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Environment

Mann S., Ferjani A., Zimmermann A., Mack G., Möhring A.

What would an organic Switzerland look like?

Switzerland‘s high purchasing power, natural site conditions, small-scale agricultural structure and political independence arguably make it more suitable than any other country for a conversion of entire regions to organic farming. The SWISSland forecast model is used to simulate a complete changeover to organic farming for the time period 2018–20, and to compare this with…
Agricultural economics

Lauber S., Furrer B.

Infrastructure for alpine summer farming: historical witnesses and spatial planning

Traditional buildings are an important part of the cultural landscape in alpine pasturing areas, serving as historico-cultural witnesses. They are, however, under pressure from structural change in agriculture and often require renovation. To assess their historico-cultural quality, a list of criteria has been drawn up which provides a basis for their agro-touristic development, i.e. for…
Plant production

Nucera E., Boccardo L., Garzoli D., D'Adda G., Bertossa M.

PRAMIG: a development project to enhance grassland management in the Swiss Southern Alps

Meadows and pastures play a vital economic role for both agriculture and tourism along the Southern side Alps. The main objective of the PRAMIG (Miglioramento dei prati a Sud delle Alpi) project was to promote sustainable management methods for farms located in the Southern side Alps, by means of a fodder production system adapted to…
Agricultural economics

Blättler T., Durgiai B., Peguiron D., Raaflaub M., Winckler L.

Economic efficiency of seasonal used mountain pasture farms in Switzerland

In the project AlpWirtschaft the application VokoAlp was developed for compiling and analyzing data and for budgetary accounting. Cost-efficiency studies for 18 typical Swiss alpine summer farming units were done for different levels (staff, farmers). Large differences in income between different alpine pasture farms were found. The larger alpine farms were more profitable with higher…
Plant production

Schürch S., Cordette T.

Baseline sensitivity of septoria leaf blotch to SDHI fungicides

Since recently, a new class of fungicides is available to control Septoria leaf blotch of wheat, the so-called carboxamides or SDHI. The risk of resistance development in Mycosphaerella graminicola to SDHI fungicides is estimated to be medium to high. Therefore the implementation of an anti-resistance strategy is necessary to preserve the efficacy of these fungicides.…
Environment

Aebi A., Zindel R.

Symbionts and arthropods – potential implications for biological control

Most arthropod species live in association with numerous bacteria. Their interactions can have different outcomes. While some bacteria are crucial for their host’s survival, others are facultative and their presence can have a negative, positive or neutral effect on the nutrition, reproduction or survival of their host. Some endosymbionts (such as Wolbachia for example) are…
Plant production

Gunst L., Richner W., Mäder P., Mayer J.

DOC trial: nutrient supply in winter wheat – where is the deficit?

The nutrient supply of winter wheat was one of the topics investigated by the DOC long-term system comparison from 1978 to 2003. The aim of this trial is to provide evidence of nutrient-related yield limitations in organic farming systems. Substantial differences in yield between «organic» and «conventional» farming systems and different fertilisation intensities were primarily…
Plant production

Bertossa M., Morisoli R., Colombi L.

Western corn rootworm control in Switzerland, yet a successful story

Since 2000 Switzerland belongs to the 22 European countries where the quarantine pest Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, Western corn rootworm, has been detected. It’s reported to be the most important maize pest worldwide with an economical damage up to 1,5 Billion $. In Switzerland, it’s constantly present in the southern part of the Alps, while…
Animal production

Sollberger E., Bracher A., Burren C., Spring P.

N-Efficacy in fattening pigs

In regions with high density of animal production, Import/Export-balances (IMPEX) are used to monitor the use of diets with reduced P- and N- concentrations. Based on the IMPEX data, the farms can claim a reduction in waste nutrients. The aim of the presentment study was to analyze 1665 IMPEX-balances from pig farms in the state…
Plant production

Kölliker R., Wichmann F., Vorhölter F.J., Conradin C., Reinhard S., Boller B., Widmer F.

Bacterial wilt – a puzzling disease of forage grasses

Bacterial wilt of forage grasses is caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas translucens pv. graminis (Xtg) and leads to major damage in meadows and pastures. To support the breeding of resistant cultivars, we are studying the genetic bases of the interaction between bacteria and plants. In doing so, we have learnt that this interaction exhibits a…

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