RESEARCH IN ORGANIC ARABLE CROPS IN FRANCE

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1 RESEARCH IN ORGANIC ARABLE CROPS IN FRANCE Laurence Fontaine, ITAB 21st January, 2014 Naturland conference, Würzburg (DE)

2 OUTLINE 1. Organic farming & arable crops in France 2. Organisation of research in OF in France The key-role of ITAB 3. Issues raised by organic farmers 4. Research themes 5. Focus on some research programmes

3 ISSUES RAISED BY ORGANIC FARMERS

4 TWO MAIN ISSUES Organic fertilizers Management (maintenance) of soil N fertility Crop rotation, Crop system design Weed management Mechanical weeding

5 OTHER AGRONOMIC ISSUES Use of adapted varieties - Disease tolerance - Productivity - Qualité - Weed competitiveness - Good nutrient up-take Pests Diseases - Tolerant varieties - Direct management - Undirect management - Reduce pressure

6 ISSUES EXPRESSED BY CROP Cereals - Varieties - Diseases (common bunt) - N uptake efficiency - Weed control Faba beans, peas, lupins - Diseases, pests - Varieties - Weed control - Annual management - Intercropping Soya, oil seed rape, sunflower - Pests, diseases (rapeseed) - N supplies (rapeseed) - Varieties - Weed control

7 ISSUES EXPRESSED BY CULTURE Current and accurate expectations! (100% organic food for animals) Faba beans, peas, lupins - Diseases, pests - Varieties - Weed control - Annual management - Intercropping Soya, oil seed rape, sunflower - Pests, diseases (rapeseed) - N supplies (rapeseed) - Varieties - Weed control

8 EXPECTATIONS AT THE SYSTEM LEVEL Needs for technical and economical data Different levels: - Field and rotation - Farm (production system) - Sector (food chain) Complementarity crops-livestock - Animal feeding - Soil fertility Design of crop systems - Sustainability - Resilience

9 THE FARMER S ROLE IN RESEARCH PROGRAMMES From the organic farmers point of view: How to enhance & share the farmers knowledge experience technical know-how? From the researcher point of view: Some researchers are for participatory research, but they are not the majority

10 RESEARCH THEMES IN ORGANIC ARABLE CROPS

11 EVOLUTION OF RESEARCH IN ORGANIC ARABLE CROPS FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS Analytical Systemic landscape short-term medium-term long-term 1990 s => trend to develop system approach, beyond the short-term Ex. / fertilisation Test of organic fertilizers + green manure, Effect of previous crop, intercropping + lansdcape/ Territory approach Ex. / maîtrise des adventices Trials on mechanical + effect of crop weeding rotation + effect of soil covering

12 MAIN TOPICS CURRENTLY STUDIED Crop systems Crop rotation Crop diversification Intercropping Soil management (tillage) Crop management Varieties Adapted to organic farming Capacity to adapt Innovative breeding traits Organic breeding Technical and economical data Crop management monitoring Reference farm Case study / typical case

13 TWO MAIN ISSUES Knowledge on organic product. Efficacity of use Organic fertilizers Management (maintenance) of soil N legumes fertility N dynamic after Intercropping effect (in crops, between crops) Crop rotation, Crop system design Weed management New material, efficacity, use in crop & intercrop Knowledge on weeds Mechanical weeding

14 OTHER AGRONOMIC ISSUES Cereals (bread wheat) +++ Faba beans, peas, soya + / - Maize - sunflower, oil rapeseed Use of adapted varieties Screening - Breeding - Disease tolerance - Productivity - Qualité - Weed competitiveness - Good nutrient up-take Pests Diseases Intercropping, crop rotation (diversity) Seed/plant treatment - Tolerant varieties - Direct management - Undirect management - Reduce pressure

15 ISSUES EXPRESSED BY CROP Cf previous slides + trials/crop management, + field monitoring, + reference farms Cereals - Varieties - Diseases (common bunt) - N uptake efficiency - Weed control Faba beans, peas, lupins - Diseases, pests - Varieties - Weed control - Annual management - Intercropping Soya, oil seed rape, sunflower - Pests, diseases (rapeseed) - N supplies (rapeseed) - Varieties - Weed control

16 EXPECTATIONS AT THE SYSTEM LEVEL Farmers survey Needs Typical cases for technical conception and economical data Different levels: - Field and rotation - Farm (production system) - Sector (food chain) Legumes with proteins for animal feeding, alfafa, meadow Complementarity crops-livestock - Animal feeding - Soil fertility Multicriteria assessments Long term experiments Design of crop systems - Sustainability - Resilience

17 THE FARMER S ROLE IN RESEARCH PROGRAMMES From the organic farmers point of view: How to enhance & share the farmers knowledge Exchange within farmers groups experience technical know-how? From the researcher point of view: Trends to include sociological workpackages in research programmes Some researchers are for participatory research, but they are not the majority On raising topic: how to organize exchanges in farmers groups?