Interplay©: a support tool to help novice and organic farmers choose cereal-legume intercrops
If intercropping (IC) is so little explored today, it is probably due to the difficulty of answering all the questions raised by the practice: Which species to combine? When and how to sow? How to manage pests and diseases, weed control operations and phytosanitary treatments? What opportunities are possible? And for which environmental, health or […]
Ecological approach to organic farming in the Tropics – Introducing the active system approach
This factsheet introduces the ecological approach to organic farming, changes that are necessary to implement the approach, expected benefits, and provides a few examples of recommended systems for the tropics. The information is based on long-term experiments and on-farm research conducted in the scope of three projects across different countries in Africa, as well as […]
Strip tillage: a method to limit the time needed for soil tillage in diversified crop systems: an example in sugar beet
Diversified cropping systems can be time consuming for the farmer, finding techniques that can save farmers time is therefore a key goal. For the Syppre experiment in the Champagne region, France, crop diversification involves the use of diverse cover crops, to protect the soil, improve soil fertility, and store carbon. The planting of crops and […]
Introduction of Cardoon (Cynara cardunculus L.) in a Rainfed Rotation to Improve Soil Organic Carbon Stock in Marginal Lands
The production of a biomass as a feedstock for biorefinery is gaining attention in many agricultural areas. The adoption of biorefinery crops (i.e., perennial cardoon) can represent an interesting option for farmers and can contribute to increase soil organic carbon stock (SOCS). The study aimed to assess the potential effect on long-term SOCS change by […]
