Test effects on crop production through changes in soil quality (nutrients and structure), weed pressure (density and community composition), and crop growth and nutrient acquisition.
In this long-term trial, the effects of reduced tillage (shallow loosening or turning, 5-10 cm deep) versus conventional ploughing (15-18 cm deep) and of slurry versus compost/slurry and biodynamic preparations versus no preparations on soil fertility, weeds and yields are investigated in an arable crop rotation since autumn 2002. Specific questions are pursued in other projects that use the long-term trial as a platform.
Monitoring of the productive and environmental consequences of conducting crop production in different farming systems at the field level
The experiment is conducted without replication (13ha in total). All crops of the rotation within one system are grown at the same time (all crops from the rotation present in the field each year). Size of single rotational field is 1ha. There have been many detailed trails of different experimental design established within individual fields in different years (in most cases 4 replicates).
Variable:
Monitoring of the productive and environmental consequences of conducting crop production in different farming systems at the field level
The aim of MASCOT is to evaluate the long-term dynamics of: soil physical, chemical and biological parameters, carbon (C) and macronutrients (NPK), weeds and pests, agroecosystem biodiversity, as well as economic and energetic aspects of crop management, and effects on produce quality. A further objective is to provide, in the long-term, indications on the best organic management practices for the crops included in the rotation.
3 replicates per rotation cycle – Conventional system vs Organic system
The main objectives are to study the possibility of reducing the use of fertilisers and reducing the risk of erosion by using agro-ecological levers: rotation, legumes, cover crops, etc. Three systems are being monitored: an ‘autonomous’ system, an ‘anti-erosion’ system and a ‘productive’ system.
The systems are studied in terms of their economic results (profitability) and their sustainability (weed management, changes in soil fertility).
The long-term observatory is organized as a real-farm monitoring, with no spatial replicates and N terms of rotation present each year. The practices, crop density, biomasses, yield and yield components, weed abundance and community composition, and soil fertility are recorded and monitored in 12 fixed geolocated zones covering 7 fields.
Variable:
Test effects of organic transition on biodiversity, soil quality, crop production, economic and energetic balances
No replication
The Aesch trial compares conventional ploughing with reduced tillage and slurry fertilization with mineral fertilization (as reference) and no fertilization since 2010.