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Environment

Fuchs T., Berner A., Mayer J., Schleiss K.

Influence of composts and digestats on soil fertility

In order to estimate the potential of Swiss composts to influence soil fertility and plant health, one hundred composts representative of the different composting systems and qualities available on the market were analyzed. The nutrient content of the composts was predominantly influenced by the materials of origin. The organic matter content, respiration rate and enzyme…
Environment

Kupper T., Brändli R., Pohl M., Bucheli T., Becker-van Slooten K.

Organic pollutants in compost and digestate of Switzerland

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/F), dioxin-like PCBs, polybrominated flame retardants, perfluorinated alkyl substances, chlorinated paraffins and phthalates were found in compost, digestate and presswater originating from 39 composting and digestion plants. The concentrations were mostly in the range of μg/kg dry weight (dw) but above background contents of…
Environment

Jossi W., Schweizer C., Keller S.

Click-beetle species and biological control of wireworms

Wireworms, the larval stages of click beetles, cause feeding damage to a number of crops. With potatoes the tuber quality is frequently impaired, leading to downgrading losses. In Switzerland damage north of the Alps is primarily caused by the Agriotes obscurus, A. lineatus and A. sputator species. All three species have a very similar cycle…
Environment

Stämpfli A.

The sustainability evaluation RISE of mountain farms

The Response-Inducing Sustainability Evaluation (RISE) summarizes, based on twelve indicators ecological, economical and social aspect of agricultural production at the farm level. Within the Mountain Dairy Project RISE was used to assess the overall goals of the individual farm strategies. Although an improvement on the economic indicators can be seen, an overall sustainable situation on…
Environment

Kägi T., Freiermuth Knuchel R., Nemecek T., Gaillard G.

Life cycle assessment of energy crops

The environmental impact of bioenergy production from biomass strongly depends on the crop cultivation. This study looks into the ecological optimisation of biomass cultivation answering following three questions: What is the environmental advantage of organic over integrated farming? Which crops are suited for biomass production? What other key factors have to be considered for a…
Environment

Bohren Ch., Mermillod G., Delabays N.

Noxious weeds in set-aside areas: results of a nationwide observation network

Fallow land sown with a wildflower seed mixture is one of the major set-aside areas promoted by the Swiss legislation in order to enhance biodiversity in the landscape. Still, the installation of such areas on arable land raises concerns about their potential to contribute to the dissemination of noxious weeds. In order to gather information…
Environment

Hausheer R. M., Brack E., Flisch R.

Effects of suboptimal fertilization on arable crops

The production of high yields and adequate product quality requires a sufficient and balanced supply of the soil with nutrients. The field trial, conducted since 1989 for purpose of demonstration, shows the impact of different fertilizer forms (organic and mineral fertilizer) on the one hand and the effects of an unbalanced fertilization on the other…
Environment

Müller M., Schafflützel R., Chervet A., Sturny W. G., Zihlmann U., Weisskopf P.

Soil organic matter content after eleven years of no-till and plough

The organic matter content of the soil was analyzed on a medium textured slightly humic soil at the Inforama Rütti in Zollikofen which had been cultivated either with no-till or plough over eleven years. In several soil layers down to 40 cm the organic matter content as well as bulk density were analyzed. Due to…
Environment

Stünzi H.

Comparison of soil analyis methods for K, Mg and Ca

For the analysis of potassium (K), magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca) in soils different methods are used in Switzerland: Extraction with pure water (H2O10), with CO2 saturated water (CO2), with ammonium acetate and EDTA (AAE10) or with calcium chloride (CC). During the extraction, water-soluble compounds are dissolved, lime is decomposed by acids, cations are liberated…
Environment

Sturny W. G., Chervet A., Maurer-Troxler C., Ramseier L., Müller M., Schafflützel R., Richner W., Streit B., Weisskopf P., Zihlmann U.

Comparison of no-tillage and conventional plough tillage – a synthesis

No-tillage and conventional plough tillage have been compared in a crop rotation without fallow period and application of mineral fertilizer only, in the long-term field trial “Oberacker” at the Inforama Ruetti in Zollikofen (Berne) since 1994. The slightly humic sandy loam is a deep and nutrient-rich soil. The results obtained so far show continuous no-tillage…
Environment

Patrian B., Bächli A., Müller M.D.

Market control measures of isoproturon herbicides

Plant Protection Products are biologically active and potentially toxic preparations, which are regulated under a series of laws and ordinances in Switzerland. In order to protect man and environment against harmful effects of pesticides, market control measures are in force to support the regulations. Whereas several Federal Government authorities are responsible for registration, the market…
Environment

Daniel O., Gandolfi M., Aldrich A., Baumann H., Büchi R.

Ecotoxicological risk management of plant protection products

For certain plant protection products (PPP) there are environmental risks depending on application, local situation and technology used. If the risk is not acceptable for all organisms, i.e. if areas of concern exist, standard phrases to address special risks have to be defined when a PPP is authorized. Standard phrases to address special risks should…
Environment

Daniel O., Gandolfi M., Aldrich A., Baumann H., Büchi R.

Ecotoxicological risk analysis of plant protection products

Environmental risks have to be assessed before a plant protection product (PPP) is used. The ecotoxicity of the PPP for different organisms (birds, mammals, fish, aquatic invertebrates and plants, arthropods including bees, earthworms and micro-organisms), is compared with the expected exposure of organisms to the PPP through water, soil, air or food. For unproblematic substances…
Environment

Jacot K., Beerli C., Eggenschwiler L.

Improved field margins and the effects on voles and moles

In the regions where agriculture covers most of the landscape, species rich field margins have an important role in the preservation of biodiversity, plants and fauna. Considering this, the Swiss Confederation plans to introduce «field margins» as new type of ecological compensation area. It is a perennial and linear structure sown with a mixture of…
Environment

Schwarz R., Chervet A., Hofer P., Sturny W.G., Zuber M

The canton of Berne promotes conservation of natural resources

Since the late 1950s agricultural production on arable land has been strongly intensified. As a consequence of primarily physical soil stress brought about by tillage operations, the fertility of arable soils is at risk. A strategy of action introducing a practicable cropping system, which combines the conservation of natural resources with economical benefits, was required.…
Environment

Prasuhn V., Liniger H., Hurni H., Friedli S.

Map of soil erosion risk in Switzerland

The Soil Erosion Risk Map gives a national overview on the erosion risk of Swiss soils, particularly for arable land. With the help of an adapted version of the empirical erosion model USLE (Universal Soil Loss Equation), the long-term soil erosion risk was calculated all over the country in a hectare grid. The Soil Erosion…
Environment

Walter Th., Schneider K., Gonseth Y.

The mowing date of ecological compensation areas: influence on the fauna

The earliest cut of meadows, which are implemented as ecological compensation areas, nowadays is June 15th, first July or July 15th depending on the agricultural zone. An earlier cut is only possible with the permission of the cantonal authorities of nature conservation. Within the process of the agricultural law revision a liberalisation of these earliest…
Environment

Jossi W., Zihlmann U., Dubois D., Pfiffner L.

DOC Trial: effects of the farming systems on the earthworms

The DOC long-term trial in Therwil has been comparing two organic farming systems, with one another since 1978: two conventional systems and one unfertilized control system. Earthworm surveys from 2001 to 2005 revealed no statistically significant differences between the farming systems D2, O2 and K2, which were fertilized with solid and liquid manure, either in…
Environment

Hartmann M., Kölliker R., Enkerli J., Dubois D., Widmer F., Fliessbach A.

Farming systems influence soil bacteria

Soil microorganisms are known to influence nutrient cycling and transformation processes in soil. They are involved in maintaining soil quality and therefore in production of agricultural products of high quality. These communities may respond in a highly sensitive way to different environmental influences. High biodiversity may represent the ability of a soil to maintain functioning…
Environment

Stünzi H.

The soil P extraction with ammonium acetate EDTA (AAE10)

A prerequisite for the application of phosphorous values resulting from soil analysis methods is the comprehension of the chemical processes in the soil extraction. These processes were examined for the ammonium acetate EDTA extraction (AAE10-P) and compared with the extractions with CO2-saturated water (CO2-P) and pure water (H2O10-P). The average P-concentrations in the AAE10 extract…
Environment

Schaller B., Nemecek Th., Streit B., Zihlmann U., Chervet A., Sturny W. G.

Life cycle assessment of a system under no-tillage and ploughing

No-tillage and conventional plough tillage have been compared on a soil of medium heavy texture in a crop rotation without fallow period at the Inforama Ruetti in Zollikofen (Berne) since 1994. For the crop rotation period from 1999 to 2005 the environmental impact of both systems was calculated via life cycle assessment. With regard to…
Environment

Peter S.

Swiss nitrogen-cycle – expected deployment by 2013

The «Nitrogen-Project» has been mandated by the Swiss Federal Office of Agriculture and was elaborated at the Institute for Agricultural Economics at ETH Zurich. In the framework of this research project a recursive-dynamic agricultural allocation model has been used to anticipate the development of nitrogen emissions from agriculture on the sectoral level. This article provides…

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