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In the years 1997 to 1999 we tested 45 varieties of Lolium multiflorum var. Italicum and 24 varieties of Lolium x hybridum at five different experimental sites. All varieties were grown in pure stands and in mixture with red clover. The parameters assessed were forage yield, juvenile growth, competing ability, resistance to diseases, digestibility and…

Two new red clover cultivars, CORVUS and PICA, of the persistent “Mattenklee” type are being released in Switzerland. They have been selected for being less aggressive in mixtures. Their first year yield is slightly lower than that of the known “Mattenklee” cultivars. However, they have an excellent level of resistance against stem nematodes, powdery mildew…

Fruit growers aim to produce fruit economically and in an environmentally friendly way. Research should find the relevant solutions. Moreover, the framework of agricultural politics and the increasingly open markets are strong challenges for the fruit industry. The following examples will give an insight into the activities of the Federal Research Station Wädenswil: apple breeding…

New vegetable varieties must be grown at different regional sites to evaluate their specific potential with respect to time and duration of the harvesting period, their yield and quality. Additionally, cultivars with resistance or tolerance to pests and/or pathogen must be tested under defined conditions in the field. In future, more information is needed on…

The evaluation and registration of pesticides, new solutions to urgent problems in minor crops, as well as prognosis and recommended measures services are important requisites for a sustainable vegetable production. The examples of the carrot fly, the cabbage root fly and the cutworm show that research in the field of host-plant selection and sexual behaviour…

Fire blight is the most damaging disease of pipfruits. The situation has dramatically changed in Switzerland during the last few years, when the disease was found in several new regions (e.g. cantons of Zurich, Thurgau, St. Gall, Lucerne, etc.). A large number of host plants can be affected by fire blight during the season. There…

Pesticides (plant protection products, PPP) are designed to defend plants against attacks of insects, fungi or other harmful organisms. They contain active ingredients with considerable biological activities which usually extend somewhat beyond the purpose they are intended for. Their registration process therefore takes into consideration both efficacy and side effects and evaluates them in a…

Vegetable production is without doubt the most diverse and demanding branch of Swiss Agriculture. Although neither crop husbandry nor the structures of cropping and farming systems differ significantly from that of other agricultural production areas, the crop diversity and the specific market requirements demand outstanding know-how and high organisational and economic capabilities from the producers.…

The many advantages of fodder maize such as growth and yield potential, energy content, palatability and ingestibility contributed to its popularity and explain the expansion of maize crop areas during the last 30 years in Europe.<br>Although silage maize is the most widespread fodder plant worldwide, the prediction of its nutritive value still could be improved.…

In this paper, we compare the botanical and chemical compositions of grazed grassland located at various altitudes between 600 and 2100 m a.s.l., as part of a study on the relationships between the characteristics of grass and those of Swiss hard cheese. The lowland leys are composed only of grasses and legumes and their botanical…

To measure the biological qualities of composts, a new set of biotests was developed and evaluated by different institutions using the same compost materials. Per institution the same eight tests with different plants were carried out. As reference a defined standard substrate was used enabling to produce comparable results even under different conditions and with…