Swiss Agricultural Research – Archive of the Online Journal

The intensification of agriculture has greatly changed Europe's agroecosystems, with major implications for biodiversity. An overview study by Agroscope and the Swiss Ornithological Institute identifies the most important areas for future research with a view to minimising the uncertainties of currently available knowledge.

Agroscope, Swiss Ornithological Institute in Sempach

Environment 20.11.24

To prevent biodiversity decline, Swiss farms are implementing 19.3% of their utilised agricultural area as ecological focus areas (EFA). It appears that organic farms implement considerably more and qualitatively better EFAs than do PEP farms.

FiBL, Agroscope

Environment 12.11.24

An Agroscope study shows that Swiss farmers have different soil management priorities. Considering these may increase the effectiveness of information and policy measures to promote sustainable soil management.

Agroscope, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU)

Environment 30.10.24

Swiss farms must decide on the extent to which they produce agricultural goods and provide biodiversity services. Agroscope has analysed and typified the diversity of farm-level land-use patterns.

Agroscope

Plant production 23.10.24

Integrated weed management with reduced tillage and reduced herbicide inputs can successfully control weeds in wheat and prevent yield loss.

Agroscope, INRAE

Environment 21.10.24

Large quantities of potatoes are rejected due to visual defects. For this reason, Agroscope researchers investigated how consumers can be motivated to purchase visually suboptimal potatoes.

Agroscope

Animal production 04.10.24

Alpine pastures provide forage for cattle, storage for CO2, food for pollinators, a habitat for countless plants, and fascinate us with their beauty. The extent to which these services are provided depends on location, climate – and cows.

Agroscope

Environment 01.10.24

A mineral soil cover combined with a rise in the water table can mitigate the loss of organic carbon in cultivated peatlands. At the same time, it would allow agricultural productivity to be maintained.

Agroscope, University of Basel

Environment 03.09.24

In recent years, plant-based foods have come on the market as alternatives to products of animal origin. Their aim: to positively influence sustainability and health. However, do they really do this? A study conducted by Agroscope and the University of Bern examined the issue.

Agroscope, University of Bern

Environment 29.08.24

Do soils under meadows and pastures in Switzerland take up more carbon than they release, thus contributing to climate protection? According to a new study from Agroscope, they currently do not. Measures to promote carbon storage do, however, exist.

Agroscope

Environment 29.07.24

Future agricultural policy will aim at innovative and sustainable production systems. Using the example of agroforestry, an assessment method based on an expert survey and the literature has now been tested. The results show that agroforestry can support the transformation into a more sustainable agricultural sector.

Agroscope

Environment 25.07.24

What do ecological focus areas in Swiss farmland contribute? Agroscope experts summarised their impact on biodiversity and ecosystem services in a literature survey.

Agroscope

Environment 16.07.24

Managing farmland as an Ecological Focus Area (EFA) has a positive impact on its biodiversity. Agroscope has now investigated the effect of implementing this agri-environmental measure on non-EFAs.

Agroscope

Environment 18.06.24

The newly designed Swiss agri-environmental monitoring programme ‘MAUS’ aims, as far as possible, to determine environmental impacts for regions and farm types with existing data. The first MAUS report deals with the regionalised nitrogen balance.

Agroscope

Environment 06.06.24

Pre-emptive biological control involves the evaluation of the benefits and risks of the natural enemies of an invasive pest in advance of its arrival, allowing the swift approval and deployment of the natural enemies in an emergency.

Agroscope, Euphresco

Environment 28.05.24

Agroscope studied various categories of ecological focus areas and showed that the presence of these in connectivity projects makes a major contribution to large-scale species richness in the agricultural landscape.

Agroscope, University of Zurich, Swiss Ornithological Institute in Sempach, Hintermann & Weber AG

Environment 15.05.24

Whether grasslands are mown or grazed, fertilised or unfertilised – all this affects the ecosystem services of Swiss grasslands. These services benefit both the agricultural sector and society, e.g. in the form of livestock feed or erosion protection.

Agroscope, ETH Zurich

Environment 14.05.24

In vegetable row crops, spot spraying can save on insecticides and fungicides. Agroscope investigated the extent of this savings potential and compared the cost of spot spraying to broadcast treatments with a field sprayer.

Agroscope, SZG, FOEN Environmental technology promotion, Möri AG, VSGP, Grangeneuve, Inforama, Wyssa Gemüse

Environment 01.05.24

The advantages of grass-clover mixtures in ley farming are manifold. An Agroscope study now shows that their highly efficient use of available nitrogen also keeps the risk of nitrate leaching low.

Agroscope, ETH Zurich

Environment 19.04.24

Zosso C., Thiébaud E., Huber S., Bretscher D.

Greenhouse gas calculators can assist in identifying measures to reduce emissions on farms and in quantifying the effect these measures can have. For this to be successful, it is essential to know the scope and limitations of greenhouse gas calculators.

Agroscope, dss+, Flury&Giuliani GmbH

Environment 18.04.24

Herzog C., Meier E.S., Schneuwly J., Birrer S., Roth T., Knop E.

Switzerland’s agricultural landscape harbours a great variety of species and habitats, some of which are endangered. This study sheds light on various direct and indirect, positive and negative factors influencing biodiversity.

Agroscope, Swiss Ornithological Institute in Sempach, Hintermann & Weber AG

Environment 02.04.24

Klötzli J., Suter M., Beaumont D., Kolmanič A., Leskovšek R., Schaffner U., Storkey J., Lüscher A.

Broad-leaved dock is a problematic weed in permanent meadows and pastures. A European study led by Agroscope highlights the risk factors and recommends preventive measures.

Agroscope

Food 26.03.24

Balmer M.E., Schaller U., Krauss J., Geiser H.C., Poiger T.

Plant protection products contain active substances and co-formulants. Agroscope studied the residues of co-formulants on treated plants for the first time, thereby furnishing the basis for assessing risks posed to consumers.

Agroscope, Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO)

Environment 18.03.24

Klaus V. H., Jehle A., Richter F., Buchmann N., Knop E., Lüscher G.

Organic farming has a positive effect on plant diversity in Swiss grassland, but ecological focus areas are needed support plant diversity more broadly.

Agroscope

Environment 13.02.24

Gazzarin Ch., Jan P.

Grass-based beef production is markedly less productive than intensive year-round indoor-housing system-based production. Agroscope experts therefore studied how grass-based farms can produce both economically and in an ecologically sound manner.

Agroscope

Environment 09.02.24

Dubuis P.-H., Droz M., Melgar A., Zürcher U.A., Zarn J. A., Gindro K., König S.L.B.

Orchard crop spraying using unmanned aerial spraying systems commonly referred to as drones can lead to drift, posing a risk to residents and bystanders. The study shows that the risks arising from this are taken into account by the current registration process.

Agroscope, Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO)

Environment 30.01.24

Luka H., Blick T., Lenzin H., Luka Stan A., Reinbacher L., Pfifner L.

Trials conducted by FiBL have shown that conversion to organic farming also promotes endangered Red List species such as the carabid beetle species Amara tricuspidata. This species and other species consume seeds of forbs and grasses and thus supports natural weed control.

FiBL, University of Basel

Environment 12.01.24

Nemecek Th., Roesch A., Bystricky M., Jeanneret Ph., Lansche J., Stüssi M., Gaillard G.

The SALCA life cycle assessment method was comprehensively updated in light of new needs, systematically documented and reviewed by external specialists. This will allow a wide range of research issues in the agriculture and food sector to be addressed.

Agroscope

Environment 19.12.23

Keel S.G., Bretscher D., Leifeld J., von Ow A., Wüst-Galley C.

Net zero emission targets can only be achieved by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Agroscope has modelled soil carbon storage, food production and agricultural greenhouse gas emission trends for Switzerland.

Agroscope

Environment 04.12.23

Bender S.F., Schulz S., Martínez-Cuesta R., Laughlin R.J., Kublik S., Pfeiffer-Zakharova K., Vestergaard G., Hartman K., Parladé E., Römbke J., Watson C.J., Schloter M., van der Heijden M.G.A.

Nutrient losses in agricultural production are a global problem. A lysimeter test now shows that soil organisms can make a major contribution to increasing nutrient use efficiency in arable farming and reducing nutrient losses.

Agroscope

Archive

Agriculture and Biodiversity: Systematic Overview Identifies Important Avenues for Future Research

What are Farms in Switzerland Doing to Preserve Biodiversity?

Sustainable Soil Management Requires a Mixture of Support Measures

Agricultural Production and Biodiversity Conservation: Four Typical Land-Use Patterns

Reducing Tillage and Herbicide Use: Can Weed-Induced Crop Yield Losses Be Limited?

Information Framing Makes Visually Suboptimal Potatoes more Appealing

It’s Not All About Cheese: Cows and Hikers are Not the Only Ones to Benefit from Alpine Pastures

Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Drained Peatlands – Is It Possible?

Alternative Products for Meat and Dairy: Better for Health and the Environment?

Do Permanent Grasslands Contribute to Climate Protection?

Agroforestry’s Contribution to a Sustainable Agricultural Policy in Switzerland

Ecological Focus Areas in Farmland and their Contribution

How Does the Share of Farmland Classified as Ecological Focus Area Affect Farm Biodiversity?

Heading towards a Regionalised Nitrogen Balance

Pre-emptive Selection of Natural Enemies of Invasive Pests

Interconnected Ecological Focus Areas Are Particularly Valuable for Species Richness

The Impact of Different Management Practices on the Ecosystem Services of Swiss Grassland

Sustainable Plant Protection in Vegetable Production with New Spot Spraying Plant Protection Robot

Grass-Clover Mixtures: High Yields, Low Nitrate Leaching

Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Calculator in Practice: Scope and Limitations

Effects of Selected Factors on Biodiversity in Swiss Agricultural Landscapes

How to Limit the Spread of Broad-Leaved Dock

Co-formulants in Plant Protection Products and their Residues in Food

Higher Plant Diversity in Organic Ecological Focus Areas

Producing Beef Economically on Grassland while Promoting Biodiversity

Plant Protection Treatment by Drones: Risks for Residents?

Conversion to Organics – Promotion of Species Diversity Can Often Only Be Detected After Some Considerable Time

SALCA Method Updated for more Accurate, Flexible and Comparable Environmental Assessments

Various Factors Limit Soil Carbon Storage Potential

Impoverished Soil Life Reduces Nutrient Efficiency and Increases Environmental Pollution