ENABLING CROP DIVERSIFICATION TO SUPPORT TRANSITIONS TOWARD MORE SUSTAINABLE EUROPEAN AGRIFOOD SYSTEMS

• Crop diversification is a dynamic pathway towards sustainable agrifood systems.• Technological and institutional barriers restrict uptake of crop diversification.• More coordination and cooperation among agrifood system stakeholders is required.• The European Crop Diversification Cluster calls for multiactor networks.European cropping systems are often characterized by short rotations or even monocropping, leading to environmental issues such as soil degradation, water eutrophication, and air pollution including greenhouse gas emissions, that contribute to climate change and biodiversity loss. The use of diversification practices (i.e., intercropping, multiple cropping including cover cropping and rotation extension), may help enhance agrobiodiversity and deliver ecosystem services while developing new value chains. Despite its benefits, crop diversification is hindered by various technical, organizational, and institutional barriers along value chains (input industries, farms, trading and processing industries, retailers, and consumers) and within sociotechnical systems (policy, research, education, regulation and advisory). Six EU-funded research projects have joined forces to boost crop diversification by creating the European Crop Diversification Cluster (CDC). This Cluster aggregates research, innovation, commercial and citizen-focused partnerships to identify and remove barriers across the agrifood system and thus enables the uptake of diversification measures by all European value-chain stakeholders. The CDC will produce a typology of barriers, develop tools to accompany actors in their transition, harmonize the use of multicriteria assessment indicators, prepare policy recommendations and pave the way for a long-term network on crop diversification.     

Effects of a biomimetic iron‐porphyrin on soil respiration and maize root morphology as by a microcosm experiment

A synthetic, water‐soluble iron‐porphyrin [meso‐tetra(2,6‐dichloro‐3‐sulfonatophenyl) porphyrinate of Fe(III) chloride] has recently been proposed as a biomimetic catalyst in the process of oxidative polymerization of terrestrial humic acids, to increase their conformational stability and thus contribute to a reduction of soil CO₂ release into the atmosphere. This study was aimed at investigating changes in selected soil chemical properties, CO₂ efflux, and maize root morpho‐topology after the addition of iron‐porphyrin as a microcosm‐style experiment, located in a greenhouse. The addition of mature compost was also included as an experimental factor in order to reveal synergistic effects in regard to freshly added organic materials. Iron‐porphyrin determined a negligible effect on soil organic budget in both unplanted and planted microcosms. Conversely, the biomimetic catalyst was found to have significant and contrasting effects on soil respiration, apparently reflecting different iron porphyrin–plant–compost interactions. Consequently, iron‐porphyrin significantly reduced CO₂ efflux from the bare (unplanted) soil, which was, conversely, stimulated in maize‐planted microcosms. Additionally, combined iron‐porphyrin and compost addition synergistically acted in increasing soil respiration in planted microcosms. Moreover, root biomass was increased with the addition of iron‐porphyrin, and a further effect on maize root morphology was noted when used in combination with compost; notably the length of coarse and fine roots increased. We hypothesized that the efficacy of iron‐porphyrin in reducing CO₂ efflux from soil may be mediated by morphological changes in the plant‐root system.     

Use of a new investigational interlocking nail supplement in the repair of comminuted diaphyseal tibia fractures in two dogs

Two dogs were diagnosed with highly comminuted diaphyseal tibial fractures following traumatic incidents. Investigational hybrid interlocking nail (ILN) bolt/external skeletal fixator (ESF) pins were used to repair both fractures. The surgery was successful, and fractures healed without complications by 6 weeks (case no. 1) and 17 weeks (case no. 2) after surgery. This article describes the application and the advantages of a new, investigational ILN supplement that was specifically designed to accomplish initial rigid stability and allow progressive destabilization to the fracture repair. The authors are continuing to study the biomechanical properties of this procedure in order to accurately establish clear recommendations for its use in certain fracture situations.