Swiss Agricultural Research – Archive of the Online Journal

Müller A., Pfeifer C., Stolze M., Schader C., Oehen B. und Sanders J.

The war in Ukraine, dry spells and droughts followed by heavy rainfall and flooding are major challenges for our food systems. But the problems that they bring to light are nothing new – and solutions are already to hand.

FiBL

Plant production 06.10.22

Nay M., Tanner P. und Grieder C.

Adapted and high-yielding varieties of forage plants are important for Switzerland as a grassland country. Hybrid ryegrass is a versatile forage grass that, thanks to breeding advances, has become even more persistent, disease-resistant and high-yielding over the past 30 years.

Agroscope

Food 03.10.22

Irmler S., Haldemann J., Arias-Roth E.

Biogenic amines in foods represent a health risk. Researchers from Agroscope and INRAE investigated the formation of these undesirable substances in raclette cheeses by the bacterium Morganella morganii.

Agroscope

Environment 22.09.22

Verena Säle, Muris Korkaric, Reto Neuweiler, Laura de Baan

Agroscope has developed a scoring system for plant protection in vegetable crops. The system enables the creation of incentives for reducing the use and environmental risks of plant-protection products and promoting preventive and non-chemical measures.

Agroscope, IP-SUISSE

Food 20.09.22

Bachmann H.P., Beutler E., Fleuti C., Lüscher Bertocco M. and Guggenbühl B.

At the new Centre of Excellence for Raw-Milk Products, Agroscope and Grangeneuve interviewed test subjects about the popularity of Vacherin Fribourgeois PDO cheeses made from raw and thermised milk. The study showed that the market potential of raw-milk cheeses has not yet been exhausted.

Agroscope, Grangeneuve

Agricultural economics 19.09.22

Ritzel C., Arbenz A., von Ow A.

Despite the current challenges of e.g. the war in Ukraine and climate change, the Swiss food sector is relatively resilient. This is the conclusion reached by Agroscope’s report on behalf of the Swiss Federal Office for National Economic Supply.

Agroscope

Environment 31.08.22

Hilber I., Blum F., Schmidt H.-P., Bucheli T.D.

Many consumer goods contain activated carbon, which can be contaminated with pollutants like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Agroscope showed that current analytical methods and legal bases used to address PAH content are incomplete.

Agroscope

Environment 24.08.22

Calanca P., Wüst-Galley C., Giuliani S. and Erdin D.

Dry summers can see a loss of up to 25% of total Swiss roughage production. This is because grassland yields are strongly correlated with summer drought, as shown by a new analysis conducted by Agroscope and the Swiss Farmers’ Union.

Agroscope, Swiss Farmer’s Union SFU

Plant production 22.08.22

Fesselet M., Tschuy F. und Wirth J.

Herbicide-resistant weeds are a growing problem throughout the world. Monitoring herbicide resistance in Switzerland allows us to understand the mechanisms behind it and to better manage the use of herbicides.

Agroscope

Plant production 16.08.22

Mathis M., Blom J.F., Nemecek T., Bravin E., Jeanneret P., Daniel O., de Baan L.

Agroscope compared crop protection strategies in apple production. Reducing the use of plant-protection products lowered the local ecotoxological risks, but resulted in trade-offs between environmental and economic performance.

Agroscope

Environment 21.07.22

Leifeld J., Keel S.G.

Storing carbon in the soil in the form of soil organic matter benefits the climate. A new approach allows us to quantify this effect.

Agroscope

Environment 12.07.22

Grossrieder J., Ringger C., Argento F., Grandgirard R., Anken T. und Liebisch F.

A test of five methods using the example of winter-wheat cultivation shows that site-specific nitrogen fertilisation enables more efficient fertilising without adversely affecting yield.

Agroscope, Grangeneuve

Environment 05.07.22

Seiler F.L., Mann S., Holzkämper A.

The past 30 years have seen a clear trend towards rising water costs. The supply of agricultural land with water from natural sources is thus coming under increasing pressure.

Agroscope, Freie Universität Berlin

Plant production 01.07.22

Meissle M., Naranjo S. E., Romeis J.

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) bacterium proteins protect Bt maize from being fed on by specific insects. A new, systematic analysis of international field data confirms that non-target organisms in Bt maize are largely spared.

Agroscope, USDA-ARS, Arid-Land Agricultural Research Center, USA

Agricultural economics 28.06.22

Ammann J., Ritzel, C., El Benni, N.

The pandemic has influenced not only our everyday life but also our behaviour. Agroscope looked at which population groups and behaviours experienced or underwent particularly significant changes, and what this means for our health.

Agroscope

Environment 24.06.22

Guillaume T., Makowski D., Libohova Z., Elfouki S., Fontana M., Leifeld J., Bragazza L., Sinaj S.

Protecting the climate whilst reaping a good harvest is possible if greater amounts of carbon are sequestered in the soil. Agroscope calculated the amount of additional carbon that the soil is capable of storing.

Agroscope, INRAE, USDA-ARS Dale Bumpers Small Farms Research Center

Environment 16.06.22

Prasuhn V., Hofer P., Liniger H.

A long-term field study conducted by Agroscope, the Soil Protection Agency of the Canton of Bern and the University of Bern shows that soil erosion on arable land can be significantly reduced with the right measures – in particular, conservation tillage practices.

Agroscope, Office for Agriculture and Nature of the Canton of Bern, Soil Protection Agency, Centre for Development and Environment (CDE), University of Bern

Plant production 15.06.22

Zufferey V., Verdenal T., Reynard J.-S., Dienes-Nagy A., Belcher S., Lorenzini F., Rösti J., Gindro K., Spangenberg J. E., Viret O., Carlen C., Spring J.-L.

Tests carried out by Agroscope in the Valais region reveal that the Humagne Rouge grape variety yields better wines and is less susceptible to bunch shrivel when grapevines are not irrigated.

Agroscope, Auvernier Office of Viticulture and Agroecology, University of Lausanne, Morges Agriculture and Viticulture Service (SAVI)

Agricultural economics 02.06.22

Zorn A., Zimmert F.

Swiss dairy farms are more strongly affected by structural change than other farm types. An analysis of the farms exiting the sector or switching focus highlights influencing factors.

Agroscope

Plant production 01.06.22

Seehausen M. L., Valenti R., Fontes J., Meier M., Marazzi C., Mazzi D. and Kenis M.

A natural antagonist of Drosophila suzukii, a parasitic wasp from its native range, is harmless to the native non-target species Drosophila melanogaster. This has been proven in trials in secured field cages in Switzerland.

Agroscope, CABI, ETH Zurich, canton of Ticino

Agricultural economics 18.05.22

Umstätter C., Mann S. und Werner J.

Previous criteria used to measure social sustainability have their limits in the case of family farms. We propose focusing on workload. Initial results show that this is an easy-to-use and meaningful indicator.

Agroscope, Thünen-Institut, University of Hohenheim

Plant production 13.05.22

Kaiser A., Burger P.

To reduce plant-protection product use, we need to know what behavioural patterns farmers follow when using plant-protection products in their crops. This was the subject of a study conducted by Agroscope in Switzerland.

Agroscope, University of Basel

Agricultural economics 12.05.22

El Benni N., Ritzel C., Heitkämper K. und Mack G.

Why do Swiss farmers complain about the administrative burden associated with the direct payments system? Studies conducted by Agroscope show that the issue is not the time required: other factors are more important.

Agroscope

Animal production 05.05.22

Herholz C., Siegwart J., Bruckmaier R.M., Rytz E., Lamon I., Muhr M. und Stirnimann R.

In both sport and alternative agriculture, horses are once again being used as draught animals. Efficient power transmission plays an important role in the wellbeing of draught horses.

BFH-HAFL, Vetsuisse Faculty University of Bern, IG Arbeitspferde Schweiz

Food 29.04.22

Spring J.-L., Zufferey V., Verdenal T., Reynard J.-S., Lorenzini F., Bourdin G., Carlen C.

Divico, Agroscope’s new disease-resistant grape variety, is noted for the quality of its wines. Blending trials with the Pinot Noir variety have shown that Divico is also highly suitable for correcting colour intensity in the latter.

Agroscope

Animal production 28.04.22

Straub U.

A study by Vetsuisse shows that the outdoor veal calf concept reduces antibiotic consumption in calf fattening by 80%. AGRIDEA has examined the economic viability of outdoor veal calf production and concludes that it cannot compete with conventional veal calf fattening.

Agridea

Plant production 27.04.22

Rainer Frick, Daniel Suter, Hansueli Hirschi, Edwige Dereuder, Cédric Coudry

Crimson clover is essentially used as a catch crop in association with ryegrass. The comparative trial conducted in 2019-21 has led to the addition of two new acquisitions to the List of Recommended Varieties of Forage Plants.

Agroscope

Animal production 12.04.22

Wasem D. und Probst S.

In contrast to pigs, dairy cattle are as yet rarely fed protein-reduced diets. Studies show that there is also potential for protein savings in cattle, and thus for reducing ammonia emissions.

BFH-HAFL

Plant production 31.03.22

Ammann J., Umstätter C. und El Benni N.

Digital technologies for vegetable production are available, but are seldom used at present. What factors inhibit or promote their use? A survey of experts conducted by Agroscope provides answers.

Agroscope, Thünen Institute for Agricultural Technology

Plant production 24.03.22

Argento F., Liebisch F., Simmler M., Ringger C., Hatt M., Walter A. und Anken T.

To ensure a good harvest while protecting the environment, a nitrogen surplus must be avoided. Agroscope is investigating how the application of nitrogen fertiliser can be better adapted to soil replenishment and the needs of the plants.

Agroscope, ETH Zurich, Swiss Future Farm

Archive

Less Meat, Less Waste ‒ War and Crises Are a Call for Change

Hybrid Ryegrass Combines the Best Features of Perennial and Italian Ryegrass

The Bacterium Morganella morganii Forms Biogenic Amines in Raclette Cheeses

Scoring Points with Plant Protection in Vegetable Crops

Vacherin Fribourgeois PDO: Consumer Study Shows Popularity of Raw-Milk Cheeses

Swiss Food Security 2022: Current Events and Trends

Pollutants in Products Containing Activated Carbon: Improving Detection Methods and Legal Bases

Average Grassland Yields in Switzerland Shaped by Summer Drought

Gaining a Better Understanding of Herbicide Resistance

Crop Protection in Apple Production: Environmental and Economic Impacts of Different Strategies

Temporary Carbon Sinks also Benefit the Climate

More Efficient Nitrogen Use thanks to Site-Specific Fertilisation

Rising Expenditure for Water Use in Agriculture

Bt Maize Has Minimal Impact on Non-Target Organisms

How Has the COVID-19 Pandemic Changed our Behaviour?

Determining Soil Carbon Storage Potential

Long-term Monitoring Shows Effective Measures for Reducing Soil Erosion

Humagne Rouge: Moderate Water Stress Improves Wine Quality

Swiss Dairy Farming in Transition

Promising Exotic Antagonist of Spotted-Wing Drosophila

How Can the Social Sustainability of Family Farms Be Measured?

Diversity in Swiss Crop Protection Practices

Direct Payments System: How to Reduce the Administrative Burden

Use of Horses: Performance and Welfare in Working Horses – a Pilot Study

Divico Wines in Blends with Pinot Noir: High Quality, Intense Colour

The Outdoor Veal Calf Concept Reduces the Use of Antibiotics – Is It Cost-Effective as Well?

Two New Varieties of Incarnate Clover Recommended

Feeding Dairy Cows a Protein-Reduced Diet and Reducing Ammonia Emissions

How Digitalised Will Swiss Vegetable Farms Be in Future?

Using Sensors to Better Adapt Nitrogen Fertilisation to Plants and Soils