Soil fertility in organic farming systems – fundamentally different?

Abstract. Soil fertility is defined as the ability of a soil to provide the conditions required for plant growth. It is a result of the physical, chemical and biological processes that act together to provide nutrients, water, aeration and stability to the plant, as well as freedom from any substances that may inhibit growth. Within this definition, it is useful to distinguish between those components of fertility which change relatively slowly, perhaps over the course of a rotation, or in some cases, decades, and the more immediate contribution from materials such as fertilizers and manures. The term 'inherent fertility' is used to describe these more stable characteristics, while recognising that they are, to a large extent, products of soil management. We conclude that, although nutrient management in organically managed soils is fundamentally different to soils managed conventionally, the underlying processes supporting soil fertility are not. The same nutrient cycling processes operate in organically farmed soils as those that are farmed conventionally although their relative importance and rates may differ. Nutrient pools in organically farmed soils are also essentially the same as in conventionally managed soils but, in the absence of regular fertilizer inputs, nutrient reserves in less-available pools will be of greater significance.     

Is conservation tillage suitable for organic farming? A review

Conservation tillage covers a range of tillage practices, mostly non‐inversion, which aim to conserve soil moisture and reduce soil erosion by leaving more than one‐third of the soil surface covered by crop residues. Organic farmers are encouraged to adopt conservation tillage to preserve soil quality and fertility and to prevent soil degradation – mainly erosion and compaction. The potential advantages of conservation tillage in organic farming are reduced erosion, greater macroporosity in the soil surface due to larger number of earthworms, more microbial activity and carbon storage, less run‐off and leaching of nutrients, reduced fuel use and faster tillage. The disadvantages of conservation tillage in organic farming are greater pressure from grass weeds, less suitable than ploughing for poorly drained, unstable soils or high rainfall areas, restricted N availability and restricted crop choice. The success of conservation tillage in organic farming hinges on the choice of crop rotation to ensure weed and disease control and nitrogen availability. Rotation of tillage depth according to crop type, in conjunction with compaction control measures is also required. A high standard of management is required, tailored to local soil and site conditions. Innovative approaches for the application of conservation tillage, such as perennial mulches, mechanical control of cover crops, rotational tillage and controlled traffic, require further practical assessment.     

生态农业和有机农业的创新

现代农业系统在明显提高产量、保证粮食安全的同时,也对人类健康和地球的可持续性产生了影响。在持续不断的严重环境破坏和自然资源毁坏的背景下,建立可持续的农业生产方式至关重要。生态农业和有机农业是减少生态可持续性和生产力及社会可持续之间权衡关系的重要方法。这两种农业方法都属生态集约化范畴,均具有减少环境污染的巨大潜力;然而,生态农业和有机农业常导致产量降低。虽然产量降低带来的损失可以通过改变人们的饮食习惯来弥补（如减少食物浪费、减少食用精饲料喂养的肉类）,但是,由于全球的发展趋势与之相反,因此本文探讨了通过科学研究寻求新的解决方案前景来提高低投入农业系统作物产量的可能性。为权衡生产力与可持续发展的关系,使生态农业和有机农业有助于粮食安全,我们对未来研究提出5点建议：1）农场和田地的景观设计与复合种植模式、2）数字化技术的应用、3）以农田低投入为目标的作物育种、4）农业废弃物的高质量循环利用和5）非化学作物保护。     

Relationship between duration of practice and soil chemical characteristics of upland fields under organic farming in Japan

Relationships between the duration (in years) of practice and soil (0–30‐cm layer) chemical properties of 189 upland fields under organic farming in Japan were investigated. Electrical conductivity and available phosphorus (P), nitrate nitrogen (NO ₃‐N), Cl⁻ and sulphate sulphur (SO ₄‐S) decreased and became constant with increasing duration of practice. This was probably because of the absence of mineral fertilizers and the reduced use of animal‐based fertilizers as the duration of organic farming increased.     

有机栽培和常规栽培水稻体系土壤酶及微生物量的比较研究

本研究探讨了有机栽培与常规栽培体系下水稻土微生物量及脲酶、酸性磷酸酶和过氧化氢酶的动态变化过程,以及有机栽培体系不同肥料调控措施对上述指标的影响.结果表明:与常规栽培水稻体系相比,有机栽培水稻有利于土壤微生物的生长和繁衍;水稻生长不同时期有机栽培方式的土壤微生物生物量碳、脲酶、酸性磷酸酶和过氧化氢酶活性均高于常规栽培体系.就水稻全生育期而言,土壤微生物生物量碳高于常规栽培7.3%～9.1%;脲酶、酸性磷酸酶和过氧化氢酶活性分别高于常规栽培7.3%～14.5%、5.2%～6.5%和12.5%～29.2%;有机水稻栽培体系下配施生态肥,在有机肥施用量减半时,土壤微生物生物量碳含量及土壤脲酶、酸性磷酸酶和过氧化氢酶活性较单施有机肥平均分别提高1.6%、6.8%、1.3%和14.8%,在水稻生长前期和中期该增加作用尤为显著.     

Comparison of soil phosphorus extraction methods regarding their suitability for organic farming systems

Background

Organic farmers frequently report sufficient yield levels despite low or even very low soil phosphorous (P) contents questioning the applicability of widely used laboratory methods for soil P testing for organic farming.

Aims

The aim of this study was to compare the validity of a broad range of different soil extraction methods on soils under organic management from South West Germany and to test the correlation of the measured soil P concentration with plant offtake.

Methods

Twenty-two soil samples of eight different organic farms were extracted with different solutions: (1) water, (2) CAL, (3) Olsen, (4) Mehlich 3, (5) Bray P1, (6) Bray P2, (7) NaOH+Na₂EDTA, and (8) total P. The results were then correlated with above ground plant P.

Results

Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (r_s) of correlations between above ground plant P and extractable soil P (Water-P, CAL-P, and Olsen-P [+active charcoal {+AC}]) determined with ICP-OES were strong (0.94, 0.90, and 0.93, respectively). Among the tested methods, above ground plant P showed a strong correlation with CAL-P as detected by ICP-OES (r_s = 0.90) and colorimetry (r_s = 0.91). The comparison of CAL-P data provided by farmers and CAL-P analyzed during this research showed discrepancies between the results.

Conclusions

The results of this study indicate that the CAL method can be used in organic farming despite a low extraction of organic P (P_org). Furthermore, it is recommended for farmers to take soil samples for analyses regularly and interpret changes in P in the long-term instead of interpreting individual samples.     

不同栽培方式对菜地土壤养分和生物学特性的影响

通过田间小区试验,以芹菜、西兰花、生菜和胡萝卜为供试作物,分析比较了有机栽培、安全环境质量栽培、特别栽培和常规栽培对土壤养分和生物学特性的影响.结果表明,有机栽培、安全环境质量栽培和特别栽培下土壤有机质、全氮、碱解氮、速效磷和速效钾含量比常规栽培均不同程度地增加.有机栽培、安全环境质量栽培和特别栽培均显著提高了土壤微生物量碳含量,比常规栽培分别提高48.6％、42.9％和26.6％,并达到显著(P＜0.05)或极显著(P＜0.01)差异.土壤过氧化氢酶和脲酶活性在有机栽培、安全环境质量栽培和特别栽培下比常规栽培显著提高17.4％ ～38.8％,且过氧化氢酶活性达到显著(P＜0.05)或极显著(P＜0.01)差异.有机栽培、安全环境质量栽培下土壤转化酶活性比常规栽培有所提高,但是没有达到显著差异.不同栽培方式对土壤养分和生物学特性影响作用的大小为有机栽培＞安全环境质量栽培＞特别栽培＞常规栽培.     

A review of farm-scale nutrient budgets for organic farms as a tool for management of soil fertility

Abstract. On organic farms, where the importation of materials to build/maintain soil fertility is restricted, it is important that a balance between inputs and outputs of nutrients is achieved to ensure both short-term productivity and long-term sustainability. This paper considers different approaches to nutrient budgeting on organic farms and evaluates the sources of bias in the measurements and/or estimates of the nutrient inputs and outputs. The paper collates 88 nutrient budgets compiled at the farm scale in nine temperate countries. All the nitrogen (N) budgets showed an N surplus (average 83.2 kg N ha^–1 yr^–1). The efficiency of N use, defined as outputs/inputs, was highest (0.9) and lowest (0.2) in arable and beef systems respectively. The phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) budgets showed both surpluses and deficits (average 3.6 kg P ha^–1 yr^–1, 14.2 kg K ha^–1 yr^–1) with horticultural systems showing large surpluses resulting from purchased manure. The estimation of N fixation and quantities of nutrients in purchased manures may introduce significant errors in nutrient budgets. Overall, the data illustrate the diversity of management systems in place on organic farms, and suggest that used together with soil analysis, nutrient budgets are a useful tool for improving the long-term sustainability of organic systems.     

Permanent–soil monitoring sites for documentation of soil‐fertility development after changing from conventional to organic farming

For monitoring soil fertility after changing farm management from highly conventional to organic farming on the newly established research farm of Kassel University, two permanent–soil monitoring sites were installed in 1999. Representative locations for installing the permanent–soil monitoring sites were selected using geographical information systems (GIS), based on available data from geology, topography, soil taxation, land use, and intensive auger‐borehole records and analysis with a very high spatial resolution of data. The soils are represented by a Luvisol derived from loess and a Vertisol developed from claystone. The soil properties of the two monitoring sites measured immediately after changing to organic farming showed high contents of extractable nutrients as a result of the former intensive fertilization practice during conventional farm management. The microbial soil properties of the two monitoring sites were in the medium range of regional soils. A first evaluation of the development of soil properties was done after 5 y of monitoring. The soil organic‐matter content increased slightly after grass‐clover and after application of farmyard manure. The amounts of K and P decreased clearly at the loess site without application of farmyard manure. At the clay site, the unique application of farmyard manure led to increasing contents of extractable K and P in the top soil. The variation of soil properties increased clearly after perennial crops like grass‐clover and in years after application of farmyard manure.     

Soil fertility in three cropping systems after conversion from conventional to organic farming

Abstract

Temporal changes in the scores of selected soil fertility indices were studied over six years in three different cases of organic crop rotation located in southern, eastern and central Norway. The cropping history and the initial scores of fertility indices prior to conversion to organic cropping differed between the sites. Crop yields, regarded as an overall, integrating fertility indicator, were in all rotations highly variable with few consistent temporal trends following the first year after conversion. On the site in eastern Norway, where conversion followed several years of all-arable crop rotations, earthworm number and biomass and soil physical properties improved, whereas the system was apparently degrading with regard to P and K trade balances and contents in soil. On the other two sites, the picture was less clear. On the southern site, which had a relatively fertile soil before conversion, the contents of soil organic matter and K decreased during the six-year period, but the scores of other fertility indices showed no trends. On the site in central Norway, there were positive trends for earthworm-related indices such as worm biomass and tubular biopores, and negative trends for soil porosity. The results, especially those from the eastern site, illustrate the general difficulty in drawing conclusions about overall fertility or sustainability when partial indicators show divergent trends. Consequently, the study gave no unambiguous support to the initial working hypothesis that organic farming increases inherent overall soil fertility, but rather showed that the effect varied among indicators and depended on status of the cases at conversion. It is concluded that indicators are probably better used as tools to learn about and improve system components than as absolute measures of sustainability.     

Exchangeable potassium in soil as indicator of potassium status in an organic crop rotation on loamy sand

Abstract. In organic agriculture, where K may be a limited resource, reliable tools are important in the assessment of K availability in the soil in order to avoid K deficiency. We investigated the effect of four organic farming systems on the exchangeable K in the plough layer of a six-course crop rotation from 1994 to 1997. The accumulated K balances over the four years varied between −49 and +120 kg K ha^–1and the corresponding exchangeable K (0–20 cm) in autumn 1997 was 7.1 and 9.6 mg K 100 g soil^–1, respectively, as an average of the crop rotation. The exchangeable K fraction responded to the K application in manure and to the crop in the rotation. In an additional experiment, no yield response to K was found, despite a low level of exchangeable K. The exchangeable K was a useful indicator of changes in the K status in the farming system with the largest positive K balance, but this K fraction was insufficient as an indicator in the other three farming systems. The considerable variation of exchangeable K through the crop rotation makes the soil test method most suitable at the crop rotation level where fluctuations caused by crop and management are smoothed out.     

Soil microbial biomass and activity in organic tomato farming systems: Effects of organic inputs and straw mulching

Organic farming is rapidly expanding worldwide. Plant growth in organic systems greatly depends on the functions performed by soil microbes, particularly in nutrient supply. However, the linkages between soil microbes and nutrient availability in organically managed soils are not well understood. We conducted a long-term field experiment to examine microbial biomass and activity, and nutrient availability under four management regimes with different organic inputs. The experiment was initiated in 1997 by employing different practices of organic farming in a coastal sandy soil in Clinton, NC, USA. Organic practices were designed by applying organic substrates with different C and N availability, either in the presence or absence of wheat-straw mulch. The organic substrates used included composted cotton gin trash (CGT), animal manure (AM) and rye/vetch green manure (RV). A commercial synthetic fertilizer (SF) was used as a conventional control. Results obtained in both 2001 and 2002 showed that microbial biomass and microbial activity were generally higher in organically than conventionally managed soils with CGT being most effective. The CGT additions increased soil microbial biomass C and activity by 103-151% and 88-170% over a period of two years, respectively, leading to a 182-285% increase in potentially mineralizable N, compared to the SF control. Straw mulching further enhanced microbial biomass, activity, and potential N availability by 42, 64, and 30%, respectively, relative to non-mulched soils, likely via improving C and water availability for soil microbes. The findings that microbial properties and N availability for plants differed under different organic input regimes suggest the need for effective residue managements in organic tomato farming systems.     

不同有机物料培肥对渭北旱塬土壤微生物学特性及土壤肥力的影响

通过田间试验,研究了施用不同有机物料对渭北旱塬耕地土壤微生物学特性及土壤肥力的影响。结果表明,化肥与不同有机物料配合施用,土壤微生物学特性［微生物量碳（MBC）、微生物量氮（MBN）、脲酶、碱性磷酸酶］以及部分土壤养分状况（全氮、速效磷、速效钾、阳离子交换量）比单施化肥处理均得到进一步改善。化肥配施秸秆堆肥处理效果最明显,其中微生物量碳增加了41.96%,微生物量氮增加了54.55%,脲酶活性增加了19.71%,碱性磷酸酶活性增加了7.35%,速效磷增加了63.12%;而且土壤微生物量碳、氮与速效磷、阳离子交换量呈显著正相关,微生物商（qMB）、脲酶活性、碱性磷酸酶活性与全氮、速效氮、速效钾含量呈显著相关;同时SMBC、SMBN、qMB等与作物产量密切相关（相关系数分别为0.85,0.74,0.82）。因此,化肥配施秸秆堆肥处理在渭北旱地雨热条件下对于全面提升土壤质量具有重要的意义;同时该区域土壤中微生物量碳氮与土壤养分状况、作物产量具有很好的一致性,可以表征土壤肥力状况及生产力水平。     

Qualitative and quantitative differences in particulate organic matter fractions in organic and conventional farming systems

To quantify functionally important differences in soil organic matter (SOM) that result from use of different farming practices, soils from 9 long-term trials comparing manure+legume-based organic, legume-based organic, and conventional farming systems were collected and particulate organic matter (POM) was fractionated to reflect its position within the soil matrix. The free, light POM (FPOM; <1.6 g cm⁻³) not occluded within aggregates and occluded POM (OPOM; <2.0 g cm⁻³) were compared to an undifferentiated POM fraction (coarse fraction, CF; >53 μm) obtained by wet sieving. Fraction C, N, and hydrolyzable N (quantified using the Illinois test (IL-N)) were determined. Organic farming systems had greater quantities of C and N in the OPOM and CF and, greater IL-N contents in all POM fractions considered. The OPOM's C:N ratio (16-19) and was least in the manure+legume-based organic, intermediate in the legume-based organic, and greatest in the conventional systems (P<0.10). Trends in OPOM C:N and IL-N abundance suggested occluded POM was most decomposed, and possibly a greater N reservoir, in the manured soils. The FPOM quality reflected the residues added to each system and its removal improved resolution of quality-based differences in POM associated with long-term management. Subdivision of POM revealed differences in its quality that were not evident using the undifferentiated CF. Quantification of hydrolysable N (IL-N) in POM did not enhance our understanding of management's affect on SOM quality. This multi-site comparison showed organic management simultaneously increased the size of the labile N reservoir and the amount of POM protected within aggregates; and that, occluded POM is more decomposed in manure+legume- than in legume-based organic systems. The characteristics of POM reveal how organic practices improve SOM and suggest the nutrient and substrate decay dynamics of organic systems may differ as a result of the N fertilization strategies they employ.     

Influence of reduced tillage on earthworm and microbial communities under organic arable farming

Although reduced tillage is an agricultural practice reported to decrease soil erosion and external inputs while enhancing soil fertility, it has still rarely been adopted by European organic farmers. The objective of this study was to assess the long-term interactive effects of tillage (conventional (CT) vs. reduced (RT)) and fertilization (slurry (S) vs. composted manure/slurry (MCS)) on earthworms and microbial communities in a clay soil under spelt in an organic 6-year crop rotation. Earthworm populations (species, density and biomass, cocoons) were investigated by handsorting the soil nine years after initial implementation of the treatments. Soil microbial carbon (C_mic) and nitrogen (N_mic) were measured by chloroform-fumigation extraction and a simplified phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis was used to separate for populations of bacteria, fungi and protozoa. Significantly increased total earthworm density in RT plots was mainly attributed to increased numbers of juveniles. Moreover, we found five times more cocoons with RT. Species richness was not affected by the treatments, but tillage treatments had differentially affected populations at the species-level. In addition, cluster analysis at the community level revealed two distinct groups of plots in relation to tillage treatments. In RT plots C_mic increased in the 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm soil layers, while PLFA concentrations indicative of Gram-negative bacteria, fungi and protozoa only increased in the topsoil. Lower bacteria-to-fungi ratios in the upper soil layer of RT plots indicated a shift to fungal-based decomposition of organic matter whereas a higher C_mic-to-C_org ratio pointed towards enhanced substrate availability. Slurry application decreased microbial biomass and enhanced density of juvenile anecic earthworms but overall fertilization effect was weak and no interactions with tillage were found. In conclusion, tillage is a major driver in altering communities of earthworms and microorganisms in arable soils. The use of reduced tillage provides an approach for eco-intensification by enhancing inherent soil biota functions under organic arable farming.     

吉林玉米带现行耕作制度对黑土肥力退化的影响

该文从“体质”和“体型”两个方面探讨了吉林玉米带现行耕作制度对土壤肥力退化的影响。结果表明,现行的耕作制度下,土壤剖面中耕层与犁底层的界面为“波浪型”,而每年进行秋翻的玉米田,其耕层与梨底层的界面为“平面型”。“波浪型”犁底层的土壤容重、三相组成与“平面型”剖面相比有明显差异,而耕层中有机无机复合体及其有机碳分布特征无明显差异,与底层土壤有较大差异。但由于“平面型”剖面耕层的有效土量是“波浪型”有效土量的2倍,因此,在生产上“平面型”剖面土壤保水性能、玉米产量等多方面都普遍优于“波浪型”土壤。吉林玉米带黑土肥力退化的主要原因是耕层有效土量过少。     

人工降雨条件下施加粉煤灰对耕作土壤结构和水土流失的影响研究

利用人工模拟降雨试验,研究了0°～20°坡度下的耕作土壤施加0～10%的粉煤灰后,对土壤结构和入渗、产流、产沙的影响。研究结果表明：随农田耕作层中粉煤灰含量的增加,土壤入渗速率明显加快,含10%粉煤灰土壤的入渗速率,较对照(土壤不加粉煤灰)提高了55.34%;施加粉煤灰降低了土壤容重,增加了土壤孔隙度,含10%粉煤灰的土壤,在10°坡时的容重较对照减小了17.42%,而孔隙度提高了9.84%;坡面产流量和土壤流失量降低,含10%粉煤灰的土壤,在20°坡时的产流量仅为对照的26.87%。因此,施加10%的粉煤灰,可有效改善土壤结构和蓄水减沙,具有较高的实用价值。