Mixtures of populations will foster the organic sector, by diversifying available crops, fulfilling their ecological function and stimulating diversity at all levels. However, beside creation and breeding process of such crops (PA# 4), farmers should manage the economic and technological issues of the seed production. Even if the main aim is to provide adapted cultivars to farmers, in some cases and for some species, seeds can be sold (see new regulation about heterogeneous material), but farmers should take care about health issues, because dynamic population are bred to fit given local contexts and not for large adaptation. The mixture of several populations will evolve together as a dynamic population year after year in the conditions of the farm and will offer locally adapted cultivars to better reach objectives of the whole food chains. Farmers within local groups (operational groups, seed associations, community seed banks), will explore new market opportunities thinking about introducing the on-farm plant breeding activities in the cost of the products. For health issues, it is better to exchange or to sell small quantities of seeds in order to proceed to a first multiplication before producing on larger scale.
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Agricultural run-off and subsurface drainage tiles transport a significant amount of nitrogen and phosphorus leached after fertilization. alchemia-nova GmbH in collaboration with University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna developed two multi-layer vertical filter systems to address the agricultural run-off issue, which has been installed on the slope of an agricultural field in Mistelbach, Austria. While another multi-layer addressing subsurface drainage water is implemented in Gleisdorf, Austria. The goal is to develop a drainage filter system to retain water and nutrients. Both multi-layer filter systems contain biochar and other substrates with adsorption properties of nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus). The filter system can be of practical use if an excess of nutrients being washed out is of concern in the fields of the practitioner by keeping the surrounding waters clean. This approach may result in economic value by re-using the saturated biochar as fertilizer and improving the soil structure, thus increasing long-term soil fertility. Link: https://wateragri.eu/a-bio-inspired-multilayer-drainage-system/
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grant Agreement No 858735This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grant Agreement No 858735. FACTSHEET NANOCELLULOSE MEMBRANES FOR NUTRIENT RECOVERY Key information Functionalized nanocellulose membranes can take up nitrate and phosphate. These membranes can be put in a water treatment unit. As the membranes are biobased, degradable materials, they can after use be added to the soil, thus returning the leached nutrients back for their original purpose providing fertilizers (nutrient recycling).
Because variables such as temperature and humidity have a profound effect on the activity of crop pests, diseases and natural enemies, the ability to monitor environmental conditions within a crop has always been important for crop protection.