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Yield, product quality and energy use in organic vegetable living mulch cropping systems: research evidence and farmers’ perception

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 September 2016

S. Canali ,
L. Ortolani ,
G. Campanelli ,
M. Robačer ,
P. von Fragstein ,
D. D'Oppido  and
H.L. Kristensen
S. Canali*
Affiliation:
Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l'analisi dell'economia agraria. Centro per lo studio delle relazioni tra pianta e suolo, Roma, Italy.
L. Ortolani
Affiliation:
Associazione Italiana Agricoltura Biologica, Roma, Italy.
G. Campanelli
Affiliation:
Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l'analisi dell'economia agraria. Unità di ricerca per l'orticoltura. Monsampolo del Tronto (AP), Roma, Italy.
M. Robačer
Affiliation:
Faculty of Agriculture and Life Science, University of Maribor, Slovenia.
P. von Fragstein
Affiliation:
Department of Organic Vegetable Production, University of Kassel, Germany.
D. D'Oppido
Affiliation:
Associazione Italiana Agricoltura Biologica, Roma, Italy.
H.L. Kristensen
Affiliation:
Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, Denmark.
*
*Corresponding author: stefano.canali@crea.gov.it
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Abstract

The effects of living mulch (LM) introduction and management strategies on cash crop yield, product quality and energy use were studied in a wide range of European vegetable cropping systems, climatic and soil conditions, as well as species of LM grown as agro-ecological service crops. Nine field experiments were carried out in research stations and commercial farms located in Denmark, Germany, Italy and Slovenia. Farmers’ perception of the feasibility and applicability of the LM technique was also assessed.

The results demonstrated that the LM systems with a substitutive design can be effectively implemented in vegetable production if the value of the ecological services (positive externalities) delivered by LM can counterbalance the yield loss due to the cash crop density reduction. The crop density of the system and the length of the period in which the LM and cash crop coexist are oppositely related both for competition and yield. Moreover, if an additive design is used, the LM should be sown several weeks after the cash crop planting. Overall, different cash crop genotypes (i.e., open pollinated/local cultivars in comparison with the hybrids) performed similarly. Use of human labor (HL) and fossil fuel (FF) energy slightly increased in LM systems (7%), and there was a shift in the proportion of FF and human energy consumption. The farmers’ acceptance of the LM techniques was quite high (75% of the interviewed sample), even though their critical considerations about yield quality and quantity need consideration in future research and practical implementation of LM systems.

Keywords

agro-ecological service cropsartichoke (Cynara cardunculus subsp. scolymus L.)cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis)cover cropsintercroppingleek (Allium ampeloprasum L.)local cultivaropen pollinated cultivarparticipatory researchon farm researchorganic farming
Type
Themed Content: Living Mulch
Information
Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems , Volume 32 , Special Issue 3: Living Mulch , June 2017 , pp. 200 - 213
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Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2016 

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