Archive

T. Gross, A. Keller, M. Müller and A. Gubler.

Calculations carried out by the Swiss Soil Monitoring Network (NABO) over more than 30 years reveal that fertiliser applications and plant-protection products can lead to excess heavy metals in agricultural soils.

Agroscope

Animal production 20.09.21

Mann S.

Antibiotic use could be curtailed through incentives that improve animal health. Most farmers are open to direct payments in support of this.

Agroscope

Environment 14.09.21

Sutter L., Ganser D., Herzog F. and Albrecht M.

Certain crops in Switzerland can benefit from more-species-and-individual-rich wild-bee communities. An Agroscope report shows how this could be achieved.

Agroscope

Environment 02.09.21

Koch U. and Prasuhn V.

What are the possible routes of entry of plant-protection products into surface waters? Agroscope shows the potential input risks in terms of tile drainage, runoff and agricultural point sources for over 20 000 catchment areas.

Agroscope

Plant production 17.08.21

Wuest S.E., Peter R. and Niklaus P.A.

Crop variety mixtures can have various benefits, including greater resistance to pathogens as well as yield stability and increased yields.

Agroscope, University of Zurich

Agricultural economics 05.08.21

Albert von Ow

Agroscope conducts an annual analysis of the risks to food supply on behalf of the Swiss Federal Office for Economic Supply FONES. In 2021, a power shortage, seed imports and climate change were addressed as particular risks.

Agroscope

Plant production 26.07.21

Möhring A., Drobnik T., Mack G., Ammann J. and El Benni N.

A survey of 18 experts from the whole of Switzerland shows what effects a complete or partial avoidance of plant-protection products would have on in-kind yields in arable production.

Agroscope

Plant production 20.07.21

Suter D., Frick R. and Hirschi H.

Italian ryegrass is a high-yielding meadow grass that is often used in clover-grass mixtures. Out of a total of 52 varieties tested by Agroscope, two new frontrunners scored top marks for nearly all traits.

Agroscope

Environment 01.07.21

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

Agricultural economics 29.06.21

Häberli I., Contzen S. and Straub U.

Dairy farmers have developed individual strategies designed to maintain or improve their quality of life. A project by BFH-HAFL collected and analysed a variety of those strategies.

BFH-HAFL, Agridea

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

Animal production 20.05.21

Bugnon A., Viñals R., Abbet C., Chevassus G., Bohnenblust M., Rad M. S., Rieder S., Droz B., Charrière J.-D und Thiran J.-Ph.

A simple smartphone could soon become an essential ally for beekeepers in their battle to control the varroa mite. A mobile application for identifying and counting these tiny parasites in the hive – the first of its kind in Switzerland – has just been developed.

Agroscope, ApiZoom, EPFL, Identitas AG

Food 17.05.21

Ingenhoff J.-E., Mühlemann M., Ackermann-Gäumann R., Moor D. and Berger T.

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) pathogens can be transmitted to humans by the consumption of raw milk and raw-milk products from infected goats. The risk is judged to be low, and is most likely to come from on-farm consumption of the (unpasteurised) products.

Agroscope, Spiez Laboratory, Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO)

Food 06.05.21

Wechsler D., Walther B., Dudler V., Aubert R. and Haldimann M.

Sections of the Swiss population are deficient in iodine. Agroscope and the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) examined how the use of iodised salt affects the iodine content of cheese.

Agroscope, Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO)

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

Animal production 28.04.21

Janssens T., Regazzoni L. and Tschudi F.

Swiss aquaculture is enjoying strong growth. However, in order to develop sustainably, the sector needs to be better organised. This study analyses the current situation and proposes a concept for the development of a coordination centre.

BFH-HAFL, ZHAW

Agricultural economics 19.04.21

Ritzel C.

The older the respondents, the better they know and follow the emergency supply recommendations. Experience from the first lockdown can help ensure more stocking-up in future.

Agroscope

Food 15.04.21

Wechsler D., Fehér N., Haldemann J., Meola M., Guggisberg D., Fuchsmann P., Guggenbühl B., Dreier M., Shani N., Badertscher R., Egger C., Portmann R., Arias E. and Schmidt R.

Agroscope has comprehensively characterised the cheese variety Raclette du Valais PDO (Protected Designation of Origin). With the reference values obtained, cheese-dairy advisory services will be able to identify cheese defects more easily in future.

Agroscope

Food 08.04.21

B. Walther and R. Schmidt

Vitamin K2 plays a key role in blood clotting as well as having a positive influence on bone and cardiovascular health. Cheese is an important dietary source of this microbially produced vitamin.

Agroscope

Plant production 07.04.21

Hoffet F., Blackford M., Burdet F., Steinemann B. and Mackie-Haas K.

Consumer acceptance plays a key role in the introduction of new grape varieties. An Agridea consumer survey reveals a great openness to fungus-tolerant varieties that lend themselves to particularly environmentally friendly cultivation methods.

Agridea, Agroscope, FiBL, University of Applied Sciences Changins, Centre for Viticulture Wädenswil

Animal production 31.03.21

Köke T., Ineichen S., Grenz J. and Reidy B.

Dairy farms are responsible for a significant proportion of greenhouse gases from agriculture. In order to quantify emissions at farm level and identify suitable emissions reduction measures, HAFL researchers developed a model for calculating greenhouse gas emissions from dairy farms.

BFH-HAFL

Agricultural economics 23.03.21

Häberli I. and Contzen S.

In the coming years, farm succession will become a topical issue for many Swiss farming families. However, the process is demanding. A research and development project at BFH-HAFL highlights challenges and presents tools

BFH-HAFL

Animal production 22.03.21

Morel I., Delagarde R., Dufey P.-A., Schmid E., Aragon A., Sonet C. and Huguenin-Elie O.

An optimum grassland botanical composition is a key element of the efficient feeding of ruminants. The fattening cattle in this trial clearly preferred a grass/clover/chicory mixture to pure ryegrass.

Agroscope, INRAE

Animal production 15.03.21

Augsburger C., Rombach M. and Boessinger M.

The RumiWatch system is a smart farming tool, which enables an accurate detection of eating and rumination behaviours performed by dairy cows. The aim of the researchers was to check, if the system that was already established in science for its practical usage.

Agridea

Agricultural economics 11.03.21

S. Renner and N. El Benni

In order to increase the competitiveness of Swiss milk production, the performance of the farms must be improved. Agroscope shows that the majority of producers work efficiently, but that the differences in productivity are great.

Agroscope

Plant production 25.02.21

Sperling P., Rauch M. and Ramseier H.

BFH-HAFL investigated three non-hardy green-manure mixtures and their effect on organic maize: A legume-rich green manure showed very high nitrogen enrichment and a positive effect on the early juvenile development of maize.

BFH-HAFL

Plant production 04.02.21

Brunner S., Romeis J., Patocchi A. and Peter R.

A secured field on Agroscope’s Reckenholz site enables field research with genetically modified (GM) plants. In addition to research results, it provides findings on how GM plants might be handled in agriculture, as well as offering the public a window into this research.

Agroscope

Plant production 03.02.21

Drakopoulos D., Gimeno A., Kägi A., Jenny E., Bänziger I., Musa T., Forrer H. R. and Vogelgsang S.

Fungal toxins in wheat endanger the health of humans and animals. Agroscope investigated three cropping systems under reduced tillage to improve the quality and yield of wheat harvests using alternative crop protection strategies.

Agroscope

Plant production 21.01.21

Wüpper D., Roleff N., Finger R.

Fruit and wine producers who receive information from the public sector are more likely to use preventive measures such as nets or hygiene measures to combat spotted-wing drosophila. Producers advised by private firms that sell plant-protection products are more likely to use synthetic insecticides.

ETH Zurich

What Quantity of Heavy Metals Ends Up in Agricultural Soils?

Should Antibiotic Use Be Reduced through Incentives?

More Cherries and Bigger Apples from Optimal Pollination

Risk Maps for Plant-Protection Product Input into Surface Waters

Crop-Variety Mixtures for Greater Yields and Robustness

Increasing Food-Security Challenges Faced by Switzerland

Lower in-Kind Yields from Forgoing the Use of Plant-Protection Products in Arable Crops

Swiss Ley Farming: Italian Ryegrasses ‘Maggyl’ and ‘Oryttus’ Set New Standards

More Soil Life in Organic Vegetable Production

How Dairy Farmers Improve Their Quality of Life

Protecting the Climate with Biochar

Sustainable Weed Management: Towards New Tools

Beekeeping – A Mobile Application for Controlling the Varroa Mite

Consumption of Raw Goat’s Milk: What Is the Risk of Infection with TBE Viruses?

Use of Iodised Salt in Cheesemaking Improves Iodine Sufficiency

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

Creating a Coordination Centre for Swiss Aquaculture

Emergency Supplies Before, During and After the Swiss Confederation’s COVID-19 Measures

Characterisation of Raclette du Valais PDO

Swiss Cheeses Are an Important Dietary Source of Vitamin K2

Swiss Wine of the Future – What Expectations do Consumers Have?

KLIR: A Model for Calculating Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Dairy Farms

Tackling Farm Succession Holistically and at an Early Stage

Bovine Appetite Is Stimulated by Multi-Species Herbage Mixtures

The RumiWatch System: Automated Feeding and Health Monitoring for Dairy Cows

Swiss Dairy Farms – Economic Performance Potential and Limits

Non-Hardy Green-Manure Mixtures in No-Till Organic Maize Cultivation

Protected Site: Seven Years of Field Research with Genetically Modified Plants

Fungal Toxins in Wheat: Innovative Cropping Systems Reduce Fusarium Mycotoxins

Public and Private Extension Influence Pest-Control Strategies