Resource-Conserving Agriculture: Undersowing and Mixed Crops as Stepping Stones Towards a Solution

Ramseier, Hans; Crismaru, Valentin (2013). Resource-Conserving Agriculture: Undersowing and Mixed Crops as Stepping Stones Towards a Solution In: Soil as world heritage (pp. 353-363). Dorndrecht: Springer 10.1007/978-94-007-6187-2_34

[img]
Preview
Text
6_Ramseier_Soil as World Heritage.pdf - Accepted Version
Available under License Publisher holds Copyright.

Download (5MB) | Preview

In today’s agricultural environment, the conservation of water, soil and energy is of utmost importance. In the past, various approaches have been tested in a practical environment. Two practical approaches that were, once, commonplace have been neglected, namely, undersowing and mixed cultivation where various species are simultaneously grown with or between plantings of a main crop. These have been researched in multiyear field studies. White clover and lucerne have proven to be suitable for undersowing in Moldova where undersowing of these legumes significantly reduced weediness. In Moldova, spring barley grown with white clover or lucerne produced significantly higher yields than a pure crop. In Switzerland, the seeding of an undersown crop was found to produce only slightly less yield of winter barley without application of herbicide compared with barley alone and treated with herbicide. Field studies with mixed crops were primarily conducted with false flax (Camelina sativa) within a field pea crop. Camelina effectively inhibits weeds, so herbicide treatment is no longer necessary. But it is hard to calculate the amount of seed needed to prevent weed infestation; well-developed false flax will compete with the peas, reducing their yield and resulting in diminished profit. The problem is of no concern if the Camelina can be marketed as oil – which can be used for human consumption, cosmetics, paints and fuel.

Item Type:

Book Section (Book Chapter)

Division/Institute:

School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences HAFL > Resource-efficient agricultural production systems
School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences HAFL > Agriculture

Name:

Ramseier, Hans and
Crismaru, Valentin

Subjects:

S Agriculture > SB Plant culture

ISBN:

978-94-007-6186-5

Publisher:

Springer

Language:

English

Submitter:

Simon Lutz

Date Deposited:

03 Sep 2019 10:49

Last Modified:

03 Sep 2019 10:49

Publisher DOI:

10.1007/978-94-007-6187-2_34

Additional Information:

Die Print-Version des Sammelbandes erschien 2014

ARBOR DOI:

10.24451/arbor.8150

URI:

https://arbor.bfh.ch/id/eprint/8150

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item
Provide Feedback