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Plant production

Meissle M., Romeis J., Bigler F.

Bt maize – a potential contribution to integrated production?

Bt maize represents a targeted and efficient measure for controlling certain pests. Replacing broad-spectrum insecticides with Bt maize produces environmental benefits, for example because this approach does not harm beneficial organisms. Growers can produce high-quality products with low time and resource investment. Resistance evolution and potential secondary pest outbreaks are risks for the sustainable use…
Agricultural economics

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

What impact will the rearrangement of animal-related direct payments have?

Politically there is a broad consensus that the clearer orientation of the direct payment system towards the objectives of agricultural policy is a sensible aspect of the current reform process. However, there is disagreement as to whether the formerly animal-related contributions, as proposed in the communication on the agricultural policy 2014−2017 (AP 14−17, Federal Council…
Animal production

Steiner B., Keck M., Keller M., Weber K.

Comparison of drainage characteristics of traffic floor surfaces in cattle-housing systems

Soiled traffic floor surfaces in cattlehousing systems represent plane sources for ammonia emissions. For emission-reduction purposes, the influence of the gradient on the drainage behaviour of water was quantified on a pilot-plant scale for seven different traffic surfaces. The surfaces were uniformly soiled with a mixture of excrements and urine. Measuring parameters were the duration…
Plant production

Ballmer T., Hebeisen T., Wüthrich R., Gut F.

Potential for drip irrigation in potato production under changing climatic conditions

From 2008 to 2010 Agroscope Reckenholz-Tänikon Research Station ART examined the effectiveness of drip irrigation with the potato varieties Agria and Charlotte. Irrigation hoses were laid out between the rows or in each ridge of the furrow with an identical water supply. Only in 2008 there was a tendency for the gross yields produced by…
Environment

Zihlmann U., Jossi W., Oberholzer H., Weisskopf P., Richner W., Krebs H., Tschachtli R., Nussbaumer A.

Importance of the soil in the Burgrain farmingsystem trial

In the Burgrain field trial (1991–2008; Alberswil, Canton of Lucerne, Switzerland), where the soils have developed on alluvial and moraine sediments, it was found that the soil nature often had greater effects on the investigated parameters than the three different farming systems applied, which were «intensive IP» (Integrated Production) with intensive use of auxiliary substances,…
Animal production

Gafner J.

The microbiological quality of feedstuffs

The quality of a feedstuff is not only defined by the various nutrient contents, or by its composition in terms of raw materials, or its digestibility or its palatability, nor even by its appearance or sensory characteristics, but also by its hygienic status. This article presents a way of assessing the microbiological quality of feedstuff,…
Plant production

Mascher F., Matasci C., Kellenberger S., Beuret B., Beuret M., Busslinger G., Doernte J., Gygax M., Hecker A., Heinzer L., Hoschstrasser M., Horner M., Kunz P., Merz U.

Virulence monitoring and the structure of powdery mildew populations between 2003 and 2010

Breeding for powdery mildew resistant wheat varieties needs information on the presence of virulences and the virulence structure of the current powdery mildew populations. In this work, we present a novel approach for virulence analyses by global analysis and not by analyzing the constituants of the population, as this was done in previous studies. Here,…
Environment

Schneider F., Rist S.

The significance of aesthetics for the adoption of no-tillage farming

No-tillage is an effective protective measure against erosion which offers ecological and economic advantages. Although it has spread continually in Switzerland since the mid-1980s and some cantons actively promote its adoption, the share of total agricultural land under no-tillage remains low (4 %). This study on reasons for adoption or rejection of no-tillage shows that…
Animal production

Stranzinger G., Achermann J., Fengtang Y., Burger D.

Chromosome studies and other investigations on equid crossings

Crossings between horses and donkeys are in nature possible and are used as mules or hinnies in agriculture. Other types of crossings are rare and scarcely investigated. Systematic experiments are only allowed with special agreements and are very time consuming and costly and therefore rare. In this report crossings between horse, Przewalski and donkey are…
Environment

Jahrl I., Rudmann C., Pfiffner L., Balmer O.

Motivations for the implementation of ecological compensation areas

Swiss agricultural policy is guided by the goal of improving the ecological services provided by farms through direct payments for ecological compensation areas (ECAs), but evaluation programs have shown that financial incentives alone do not guarantee the implementation of ECAs. We investigated, by means of structured interviews with conventional, integrated production, and organic farmers, which…
Agricultural economics

von Felten S., Fischer M., Lauber S.

Alpine summer farming in Switzerland: surveys on the situation and choice of alpine summer farms

In parallel with agriculture in the lowlands, alpine summer farming is also currently in a state of change. Within the framework of the inter- and transdisciplinary research programme AlpFUTUR, three representative written surveys were carried out in which managers of alpine summer farms as well as of summer-pasturing and non-summer-pasturing home farms were asked for…
Plant production

Sanvido O., Romeis J., Bigler F.

Challenges in the environmental monitoring of genetically modified plants

According to genetic engineering legislation in Switzerland, the cultivation of genetically modified plants (GMPs) must be accompanied by environmental monitoring. This environmental monitoring is intended to identify any negative effects on the environment as early as possible so that necessary remedial measures can be taken. Accordingly, the authorities must be in a position to recognise…
Animal production

Fuhrer J., Calanca P.

Climate change affects welfare of dairy cows

Climate change is leading to higher temperatures across Switzerland, increasing the risk of heat stress in livestock. Analyzing a «Temperature-Humidity Index» at various locations, it could be shown that the risk for dairy cows already grew substantially on a daily average over the past 30 years, whereas the maximum of the index did not change…

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