Performance of Drought-adapted Forage Catch Crops
Shared Responsibility: Public Opinion of Agricultural and Food Policy
New Recommended Varieties of Cocksfoot
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Performance of Drought-adapted Forage Catch Crops
Faced with climate change that undermines the stability of forage production, the introduction of more-drought-tolerant catch crops represents an adaptive strategy with a high likelihood of success in safeguarding livestock feed supplies.
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Shared Responsibility: Public Opinion of Agricultural and Food Policy
Swiss citizens think that government, farmers, retailers and consumers are jointly responsible for transitioning towards more sustainable food systems. These are the findings of two surveys conducted by Agroscope and ETH Zürich.
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New Recommended Varieties of Cocksfoot
Cocksfoot is a productive, robust and drought-tolerant forage grass often used in Swiss grass leys. The most recent variety testing by Agroscope has led to the recommendation of several new top-performing cultivars.
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Agroscope, FiBL, University of Greenwich, University of Lausanne, EPFL
Minimum Tillage Offers Multiple Advantages
A trial conducted at Changins compared the impact of different tillage practices on wheat yields and soil fertility. It showed that minimum tillage provides agronomic and environmental advantages.
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Agroscope, CREA – Council for Agricultural Research and Economics
A New Bacterial Species Identified as the Cause of the ‘Putrificus’ Cheese Defect
Agroscope and its Italian counterpart CREA (Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l’analisi dell’economia agraria) have described the new bacterial species Clostridium caseinilyticum sp. nov., isolated from cheese with the ‘putrificus’ quality defect and from silage. The study sheds light on potential causes and can contribute to the development of preventive measures.
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How Voluntary Climate Protection Measures Can Be Successful
Private initiatives such as carbon credit trading can support public policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Agroscope and ETH Zürich examined factors which influence the effectiveness of such initiatives.
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Trifluoroacetic Acid and Other PFAS in Groundwater: the Role of Plant Protection Products
The occurrence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is widely documented in soils, water bodies, drinking water and foods. An analysis by Agroscope ranks the contribution made by plant-protection products and other sources to groundwater contamination with PFAS.
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FiBL, Swiss Ornithological Institute in Sempach
Airborne Nitrogen Deposition Affects Bird Populations
Nitrogen from agriculture, traffic, and industry enters soils and water bodies via the air. A new study shows for the first time that increased nitrogen deposition has a negative impact on bird populations – even in semi-natural habitats.
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Swiss Consumer Wine Preferences: Traditional vs. Fungus-Resistant Grape Varieties
Wines made from fungus-resistant grape varieties are meeting with a comparable success to those from traditional grape varieties. A Swiss study reveals several consumer profiles, highlighting the importance of custom-tailored marketing strategies.
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Underestimate of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Switzerland’s Farmed Transition Soils
Greenhouse gas emissions from drained carbon-rich soils are being underestimated in GHG accounting. To resolve this, their distribution and emissions need to be better assessed. Accordingly, improvements for the GHG reporting system are suggested.
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Whey for Food and Higher-Quality Feed that also meets Kosher/Halal Standards
Together with the cheese- and whey-processing sector and the foodward Foundation, Agroscope investigated how whey can be used in food and higher-quality feed. Vegetarian, kosher- and halal-compliant whey expands potential applications in the food sector.
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Japanese Beetle: Damage Potential and Control Measures in Switzerland
Agroscope researchers have assessed the potential impact of the Japanese beetle for Swiss agriculture and outlined integrated, multi-crop control measures for different sectors of production.
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How Much Water Does the Swiss Agricultural Sector Need for Irrigation?
To date, figures on agricultural water use for irrigation in Switzerland have been quite patchy. In response, Agroscope has developed a method for estimating consumption volumes on behalf of the Federal Office for the Environment.
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Biodiversity Can Be Protected Through Sustainable Agriculture and Suitable Habitats
In a literature review, FiBL showed that protecting biodiversity requires both sustainably managed agricultural landscapes and suitable, undisturbed habitats.
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Intercropping: a Strategy for Controlling Insect Pests in Oilseed Rape Crops
Oilseed rape (OSR) requires multiple plant-protection treatments. Growing this crop with companion plants is a promising approach for sustainable pest control.
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Can Odour Impacts Be Reliably Determined by Assessors?
Livestock husbandry poses challenges in determining odour impacts due to the heterogeneity and spatial extent of its odour sources. Agroscope and Empa have refined a method using trained assessors and validated it with tracer gases.
