Next Article in Journal
Restoring Soil Cover and Plant Communities with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi as an Essential Component of DSS for Environmental Safety Management in Post-Industrial Landscapes
Next Article in Special Issue
Improving Crop Health, Performance, and Quality in Organic Spring Wheat Production: The Need to Understand Interactions between Pedoclimatic Conditions, Variety, and Fertilization
Previous Article in Journal
Predrought and Its Persistence Determined the Phenological Changes of Stipa krylovii in Inner Mongolia
Previous Article in Special Issue
Effect of Climatic Conditions, and Agronomic Practices Used in Organic and Conventional Crop Production on Yield and Nutritional Composition Parameters in Potato, Cabbage, Lettuce and Onion; Results from the Long-Term NFSC-Trials
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Agronomy
Volume 13
Issue 5
10.3390/agronomy13051344
agronomy-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles thumb_up
...
Endorse textsms
...
Comment
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
Editorial

Innovative Organic and Regenerative Agricultural Production

by
Leonidas Rempelos
1,
Emmanouil Kabourakis
2 and
Carlo Leifert
3,4,*
1
Lincoln Institute for Agri-Food Technology, University of Lincoln, Riseholme Park, Lincoln LN2 2LG, UK
2
Olive, Vine and Agroecological Production Systems Lab (EOPS), Hellenic Mediterranean University, 71410 Iraklio, Greece
3
SCU Plant Science, Southern Cross University, Military Rd., Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia
4
Department of Nutrition, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, 0372 Oslo, Norway
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Agronomy 2023, 13(5), 1344; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13051344
Submission received: 14 March 2023 / Accepted: 9 May 2023 / Published: 11 May 2023
(This article belongs to the Collection Innovative Organic and Regenerative Agricultural Production)
Browse Figure
Versions Notes
Over the last 50 years, global agricultural food production has become increasingly dependent on the use of non-renewable and/or scarce resources, and, in particular, fossil fuel (e.g., for the production of mineral N-fertilizer and pesticides), mined minerals used as P and K fertilizers, and water used for irrigation. The costs of these inputs have increased more rapidly than farm gate prices, and this is thought to have a negative impact on farm incomes, crop yields, and food security [1,2,3]. There is also mounting evidence that the increased use of agrochemical inputs has had a negative impact on (i) soil and crop health; (ii) the nutritional quality of foods; and (iii) biodiversity, resource use efficiency, and the overall carbon footprint of food production [3,4,5,6,7].
Organic farming standards prohibit the use of all synthetic chemical N, P, and KCl fertilizers and pesticides because these inputs are thought to have negative side effects on soil, crop, and human health; biodiversity/natural resources; and the environment [3,4,5,6,7]. In contrast, non-organic, regenerative farming protocols aim to optimize and reduce the use of agrochemicals, but permit the use of most mineral NPK and synthetic chemical fertilizer products which are developed for and widely used in intensive conventional farming practices [8]. As a result, the inputs of mineral fertilizer and pesticides are thought to be substantially higher on farms using non-organic, regenerative farming protocols, while minimizing soil tillage is often a major challenge in organic farming systems due to the prohibition of the use of herbicides [3,8].
Both organic and non-organic regenerative farming systems prescribe or promote integrated soil, crop, and livestock management protocols that include: (i) the use of resistant and weed-competitive varieties, (ii) botanically diverse rotations that include N-fixing legume crops, (iii) regular inputs of animal manure and/or organic waste-based composts, (iv) the conservation and establishment of areas (green infrastructure) of biodiversity on farms, (v) minimum tillage, (vi) minimizing periods in which soil is not covered by vegetation (e.g., via the use of inter-, companion, and/or cover crops) and (vii) the integration of crop and outdoor grazing- or foraging-based livestock production systems [3,6,7,8]. However, it is important to highlight that organic farms have to be certified to legally binding farming standards (which includes regular farm visits/controls by licensed certification bodies/companies) to sell their products as organic, while there are currently no legally binding standards for regenerative farming systems [3,8].
Regenerative agriculture is, therefore, more difficult to define. For example, a recent report by Magistrali et al. [8] described that (i) “there is currently no legal or regulatory definition of the term regenerative agriculture”, (ii) “it (= regenerative agriculture) is commonly used as an umbrella term that includes a wide range of field operations and philosophical approaches which focus on two key deliverables: restoration of soil health (including the capture of carbon) and reversal of biodiversity loss“. Based on the perspective on regenerative agriculture published by Giller et al. [9], they, thus, defined regenerative agriculture as: “farming systems and field operations that minimise soil disturbance, use diverse rotations and cover crops, and integrate grazing livestock, to reduce GHG emissions, build soil C, improve soil health and biology, enhance farm-scale nutrient use efficiency (NUE) and promote biodiversity and the ecosystem services that flow from it” [8].
There is increasing evidence that organic farming systems deliver substantial environmental, biodiversity, and food quality and safety gains [3,4,5,7,10]. In addition, the soil quality, environmental, and biodiversity benefits of the core agronomic strategies/approaches promoted by both the organic and non-organic regenerative farming sectors (diverse rotations, cover crops, minimum tillage, integration of grazing livestock into crop production systems) are well documented [3,11,12,13,14,15,16,17]. The logical framework for regenerative, organic farming systems has recently been reviewed [3], and an updated graphical presentation is provided in Figure 1.
Major “milestone” studies which have demonstrated the soil health benefits of regenerative, organic/biodynamic production protocols are listed in Table 1. It important to note that our current estimates of soil health and environmental benefits from regenerative, organic management practices are based on data from a relatively small number of long-term field experiments [3] (Table 1).
Although many of the desirable impacts of specific agronomic practices shown in Figure 1 are well documented (see Table 1), Rempelos et al. [3] describe that there are few studies in which the relative effects of (and interactions between) different agronomic parameters (e.g., rotation, tillage, fertilization, and crop protection) used in organic and regenerative farming were investigated. In addition, there are very few studies in which the relative importance of (and interactions between) environmental, crop genetic, and agronomic factors was investigated [3,35,39,40,41]. However, such data are thought to be essential for the development of strategies that can mitigate the negative impacts of global climate change [18,19,37,38].
Regenerative and organic production methods generate very different soil physical, chemical, and biological background conditions compared with intensive farming systems [39,40]. As a result, there is an urgent need to develop/select crop genotypes that are suitable for regenerative, low-input, and organic production systems [39,40]. This need has been or is currently being addressed by a range of European Union-funded projects, including Blight-MOP, ECOBREED, HealthyMinorCereals, LIVESEEDS/LIVESEEDLING, NUE-crops, and QLIF; see Table 2 for the website addresses, reference lists, and selected key publications for these projects.
The first EU projects focused on breeding/selecting varieties suitable for organic and regenerative farming systems targeted at the broad-acre arable crops, including potato (Blight-MOP, NUE-crops, ECOBREED), cereals (QLIF, NUE-crops, HealthyMinorCereals), and oil seed rape (NUE-crops) (Table 2). For example, studies carried out in the QLIF, NUE-crops, and HealthyMinorCereals projects showed that modern short-straw wheat varieties lack (i) the weed competitiveness, (ii) the disease resistance, (iii) the resource use efficiency, and (iv) the processing and nutritional quality traits required for optimum performance in regenerative/organic systems [39]. In contrast, older/traditional wheat species (e.g., spelt) or varieties and cultivars/populations developed and selected for the organic sectors were reported to outperform modern wheat varieties when grown in regenerative, organic farming systems [3,39,40,41]. Similarly, the Blight-MOP, NUE-crops, and QLIF projects demonstrated that the breeding/selection of more late-blight resistant and nutrient-use-efficient cultivars should be a major target for the regenerative, low-input, and organic farming sector [3,35,42,43,44].
Table
Table 2. EU-funded projects focused on breeding/selecting crop genotypes suitable for organic and regenerative production systems.
Table 2. EU-funded projects focused on breeding/selecting crop genotypes suitable for organic and regenerative production systems.
Project Acronym
(Crops Targeted)		WebsiteReference Lists and Selected Publications
Blight-MOP
(potato)		https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/QLK5-CT-2000-01065 (accessed on 1 April 2023)Speiser et al. [41], Wilcockson et al. [42], Ghorbani et al. [45], Hospers-Brands et al. [46], Flier at al. [47]
BRESOV
(broccoli, snap bean, tomato)		https://bresov.eu/ (accessed on 1 April 2023)https://bresov.eu/publications/scientifc-publications;Tripodi et al. [48], Menga et al. [49], Treccarichi et al. [50],
Ben Ammar et al. [51], Scuderi et al. [52]
ECOBREED
(soybean, potato, wheat, buckwheat) 		https://ecobreed.eu/ (accessed on 1 April 2023) https://ecobreed.eu/outcomes/publications/;Vollmann et al. [53], Urbanavičiūtė et al. [54], Zhao et al. [55], Miljaković et al. [56], Praprotnik et al. [57]
HARNESSTOM
(tomato)		http://harnesstom.eu/en/index.html (accessed on 1 April 2023)https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101000716/results (accessed on 1 April 2023);
Blanca et al. [58], Hu et al. [59], Gonzalo et al. [60,61], Bineau [62], Asins et al. [63]
HealthyMinorCerals
(spelt, einkorn and emmer wheat, rye, oat)		https://healthyminorcereals.eu/ (accessed on 1 April 2023)https://healthyminorcereals.eu/en/publications (accessed on 1 April 2023);
Rempelos et al. [39], Magistrali et al. [64], Wang et al. [65,66], Tupits et al. [67]
LIVESEED
LIVESEEDING		https://www.liveseed.eu/ (accessed on 1 April 2023)
https://liveseeding.eu/ (accessed on 1 April 2023)		https://www.liveseed.eu/tools-for-practitioners/ (accessed on 1 April 2023)
https://www.liveseed.eu/synthesis-of-the-projects-results/(accessed on 1 April 2023)
NUE-crops
(maize, oil seed rape, barley, wheat, potato) 		https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/222645/reporting (accessed on 1 April 2023)https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/222645/results (accessed on 1 April 2023);
Rempelos et al. [40,44], Miersch et al. [68], Li et al. [69], Qi et al. [70]
QLIF
(wheat, potato)		https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/506358/reporting (accessed on 1 April 2023) https://orgprints.org/view/projects/eu-qlif.html (accessed on 1 April 2023);
Rempelos et al. [3,39], Eyre et al. [27,28,29], Cooper et al. [30], Orr et al. [31,32], Wilkinson et al. [41], Palmer et al. [43]
The more recent BRESOV, ECOBREED, and HARNESSTOM projects focused on the development of broccoli, snap bean, tomato, wheat, buckwheat, potato, and soybean varieties for the organic sector (Table 2), while the LIVESEEDS and LIVESEEDING projects provide a platform focused on supporting and expanding crop breeding, variety selection, and seed production for the organic, low-input, and regenerative farming sector in Europe. Deliverables from these projects are expected to greatly improve the performance and competitiveness of regenerative and organic farming systems (Table 2).
It is important to note that the European Union has also supported research focused on breeding livestock for outdoor grazing/foraging-based regenerative, low-input, and organic production systems. This includes the R&D projects LowInputBreeds, (https://www.lowinputbreeds.org/home.html, accessed on 1 April 2023), GENTORE (https://www.gentore.eu/project.html, accessed on 1 April 2023), ERA-NETSUSAN (https://era-susan.eu/funded-projects, accessed on 1 April 2023), Animal Future, https://www.animalfuture.eu/, accessed on 1 April 2023), and the Farm Animal Breeding and Reproduction Technology Platform (https://www.fabretp.eu/eu-projects.html, (accessed on 1 April 2023). Since the (re-)integration of grazing livestock to support weed, pest, disease, and fertility management in crop production is a critical component of re-generative farming systems, the breeding/selection of robust livestock breeds suitable for such systems has gained renewed importance (e.g., https://www.lowinputbreeds.org/publications/lib-technical-notes.html, accessed on 1 April 2023; https://www.lowinputbreeds.org/publications/organic-eprints.html, (accessed on 1 April 2023)).
Interestingly, both crop and livestock breeding/selection studies have identified significant nutrition–genotype interactions, not only for yield, but also for quality parameters relevant to human health, including (i) protein, phenolic, and mineral concentrations in wheat [3,39,40,41] and (ii) omega-3 concentrations in bovine milk [71]. It will be important to further explore crop/livestock management–genotype interactions, since optimizing the nutritional composition of foods from organic and regenerative production systems may allow farmers to achieve a price premium in the market [3].
However, there remain significant challenges which currently prevent the more widespread implementation of regenerative and organic farming practices. Challenges include (i) the lower yield and/or higher production costs in many organic, regenerative farming systems and (ii) reliance on agrochemical inputs in non-organic, regenerative systems [3,8,9,10,72]. In addition, most of the information on organic and regenerative production systems is from temperate regions in developed countries in Europe and North America, although some information from semi-arid regions in the Mediterranean, North America, and Australia is also available [3,72,73,74,75,76]. More recently, the failure to explore the critical role of water when investigating the benefits of regenerative agricultural practices has also been highlighted [76,77].
The topic collection on Innovative organic and regenerative agricultural production systems therefore aims to provide a platform for the dissemination of research into the design, development, improvement, optimization, and implementation of regenerative and organic farming systems. This will include studies aimed at:
  • Assessing/comparing contrasting soil, crop, and farm management practices/systems;
  • Further improving soil health, crop yields, yield stability, energy and resource use efficiency, biodiversity, food quality, and safety;
  • Further reduce negative environmental impacts and, in particular, greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprints, in organic and regenerative agriculture;
  • Development of technologies/strategies for the efficient recycling and production of precision fertilizers from domestic, communal, food processing, and farm waste;
  • Studying/modeling impacts of climate change on organic and regenerative farming systems;
  • Integrating or reintegrating grazing livestock into annual and perennial cropping systems;
  • Developing, evaluating, and/or studying barriers to the implementation of agroforestry systems;
  • Evaluating the impact of contrasting government intervention strategies designed to increase the implementation of organic and/or regenerative agriculture.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, C.L.; methodology, L.R., E.K. and C.L.; validation, C.L.; investigation, L.R., E.K. and C.L.; resources, C.L.; data curation, C.L.; writing—original draft preparation, C.L.; writing—review and editing, L.R., E.K. and C.L.; visualization, C.L.; project administration, C.L. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

No external funding was received by the authors.

Institutional Review Board Statement

Not applicable.

Informed Consent Statement

Not applicable.

Data Availability Statement

Not applicable.

Acknowledgments

The author gratefully acknowledges the support in the proofreading of the editorial from Catherine Leifert.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

References

  1. Tilman, D.; Cassman, K.G.; Matson, P.A.; Naylor, R.; Polasky, S. Agricultural sustainability and intensive production practices. Nature 2002, 418, 671–677. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  2. Cordell, D.; Drangert, J.-O.; White, S. The story of phosphorus: Global food security and food for thought. Glob. Environ. Chang. 2009, 19, 292–305. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  3. Rempelos, L.; Baranski, M.; Wang, J.; Adams, T.N.; Adebusuyi, K.; Beckman, J.J.; Brockbank, C.J.; Douglas, B.S.; Feng, T.; Greenway, J.D.; et al. Integrated soil and crop management in organic agriculture: A logical framework to ensure food quality and human health? Agronomy 2021, 11, 2494. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  4. Baranski, M.; Srednicka-Tober, D.; Volakakis, N.; Seal, C.; Sanderson, R.; Stewart, G.B.; Benbrook, C.; Biavati, B.; Markellou, E.; Giotis, H.; et al. Higher antioxidant and lower cadmium concentrations and lower incidence of pesticide residues in organically grown crops: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis. Br. J. Nutr. 2014, 112, 794–811. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  5. Rempelos, L.; Wang, J.; Barański, M.; Watson, A.; Volakakis, N.; Hoppe, H.-W.; Kühn-Velten, W.N.; Hadall, C.; Hasanaliyeva, G.; Chatzidimitriou, E.; et al. Diet and food type affect urinary pesticide residue excretion profiles in healthy individuals: Results of a randomized controlled dietary intervention trial. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2021, 115, 364–377. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  6. Ozlu, E.; Arriaga, F.J.; Bilen, S.; Gozukara, G.; Babur, E. Carbon footprint management by agricultural practices. Biology 2022, 11, 1453. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  7. Holka, M.; Kowalska, J.; Jakubowska, M. Reducing carbon footprint of agriculture—Can organic farming help to mitigate climate change? Agriculture 2022, 12, 1383. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  8. Magistrali, A.; Cooper, J.; George, D.; Standen, J. Identifying and Implementing Regenerative Agricultural Practices in Challenging Environments: Experiences of Farmers in the North of England. BBSRC Project Report No. PR640-09. Available online: https://projectblue.blob.core.windows.net/media/Default/Research%20Papers/AHDB/2022/PR640-09%20Final%20report%20AHDB-BBSRC%20Farm%20Sustainability%20Fund%20(Cooper).pdf (accessed on 1 February 2023).
  9. Giller, K.E.; Hijbeek, R.; Andersson, J.A.; Sumberg, J. Regenerative agriculture: An agronomic perspective. Outlook Agric. 2021, 50, 13–25. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  10. Seufert, V.; Ramankutty, N.; Foley, J.A. Comparing the yields of organic and conventional agriculture. Nature 2021, 485, 229–232. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  11. Shah, K.K.; Modi, B.; Pandey, H.P.; Subedi, A.; Aryal, G.; Pandey, M.; Shrestha, J. Diversified crop rotation: An approach for sustainable agriculture production. Adv. Agric. 2021, 2021, 8924087. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  12. Volsi, B.; Higashi, G.E.; Bordin, I.; Telles, T.S. The diversification of species in crop rotation increases the profitability of grain production systems. Sci. Rep. 2022, 12, 19849. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  13. Sharma, P.; Singh, A.; Kahlon, C.S.; Brar, A.S.; Grover, K.K.; Dia, M.; Steiner, R.L. The role of cover crops towards sustainable soil health and agriculture—A review paper. Am. J. Plant Sci. 2018, 09, 1935–1951. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  14. Abdalla, M.; Hastings, A.; Cheng, K.; Yue, Q.; Chadwick, D.; Espenberg, M.; Truu, J.; Rees, R.M.; Smith, P. A critical review of the impacts of cover crops on nitrogen leaching, net greenhouse gas balance and crop productivity. Glob. Chang. Biol. 2019, 25, 2530–2543. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  15. Koudahe, K.; Allen, S.C.; Djaman, K. Critical review of the impact of cover crops on soil properties. Int. Soil Water Conserv. Res. 2022, 10, 343–354. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  16. Adetunji, A.T.; Ncube, B.; Mulidzi, R.; Lewu, F.B. Management impact and benefit of cover crops on soil quality: A review. Soil Tillage Res. 2020, 204, 104717. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  17. Scavo, A.; Fontanazza, S.; Restuccia, A.; Pesce, G.R.; Abbate, C.; Mauromicale, G. The role of cover crops in improving soil fertility and plant nutritional status in temperate climates. A review. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 2022, 42, 93. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  18. Reganold, J.P.; Palmer, A.S.; Lockhart, J.C.; Macgregor, A.N. Soil quality and financial performance of biodynamic and con-ventional farms in New Zealand. Science 1993, 260, 344–349. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  19. Ryan, M.R.; Smith, R.G.; Mortensen, D.A.; Teasdale, J.R.; Curran, W.S.; Seidel, R.; Shumway, D.L. Weed-crop competition relationships differ between organic and conventional cropping systems. Weed Res. 2009, 49, 572–580. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  20. Rodale Institute. Farming Systems Trial; 40-Year Report. Available online: https://rodaleinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/FST_40YearReport_RodaleInstitute-1.pdf (accessed on 10 April 2020).
  21. Maeder, P.; Fliessbach, A.; Dubois, D.; Gunst, L.; Fried, P.; Niggli, U. Soil fertility and biodiversity in organic farming. Science 2002, 296, 1694–1697. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  22. Fließbach, A.; Oberholzer, H.-R.; Gunst, L.; Mäder, P. Soil organic matter and biological soil quality indicators after 21 years of organic and conventional farming. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 2007, 118, 273–284. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  23. Hildermann, I.; Messmer, M.; Dubois, D.; Boller, T.; Wiemken, A.; Mäder, P. Nutrient use efficiency and arbuscular mycorrhizal root colonization of winter wheat cultivars in different farming systems of the DOK long-term trial. J. Sci. Food Agric. 2010, 90, 2027–2038. [Google Scholar]
  24. Skinner, C.; Gattinger, A.; Krauss, M.; Krause, H.-M.; Mayer, J.; van der Heijden, M.G.A.; Mäder, P. The impact of long-term organic farming on soil-derived greenhouse gas emissions. Sci. Rep. 2019, 9, 1702. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  25. Berner, A.; Hildermann, I.; Fliessbach, A.; Pfiffner, L.; Niggli, U.; Mäder, P. Crop yield and soil quality response to reduced tillage under organic management. Soil Tillage Res. 2008, 101, 89–96. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  26. Gadermaier, F.; Berner, A.; Fließbach, A.; Friedel, J.K.; Mäder, P. Impact of reduced tillage on soil organic carbon and nutrient budgets under organic farming. Renew. Agric. Food Syst. 2011, 27, 68–80. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  27. Eyre, M.; Sanderson, R.; Shotton, P.; Leifert, C. Investigating the effects of crop type, fertility management and crop protection on the activity of beneficial invertebrates in an extensive farm management comparison trial. Ann. Appl. Biol. 2009, 155, 267–276. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  28. Eyre, M.; Critchley, C.; Leifert, C.; Wilcockson, S. Crop sequence, crop protection and fertility management effects on weed cover in an organic/conventional farm management trial. Eur. J. Agron. 2011, 59, 4715–4724. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  29. Eyre, M.; Luff, M.; Atlihan, R.; Leifert, C. Ground beetle species (Carabidae, Coleoptera) activity and richness in relation to crop type, fertility management and crop protection in a farm management comparison trial. Ann. Appl. Biol. 2012, 161, 169–179. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  30. Cooper, J.; Butler, G.; Leifert, C. Life cycle analysis of greenhouse gas emissions from organic and conventional systems of food production, with and without bio-energy options. NJAS-Wagen. J. Life Sci. 2011, 58, 185–192. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  31. Orr, C.; James, A.; Leifert, C.; Cummings, S.; Cooper, J. Diversity and function of free-living nitrogen fixing bacteria and total bacteria in organic and conventionally managed soil. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 2011, 77, 911–919. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  32. Orr, C.; Leifert, C.; Cummings, S.P.; Cooper, J.M. Impacts of organic and conventional crop management on diversity and activity of free-living nitrogen fixing bacteria and total bacteria are subsidiary to temporal effects. PLoS ONE 2013, 7, e52891. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  33. Haghighi, R.S.; Critchley, N.; Leifert, C.; Eyre, M.; Cooper, J. Individual and interactive effects of crop type and management on weed and seed bank composition in an organic rotation. Int. J. Plant Prod. 2013, 7, 243–268. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  34. Patterson, E.S.P.; Sanderson, R.A.; Eyre, M.D. Soil tillage reduces arthropod biodiversity and has lag effects within organic and conventional crop rotations. J. Appl. Èntomol. 2018, 143, 430–440. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  35. Rempelos, L.; Barański, M.; Sufar, E.K.; Gilroy, J.; Shotton, P.; Leifert, H.; Średnicka-Tober, D.; Hasanaliyeva, G.; Rosa, E.A.S.; Hajslova, J.; et al. Effect of climatic conditions, and agronomic practices used in organic and conventional crop production on yield and nutritional composition parameters in potato, cabbage, lettuce and onion; results from the long-term NFSC-trials. Agronomy 2023, 13, 1225. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  36. Galindo, F.S.; Delate, K.; Heins, B.; Phillips, H.; Smith, A.; Pagliari, P.H. Cropping system and rotational grazing effects on soil fertility and enzymatic activity in an integrated organic crop-livestock system. Agronomy 2020, 10, 803. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  37. Krauss, M.; Wiesmeier, M.; Don, A.; Cuperus, F.; Gattinger, A.; Gruber, S.; Haagsma, W.; Peigné, J.; Palazzoli, M.C.; Schulz, F.; et al. Reduced tillage in organic farming affects soil organic carbon stocks in temperate Europe. Soil Tillage Res. 2021, 216, 105262. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  38. Smith, L.G.; Kirk, G.J.D.; Jones, P.J.; Williams, A.G. The greenhouse gas impacts of converting food production in England and Wales to organic methods. Nat. Commun. 2019, 10, 105262. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  39. Rempelos, L.; Wang, J.; Sufar, E.K.; Almuayrifi, M.S.B.; Knutt, D.; Leifert, H.; Leifert, A.; Wilkinson, A.; Shotton, P.; Hasanaliyeva, G.; et al. Breeding bread-making wheat varieties for organic farming systems: The need to target productivity, robustness, resource use efficiency and grain quality traits. Foods 2023, 12, 1209. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  40. Rempelos, L.; Almuayrifi, M.S.B.; Baranski, M.; Tetard-Jones, C.; Barkla, B.; Cakmak, I.; Ozturk, L.; Cooper, J.; Volakakis, N.; Hall, G.; et al. The effect of agronomic factors on crop health and performance of winter wheat varieties bred for the con-ventional and the low input farming sector. Field Crop. Res. 2020, 254, 107822. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  41. Wilkinson, A.; Wilkinson, J.N.; Shotton, P.; Eyre, M.; Hasanaliyeva, G.; Bilsborrow, P.; Leifert, C.; Rempelos, L. Effect of clover sward management on nitrogen fixation and performance of following spring- and winter wheat crops; results of a 3-year pilot study. Agronomy 2022, 12, 2085. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  42. Speiser, B.; Tamm, L.; Amsler, T.; Lambion, J.; Bertrand, C.; Hermansen, A.; Ruissen, M.A.; Haaland, P.; Zarb, J.; Santos, J.; et al. Field tests of blight control methods for organic farming: Tolerant varieties and copper fungicides. Biol. Agric. Hortic. 2006, 23, 393–412. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  43. Palmer, M.W.; Cooper, J.; Tétard-Jones, C.; Średnicka-Tober, D.; Barański, M.; Eyre, M.; Shotton, P.N.; Volakakis, N.; Cakmak, I.; Ozturk, L.; et al. The influence of organic and conventional fertilisation and crop protection practices, preceding crop, harvest year and weather conditions on yield and quality of potato (Solanum tuberosum) in a long-term management trial. Eur. J. Agron. 2013, 49, 83–92. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  44. Rempelos, L.; Cooper, J.; Wilcockson, S.; Eyre, M.; Shotton, P.; Volakakis, N.; Orr, C.H.; Leifert, C.; Gatehouse, A.M.R.; Tétard-Jones, C. Quantitative proteomics to study the response of potato to contrasting fertilisation regimes. Mol. Breed. 2012, 31, 363–378. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  45. Ghorbani, R.; Wilcockson, S.; Leifert, C. Alternative treatments for late blight control in organic potato: Antagonistic micro-organisms and compost extracts for activity against Phytophthora infestans. Potato Res. 2007, 48, 181–189. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  46. Hospers-Brands, A.J.T.M.; Ghorbani, R.; Bremer, E.; Bain, R.; Litterick, A.; Halder, F.; Leifert, C.; Wilcockson, S.J. Effects of presprouting, planting date, plant population and configuration on late blight and yield of organic potato crops grown with different cultivars. Potato Res. 2008, 51, 131–150. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  47. Flier, W.G.; Kroon, L.P.N.M.; Hermansen, A.; van Raaij, H.M.G.; Speiser, B.; Lambion, J.; Razzaghian, J.; Andrivon, D.; Wil-kinson, S.; Leifert, C. Genetic structure and pathogenicity of populations of Phytophthora infestans from organic crops in France, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Plant Pathol. 2007, 56, 562–572. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  48. Tripodi, P.; D’alessandro, A.; Francese, G. An integrated genomic and biochemical approach to investigate the potentiality of heirloom tomatoes: Breeding resources for food quality and sustainable agriculture. Front. Plant Sci. 2023, 13, 1031776. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  49. Menga, V.; Fares, C.; Campa, A.; Ferreira, J.J.; Bitocchi, E.; Papa, R.; Beleggia, R. Variability of nutritional, antioxidant, and textural traits of a collection of snap beans of different colors. Horticulturae 2023, 9, 311. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  50. Treccarichi, S.; Ben Ammar, H.; Amari, M.; Cali, R.; Tribulato, A.; Branca, F. Molecular markers for detecting inflorescence size of Brassica oleracea L. crops and B. oleracea complex species (n = 9) useful for breeding of broccoli (B. oleracea var. italica) and cauliflower (B. oleracea var. botrytis). Plants 2023, 12, 407. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  51. Ben Ammar, H.; Arena, D.; Treccarichi, S.; Di Bella, M.C.; Marghali, S.; Ficcadenti, N.; Scalzo, R.L.; Branca, F. The effect of water stress on the glucosinolate content and profile: A comparative study on roots and leaves of Brassica oleracea L. crops. Agronomy 2023, 13, 579. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  52. Scuderi, A.; Timpanaro, G.; Branca, F.; Cammarata, M. Economic and environmental sustainability assessment of an innovative organic broccoli production pattern. Agronomy 2023, 13, 624. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  53. Vollmann, J.; Rischbeck, P.; Pachner, M.; Đorđević, V.; Manschadi, A.M. High-throughput screening of soybean dinitrogen fixation and seed nitrogen content using spectral sensing. Comput. Electron. Agric. 2022, 199, 107169. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  54. Urbanavičiūtė, I.; Bonfiglioli, L.; Pagnotta, M.A. Phenotypic and genotypic diversity of roots response to salt in durum wheat seedlings. Plants 2023, 12, 412. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  55. Zhao, H.; He, Y.; Zhang, K.; Li, S.; Chen, Y.; He, M.; He, F.; Gao, B.; Yang, D.; Fan, Y.; et al. Rewiring of the seed metabolome during Tartary buckwheat domestication. Plant Biotechnol. J. 2022, 21, 150–164. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  56. Miljaković, D.; Marinković, J.; Tamindžić, G.; Đorđević, V.; Tintor, B.; Milošević, D.; Ignjatov, M.; Nikolić, Z. Bio-priming of soybean with Bradyrhizobium japonicum and Bacillus megaterium: Strategy to improve seed germination and the initial seedling growth. Plants 2022, 11, 1927. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  57. Praprotnik, E.; Lončar, J.; Razinger, J. Testing virulence of different species of insect associated fungi against yellow mealworm (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) and their potential growth stimulation to maize. Plants 2021, 10, 2498. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  58. Blanca, J.; Pons, C.; Montero-Pau, J.; Sanchez-Matarredona, D.; Ziarsolo, P.; Fontanet, L.; Fisher, J.; Plazas, M.; Casals, J.; Rambla, J.L.; et al. European traditional tomatoes galore: A result of farmers’ selection of a few diversity-rich loci. J. Exp. Bot. 2022, 73, 3431–3445. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  59. Hu, G.; Wang, K.; Huang, B.; Mila, I.; Frasse, P.; Maza, E.; Djari, A.; Hernould, M.; Zouine, M.; Li, Z.; et al. The auxin-responsive transcription factor SlDOF9 regulates inflorescence and flower development in tomato. Nat. Plants 2022, 8, 419–433. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  60. Gonzalo, M.J.; da Maia, L.C.; Nájera, I.; Baixauli, C.; Giuliano, G.; Ferrante, P.; Granell, A.; Asins, M.J.; Monforte, A.J. Genetic control of reproductive traits under different temperature regimes in inbred line populations derived from crosses between S. pimpinellifolium and S. lycopersicum accessions. Plants 2022, 11, 1069. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  61. Gonzalo, M.J.; Nájera, I.; Baixauli, C.; Gil, D.; Montoro, T.; Soriano, V.; Olivieri, F.; Rigano, M.M.; Ganeva, D.; Grozeva-Tileva, S.; et al. Identification of tomato accessions as source of new genes for improving heat tolerance: From controlled experiments to field. BMC Plant Biol. 2021, 21, 345. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  62. Bineau, E.; Rambla, J.L.; Priego-Cubero, S.; Hereil, A.; Bitton, F.; Plissonneau, C.; Granell, A.; Causse, M. Breeding tomato hybrids for flavour: Comparison of GWAS results obtained on lines and F1 hybrids. Genes 2021, 12, 1443. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  63. Asins, M.J.; Romero-Aranda, M.R.; Espinosa, J.; González-Fernández, P.; Jaime-Fernández, E.; Traverso, J.A.; Carbonell, E.A.; Belver, A. HKT1;1 and HKT1;2 Na+ Transporters from Solanum galapagense play different roles in the plant Na+ distribution under salinity. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23, 5130. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  64. Magistrali, A.; Vavera, R.; Janovska, D.; Rempelos, L.; Cakmak, I.; Leifert, C.; Grausgruber, H.; Butler, G.; Wilkinson, A.; Bilsborrow, P. Evaluating the effect of agronomic management practices on the performance of differing spelt (Triticum spelta) cultivars in contrasting environments. Field Crop. Res. 2020, 255, 107869. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  65. Wang, J.; Baranski, M.; Korkut, R.; Kalee, H.A.; Wood, L.; Bilsborrow, P.; Janovska, D.; Leifert, A.; Winter, S.; Willson, A.; et al. Performance of modern and traditional spelt wheat (Triticum spelta) varieties in rain-fed and irrigated, organic and con-ventional production systems in a semi-arid environment; results from exploratory field experiments in Crete, Greece. Agronomy 2021, 11, 890. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  66. Wang, J.; Baranski, M.; Korkut, R.; Kalee, H.A.; Wood, L.; Willson, A.; Barkla, B.; Iversen, P.O.; Bilsborrow, P.; Rempelos, L.; et al. Effect of irrigation, fertiliser type and variety choice on grain yield and nutritional quality parameters in spelt wheat (Triticum spelta) grown under semi-arid conditions. Food Chem. 2021, 358, 129826. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  67. Tupits, I.; Tamm, I.; Magistrali, A.; Rempelos, L.; Cakmak, I.; Leifert, C.; Grausgruber, H.; Wilkinson, A.; Butler, G.; Bilsborrow, P. Evaluating the effect of nitrogen fertilizer rate and source on the performance of open-pollinated rye (Secale cereale L.) cultivars in contrasting European environments. Crop Sci. 2022, 62, 928–946. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  68. Miersch, S.; Gertz, A.; Breuer, F.; Schierholt, A.; Becker, H.C. Influence of the semi-dwarf growth type on nitrogen use ef-ficiency in winter oilseed rape. Crop Sci. 2016, 56, 2952–2961. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  69. Li, P.; Chen, F.; Cai, H.; Liu, J.; Pan, Q.; Liu, Z.; Gu, R.; Mi, G.; Zhang, F.; Yuan, L. A genetic relationship between nitrogen use efficiency and seedling root traits in maize as revealed by QTL analysis. J. Exp. Bot. 2015, 66, 3175–3188. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  70. Qi, W.-Z.; Liu, H.-H.; Liu, P.; Dong, S.-T.; Zhao, B.; So, W.B.; Li, G.; Liu, H.-D.; Zhang, J.-W.; Zhao, B. Morphological and physiological characteristics of corn (Zea mays L.) roots from cultivars with different yield potentials. Eur. J. Agron. 2012, 38, 54–63. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  71. Stergiadis, S.; Bieber, A.; Chatzidimitriou, E.; Franceschin, E.; Isensee, A.; Rempelos, L.; Baranski, M.; Maurer, V.; Cozzi, G.; Bapst, B.; et al. Impact of US Brown Swiss genetics on milk quality from low-input herds in Switzerland: Interactions with season. Food Chem. 2018, 251, 93–102. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  72. Eit Food. Can Regenerative Agriculture Replace Conventional Farming? Available online: https://www.eitfood.eu/blog/can-regenerative-agriculture-replace-conventional-farming?gclid=CjwKCAiAr4GgBhBFEiwAgwORrVurBMEya4iUL7it5m72gg6O1w5eGs3rNl_NlE7qBh5eGDh801wl6BoCOegQAvD_BwE (accessed on 1 February 2023).
  73. Massey, C. Call of the Reed Warbler; University of Queensland Press: St Lucia, Australia, 2017. [Google Scholar]
  74. Bergmann, L.; Chaves, L.F.; Betz, C.R.; Stein, S.; Wiedenfeld, B.; Wolf, A.; Wallace, R.G. Mapping agricultural lands: From conventional to regenerative. Land 2022, 11, 437. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  75. Gordon, E.; Davila, F.; Riedy, C. Regenerative agriculture: A potentially transformative storyline shared by nine discourses. Sustain. Sci. 2023. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  76. Dent, D.; Boincean, B. Regenerative Agriculture; Springer: Berlin/Heidelberg, Germany, 2021. [Google Scholar]
  77. Lankford, B.; Orr, S. Exploring the critical role of water in regenerative agriculture; building promises and avoiding pitfalls front. Sustain. Food Syst. 2022, 6, 891709. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
Agronomy 13 01344 g001 550
Figure 1. Logical framework for regenerative, organic crop production systems (revised from Rempelos et al. [3]). Black text on a white background describes inputs and practices permitted in organic farming; black text in boxes with grey backgrounds surrounded by dotted lines indicate an agronomically desirable effect of permitted inputs and practices or the non-use of agrochemicals; black text in boxes with white backgrounds surrounded by solid lines describes agronomic practices permitted and/or recommended in organic farming; and red text in boxes with white backgrounds surrounded by solid black lines describes inputs that are prohibited in organic farming, but are permitted and widely used in non-organic, regenerative crop production systems. Black arrows indicate desirable impacts; red arrows indicate undesirable impacts. * This includes non-cropped field margins, beetle banks, hedges, ground cover/inter-crops, and agroforestry methods.
Figure 1. Logical framework for regenerative, organic crop production systems (revised from Rempelos et al. [3]). Black text on a white background describes inputs and practices permitted in organic farming; black text in boxes with grey backgrounds surrounded by dotted lines indicate an agronomically desirable effect of permitted inputs and practices or the non-use of agrochemicals; black text in boxes with white backgrounds surrounded by solid lines describes agronomic practices permitted and/or recommended in organic farming; and red text in boxes with white backgrounds surrounded by solid black lines describes inputs that are prohibited in organic farming, but are permitted and widely used in non-organic, regenerative crop production systems. Black arrows indicate desirable impacts; red arrows indicate undesirable impacts. * This includes non-cropped field margins, beetle banks, hedges, ground cover/inter-crops, and agroforestry methods.
Agronomy 13 01344 g001
Table
Table 1. Milestone studies which have demonstrated the soil health benefits of regenerative organic/biodynamic production protocols.
Table 1. Milestone studies which have demonstrated the soil health benefits of regenerative organic/biodynamic production protocols.
Study Type (Trial Name)Main Agronomic Parameter(s) Studied
  • Soil Health Parameters Studied
References
Farm surveyLong term biodynamic farming
  • soil physical, biological, and chemical soil properties
  • loss of top soil
[18]
Field trial
(Rodale trial)		Long term organic farming
Rotation design, tillage, regular manure inputs
  • weed–crop competition
  • soil fertility indicators and organic matter content
  • microbial biomass and biological activity biomass
[19,20]
Field trial
(DOK-trial)		Long-term organic farming
Regular manure/composted manure inputs
  • soil fertility and biodiversity
  • soil organic matter; biological soil quality indicators
  • nutrient use efficiency; mycorrhizal root colonization
  • soil-derived greenhouse gas emissions
[21,22,23,24]
Field trialReduced tillage
  • soil microbial biomass and dehydrogenase activity
  • earthworm density and biomass
  • soil organic carbon and nutrient budgets
[25,26]
Field trial
(NFSC-trial)		Long-term organic farming
Rotation design, crop protection, fertilization, tillage
  • Diversity of total and N-fixing bacteria in soil
  • Soil invertebrate and natural enemy activity and biodiversity
  • Weed competition; soil pests and disease pressure
  • Greenhouse gas emissions (life cycle analysis)
[27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35]
Field trialRotational grazing; rotation design
  • Soil fertility parameters and enzymatic activity
[36]
Literature reviewReduced tillage
  • soil organic carbon stocks
  • climate change mitigation potential
[37]
Modeling studyOrganic farming
  • greenhouse gas emissions from food production
[38]
Disclaimer/Publisher’s Note: The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s). MDPI and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content.

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Rempelos, L.; Kabourakis, E.; Leifert, C. Innovative Organic and Regenerative Agricultural Production. Agronomy 2023, 13, 1344. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13051344

AMA Style

Rempelos L, Kabourakis E, Leifert C. Innovative Organic and Regenerative Agricultural Production. Agronomy. 2023; 13(5):1344. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13051344

Chicago/Turabian Style

Rempelos, Leonidas, Emmanouil Kabourakis, and Carlo Leifert. 2023. "Innovative Organic and Regenerative Agricultural Production" Agronomy 13, no. 5: 1344. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13051344

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop