Matjaž Turinek

Influence of Industrial and Alternative Farming Systems on Contents of Sugars, Organic Acids, Total Phenolic Content, and the Antioxidant Activity of Red Beet (Beta vulgaris L. ssp. vulgaris Rote Kugel)

The contents of sugars, organic acids, total phenolic content, and the antioxidant activity were quantified in the flesh of red beet from conventional (CON), integrated (INT), organic (ORG), biodynamic (BD), and control farming systems using established methods. Significant differences were measured for malic acid, total phenolic content (TPC), and total antioxidant activity, where malic acid content ranged from 2.39 g kg(-1) FW (control) to 1.63 g kg(-1) FW (CON, ORG, and INT). The highest TPC was measured in BD and control samples (0.677 and 0.672 mg GAE g(-1), respectively), and the lowest in CON samples (0.511 mg GAE g(-1)). Antioxidant activity was positively correlated with TPC (r2=0.6187) and ranged from 0.823 μM TE g(-1) FW to 1.270 μM TE g(-1) FW in CON and BD samples, respectively, whereas total sugar content ranged from 21.03 g kg(-1) FW (CON) to 31.58 g kg(-1) FW (BD). The importance of sugars, organic acids, phenols, and antioxidants for human health, as well as for plant resilience and health, gained from this explorative study, is discussed and put into perspective.

Ecological impact of wheat and spelt production under industrial and alternative farming systems

The Industrial Revolution and intensification of agriculture have, in some cases, led to economic activities that profoundly influenced the ecosystem to the point where environmental stability and geographic political security are jeopardized. The uncertainty about oil reserves, rising energy prices and the threat of harmful climate change effects has intensified the search for alternative farming systems that reduce negative environmental impact. This study reports the ecological impact of conventional (CON), integrated (INT), organic (ORG) and biodynamic (BD) farming systems calculated from data collected in a field trial at Maribor, Slovenia, and interpreted using the SPIonExcel tool. This tool is a member of the ecological footprint family and describes the area necessary to embed a human activity sustainably into the ecosphere. Three-year results show a markedly reduced ecological footprint of the ORG and BD systems in production of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. ‘Antonius’) and spelt (Triticum spelta L. ‘Ebners rotkorn’), mainly due to the absence of external production factors. When yields were also considered, the ORG and BD systems again had a reduced overall footprint per product unit and increased ecological efficiency of production. Thus, ORG and BD farming systems present viable alternatives for reducing the impact of agriculture on environmental degradation and climate change. Nevertheless, room for improvement exists in the area of machinery use in all systems studied and yield improvement in the ORG farming system.

Growth Performance of Sweet Maize under Non-Typical Maize Growing Conditions

ABSTRACT The considerable increase in sweet maize production in Europe is a direct result of the increasing demand. This review shows a lack of investigations of non-typical maize growing conditions, and also different research results for sweet maize, especially in Europe. The most important limiting factors in growing sweet maize under non-typical climatic conditions are soil temperature and water supply. The negative impact of lower temperatures at sowing can be mitigated by choosing appropriate cultivars (early and mid-early) and sowing times (mid-end of May, depending on the region). In temperate climates different cultivation systems are effectively used to assure warmer soils in the spring. Furthermore, different rates of mineral nitrogen (N) fertilization are advisable in different temperate climates for the highest yields, but > 120 kg N ha−1 has no significant effect. Requirements for N should be based more on soil Nmin analyses, green manures (especially with leguminous plants) and living mulch systems to prevent environmental pollution.

Biodynamic Soil Fertility Management

Biodynamic (BD) agriculture became the subject of interest in the last years as an increasing number of researchers, professionals, and farmers are starting to explore and practice this way of farming. Basic BD practices and their background are presented in this chapter, backed with research results and findings from scientific literature. One of the more known and at the same time controversial topic of BD farming, the BD preparations, are explored more into detail, with a focus on processes in the compost, the soil, and the buildup of soil fertility with their use. Moreover, effects of BD practices on perennial crops are exemplified on the case of the vine since there is yet no research published on other perennial crops. The importance of the complex soil-plant system and the potential influence of BD practices are put into perspective.