Newsletter | Danish Research Centre for Organic Food and Farming • March 2006 • No. 1

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Congress Topic 2: Improving quality of crops, soil and environment
The topic will include sessions on improvements of organic plant production, and how this production affects soil quality and the environment. Furthermore, the connection between organic production methods and nutritional content of plant products will be examined.

The topic is organized by the EU research projects QLIF, REPCO, ENVIRFOOD and INTERCROP with contribution from Organic Input Evaluation and SUSVAR.

The topic consists of three themes:
  • Crop systems and soils
  • Protecting plant health
  • Plant breeding and seed production

Coordinators of the three themes, as described below, are Lucius Tamm, Jürgen Köhl and Erik Steen Jensen.


Crop systems and soils
Organic farming seeks to develop crop systems that generate a healthy soil for the growth of healthy plants. The theme explores optimisation of soil properties of relevance for plant nutrition and disease suppression. Also, the role of crop diversification strategies is assessed. More...
Tamm
Protecting plant health
Diseases and pests in organic farming may be controlled by strategies such as crop rotation and diversification. Yet, for certain crops this is not sufficient. Development of novel techniques and crop protection products with low risk are urgently needed and highlighted in the theme. More...
Köhl

Plant breeding and seed production
After decades of relying on conventionally bred varieties, the organic sector is increasingly aware of the need for better adapted, robust varieties and organically propagated seeds. Exiting results from research show newly developed strategies and the challenges for the future. More...
Jensen