Archive

93 posts

Filter options
Reset filters
Environment

Häni F., Stämpfli A., Keller Th., Barth L.

RISE – A tool for a holistic sustainability assessment at the farm level

Whereas the liberalisation of the world markets seems to exert today the greatest pressure on development, sustainable production is the most important leading principle. Numerous studies have been conducted to evaluate the degree of sustainability on a national and local level and broadly accepted indicators have also been recommended. However, only little information for the…
Environment

Dubois D.

Reflection on research for a sustainable agriculture

The concept of a sustainable development of agriculture tends to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It consists of a model for the balanced management of a system with five capital assets: financial capital, human capital, physical man-made capital, social capital and…
Animal production

Wyss U.

DOC-trial: farming system and silage quality

Between 1996 and 1998 we investigated the influence of a bio-dynamic, a bio-organic and a conventional farming system on grass silage quality. For all treatments the same grass-clover-mixture was sown at the same place, the plots were fertilized differently depending on the farming system. Two different fertilizer levels per system were applied. The plots were…
Environment

Hofer G., Herzog F., Spiess M., Birrer S.

Ecological measures: Vegetation and breeding birds

In 1993, an agro-environmental programme was incorporated into the Swiss Agricultural legislation. One of the goals of this legislation was to conserve the natural biodiversity of Switzerland as well as to promote and encourage the spread of endangered species. Within the project «Evaluation of the Ecological Measures – Section Biodiversity» we check whether these goals…
Environment

Jacot K., Eggenschwiler L., Studer S.

Wild flower strips and rotational fallow: experiences from the practice

Farmers from different cantons in Switzerland have been interviewed to obtain insight into their experiences made with wild flower strips and rotational fallow fields. Additionally, their fallow fields have been surveyed with respect to selected spontaneous and sown species. The interviews showed that most of the farmers estimate the management effort for fallow to be…
Environment

Dreier S., Hofer G., Herzog F.

Botanical quality of extensively managed meadows

The plant composition of extensively managed hay meadows was investigated in a sample which is representative for the Swiss plateau. In 1401 relevés 511 species were recorded. 17 species figure in the national red list and 70 species have regional red list status. 25 % of meadows contain a minimum set of characteristic plants of…
Environment

Ulrich Ch., Jeanneret Ph., Schüpbach B., Lips A., Fried P.

Factors influencing the vegetation of extensively managed meadows

The territories of species breeding in hedges or in wet habitats were more often than expected close to sites for ecological compensation. By contrast, species breeding in open farmland were more distant from them than expected. The territories of species breeding in bushes or trees were preferentially in hedges or close to extensively farmed meadows…
Food

Bachmann H.-P., Bobst C., Bütikofer U., DallaTorre M., Fröhlich-Wyder M.-T., Fürst M.

Development of a surface smear starter culture

The FAM has developed two new surface mixed-cultures for smear ripened cheeses. These cultures have proven to be successful in practice and can now be ordered from the FAM. Research work carried out with the objective of combating sticky smear yielded numerous data on its formation. These results were used by the FAM to develop…
Plant production

Jossi W., Zihlmann U., Valenta A., Scherrer C., Krebs H., Dubois D., Fried P., Malitius O., Anken T., Sidler A., Bergmann F.

A diverse crop rotation improves yields and economical parameters

In the trial «Chaiblen» at Tänikon (Switzerland), the effect on yields and economical parameters of a diverse, a cereal-dominated and a maize-dominated crop rotation was examined during 27 years. The evaluation of the years of comparison with silage maize and winter wheat in the three crop rotations showed, that a diverse crop rotation with two…
Plant production

Jossi W., Dubois D., Zihlmann U., Fried P., Malitius O., Anken T., Sidler A., Bergmann F.

Effect of two cultivation intensities on yields and economical parameters

On a loamy soil in Tänikon (Switzerland) the project «Chaiblen» has compared two cultivation intensities – intensive (IS) and integrated (IP) – and three different crop rotations. Over the period of two five-year crop rotations from 1991 to 2000, yields were similar for clover grass in IS and IP. Maize yielded slightly less and cereals…
Plant production

Frick C., Mediavilla V., Hebeisen T.

Lupin – an alternative crop

The cultivation of new sweet white lupin (Lupinus albus) and narrow-leafed lupin (Lupinus angustifolius), and the introduction of crop related subsidies turned lupins into an interesting alternative for Swiss farmers. A two year study was carried out at the Swiss Federal Research Station for Agroecology and Agriculture (FAL) at Zurich to compare different cultivars of…
Plant production

Menzi M., Anders M.

Variety tests with winter wheat and winter barley under organic agricultural conditions

Concerning variety testing of winter wheat under organic conditions Swiss authorities offer a new possibility. With beginning in autumn 2001 and with a scheduled re-evaluation after three years the actual variety tests are declared as an official variety testing program. This means that in the future winter wheat varieties can be accepted for the Swiss…
Food

Eyer H., Collomb M., Sieber R.

Precious milk fat from the high lands

High land milk fat produced on swiss alps during summer months contains significantly higher amounts of unsaturated fatty acids than common summer milk fat. Also conjugated cis/trans linoleic acids and ?-3 fatty acids contents are markedly higher. This result obtained in a single alp study a few years ago could be confirmed in a follow-up…
Environment

Nievergelt J.

Nitrate leaching in a crop rotation from 1981 to 2000

Using 12 lysimeters nitrate leaching was determined for the following crop rotation: Potato – winter wheat – sugar beet – spring wheat – corn – spring wheat – rape – winter wheat – gras-clover mixture (green manure before potato, corn and sugar beet). Under the climatic conditions of Zurich-Reckenholz (1000 mm annual precipitation, 400 mm…
Plant production

Daccord R., Arrigo Y., Jeangros B., Scehovic J., Schubiger F.X., Lehmann J.

Nutritive value of grassland plants: Energy and protein values

Energy (NEL) and protein values (APIE and APIN) of 10 important grassland species were evaluated based on digestibility of organic matter which was determined by the method of Tilley and Terry. Foxtail had the lowest (5,5 ± 1,0 MJ NEL/kg DM) and white clover the highest energy value (6,4 ± 0,5 MJ). During the first…

Project partners

  • Logo AGRIDEA
  • Logo Agroscope

© 2024 Agrarforschung Switzerland Terms and conditions