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Plant production

Rouffiange J., Gerardin D., Kellenberger I., Schaerer S., Dupuis B.

Potato susceptibility to aerial stem rot caused by Dickeya spp.

Dickeya dianthicola and ‘Dickeya solani’ are the most problematic bacteria in the Swiss seed-potato production. They are responsible for aerial stem rot symptoms in the field, usually named «blackleg». This study has two main objectives. On the one hand, to study the susceptibility of five cultivars, namely Agria, Victoria, Charlotte, Innovator, Arinda and Lady Claire,…
Plant production

Baur R., Fähndrich S., Baur B., Wieland Th.

Knowledge dissemination in the Swiss vegetable production

A survey on knowledge dissemination in the vegetable sector and on information sources used by vegetable farms was conducted in 2010. 226 questionnaires returned by growers and advisors were analyzed. Information domains were: technical aspects of production, market access and farm economics. Results show that growers attached a high value to their own basic knowledge…
Plant production

Suter D., Hirschi H., Frick R., Aebi Ph.

White clover and smooth-stalked meadow-grass retested

From 2010 to 2012, the Agroscope Reckenholz- Tänikon ART and Agroscope Changins-Wädenswil ACW research stations conducted experiments with 20 varieties of white clover and 12 of smooth-stalked meadow-grass. Ten of the white clover and eight of the meadow-grass varieties were new cultivars. Juvenile development, vigour (general impression, stand density, regenerative capacity), winter-hardiness, resistance to leaf…
Plant production

Gebhard C.-A., Büchi L., Liebisch F., Sinaj S., Ramseier H., Charles R.

Screening of legumes as cover crops: nitrogen and weeds

This study evaluated 27 legumes as cover crops, sowed in pure or mixed stands, with the aim to outline their agrosystemic services. The results show important behavior variations among the different legumes. The amount of aerial biomass built from August until the first frost achieve between 0.4 and 5.9 t DM/ha. From 377 to 850…
Plant production

Breitenmoser S., Baur R.

Influence of insecticides on beneficial arthropods in cereals and potatoes

The Swiss program on ecological production restricts the range of insecticides approved for pest control to those with relatively little impact on beneficial arthropods. With the arrival of new crop protection products over the last few years, a re-evaluation of the toxicity of insecticides has been requested by both the official authorities and farmers. The…
Plant production

Schaller U., Patrian B., Bächli A., Streit U., Balmer M.

Market control – quality of plant protection products in Switzerland

In Switzerland, the market control of plant protection products is organized in a close collaboration of the cantonal laboratories, the registration authority and Agroscope. From 2008 to 2012, five campaigns with a total of 106 plant protection products were performed. The quality of the active ingredient and the most important physico-chemical properties of the samples…
Plant production

Mouron P., Calabrese Ch., Breitenmoser S., Spycher S., Baur R.

Sustainability assessment of insecticides in Swiss grain and potato production

As part of the Proof of Ecological Performance (PEP), Switzerland requires special permits to be obtained for the use in cereals and potato production of authorised insecticides which have a potential to impact beneficial arthropods. In order to test the impact of this PEP requirement, a reference variant illustrating the current PEP requirements was compared…
Plant production

Suter D., Hirschi H., Frick R., Aebi Ph.

Cocksfoot: test results of 31 varieties

From 2010 to 2012, the Agroscope Reckenholz-Tänikon ART and Agroscope Changins-Wädenswil ACW research stations tested 31 varieties of cocksfoot in the field at seven sites for their suitability for cultivation. In addition to the 17 new varieties, the previously-recommended varieties were re-tested. The characteristics evaluated were yield, vigour, juvenile development, competitive ability, persistence, winter-hardiness, resistance…
Plant production

Brabant C., Schwaerzel R., Augsburger B., Jaquet H., Bitz Jean-Jacques, Claeyman N., Dossenbach A.

Baking quality of rye in Switzerland

This paper aims to better understand the milling and baking quality of rye varieties in Switzerland, in order to better meet the needs of users for rye. A quality scheme is proposed to determine the quality of rye grown in Switzerland. The analyzes measuring the flour yield (PHL, ash content) and the starch quality (falling…
Plant production

Frick R., Mosimann E., Suter D., Hirschi H.

Berseem clover and Crimson clover variety trials (2010-2012)

From 2010 through 2012, the Agroscope Reckenholz-Tänikon ART and Agroscope Changins-Wädenswil ACW research stations tested in total eight varieties of Berseem clover and three varieties of Crimson clover in comparative variety trials at seven experimental sites. All varieties were grown in pure stands and in mixture with grasses. The parameters assessed were dry matter yield,…
Plant production

Gerardin D., Rouffiange J., Kellenberger I., Schaerer S., Dupuis B.

Potato susceptibility to soft rot caused by Dickeya spp.

Soft rot on potato tubers is caused by bacteria belonging to the genus Pectobacterium and Dickeya. The most often detected species in rotting tubers or plants sampled from Swiss potato lots are Dickeya dianthicola and Dickeya solani. Laboratory tests on tuber slices were set up to determine differences in cultivar susceptibility and isolate aggressiveness. Among…
Plant production

Krebs H., Musa T., Vogelgsang S., Forrer H.-R.

Copper free control of potato late blight in organic potato production?

Copper is used in organic potato production to control the late blight pathogen Phytophthora infestans. A disadvantage of copper is, that it accumulates in the soil and damages soil organisms. In Switzerland, the application of 4 kg of copper per hectare and year is allowed. In a six year crop rotation, the ecotoxicologically acceptable amount…
Plant production

Spycher S., Badertscher R., Daniel O.

Indicators for pesticide usage in Switzerland

Since 2009 agricultural data are collected within the framework of the project Farm Accountancy Data Network Agro-Environmental Indicators (AEI FADN). The indicator «pesticide usage» consists of key figures characterizing the practice of chemical plant protection. The crop specific number of spray rounds quantifies both the total number of times a crop has been treated, and…
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…
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.…
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…
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…
Plant production

Hunziker K., Noser S., Ingenfeld A., Frey J., Kellerhals M.

Fruit genetic resources: diversity for the future

Since 1999, the Federal Office of Agriculture (BLW) supports the collection, conservation and description of old fruit varieties within the framework of the National Plan of Action (NAP) for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (PGRFA). In the course of the nationwide fruit inventory in the years 2000…
Plant production

Hiltbrunner J., Buchmann U., Vogelgsang S., Gutzwiller A., Ramseier H.

Grain sorghum – an arable crop with attractive properties, as yet unknown in Switzerland

With 40.5 million hectares under cultivation, Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench is the world’s fifth-most important arable crop. Although primarily cultivated in warmer regions, the area devoted to this crop in Europe has increased over the past few years – among other things because sorghum produces attractive yields even when little water is available. In order…

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