Evaluation of innovations and strategies for organic farming – results from a survey at the Organic Field Days in Germany

Higher bat and prey abundance at organic than conventional soybean fields

Climate change as an implication of global warming due to the influence of increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has become an important issue in recent decades. Organic farming plays an important role in mitigating climate change by reducing atmospheric greenhouse gas emissions through increased soil carbon sequestration. This study was designed to compare soil carbon sequestration levels between conventional and organic vegetable farming fields in Bali, Indonesia. Soil samples were taken from organic fields and conventional fields in pairs. Variables of soil organic carbon, soil labile carbon, and soil bulk density are measured. Vegetable yields were estimated by fresh weights from a quadrant of 45 plants (1.12 m2) in each farming system, which is then converted to the fresh weight per hectare. The results from soil analysis indicate that organic farming leads to soil with significantly higher soil carbon storage capacity than conventional farming. The labile C fraction shows a more significant increase compared to total C. Organic farming can increase by 1.13 tons C per hectare per year compared with the conventional farming system. The use of manure compost as an alternative in vegetable fields of Bali has resulted in increased soil organic carbon storage and gross benefits for farming. Although more research is needed on the actual emissions of CO2 gas from organic and conventional farming, this research can be used as an early indication that organic vegetable farming system can increase the mitigation of global warming, and build sustainable agriculture in Bali, Indonesia.

Organic vs. conventional farming dichotomy: Does it make sense for natural enemies?

There is growing interest in investigations into soil carbon (C) sequestration, plant nutrients and biological activities in organic farming since it is regarded as a farming system that could contribute to climate mitigation and sustainable agriculture. However, most comparative studies have focused on annual crops or farming systems with crop rotations, and only a few on perennial crops without rotations, e.g. tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze). In this study, we selected five pairs of tea fields under organic and conventional farming systems in eastern China to study the effect of organic farming on soil C sequestration, plant nutrients and biological activities in tea fields. Soil organic C, total nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and magnesium (Mg), available nutrients, microbial biomass, N mineralization and nitrification were compared. Soil pH, organic C and total N contents were higher in organic tea fields. Soil microbial biomass C, N and P, and their ratios in organic C, total N and P, respectively, net N mineralization and nitrification rates were significantly higher in organic fields in most of the comparative pairs of fields. Concentrations of soil organic C and microbial biomass C were higher in the soils with longer periods under organic management. However, inorganic N, available P and K concentrations were generally lower in the organic fields. No significant differences were found in available calcium (Ca), Mg, sodium (Na), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) concentrations between the two farming systems. These findings suggest that organic farming could promote soil C sequestration and microbial biomass size and activities in tea fields, but more N-rich organic fertilizers, and natural P and K fertilizers, will be required for sustainable organic tea production in the long term.

Organic farming was conceived as a strategy to promote favorable environmental conditions, preserve and restore soil fertility, and as a pathway toward sustainable agriculture. By stabilizing agroecosystems, organic farming enables the production of non-record-breaking yet relatively stable yields. Agroecosystem sustainability is achieved through appropriate crop rotations and balanced microbial and enzymatic pools in soils not subjected to synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. The exact timeframe for stabilizing soil biological and biochemical properties during the transition to organic farming remains unclear, making the study of temporal changes in microbial and enzymatic pools an ongoing research priority. The aim of this study was to compare microbiological and biochemical soil properties under varying durations of organic farming implementation. The study focused on soils from three farms in the Republic of Tatarstan practicing organic farming for 5, 10, and 25 years, respectively. We compared these soils with those from neighboring farms using traditional practices and undisturbed background sites. Soil samples were collected in spring and autumn 2024. Microbial abundance across five trophic groups was determined via cultivation on solid media, alongside the activity of three enzymes (invertase, phosphatase, and catalase). Eco-trophic indices, including humification and organic residue transformation coefficients, were calculated. Phosphatase activity emerged as the most robust biomarker for assessing the duration of organic farming adoption. The ratio of phosphatase activity in organic versus traditional fields exhibited consistent and statistically significant trends: after 5 years, activity was significantly lower in organic fields; after 10 years, no differences were observed; and after 25 years, activity became significantly higher in organic fields. The introduction of nitrogen fertilizers helps improve nitrogen nutrition and stimulate phosphatase activity. For this reason, a decrease in phosphatase activity is observed in the first years after the transition to organic farming. However, in the absence of regular doping in the form of mineral fertilizers, self-regulation mechanisms in the ecosystem come into force. With a lack of mobile phosphorus in the soil, the flow of phosphatases of microbial and plant origin into the soil increases. In gray forest soils, Azotobacter bacteria served as a reliable indicator to distinguish cultivated from uncultivated areas, regardless of farming practices. In chernozems, however, Azotobacter abundance reflected soil moisture levels rather than land use type. Seasonal variations significantly affected all five microbial trophic groups, with higher abundances in spring than autumn. Differences between organic and traditional fields were limited to trends in specific groups, such as higher mean abundances of ammonifiers and amylolytics in organic soils. Actinomycetes belong to the group of amylolytic microorganisms, although they are counted separately. For microscopic fungi, seasonal fluctuations in abundance are less pronounced than for other trophic groups, and for autochthonous microflora, seasonal fluctuations in abundance are expressed best of all. These patterns were consistent across farms with differing organic farming histories. Among eco-trophic indices, the humification coefficient and organic residue transformation coefficient showed promise but require further validation. The humification coefficient was significantly higher in fields with 25 years of organic farming compared to adjacent traditional fields.

Organic farming is designed to maintain soil fertility and to assist biodiversity restoration. Developing of methods for assessment of ecological and biological state of soil under organic agriculture is becoming an increasingly urgent task. The purpose of the current work is to evaluate the capabilities of an integrated indicator to identify significant differences in ecological and biological soil states under organic and traditional farming management. The proposed integral indices were calculated on the basis of the number of trophic groups of microorganisms, ecological and trophic indices, and nitrogen and humus soil content. The studies were performed on gray forest soils of the two farms located in the Mamadyshsky and Vysokogorsky districts of the Republic of Tatarstan. The soils of fields with traditional farming and fields where the organic farming system has been used for 3–5 years were compared. In the samples taken in 2019, the following parameters were determined: the content of humus and total nitrogen, the number of 6 trophic groups of microorganisms, the coefficient of mineralization, and the index of pedotrophy. The studied parameters were ranked in the following order of informativeness for separating soils of organic and traditional fields: the number of amylolytics and actinomycetes > the number of ammonifiers > the number of cellulose-decomposing microorganisms, pedotrophs, micromycetes > the content of humus, total nitrogen> the index of pedotrophy, the coefficient of mineralization / immobilization. The variability in the number of trophic groups of microorganisms is generally medium and high. The values of the studied parameters, in addition to the number of pedotrophic and cellulose-destroying microorganisms, increased in the following order: soils of traditional fields < soils of organic fields < virgin soils. The number of pedotrophs and cellulose-destroying microorganisms, on the contrary, decreased from traditional fields to virgin areas, therefore, to calculate the integral indicator of the biological state of soils (IPBS), it was decided to use not just the point obtained from the number of these groups of microorganisms, but the inverted value «100 – point». The calculation of the integral indicator of the biological state of soils was carried out first using all 10 studied parameters, and then 8, 6, and 3 of the most informative ones. The least informative ones were excluded from the calculation. It was shown that the IGBP reflected the level of anthropogenic loads in all cases. When all 10 parameters were used, the integral indicator changed naturally in the following order: virgin background area – organic fields – traditional fields. The maximum value of the integral indicator of the biological state was observed in the virgin area, which is distinguished by the best biological state of soils, in organic fields the values of the integral indicator are lower, and in traditional fields – the lowest. With a sequential decrease in the number of parameters, this pattern does not change. The highest values of the integral indicator are always observed in the virgin area – 100 %. The lowest are found in the soils of fields with traditional farming. The processing of the results showed that the differences between the soils of organic and traditional fields according to the IPBS were statistically significant in the Mamadyshsky district using 8 parameters, in Vysokogorsky – 3 parameters for calculating the IPBS. Thus, in order to identify changes in the biological state of soils during the transition from traditional to organic farming after 3–5 years of practice, 3–8 of the most informative microbiological and agrochemical parameters are sufficient. Nevertheless, the search for less labor-consuming and less variable parameters for calculating the IPBS should be continued.

Effects of organic farming on plant and arthropod communities: A case study in Mediterranean dryland cereal

Enhanced diversity of aquatic macroinvertebrate predators and biological pest control but reduced crop establishment in organic rice farming

Pesticide use in vineyards is affected by semi-natural habitats and organic farming share in the landscape

Cropping practice can affect pests and natural enemies. A three-year study of the strawberry tortricid, Acleris comariana (Lienig and Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), its parasitoid Copidosoma aretas Walker (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), and its entomopathogenic fungi was conducted in seven pairs of organic and conventional farms to test the hypothesis that farming practice (organic versus conventional) will affect the level of pest infestation and will affect the natural enemies. In addition, the number of years with strawberries on the farm, field age, and other factors that may affect pests and their natural enemies were considered. Farms were characterized by their cropping practices, cropping history, and other parameters. Field-collected larvae were laboratory reared to assess mortality from parasitoids and entomopathogenic fungi. In 2010, a survey of nematodes was made to assess the response of an unrelated taxonomic group to cropping practice. 2,743 larvae were collected. Of those, 2,584 were identified as A. comariana. 579 A. comariana were parasitized by C. aretas and 64 A. comariana were parasitized by other parasitoid species. Finally, 28% of the larvae and pupae of A. comariana died from unknown causes. Only two of the field-collected A. comariana larvae were infected by entomopathogenic fungi; one was infected by Isaria sp. and the other by Beauvaria sp. The density of A. comariana was on average four times lower in organic farms, which was significantly lower than in conventional farms. A. comariana was more dominant on conventional farms than on organic farms. The effect of crop age (One, two, or three years) on A. comariana infestation was significant, with higher infestations in older fields. Crop age had no effect on A. comariana infestation in a comparison of first- and second-year fields in 2010. Cropping practice did not lead to significant differences in the level of total parasitism or in C. aretas parasitism; however, C. aretas contributed to a higher proportion of the parasitized larvae on conventional farms than on organic farms. Mortality from unknown causes of A. comariana was higher in organic farms than conventional farms, and unknown mortality was two to seven times higher in second-generation A. comariana than in first generation. Entomopathogenic nematodes were found on three organic farms and one conventional farm. Plant parasitic nematodes were found in more samples from conventional farms than from organic farms. The low density of A. comariana in organic farms exposes the specialist C. aretas to a higher risk of local extinction. In organic farms, where the density of A. comariana is low, other parasitoids may play an important role in controlling A. comariana by supplementing C. aretas . Other tortricid species may serve as alternative hosts for these other parasitoids, contributing to conserving them in the habitat. The higher unknown mortality of larvae from organic fields may be the result of non-consumptive parasitoid or predator effects. This study reports an example of the effects of cropping practice on an insect pest, with similar effects on nematodes. An understanding of the responsible factors could be used to develop more sustainable cropping systems.

Reducing the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides can limit negative impacts of agriculture on insects and is a crucial step towards sustainable agriculture. In the United States, organic agriculture has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, pollutant runoff, and biodiversity loss in the Midwestern Corn Belt-an area extending over 500,000 km2 devoted to intensive production of corn Zea mays (Linnaeus 1753) (Poales: Poaceae), often in rotation with soy Glycine max (Linnaeus 1753) (Fabales: Fabaceae) or wheat Triticum aestivum (Linnaeus 1753) (Poales: Poaceae). Working in 30-yr-long landscape experiments in this region, we tested for impacts of conventional versus organic agriculture on ant communities (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and potential ecosystem services they provide. Organic fields supported higher ant diversity and a slightly more species-rich ant assemblage than conventionally managed fields but did not otherwise differ in community composition. Despite similar community composition, organic and conventional fields differed in seasonal patterns of ant foraging activity and potential for natural pest suppression. Conventional plots experienced higher overall ant foraging activity, but with the timing skewed towards late in the growing season such that 75% of ant foraging occurred after crop harvest in a wheat year and was therefore unavailable for pest suppression. Organic fields, in contrast, experienced moderate levels of ant foraging activity throughout the growing season, with most foraging occurring during crop growth. Organic fields thus supported twice as much pest suppression potential as conventional fields. Our results highlight the importance of timing in mediating ecosystem services in croplands and emphasize the value of managing landscapes for multiple services rather than yield alone.

1. Organic farming in Europe has been shown to enhance biodiversity locally, but potential interactions with the surrounding landscape and the potential effects on ecosystem services are less well known. 2. In cereal fields on 153 farms in five European regions, we examined how the species richness and abundance of wild plants, ground beetles and breeding birds, and the biological control potential of the area, were affected by organic and conventional farming, and how these effects were modified by landscape complexity (percentage of arable crops within 1000 m of the study plots). Information on biodiversity was gathered from vegetation plots, pitfall traps and by bird territory mapping. The biological control potential was measured as the percentage of glued, live aphids removed from plastic labels exposed in cereal fields for 24 h. 3. Predation on aphids was highest in organic fields in complex landscapes, and declined with increasing landscape homogeneity. The biological control potential in conventional fields was not affected by landscape complexity, and in homogenous landscapes it was higher in conventional fields than in organic fields, as indicated by an interaction between farming practice and landscape complexity. 4. A simplification of the landscape, from 20% to 100% arable land, reduced plant species richness by about 16% and cover by 14% in organic fields, and 33% and 5·5% in conventional fields. For birds, landscape simplification reduced species richness and abundance by 34% and 32% in organic fields and by 45·5% and 39% in conventional fields. Ground beetles were more abundant in simple landscapes, but were unaffected by farming practice. 5. Synthesis and applications. This Europe-wide study shows that organic farming enhanced the biodiversity of plants and birds in all landscapes, but only improved the potential for biological control in heterogeneous landscapes. These mixed results stress the importance of taking both local management and regional landscape complexity into consideration when developing future agri-environment schemes, and suggest that local-regional interactions may affect other ecosystem services and functions. This study also shows that it is not enough to design and monitor agri-environment schemes on the basis of biodiversity, but that ecosystem services should be considered too.

Agricultural productivity is the key to global food security. Modern conventional farming has substantially increased food production, but at the expense of serious environmental harm [[1][1]]. By contrast, organic production is regarded as a suitable and more sustainable alternative owing to its

Organic farming is one of the most successful agri-environmental schemes, as humans benefit from high quality food, farmers from higher prices for their products and it often successfully protects biodiversity. However there is little knowledge if organic farming also increases ecosystem services like pest control. We assessed 30 triticale fields (15 organic vs. 15 conventional) and recorded vascular plants, pollinators, aphids and their predators. Further, five conventional fields which were treated with insecticides were compared with 10 non-treated conventional fields. Organic fields had five times higher plant species richness and about twenty times higher pollinator species richness compared to conventional fields. Abundance of pollinators was even more than one-hundred times higher on organic fields. In contrast, the abundance of cereal aphids was five times lower in organic fields, while predator abundances were three times higher and predator-prey ratios twenty times higher in organic fields, indicating a significantly higher potential for biological pest control in organic fields. Insecticide treatment in conventional fields had only a short-term effect on aphid densities while later in the season aphid abundances were even higher and predator abundances lower in treated compared to untreated conventional fields. Our data indicate that insecticide treatment kept aphid predators at low abundances throughout the season, thereby significantly reducing top-down control of aphid populations. Plant and pollinator species richness as well as predator abundances and predator-prey ratios were higher at field edges compared to field centres, highlighting the importance of field edges for ecosystem services. In conclusion organic farming increases biodiversity, including important functional groups like plants, pollinators and predators which enhance natural pest control. Preventative insecticide application in conventional fields has only short-term effects on aphid densities but long-term negative effects on biological pest control. Therefore conventional farmers should restrict insecticide applications to situations where thresholds for pest densities are reached.

Synergic effects of vegetation structure and food supply underlie higher abundance of a farmland specialist bird in organic than in conventional arable fields