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Reduced Tillage and No-Till in Organic Farming Systems, Germany—Status Quo, Potentials and Challenges

Author

Listed:
  • Sabine Zikeli

    (Institute of Crop Science, Coordination for Organic Farming and Consumer Protection (340d), University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany)

  • Sabine Gruber

    (Institute of Crop Science, Department of Agronomy (340a), University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany)

Abstract

Only 34% of all German farms apply reduced tillage (RT), while approximately 1% of the arable land is under no-tillage (NT). Statistics for organic farming are not available, but the percentages are probably even lower. The development of German organic RT and NT has been strongly driven by pioneer farmers for 40 years, and supported by field trials since the 1990s. The main motive for conversion to RT is increased soil quality, followed by reduced labor costs. NT combined with high-residue cover crops plays only a very small role. Rather, German organic farmers resort to shallow ploughing, a reduced number of ploughing operations in the rotation and/or substitution of the ploughing with non-inversion tillage. In field trials, winter wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) yields were reduced up to 67% by using RT methods compared to inversion tillage treatments due to reduced mineralization and increased weed pressure, both of which are major obstacles that impede the wider adoption of RT and NT by German organic farmers. Improvement of NT and RT (rotations, implements, timing) in organic farming is a task of both agricultural practice and science. A number of conventional farmers who have recently converted to organic farming are already familiar with RT. These farmers will act as a thriving factor to implement their experience after conversion and contribute to further innovations of RT in organic farming.

Suggested Citation

  • Sabine Zikeli & Sabine Gruber, 2017. "Reduced Tillage and No-Till in Organic Farming Systems, Germany—Status Quo, Potentials and Challenges," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-17, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:7:y:2017:i:4:p:35-:d:96275
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sabine Zikeli & Sabine Gruber & Claus-Felix Teufel & Karin Hartung & Wilhelm Claupein, 2013. "Effects of Reduced Tillage on Crop Yield, Plant Available Nutrients and Soil Organic Matter in a 12-Year Long-Term Trial under Organic Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(9), pages 1-19, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Massamba Diop & Ngonidzashe Chirinda & Adnane Beniaich & Mohamed El Gharous & Khalil El Mejahed, 2022. "Soil and Water Conservation in Africa: State of Play and Potential Role in Tackling Soil Degradation and Building Soil Health in Agricultural Lands," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-29, October.
    2. Carolina Bilibio & Daniel Uteau & Malte Horvat & Ulla Rosskopf & Stephan Martin Junge & Maria Renate Finckh & Stephan Peth, 2023. "Impact of Ten Years Conservation Tillage in Organic Farming on Soil Physical Properties in a Loess Soil—Northern Hesse, Germany," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-16, January.
    3. Tshering Choden & Bhim Bahadur Ghaley, 2021. "A Portfolio of Effective Water and Soil Conservation Practices for Arable Production Systems in Europe and North Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-18, March.
    4. Fang Lyu & Jaewon Choi, 2020. "The Forecasting Sales Volume and Satisfaction of Organic Products through Text Mining on Web Customer Reviews," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-23, May.
    5. Rosa-Schleich, Julia & Loos, Jacqueline & Ferrante, Marco & Mußhoff, Oliver & Tscharntke, Teja, 2024. "Mixed farmers' perception of the ecological-economic performance of diversified farming," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 220(C).
    6. Drakopoulos, Dimitrios & Kägi, Andreas & Six, Johan & Zorn, Alexander & Wettstein, Felix E. & Bucheli, Thomas D. & Forrer, Hans-Rudolf & Vogelgsang, Susanne, 2021. "The agronomic and economic viability of innovative cropping systems to reduce Fusarium head blight and related mycotoxins in wheat," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).

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