Legumes

This user manual presents the work of researchers who intercropping cereals with forage legumes, to measure the effects of increased plant diversity on aphid colonisation, aphid and natural enemy abundance, and crop performance. Information on the introduction of this practice and socio-economic data are also provided.

This user manual presents the work of researchers on companion cropping in oilseed fields who tested three different strategies: (1) the use of trap crops around and within the field, (2) intercropping oilseeds with a legume, and (3) sowing food crops or mulching. These strategies were used to measure the effects on insect pest control, natural enemy abundance and agronomic performance. Information on the introduction of this practice and socio-economic data are also provided.

"This fact sheet present the experimental work of researchers who studied the impact of organic mulching in potato fields under diversified pedoclimatic contexts. In some country different organic mulches were tested on potato fields, and compared to a control treatment with no organic mulch. Information on the context and progress of the experiment is provided."

Use and benefits of intercropping and cultivar mixtures combined for enhanced pest regulation through field experiments

Six EcoStack measures for promoting biodiversity and reducing pests were summarized and evaluated economically. Some of the measures may be economically attractive, depending on the farm structure and support.

"Within food plant cropping systems, microorganisms provide vital functions and ecosystem services, such as biological pest and disease control, promotion of plant growth and crop quality, and biodegradation of organic matter and pollutants. The beneficial effects of microorganisms can be achieved and/or enhanced by agricultural management measures that target the resident microbial biodiversity or by augmentation with domesticated and propagated microbial strains. This study presents a critical review of the current legislation and regulatory policies pertaining to the utilization of plant-beneficial microorganisms in the European Union (EU). For augmentative approaches, the nature of the intended effect and the product claim determine how a microbiological product is categorized and regulated, and pre-market authorization may be mandatory. Typically, microbial products have been incorporated into frameworks that were designed for evaluating non-living substances, and are therefore not well suited to the specific properties of live microorganisms. We suggest that regulatory harmonization across the sector could stimulate technical development and facilitate implementation of crop management methods employing microorganisms. Possible scenarios for regulatory reform in the longer term are discussed, but more investigation into their feasibility is needed. The findings of this study should serve as a catalyst for more efficient future use of plant-beneficial microorganisms, to the benefit of agriculture as well as the environment."