNet publication – The spotted wing drosophila Drosophila suzukii is an invasive pest attacking soft fruit species (berries, cherries, plums, grapes), as well as many wild berry plants. D. suzukii female adults lay eggs into the fruits from which larvae develop. The control strategy of D. suzukii includes preventive measures such as orchard management, […]
