Archive

Yang B., Banerjee S., Herzog C., Corona Ramírez A., Dahlin P. and van der Heijden M.G.A.

Nematodes are important indicators for soil life. An Agroscope study shows that nematode numbers and species diversity are significantly higher in organic vegetable fields than in conventionally farmed fields.

Agroscope, University of Zurich, Sichuan Academy of Giant Panda

Environment 24.06.21

Schmidt H.-P., Hagemann N., Abächerli F., Leifeld J., Bucheli T.

An Agroscope study commissioned by the Federal Office for Agriculture shows that the use of biochar clearly has potential, yielding benefits for the climate and ecosystems.

Agroscope, Foundation Ithaka Institute, MR Schweiz AG, Maschinenring Zuger Berggebiet

Environment 31.05.21

Masson S., Chauvel B., Carlen C. und Wirth J.

New tools are being developed to limit the use of herbicides in crops and improve the efficacy of alternative management methods. An update.

Agroscope, INRAE

Environment 29.04.21

Luka H., Knecht, M., Whiting L., Studer M., Luka-Stan A., Forlin L. and Cahenzli F.

FiBL field trials demonstrate that sown wildflowers together with the spontaneous arable weed flora in cabbage fields can promote predatory beneficial insects and pollinators. This makes it possible to enhance the ecological value of production areas.

FiBL, Kantonsschule Wettingen, Neue Kantonsschule Aarau, University of Basel

Environment 14.01.21

Konz N., Plath M.

Run-off and erosion contribute to the pollution of water by plant protection products. Targeted measures to reduce this pollution require detailed field analysis. Existing methods have now been compared for the first time in order to assess their suitability.

BFH-HAFL, Canton of Basel-Landschaft, Plattform Pflanzenschutzmittel und Gewässer (PPG)

Environment 02.12.20

Dietzel A., Zaffarano P., Stamm C.

In Swiss agriculture, conflicts arise between production and the protection of water resources. These were studied by means of multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA): objectives are defined, evaluation functions proposed and measures analysed.

Eawag, FOAG

Environment 19.11.20

Graf R., Hagist D., Zellweger-Fischer J., Chevillat V., von Sury R. and Birrer S.

In the Swiss lowland, the quantity of biodiversity promoting areas (BPA, i.e. options of the Swiss agri-environment scheme) clearly exeeds the stipulated 7%.The quality of the BPA has been improved as well. However, three forth of the BPA are still barely recognizable as semi-natural areas in the field.

FiBL, Swiss Ornithological Institute in Sempach

Environment 22.10.20

Bystricky M., Nemecek T., Gaillard G.

In Switzerland, implementing the Drinking-Water Initiative would have positive consequences for the environment, but more food would have to be imported. A life-cycle assessment study by Agroscope analyses the overall impact.

Agroscope

Environment 29.09.20

Korkaric M., Hanke I., Grossar D., Neuweiler R., Christ B., Wirth J., Hochstrasser M., Dubuis P.-H., Kuster T., Breitenmoser S., Egger B., Perren S., Schürch S., Aldrich A., Jeker L., Poiger T., Daniel O.

Agroscope examined whether it is possible to forgo the use of PPPs with a high risk potential for the environment. The results show that this would make effective crop protection more difficult, especially for field and vegetable crops, but also in organic farming.

Agroscope

Environment 25.09.20

Albrecht M. et al.

Sown wildflower strips improve pest control, and diverse, perennial strips also improve pollination services. Hedgerows in Switzerland yielded good results, while internationally effects were inconsistent. The effects on yield were variable.

Agroscope

Environment 31.08.20

Maurer C., Müller D., Lanfranchi M., Weisskopf P., Oberholzer H., Walder F.

Microbial activity in the soil is an indicator of soil health. An analysis of data series from the cantonal soil-monitoring networks over a ten-year period confirms textbook knowledge and shows what we need to look out for.

Agroscope, Amt für Landwirtschaft und Natur Kanton Bern, Abteilung Umwelt Kanton Aargau, Amt für Natur und Umwelt Kanton Graubünden

Environment 25.08.20

Chiaia-Hernández A.C., Scheringer M., Müller A., Stieger G., Wächter D., Keller A., Pintado-Herrera M.G., Lara-Martin P.A., Bucheli T.D. und Hollender J.

Researchers from Agroscope, Eawag and ETH have developed a method for the comprehensive detection of organic pollutant residues in soils and sediments. Initial results show that, in addition to known substances, there are also a number of substances detected for the first time.

Agroscope, Eawag, ETH Zurich, University of Bern

Environment 10.08.20

de Baan L., Blom J. F., Daniel O.

Ever decreasing amounts of plant-protection products are being used in field crops; however, the quantity alone does not determine the risk for the environment, as discussed in a new Agroscope study on the use and risk of plant-protection products in Swiss field crops.

Agroscope

Environment 15.06.20

Kobierska F., Koch U., Kasteel R., Stamm C., Prasuhn V.

Around one-quarter of the utilised agricultural area in Switzerland is drained. Plant-protection products (PPPs) may enter watercourses via this route. Agroscope analysed the influencing factors and evaluated measures against PPP loss.

Agroscope, Eawag

Environment 11.05.20

Zemek O., Neuweiler R., Richner W., Liebisch F. and Spiess E.

The risk of nitrate leaching is higher in field vegetable production than in arable crops or grassland. Different species of vegetables have different leaching potentials, which can be reduced through appropriate management.

Agroscope

Environment 2019

Breitenmoser S.

In order to understand the diversity of insects colonizing oilseed rape, a survey focusing on beetles was conducted in a plot of winter rape in Agroscope Changins (Prangins VD). Beetles were captured with yellow water bowls over the whole cultivation period from August 2017 to June 2018. In total, 11,856 individuals were caught from exactly…

Environment 2019

Sutter L., Aebi A., Buchwalder G., Caballé P., Dietemann V., Girardin O., Hernandez J., Jacopin-Bucher E., Mayor P., Ménétrier V., Praz Ch., Varennes Y.-D.

Recent studies show a decline in the abundance and diversity of wild pollinators, as well as an increase in honeybee mortality. These pollinators are an integral part of biodiversity and play an essential role in the growing of certain crops and in wild plant reproduction. In the Swiss cantons of Vaud and Jura, and in…

Environment 2019

Kalberer A., Kawecki-Wenger D., Bucheli Th.

Plastic products are omnipresent in our everyday lives and are so versatile and efficient that it is difficult to imagine modern agriculture without them. However, in combination with littering and as foreign materials in digestate and compost fertilisers, they are also the main source of plastic inputs on agricultural land. Using material flow analysis, this…

Environment 2019

Janker J., Fuchs K., Krütli P.

Nowadays, the term «sustainability» is ubiquitous – in politics, in science, and in everyday speech. What it means, however, and what ideas are associated with it, varies significantly. Thus, for example, the social dimension is largely neglected in the discourse on sustainability. Perception of sustainability is influenced inter alia by the media, political programmes or…

Environment 2019

Ritschard E., Zingg S., Arlettaz R., Humbert J-Y.

The intensification of agricultural practices has led to an alarming decline in farmland biodiversity. With the aim of stopping and even reversing this trend, biodiversity promotion areas (BPA – formerly named «ecological compensation areas») were introduced in the 1990s. In this study, the influence of BPA on the biodiversity of butterflies and breeding birds was…

Environment 2019

Riedel S., Lüscher G., Meier E., Herzog F., Hofer G.

The «Agriculture-Related Environmental Objectives» (AEOs) set binding targets for the conservation of species and habitat diversity in the agricultural landscape. For these, lists of species meriting particular consideration (AEO species) were drawn up. An initial evaluation of the ALL-EMA «Agricultural Species and Habitats» Monitoring Programme shows that in Switzerland, on average only 13 % of…

Environment 2019

Ammann C., Voglmeier K., Münger A., Bretscher D.

What is the effect of a low-protein feed supplement on the ammonia emissions from dairy cattle on pasture? To answer this question, the ammonia emissions from two pasture-based feeding systems with dairy cattle were measured and compared between May and October. In the first system (G) the cows fed exclusively on pasture grass, whilst in…

Environment 2019

Mayer J., Zimmermann M., Weggler K., Reiser R., Bürge D., Bucheli Th., Richner W.

Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for plant growth. Switzerland is reliant upon the import of phosphorus fertilisers, which come from deposit reserves and are increasingly burdened with pollutants. On the other hand, there are hitherto unused phosphorus stocks in sewage sludge and slaughterhouse waste that could completely replace fertiliser imports. Therefore, Switzerland has introduced the…

Environment 2018

Maurer C., Oehl F., Zihlmann U., Chervet A., Sturny W. G.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AM fungi) diversity was investigated in 12 selected long-term soil observation sites in the canton of Bern. These consisted of nine soils farmed according to Proof of Ecological Performance (PEP) production guidelines, of which three were natural meadows, three were no-till (NT) or ploughed (PL) arable soils, and three were ploughed arable…

Environment 2018

Bretscher D., Ammann Ch., Wüst Ch., Nyfeler A., Felder D.

The Swiss agricultural and climate policy- making sector has set itself the target of reducing agricultural greenhouse gas emissions by at least one-third by 2050 compared to 1990’s figures. This target can be achieved via technical measures on the production side and/or by reorganising agricultural structures (area percentages, animal populations). Animal husbandry is responsible for…

Environment 2018

Schrade S., Zeyer K., Keck M., Keller M., Zähner M., Mohn J.

The tracer ratio method serves to quantify emissions in naturally ventilated animal housing systems. Empa and Agroscope have developed a tracer ratio method with two tracer gases for comparative emission measurements in Agroscope’s experimental dairy housing, with its two spatially separated compartments. In this method, the tracer gases sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) and trifluoromethyl sulphur pentafluoride…

Environment 2018

Roesch A., Marton S., Thalmann Ch., Schader Ch., Grenz J., Gaillard G.

There are three methods available for evaluating sustainability at farm level that were developed in Switzerland: RISE, SMART und SALCAsustain. In this article, the three methods are compared by means of a list of criteria and several concrete examples with the aim of making it easier for readers to decide which tool is best suited…

Environment 2018

Humbert J-Y., Buri P., Unternährer D., Arlettaz R.

In Switzerland, biodiversity promotion areas or BPAs (i.e. land under Swiss agri-environment schemes) account for around 15 % of the utilised agricultural area. While the main objective of BPAs is to promote farmland biodiversity, their effectiveness remains limited, in particular as regards the incidence of invertebrates in the lowlands. In this study, the mowing regime…

Environment 2018

Schrade S., Zeyer K., Emmenegger L., Keck M.

To improve the underlying data for emission inventories, particulate matter (PM10) emissions were determined for the most common loose-housing system in Switzerland. Emission measurements were conducted in two out of three seasons (summer, transition period, winter) per farm in six naturally ventilated dairy loose-housing systems comprising cubicles, solid floors and an outdoor exercise area. PM10…

Environment 2018

Zumwald J., Braunschweig M., Hofstetter P., Reidy B., Nemecek Th.

As part of the project ’Optimisation of Grassland-Based Milk Production Systems based on Fresh-Grass Harvesting (Hohenrain II)’, we used the SALCA life-cycle assessment method to compare the environmental impacts of three systems, viz. full-grazing with seasonal calving and two variants of fresh-grass harvesting with differing use of concentrates (< 500 kg/cow/ year and 800–1200 kg/cow/year).…

More Soil Life in Organic Vegetable Production

Protecting the Climate with Biochar

Sustainable Weed Management: Towards New Tools

Weeds? – Sown Wildflower Strips and Crop-Accompanying Flora Promote Beneficials in Cabbage Production

Losses of plant protection products to water: what is the best risk assessment method?

Managing Conflicting Objectives in Agricultural Production and Water Resource Protection

Quantity and Quality of Semi-Natural Elements within the Swiss Lowland Farmland

Drinking-Water Initiative: Better Water Quality in Switzerland, Higher Environmental Impacts Abroad

High-Risk Plant Protection Products – Is Effective Crop Protection Possible Without Them?

Sown Wildflower Strips and Hedgerows – Good for Pest Control, Pollination and Yields?

Measuring Life in the Soil

Early Recognition and Systematic Recording of Organic Pollutants in Soils and Sediments

Plant Protection Products in Field Crops: Use and Aquatic Risks from 2009–2018

Complex Processes at Work in Tile Drain Losses of Plant Protection Products

Nitrate Leaching in Vegetable Production

Diversity of beetles in oilseed rape in Changins (VD)

Farmers, beekeepers and researchers unite to safeguard pollinators

Plastic waste flows in Swiss agriculture and their risk potential for soils

Social sustainability in agriculture: a media analysis

Biodiversity promotion areas: increasing their proportion and quality benefits birds and butterflies

Ecological Quality of Meadows Supported with Biodiversity Contributions

Reduction of ammonia emissions on pasture

Pollutant threshold values for mineral recycling fertilisers: the Swiss concept

Cropping systems affect species diversity of mycorrhizal fungi

Potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from Swiss animal husbandry

Validation of the tracer ratio method for emission measurements in naturally ventilated housing

Measuring sustainability at farm level: what tool for what purpose?

Alternative mowing regimes to favour meadow biodiversity

Particulate matter (PM10) emissions from dairy loose housing with outdoor exercise area

Life-cycle assessment of pasture- and grassland-based milk production systems