Tove Ortman
Research Scientist
Authors
Tove Ortman Jan Bengtsson Christine A. Watson Karin Gerhardt Tor Arvid Breland Emil Sandström Göran BergkvistAbstract
Landrace cereals have become more popular among organic farmers in Europe. However, little is known about the response of landraces to environmental conditions and farmers’ management compared to modern cultivars. A co-designed field experiment, informed by Swedish farmers’ experiences of landrace cereals, was used to investigate how traits valued by organic farmers differ between four landrace and three modern varieties of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under different environmental conditions and depending on nutrient applications. The experiment was organically managed and consisted of four randomized complete blocks in four environments, comprising two sites during two consecutive years. The varieties responded similarly to fertilization. The most recent modern variety had the highest grain yield of all varieties but the lowest protein content. At low or medium initial availability of nitrogen, landraces were shown to yield similarly to modern organic varieties, give high and stable protein content, and in addition suppress weeds better and produce higher straw yields. In one experimental environment, the initial amount of soil mineral nitrogen was high, and all four landraces yielded considerably less than all modern varieties. These results show the potential for landraces to provide both food and ecosystem services under low-input organic conditions.
Abstract
Landsorter av korn utgjør en verdifull ressurs i arbeidet for et mer bærekraftig og motstandsdyktig landbruk. Med sitt brede genetiske mangfold og evne til lokal tilpasning kan de både gi agronomiske og økonomiske fordeler – særlig innen økologisk landbruk. Likevel er det få bønder som velger å dyrke landsorter og andre tradisjonelle kornsorter. En ny studie kaster lys over hva som motiverer Norske bønder til å dyrke landsorter og peker på konkrete tiltak for å kunne utnytte disse ressursene bedre.
Authors
Tove OrtmanAbstract
Populærvitenskaplig sammendrag av forskningsresultater