TILMAN-ORG: Videos on results and recommendations
While no-till and reduced tillage systems are widely used in conventional farming, these techniques are challenging to adapt to organic farming due to weed pressure and frequent nitrogen deficiency in early spring. TILMAN-ORG explored ways to implement these practices in European organic farming systems. In short videos, team members summarise the main outcomes in their national languages.
For farmers – not only organic – the results are encouraging. Weeds can be controlled when applying reduced tillage, and green manures are a good strategy in that context. Overall, yields were not impeded substantially if fertilisation regimes were adapted.
Further development is needed to optimise the timing of nutrient supply, to improve the machinery and to adapt a farm-specific reduced tillage system where weeds remain under control in the long term. Reduced tillage is especially advantageous for semi-arid regions. Shallow ploughing is recommended, delivering positive effects on soil organic carbon, without compromising yields and without increasing weeds. In humid climates, a hybrid system with mostly reduced tillage but occasional ploughing (e.g. for ley destruction or in sandy soils) is promising, but effects on soil organic carbon need to be further studied.
TILMAN-ORG team members summarise the main outcomes and recommendations in short video clips. Watch the videos in English, French, Spanish, and Italian
A technical guide gives an overview of the multiple services of earthworms to farmers and provides recommendations for the promotion of these extraordinary creatures in agricultural soils, called also ecological engineers. See the guide
TILMAN-ORG core team Paul Mäder, Christophe David and Julia Cooper discuss the aims and challenges involved in refining the practices of organic farming and conservation agriculture. Read the interview in International Innovation
Tilman.org is funded by CORE Organic II funding bodies. It ended 31 August 2014.
Read more
Visit the project website www.tilman-org.net/
Organic Eprints http://orgprints.org/view/projects/tilman-org.html
Contact person:
Paul Mäder
Tel.: +41 865 7232
E-mail: paul.maeder@fibl.org