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Agroecology and Organic Farming Group (AOL)
Institution
Section overview
Description
The Agroecology and Organic Farming Group investigates how aims of agricultural production, nature conservation and resource protection can be reconciled through the targeted design of agroecosystems. A main question is how health, stability and resilience of such systems can be supported in the long term.
One of the focus areas is the design of diversified cropping systems, i.e. by using higher levels of plant diversity. This is done e.g. by expanding the spectrum of crop species, using mixed cropping, optimizing cover cropping, designing crop rotations or supporting pollinating insects through flower strips.
When looking at production systems we primarily concentrate on organic farming, but conventional farms are also in integrated in our research and teaching. Arable, grassland and horticultural systems are investigated at various spatial and temporal scales, from single plants to landscapes and from roots in the subsoil to the crowns of trees.
In our research between agricultural production and nature and resource conservation, insects play a large role. Investigated groups include honey bees, wild bees and hover flies as well as other pollinators, carabids and other predators, but also aquatic insects. A further key area is the analysis of grassland and arable vegetation.
Activities
- Research
Parent institution
Coordinated projects
- Agronomic strategies for climate-neutral and sustainable increase in productivity
- Collaborative Project: Development of new strategies to increase and optimize the use of soil fertility
- Collaborative project: Optimization of weed control in medicinal plant cultivation with a focus on indirect and mechanical processes as well as on the inventory establishment phase of chamomile and melissa. Subproject 3: Heterogeneous alluvial soils with a focus on sown melissa and procedures in organic farming systems
- Crop sequences for optimized use of soil resources: combining allorhizous and homorhizous species for complementary root growth in topsoil and subsoil. Coordination
- Healthy plants from healthy soils: Resilience and stability of organic cropping systems
- Influence of site factors and management on yield and quality of winter wheat, lucerne-clover grass and permanent pasture
- Integration of the fodder legume sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) in crop rotations of organic agriculture
- Optimization of weed regulation, sulfur and phosphorus availability by fertilizer placement for temporary direct drilling of broad bean and soya bean
- Organic Pilot Farms in North Rhine-Westphalia
- Organic Pilot Farms in North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany)
- Organic pilot farms in North Rhine-Westphalia 2011-2013: Optimisation of organic farms by utilization and transfer of scientific knowledge for demonstration and advice to practical farmers
- Organic Pilot Farms in North Rhine-Westphalia- continuation
- Organic pilot farms in North Rhine-Westphalia: Optimisation of organic farms by utilization and transfer of scientific knowledge for demonstration and advice to practical farmers
- Preservation of biodiversity and regionalisation: cultivation suitability and regional marketing possibilities for historic tomato species in NRW organic farming
Coordinated collaborative projects
Work package leader of collaborative projects
Involved in research projects
- Climate Impacts and Sustainability of organic operating systems - an investigation of a network of pilot farms
- Greenhouse gas emissions in crop rotations with gras-clover in organic farming systems
- Leading Organic Farms NRW 2020-2023
- Plant induced weathering of minerals in the subsoil - release of 'non-exchangeable' potassium from 2:1 layer minerals (TransMinK)
- QUALITYLOWINPUTFOOD Improving quality and safety and reduction of cost in the European organic and 'low input' supply chains'
- Regional green house gas emissions in clover grass - wheat systems
Contact
Agroecology and Organic Farming Group
(AOL)
Auf dem Hügel 6
53121 Bonn
North Rhine-Westphalia
Germany
Phone: +49 (0)228 735135
Fax: +49 (0)228 735764
Email: aol(@)uni-bonn.de