Sustainable Versus Organic Agriculture

Wu, Juying; Sardo, V.

doi:10.1007/978-90-481-3333-8_3

Cited by 21 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 87 publications

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“…Low-input systems such as organic farming, which substantially reduce the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, energy and mechanic stress, aim at mitigating these negative impacts in order to improve sustainable production ( Gomiero et al , 2011 ). However, we still have an incomplete understanding of the challenges, benefits and limitations of low-input farming ( Tscharntke et al , 2012 ) and the sustainability of organic farming ( Wu and Sardo, 2010 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distinct soil microbial diversity under long-term organic and conventional farming

et al. 2014

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Low-input agricultural systems aim at reducing the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides in order to improve sustainable production and ecosystem health. Despite the integral role of the soil microbiome in agricultural production, we still have a limited understanding of the complex response of microbial diversity to organic and conventional farming. Here we report on the structural response of the soil microbiome to more than two decades of different agricultural management in a long-term field experiment using a high-throughput pyrosequencing approach of bacterial and fungal ribosomal markers. Organic farming increased richness, decreased evenness, reduced dispersion and shifted the structure of the soil microbiota when compared with conventionally managed soils under exclusively mineral fertilization. This effect was largely attributed to the use and quality of organic fertilizers, as differences became smaller when conventionally managed soils under an integrated fertilization scheme were examined. The impact of the plant protection regime, characterized by moderate and targeted application of pesticides, was of subordinate importance. Systems not receiving manure harboured a dispersed and functionally versatile community characterized by presumably oligotrophic organisms adapted to nutrient-limited environments. Systems receiving organic fertilizer were characterized by specific microbial guilds known to be involved in degradation of complex organic compounds such as manure and compost. The throughput and resolution of the sequencing approach permitted to detect specific structural shifts at the level of individual microbial taxa that harbours a novel potential for managing the soil environment by means of promoting beneficial and suppressing detrimental organisms.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Distinct soil microbial diversity under long-term organic and conventional farming

et al. 2014

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“…Conservation tillage should be promoted more discreetly and differentially in China as noted by Zuo (2003) and Meng (2009) as well as elsewhere Pimentel 1992, Koch andStockfisch 2006). For example, in the north of China where the weather is relatively dry, this new tillage method may be more effective and beneficial, but for the south and southwest of China where the climate is more humid, conservation tillage needs to be reassessed against the sustainability of the agro-ecosystem (Wu and Sardo 2010). This system is ideal for modern and large scale farms as in the US and Canada but not for small-scale farms in China because of the inadequacy of appropriate machineries required for conservation tillage.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Pesticides, in a series of important agricultural technologies, have been considered as a "necessary evil" for a long time (Wu and Sardo 2010). On the one hand, pesticides have contributed in solving famines and food shortages of the world by substantially enhancing grain yields.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Beyond a bottle of liquid: pesticide dependence in transitional rural China

Rahman

2015

Local Environment

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Pesticide dependence is a major threat to food safety and local environment. Although numerous studies have explored different causes of pesticide dependence, few have examined how pesticides are locked into agricultural modernization and rural transformation. Based on a case study of a Chinese village, this paper demonstrates how agricultural modernization trajectory and rural changes have perpetuated the use of pesticides as necessities in agriculture as well as for farmers' livelihoods. Modern technologies, such as hybrid rice, conservation tillage, changes in crop structure, and reduction of intercropping all contribute highly towards pesticide dependence. The Household Responsibility System in China has provided the institutional foundation for increased pesticide use. Rural transformations driven by livelihoods diversification have created conducive social spaces for pesticide application. To step out of pesticide dependence, promotion of genetic diversity in agriculture, a reassessment of locational suitability of conservation tillage, institutional strengthening and the promotion of Integrated Pest Management methods are suggested.

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“…Techniques to reduce N loss and to increase the efficiency of N uptake are widely used in organic farming, and many trials demonstrate the benefit of organic farming in reducing N leaching and increasing N uptake efficiency [99,117,132,133]. Possible drawbacks from organic fertilization have been reported by some authors (e.g., [2,[134][135][136]): the "slow release'' of nutrients from organic compost or green manures can be difficult to control and harness and may fail to match crop demand, resulting in N losses through leaching and volatilization. Moreover, in organic systems, competition with weeds can greatly reduce N intake efficiency [135].…”

Section: Organic Farmingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alternative Land Management Strategies and Their Impact on Soil Conservation

Gomiero

2013

Agriculture

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Soil conservation is threatened by a number of factors, namely the effects of intensive agricultural practices, the increasing pressure for food production linked to the increasing human population, the consumption patterns in developed and emerging economies, and the conversion of agriculture from the production of commodities (which is itself a goal in need of discussion) to the production of biofuels. The extent of human pressure and the effects of conflicting land use systems need to be addressed. Alternative and conservative agricultural practices need to be explored and widely adopted in order to preserve the soil fertility, assessing their pros and cons. In this paper, the main potential alternative practices are reviewed, focusing in particular on organic farming. It is also argued that in order to better plan to preserve soil health a strategy considering the whole food system is required.

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Sustainable Versus Organic Agriculture

Cited by 21 publications

References 87 publications

Distinct soil microbial diversity under long-term organic and conventional farming

Distinct soil microbial diversity under long-term organic and conventional farming

Beyond a bottle of liquid: pesticide dependence in transitional rural China

Alternative Land Management Strategies and Their Impact on Soil Conservation

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