Assess work-related stress and depressive symptoms among certified organic crop producers in the U.S. Southwest. Cross sectional survey design with certified organic crop producers listed in the Organic Integrity Database (OID) using an electronic and paper version of the Organic Farmer Safety, Health & Life Questionnaire (OFSHLQ). Analyses included descriptive statistics and multiple linear regressions to examine predictors of depressive symptoms and overall mental health. More than half of respondents reported moderate or high work-related stress. Depressive symptom score was low (M = 0.75, SD = 0.96); self-rated mental health was good (M = 3.8, SD = 0.9). Years of experience was negatively associated with depressive symptoms, chronic conditions, and stress; older age was positively associated with better mental health. Policies and interventions should address administrative burdens, economics, and overall well-being.

Organic agriculture relies on the in-field generation of nutrients through the decomposition and mineralization of organic matter (OM). Soil macro- and micro-organisms are vital for this self-sustaining nutrient production; however, insufficient organic matter, limited microorganisms, and poor soil conditions can impede the process. This study investigated the effects of biochar and mulching on the abundance and diversity of soil microorganisms (fungi) and macro-organisms (earthworms) under Ethiopian mustard (Brassica carinata) cultivation over two growing seasons in 2023. The site featured loamy soil with a pH of 5.5–6.0. Treatments included rice husks biochar (5 t/ha); rice husk mulching and compared to a control, using a completely randomized block design with three replicates. Measurements included fungal colony abundance, earthworm frequency, Simpson diversity index, and soil moisture retention under rainfed conditions with minimal irrigation during dry spells. Results showed that at a 5 cm soil depth, biochar increased fungal abundance by 32.05% compared to mulching, and by 113.35% relative to the control. Mulching also improved colony abundance by 61.57% over the control. At a depth of 10 cm, biochar enhanced colony abundance by 42.14% compared to mulching and by 42.82% relative to the control. The highest diversity index (0.596) was observed in biochar-treated blocks, while the control had the lowest (0.422). Earthworms were the most abundant macro-organisms in both treatments. Biochar’s characteristics may help recondition poor, acidic soils, improving conditions for macro and micro-organisms, thereby enhancing soil health and productivity. These microbial improvements could benefit not only Ethiopian mustard but also major cereal cropping systems. Biochar consistently increased fungal abundance and earthworm frequency across both season.

Correction: The impact of sustainable organic agriculture on food security in sub-Saharan africa: a mixed methods systematic review with meta-analysis

Pesticide exposure among organic and conventional smallholder farmers in Costa Rica and Uganda: biomarker evidence on exposure determinants.

Dairy farming in Northeastern Brazil plays a strategic role by integrating productive, social, and environmental dimensions within a context of climatic vulnerability and regional inequalities. This study examines organic milk production in family-based systems, focusing on its potential to strengthen short supply chains, consolidate cooperatives, and expand institutional markets. Findings reveal that organic systems diversify household income, enhance women’s and youth participation, and improve local food security, while also facing persistent challenges such as water scarcity, heat stress, and certification barriers. The discussion emphasizes that consistent public policies and agroecological adaptation strategies are essential to establish organic dairy farming as a driver of sustainable development and socio-environmental resilience in the Brazilian semi-arid region.

Soil electrical conductivity (EC) and aggregate-size distribution are critical indicators of soil salinity risk, structural integrity, and overall soil health. We assessed the status of these properties in 188 wheat plots across nine European pedoclimatic zones to quantify the influence of climate and agricultural management. Most soils (~88%) were non-saline, 9% slightly saline, and 3% moderately saline, with the highest salinity in Mediterranean regions. EC was generally lower under organic management, reflecting higher soil organic carbon, improved porosity, and enhanced cation retention. Soils were dominated by small macroaggregates (250–2000 µm) and large microaggregates (53–250 µm), together accounting for an average of 73% of total aggregates. Climate was the primary determinant of both EC and aggregate distribution, with drier and warmer conditions promoting salinization and smaller aggregate sizes, whereas wetter conditions favored macroaggregate formation. Agricultural management had a secondary but context-dependent effect, particularly on soil aggregation, with organic farming, integrated organomineral fertilization, crop residue incorporation, and legume rotations enhancing macroaggregate formation, especially in low-SOC soils. These results indicate that pedoclimatic conditions largely shape soil salinity and structure, but adopting targeted, site-specific management practices can sustain soil health and mitigate risks related to salinity and structure, particularly under projected climate change.

Shifting precipitation patterns in British Columbia (BC), Canada, are increasing the challenge of effective overwinter cover cropping in organic vegetable production and driving the need for alternative soil cover options. As an alternative soil cover, farmers are using plastic silage tarps. There is, however, limited understanding about the impact of overwintered tarps on soil conditions or subsequent cash crops. This study compared the impacts of overwinter plastic tarping with cover cropping or no-tarp conditions on plant available nitrogen (PAN), electrical conductivity (EC), volumetric water content (VWC), and crop yield on organic practicing vegetable farms. Between 2019 and 2021, our study spanned three agricultural regions of BC, with replicated field experiments on two farms and unreplicated plots on 12 additional farms. Plant available nitrogen, EC, and VWC were measured in the spring after tarp removal at all farms. Additional measurements were taken at the experimental farms, including PAN throughout the growing season and crop yield. Spring PAN was 1.8 to 7.8 times greater, and EC was 2.6 times greater under the tarps. Spring VWC varied and was likely related to tarp removal timing. Crop yield was not significantly impacted by overwinter treatment. Data indicate that tarps created lower VWC conditions over the winter until early spring after which time VWC under tarped conditions was higher than soil under cover crops. Our findings indicate that overwintered tarps are an effective soil cover strategy for small-scale organic farmers to conserve soil PAN and influence early spring soil water content under changing precipitation regimes.

Background: Conventional agriculture’s reliance on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides has led to declining soil health in ecologically fragile regions such as the Garo Hills of Meghalaya. To address these concerns, farmers in North Garo Hills have begun shifting from traditional and chemical-based cultivation to organic banana farming. Methods: The study was conducted during 2023-2024 in selected banana-growing villages of North Garo Hills District, Meghalaya. Both primary and secondary data were collected from 50 farmers. The study assessed organic cultivation practices such as the use of vermicompost, cattle manure and farmyard compost. Comparative and statistical analyses were employed to evaluate environmental and economic outcomes. Result: Findings indicate that organic farming yields are approximately 18% lower than those under chemical-based cultivation. However, organic systems reduce input costs by 33%, resulting in a 14.3% higher net income per hectare. Organic practices also improved soil fertility, enhanced biodiversity and strengthened overall farmer livelihoods.

Effects of agricultural land use and climate change on abundance and demography differ between two common small mammal species.

Re-evaluating onion varieties in organic farming: Evidence from a decade of multi-environment trials

Abstract With the increase of organic agriculture throughout Europe, there is also an increase of stockless organic farms. On mixed farms, growth of perennial legume-grass mixtures as well as farmyard manure are important contributors to soil fertility and play a key role for nutrient management. On stockless farms, such crops have no direct economic use and their cultivation is therefore questionable, which poses challenges for maintaining nutrient balance and soil fertility. Disentangling physical, chemical, and biological long-term impacts on soil fertility and consequently on crop yield and quality requires long-term research. In 2017, a long-term field experiment was established in Hesse, Germany, in which three stockless organic farm types differing in crop rotation, each combined with three different fertilization treatments, are compared to a traditional mixed farm type with three livestock density levels. The results of the first crop rotation show that the Mixed Farm type achieved more synchronized nutrient input and output with increasing livestock density. Stockless farm types showed deficits, especially in P and K balances, unless compensated by organic fertilizers from external sources. The application of compost and grass-clover silage prepared from on site fertility-building leys resulted in significant increases in soil organic carbon. Significant correlations between soil organic carbon and crop yields in stockless farm types using compost emphasize the importance of soil organic carbon content for productivity in organic farming systems. In contrast, at least in this first rotation, treatments with lower organic matter inputs benefited from high site fertility and showed no yield declines.

This paper explores the potential role of green waqf in fostering sustainable growth in Syria, particularly during the post-war reconstruction phase, by examining how the environmental objectives of Islamic Shariah can be integrated with the economic and social imperatives of national recovery. It proposes the establishment of a green waqf institution to manage endowed assets and channel investments into sustainable projects such as renewable energy, reforestation, water resource management, and organic agriculture, while highlighting the role of Shariah supervisory boards in ensuring compliance with Islamic principles. The study identifies the political, economic, and social challenges that may affect the implementation of this model and suggests practical solutions, including supportive legislation, enhanced transparency, and awareness initiatives aimed at rebuilding public trust. It concludes that green waqf can serve as a strategic instrument for reconstructing Syria’s infrastructure in an environmentally and economically sustainable manner, while promoting local development and social equity.

Balancing health and sustainability: Optimizing investments in organic vs. conventional agriculture through pesticide reduction

Unlocking organic farming adoption: The role of information completeness and farmers’ individual preferences

This study evaluates the physiological and biometric parameters, as well as aphid infestation levels, in winter wheat grown under conventional, organic, and biodynamic farming systems during 2020 – 2022, at the Institute of Agriculture – Karnobat. The wheat variety Miryana was used. Key physiological traits such as photosynthetic activity and water use efficiency were measured alongside biometric parameters and yield components. The study revealed that organic farming enhances water use efficiency but compromises yield and photosynthetic activity. Biodynamic farming performed comparably to the conventional system in physiological terms, while achieving the highest yield in the second year and exhibiting the lowest aphid infestation. These findings highlight biodynamic agriculture as a sustainable and resilient option for wheat production.

Enhancing soil carbon stocks is important to improve soil quality, but also plays a crucial role in mitigating climate change. The potential of innovative approaches such as regenerative farming practices for increasing soil organic carbon (SOC) needs to be explored. A randomized block experiment was established on an organic farm in Hesse, Germany, to assess the effects of different regenerative agricultural (RA) practices on SOC stock changes over a period of three years (2020-2023). The treatments included minimum tillage combined with cover and nurse crops (RA), RA practices plus the incorporation of biochar (BC) at 30cm depth with a subsoil loosening device (RABC) and conventional soil cultivation with ploughing and moderate cover cropping as a control. In the beginning and at the end of the experiment, intact soil cores were extracted down to 100cm depth with a percussion corer and divided into five depth increments for analysis to evaluate changes in SOC stocks. The RABC treatment resulted in the highest increase in native SOC (+ 2.24Mg C ha-1 over three years), in addition to the applied biochar carbon (2.2Mg C ha-1), compared to the control. In contrast, RA alone did not significantly alter SOC stocks compared to the control. Changes in bulk density played a key role in the observed SOC stock differences, with RABC showing the strongest reduction, particularly in deeper layers. Early indicators of SOC stock changes, such as CO2-C respiration, water-extractable organic carbon (WEOC), and water-extractable organic nitrogen (WEON), showed positive trends favoring RA and RABC, but effects were not statistically significant. Microbial Biomass Carbon (MBC) in the 0-10cm soil layer was the strongest early indicator, significantly increasing in both RA and RABC compared to the control. These findings highlight that RA practices, particularly when combined with biochar application in the subsoil, improve soil structure in the early phase after management change and may enhance SOC stocks. However, field experiments lasting more than a decade and full carbon balance assessments are required to evaluate the overall C (CO2eq-)sequestration potential and climate mitigation effects including non-CO2 greenhouse gas fluxes.

Radish (Raphanus sativus L.) is an important root vegetable utilized worldwide. Highly genetic diverse germplasm of radish exists in Sikkim, but no high-yielding and climate resilient cultivar has been released so far, causing hindrance in its productivity especially under organic conditions. The present investigation was conducted to assess the existing genetic variability, and yield potential along with phytochemical constituents of sixty-one entries (fifty-seven radish genotypes and four checks) using augmented RCBD to identify genotypic performance under organic cultivation. Presence of high phytochemical composition can help to identify radish as a functional food. In the present investigation, augmented RCB design helped to handle a large number of genotypes with limited replications. The traits like total carotenoid, total carbohydrate, total sugar, reducing sugar, antioxidant capacity and total phenol content showed strong genetic potential for further selection. Character association for biochemical traits revealed that many of the traits had strong influence on each other. The genotypes were grouped into eight sub clusters nested within two macro-clusters. The findings provide an important insight towards phytochemical constituents present and their genotype-by-environment interaction in tested radish genotypes. The study concludes that genotypes SR24, SR14, SR50 and SR42 were found to be superior for their biochemical composition while genotypes SR56, SR39, and SR41 were found to be superior across years for both yield and biochemical constituents. The investigation presents the possibility of selection for radish genotypes suitable for organic farming in Sikkim Himalayan region, alongside a valuable source of medicinal value and functional food properties.

Pesticides are widely used in agriculture to protect crops from animal pests, diseases, and weeds, helping to maintain yields under diverse production conditions. However, their widespread and repeated use has led to environmental contamination, biodiversity loss, and growing concerns about human health. While Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and organic farming have sought to reduce pesticide dependency, both approaches still permit pesticide use, and their adoption remains limited due to technical and economic constraints. In this context, we explore the feasibility of a third way: pesticide-free agriculture based on agroecological crop protection (ACP) principles. Drawing from the Rés0Pest experimental network launched in France in 2012, we present ten years of results from nine sites covering a range of pedo-climatic conditions and socio-economic contexts. Rés0Pest implemented cropping systems that excluded all pesticide use, including seed treatments, while maintaining synthetic fertilizer inputs. The systems were co-designed through participatory methods, following a system experiment approach that evaluates the effects of a combination of cropping practices and their interactions on cropping system performance over the long term. Results showed that in pesticide-free systems, it is possible to achieve yields comparable to conventional and higher than organic systems and, in some cases, generate higher net farm income. Pest and pathogen crop damage did not significantly increase over time, although weed management remained a key challenge. These findings suggest that technically and economically viable pesticide-free arable systems are possible under certain conditions, and that new solutions are needed to support their adoption across a wider range of contexts. We discuss implications for research, farming, and policy, and emphasize the need for adaptive experimentation and systemic performance assessment to support agroecological transitions.

The study was conducted during Rabi season in year 2022 in Udaipur district of Rajasthan. The present study was undertaken for comparative cost and returns of organic and inorganic wheat farming in Rajasthan. Udaipur district of Rajasthan was selected based on highest organic cropped area under organic grower groups with the study area. One major crop of wheat was selected based on the highest proportion of area and production under organic farming in Udaipur. The 100 Wheat cultivating farmers comprising of 50 organic and 50 inorganic farmers were randomly selected from the Udaipur district. The economics of organic and inorganic wheat farming in cost and returns were calculated by taking variable cost only. On an average, the total operational cost per hectare of wheat farming was Rs. 43,330 on organic farm and Rs. 39,761 on inorganic farms. The productivity were higher in inorganic farms as compared to organic farms. The gross returns per ha of wheat cultivation in Udaipur were Rs. 1,34,401 and Rs. 1,21,224 respectively for organic and inorganic farming. The net income per hectare of organic wheat was on 91,070 and inorganic wheat was on Rs. 81,463 and the BCR of organic wheat farming was 3.10, while it was slightly lower at 3.04 in inorganic wheat farming.

The study was conducted during Rabi season in year 2022 in Udaipur district of Rajasthan. The present study was undertaken for comparative economics of organic and inorganic wheat farming in Rajasthan. Udaipur district of Rajasthan was selected based on researcher conveniences and acquaintance with the study area. The major constraints faced by the farmers in adoption of organic farming that 94 per cent farmers of the study area faced the problem about low production under organic farming. About 78 per cent farmers faced by high certification cost, followed by 62 per cent farmers told organic farming was labour intensive, nearly 44 per cent farmers faced lack of marketing facility problems of organic produced, while 42 per cent farmers told about high cost of organic inputs 36 per cent farmers faced problem about availability of organic inputs.