CP1: Experimental setup and monitoring of NOcsPS cultivation systems

In a nutshell

What?

Our responsibility lies in the organization and coordination of the NOcsPS 2.0 cultivation trials, which are carried out at the Hohenheim site of the Agricultural Sciences Research Station of the University of Hohenheim in Baden-Württemberg and at the Dahnsdorf Research Station of the Julius Kühn Institute (JKI) in Brandenburg.

Why?

For the further development and adaptation of the NOcsPS 2.0 cultivation systems, which continue to focus on the avoidance of synthetic chemical plant protection products, a coordinated examination and evaluation of further planned objectives is required. This involves selecting and combining cultivation measures with the aim of achieving the most sustainable cultivation system possible with a high level of ecosystem services. The second funding phase is intended to build on the data already available from the first four years and make optimizations.

How?

We are the point of contact for the other collaborative partners, supporting them in carrying out the field experiments, monitoring the trials and collecting data to compare the NOcsPS 2.0 cultivation systems with organic and conventional agriculture.

Duration: 01.01.2025 - 30.09.2025

State of the Art and Problem Assessment

The system and precision trials with arable crops at the Heidfeldhof (Hohenheim) and Dahnsdorf (JKI) sites have yielded initial results in the four harvest years from 2020 to 2023. Sufficiently reliable results are not yet available for specialty vegetable crops after two trial years. Further research is needed to determine trends with regard to diseases, perennial weeds, drought stress, fertilization and sowing technology.

Objectives and Research Hypotheses of the Research Proposal

Carried over from funding period 1, the experimental set-ups form the experimental basis for the overall network. The system trials at the Heidfeldhof and Dahnsdorf sites, as well as the accompanying and supplementary trials, will be continued, considering the findings to date and the resulting adjustments. This is the only way to develop and test optimized NOcsPS 2.0 cultivation systems and to map long-term effects.

The aim of all partners involved in the trials is to provide the basis for a comprehensive ecological, economic and sociological analysis of NOcsPS cultivation systems. A further aim of the continuation is to analyze the significance of location factors on the various cultivation systems. To this end, data will be collected from the trial stations themselves in the areas of yield measurement, soil analyses (basic nutrients, micronutrients, pH value, Nmin values and residues of selected active ingredients of individual plant protection products) as well as soil erosion, weed, pest and disease pressure.

The practical and technical feasibility of a NOcsPS cultivation system on a large farm will be tested by converting the entire site of the Meiereihof experimental station at the University of Hohenheim.

Description of Work Program and Expected Results

Taking into account the findings already recorded and available, adjustments, extended investigations and data collection of the NOcsPS cultivation systems at both locations are planned. In cooperation with the partners, these include topics of fertilization and soil fertility (VP 2, 3, 4), plant health management (VP 5, 6, 7), biodiversity (VP 8, 9, 10, 11, 12) and system modelling in crop production (VP 13, 14). The sustainability assessment (VP 15, 16), market potential and implementation strategies (VP 17, 18) are also being researched.

To collect data, plot-specific yield determinations, assessments, plant analyses, soil samples and residue analyses are carried out.

The results of the trials will be used as practical solutions for the implementation of a NOcsPS cultivation system on farms.