Agronomic and environmental implications of organic farming systems

Stockdale, E.; Lampkin, Nicolas; Hovi, M.; Keatinge, R.; Ekm., Lennartsson; Macdonald, David W.; Padel, Susanne; Tattersall, F; Wolfe, Martin S.; Watson, C. A.

doi:10.1016/s0065-2113(01)70007-7

Cited by 301 publications

(208 citation statements)

References 141 publications

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“…The available K and Ca values in the conventionally managed soils were higher than those in the organically managed soil due to the application of mineral fertilisation (Table 2). Numerous studies have shown a K deficiency in organic farms due to the lower input of nutrients (Stockdale et al, 2001;Berry et al, 2003;Gossling and Shepherd, 2005). In contrast, the bian- Nevertheless, the organic orchard showed higher values of Mn than the conventional orchard, although there were no statistically significant differences.…”

Section: Effect Of the Orchard Management System On The Soil Chemicalmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Organic farming has been proposed as an alternative agricultural system to help solve the environmental problems arising from conventional management, such as frequent pesticide applications, excessive inputs of chemical fertilisers, soil degradation and the presence of pesticide residues in food (Stockdale et al, 2001). In the European Union, organic production systems have been increasing with an annual growth rate of 26% and currently play an increasingly important role in agriculture (Herencia et al, 2008a).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Comparative effects of organic and conventional apple orchard management on soil chemical properties and plant mineral content under Mediterranean climate conditions

Gasparatos

Roussos

Christofilopoulou

et al. 2011

J. Soil Sci. Plant Nutr.

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The effects of conventional and organic management systems on soil chemical properties and leaf nutrients under Mediterranean conditions were studied over a 2-year period on adjacent commercial apple orchards in Southern Greece. The soil in both orchards was characterised as a clay loam-clay and was uniform in morphological and physical properties. The results indicated no significant differences in soil chemical properties between the different management systems, including soil organic matter (SOM), pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC) and C/N ratio. However, soil samples from the conventional orchard exhibited significantly higher values (p< 0.01) of electrical conductivity (EC) and higher concentrations of K, Ca, Na, Cu and Zn, which were likely the result of chemical fertiliser application. Despite the fact that organic systems promote the accumulation of soil organic matter and fertility over time through the use of organic sources, in our study, the SOM values declined, suggesting that the type and the rate of organic matter input in the organic orchard were insufficient. The leaf nutrients, with the exception of P and Ca, were within the sufficiency range in both management systems. The present findings did not provide evidence of major differences in the leaf macronutrient content between conventionally and organically grown apple trees. Nevertheless, our leaf analysis revealed higher concentrations of Zn in the conventionally grown trees and opposite results for Cu, probably due to the extensive use of copper-containing fungicides in organic orchards in Greece.

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Section: Effect Of the Orchard Management System On The Soil Chemicalmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative effects of organic and conventional apple orchard management on soil chemical properties and plant mineral content under Mediterranean climate conditions

Gasparatos

Roussos

Christofilopoulou

et al. 2011

J. Soil Sci. Plant Nutr.

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“…Organic farming relies on crop rotation, organic manures, green manures and off farm organic wastes to maintain soil productivity and to supply plant nutrients. Organic farming does not imply the simple replacement of synthetic fertilizers and other chemical inputs, instead it envisages comprehensive management to improve the health and productivity of soil (Stockdale et al, 2001). The use of organic soil amendments has been associated with desirable soil properties including increased water holding capacity, cation exchange capacity and lower bulk density and can foster beneficial microorganisms (Bulluck et al, 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long Term Effects of Inorganic Fertilizers and Organic Amendments on Ammonification and Nitrification Activity of Soils under Cotton-Wheat Cropping System

Verma¹,

Chaudhary²,

Goyal³

2018

Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci

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“…Apple growing requires high capital investment [5] and the choice of production system (organic or conventional) has a direct impact on apple orchard productivity [6]. Organic farming is increasing in popularity around the world and plays an important role in agriculture [7]; it is seen as an alternative to conventional farming, as well as a solution for sustainable development [8]. Previous studies have not revealed any differences in soil organic matter between conventional and organically grown apples [6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of Economic Efficiency of Apple Orchard Investments

et al. 2015

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Abstract:The tree-growing sector is considered to be an important supplier of food and raw material for industry worldwide. Increasingly competitive decisions regarding international investment in orchards depend on business analysis. This study compares three apple orchards situated in Cluj-Napoca, on the Eastern limits of the Transylvanian Plain, Romania. While the climatic and soil conditions are relatively consistent among the three orchards, the technical and economic results (expressed in hectares) vary due to the use of three different technological systems of apple production: extensive, intensive, and super-intensive. The study compares the life cycle, starting with age of fructification, production level (quantity and quality), costs (investment and production costs-divided into material costs, mechanical costs, human costs, and overhead costs), income, profit (including rate of profit), and investment efficiency: Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), and Payback Period (PP). It was observed that the most economically efficient technological system in terms of investments is the super-intensive one, with a higher production level, a higher share of Extra Class apples, and a younger age of initial fructification. However OPEN ACCESSSustainability 2015, 7 10522 certain inconveniences of this system-such as a more expensive investment, a higher cost of running the business throughout the year, and a reduced life cycle-cannot be ignored.

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Agronomic and environmental implications of organic farming systems

Cited by 301 publications

References 141 publications

Comparative effects of organic and conventional apple orchard management on soil chemical properties and plant mineral content under Mediterranean climate conditions

Comparative effects of organic and conventional apple orchard management on soil chemical properties and plant mineral content under Mediterranean climate conditions

Long Term Effects of Inorganic Fertilizers and Organic Amendments on Ammonification and Nitrification Activity of Soils under Cotton-Wheat Cropping System

Evaluation of Economic Efficiency of Apple Orchard Investments

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