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Orotic acid content in cow`s, ewe`s and goat`s milk
The ewe’s milk is much lauded for its high orotic acid content. This is sought after as a miracle cure and a universal drug. Although reliable data on this subject can not be found in the scientific literature, the myth of ewe’s milk particularly rich in orotic acid still persists. For this reason, the Agroscope…
EU-Project Quality low input food: influence of processing on the content of conjugated linoleic acids
Among consumers there is a growing demand for food products with a natural nutritional-physiological advantage over comparable conventional products. As part of an EU funded project, Agroscope Liebefeld-Posieux ALP examined the possible impact of processing on nutritionally valuable milk components, using the example of conjugated linoleic acids (CLA). Among the many benefits ascribed to CLA,…
Assessing sustainability at farm level .-current status and perspectives
This article provides an overview of the research that has so far been carried out to assess the level of sustainability of Swiss farms. The presented methods were analysed with the aid of defined criteria to examine if they serve the aim of assessing the sustainability of farms on a broad basis. The analysis shows…
Sensitive reaction of ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) to cutting dates
Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea L.) is poisonous for livestock and should therefore be controlled on agricultural grasslands. In this study, we tested the influence of different cutting dates on S. jacobaea to find a sensitive growth stage of S. jacobaea, at which regrowth and seed production would be most severely reduced. On 20 experimental plots, 14 seedlings…
Perspectives for plant production in Switzerland in 2050
The basic conditions for plant production in Switzerland will have substantially changed by 2050. The main reasons are global and free markets with increased competition, climate change causing more frequently occurring disasters and scarcity of resources: soil quality will diminish, arable land will disappear and water will no longer be constantly available. Is plant production…
New recommanded varieties of cocksfoot
In the years 2005 to 2007 the two research stations Agroscope Reckenholz-Tänikon ART and Agroscope Changins-Wädenswil ACW conducted variety trials with cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) at seven sites. Information on yield, juvenile development, and general impression of the sward, competitive ability, and resistance against diseases, winter hardiness, digestible organic matter and persistence was systematically obtained.…
Which grain legumes for cropping in Switzerland?
Within the framework of a European project called GL-Pro (European extension network for the development of grain legume production in the EU), a crop demonstration network for grain legumes was set up for evaluating the potential of these crops to enhance their development. In Switzerland, crops grown by farmers were observed to evaluate their specificities,…
Invasive plants: agricultural aspects
In Switzerland also, alien plant invaders can threaten biodiversity. The impacts of these invasive plants on agriculture can very according to species. In fact, most of them are not directly related to agriculture; but some species, such as ragweed (A. artemisiifolia) or narrow-leaved ragwort (S. inaequidens), can also colonise and threaten arable land. On the…
Common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.): breaking the plant life cycle in order to exhaust the seed bank. 1. Optimisation and efficacy of various mowing schemes
Common Ragweed is becoming an increasing source of concern in Switzerland, notably because of the allergenic nature of its pollen. As a result, the control of this species is not simply targeted at arable land but indeed at every single invaded site. Thus, it is necessary to develop techniques that break the life cycle of…
From oats for horses to vegetable oil for farm machines
The Rapeseed Oil Combined Heat and Power Unit’ project is a public-private partnership. Its main success is the showcase presentation of the extraction of fuel-quality rapeseed oil and its failure-free application in diesel engines. Significant progress, recognised across Europe, has been made in the field of cold pressing with the setting up of the research…
Recording and Planning Farm-Management Tasks
Farm management tasks occupy a central position on farms. The data available in this area for planning purposes, however, corresponds neither quantitatively nor qualitatively to the importance of these tasks. Using the example of dairy farming, Reliable reliable planning datae are was developed using the example of dairy farmingfor these tasks. This study is based…
Measuring soil displacement due to passing over restored soils
The improved techniques of land restoration provide loose soils that have subsequently to be treated with extensive agricultural management for several years. We investigated the influence of the age of restored soils on their mechanical bearing capacity and their potential to recover from mechanical impacts. For this, we accomplished wheeling experiments with a tractor and…
Influence of composts and digestats on soil fertility
In order to estimate the potential of Swiss composts to influence soil fertility and plant health, one hundred composts representative of the different composting systems and qualities available on the market were analyzed. The nutrient content of the composts was predominantly influenced by the materials of origin. The organic matter content, respiration rate and enzyme…
Organic pollutants in compost and digestate of Switzerland
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/F), dioxin-like PCBs, polybrominated flame retardants, perfluorinated alkyl substances, chlorinated paraffins and phthalates were found in compost, digestate and presswater originating from 39 composting and digestion plants. The concentrations were mostly in the range of μg/kg dry weight (dw) but above background contents of…
Nitrogen effects of green manuring on organic cabbage crops
In organic vegetable growing, nitrogen fixing green manure (GrM) play a key role in nitrogen supply for the crops. We investigated in two field experiments the influence of cutting and soil incorporation of GrM on nitrogen delivery for the proceeding crop cabbage. As a standard procedure, the GrM was mulched just before soil incorporation. In…
Apple crop thinning by tree shading
Shading with nets of 2 m and 3 m width respectively, which reduce the photosynthetic active radiation by 74 %, lead to successful fruit thinning of apple trees. Such a thinning method could be interesting for organic as well as for integrated production. Field trials in 2006 and 2007 with the cultivars Golden Delicious, Elstar…
Routine prediction of potato cooking quality
Information on the cooking quality of fresh potatoes is of increased importance to consumers. Usually information is based on characteristics typic for a specific variety. However, single potato lots that do not meet the expected cooking type due to differences in growth conditions may lead to discontent customers. In a three year project, we further…
Common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) control with the herbicides presently registered in arable crops in Switzerland
Currently, ragweed populations are clearly increasing in Switzerland. As the species give rise too severe health, environmental and agricultural concerns, implement of control measures in arable fields are now compulsory. In order to precise the efficacy against ragweed of the herbicides presently registered in Switzerland, field and glasshouse trials have been carried out between 2003…
Identification of spelt and wheat by means of electrophoresis
2004 a classification system for spelt was introduced in Switzerland. It should differ spelt from spelt that is crossed with wheat an sell them separately, mainly out of economic political interests. Besides the naming/denomination of its origin and morphological criterions the gliadin-pattern is used for the classification of spelt varieties. A band in the ω-gliadin…
Phenological annual review for 2007
The year 2007 was stamped with the warmest winter (2006/07) and spring ever recorded since the beginning of measurements in 1864. The vegetation did strongly react to that situation. In the phenological year 2007, 24.9 % of the dates of phenological observations were registered as new records, i.e. they were never recorded so early before…
Which decision-tools for the variety choice?
For the apple grower is the variety choice an important decision to do. Price, part of first class apple and yield are key-factors. These factors are different for every variety. The decision of the variety-mix influences the key-factors. With the portfolio analysis of market share and rise of market price of the top-ten varieties we…
