Impact of Agroecological Practices on Greenhouse Vegetable Production: Comparison among Organic Production Systems
In greenhouses, where intensive systems are widely used for organic production, the differences between “conventionalized” and agroecological approaches are especially evident. Among the agronomic practices, green manure from agroecological service crops (ASCs) and organic amendm...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2019-07-01
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| Series: | Agronomy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/9/7/372 |
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| author | Corrado Ciaccia Francesco Giovanni Ceglie Giovanni Burgio Suzana Madžarić Elena Testani Enrico Muzzi Giancarlo Mimiola Fabio Tittarelli |
| author_facet | Corrado Ciaccia Francesco Giovanni Ceglie Giovanni Burgio Suzana Madžarić Elena Testani Enrico Muzzi Giancarlo Mimiola Fabio Tittarelli |
| author_sort | Corrado Ciaccia |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In greenhouses, where intensive systems are widely used for organic production, the differences between “conventionalized” and agroecological approaches are especially evident. Among the agronomic practices, green manure from agroecological service crops (ASCs) and organic amendments represent the main tools for soil fertility management with respect to the substitution of synthetic fertilizer with organic ones (the input substitution approach). Over a two-year organic rotation, we compared a conventionalized system (SB) and two agroecological systems, characterized by ASC introduction combined with the use of manure (AM) and compost (AC) amendments. A system approach was utilized for the comparison assessment. For this purpose, agronomic performance, soil fertility and the density of soil arthropod activity were monitored for the entire rotation. The comprehensive evaluation of the parameters measured provided evidence that clearly differentiated SB from AM and AC. The drivers of discrimination were soil parameters referring to long term fertility and soil arthropod dynamics. The study confirmed the higher productivity of SB but also no positive impact on soil fertility and soil arthropods, as highlighted by AM and AC. Based on the results, a trade-off between productivity and the promotion of long-term ecosystem diversity and functioning is needed for the assessment of systems of organic production. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T18:51:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5f050c7c03b04b84ace0b802cc614da8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T18:51:46Z |
| publishDate | 2019-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj.art-5f050c7c03b04b84ace0b802cc614da82022-12-21T22:51:14ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952019-07-019737210.3390/agronomy9070372agronomy9070372Impact of Agroecological Practices on Greenhouse Vegetable Production: Comparison among Organic Production SystemsCorrado Ciaccia0Francesco Giovanni Ceglie1Giovanni Burgio2Suzana Madžarić3Elena Testani4Enrico Muzzi5Giancarlo Mimiola6Fabio Tittarelli7Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, Via della Navicella 2-4, 00184 Rome, ItalyCentre International De Hautes Études Agronomiques Méditerranéennes (CIHEAM)—Bari, Via Ceglie, 9, 70010 Valenzano (BA), ItalyDepartment of Agricultural and Food Sciences—DISTAL, University of Bologna, Viale G. Fanin 44, 40127 Bologna, ItalyCentre International De Hautes Études Agronomiques Méditerranéennes (CIHEAM)—Bari, Via Ceglie, 9, 70010 Valenzano (BA), ItalyCouncil for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, Via della Navicella 2-4, 00184 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural and Food Sciences—DISTAL, University of Bologna, Viale G. Fanin 44, 40127 Bologna, ItalyCentre International De Hautes Études Agronomiques Méditerranéennes (CIHEAM)—Bari, Via Ceglie, 9, 70010 Valenzano (BA), ItalyCouncil for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, Via della Navicella 2-4, 00184 Rome, ItalyIn greenhouses, where intensive systems are widely used for organic production, the differences between “conventionalized” and agroecological approaches are especially evident. Among the agronomic practices, green manure from agroecological service crops (ASCs) and organic amendments represent the main tools for soil fertility management with respect to the substitution of synthetic fertilizer with organic ones (the input substitution approach). Over a two-year organic rotation, we compared a conventionalized system (SB) and two agroecological systems, characterized by ASC introduction combined with the use of manure (AM) and compost (AC) amendments. A system approach was utilized for the comparison assessment. For this purpose, agronomic performance, soil fertility and the density of soil arthropod activity were monitored for the entire rotation. The comprehensive evaluation of the parameters measured provided evidence that clearly differentiated SB from AM and AC. The drivers of discrimination were soil parameters referring to long term fertility and soil arthropod dynamics. The study confirmed the higher productivity of SB but also no positive impact on soil fertility and soil arthropods, as highlighted by AM and AC. Based on the results, a trade-off between productivity and the promotion of long-term ecosystem diversity and functioning is needed for the assessment of systems of organic production.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/9/7/372cover cropsagrobiodiversityconventionalizationsystem approach |
| spellingShingle | Corrado Ciaccia Francesco Giovanni Ceglie Giovanni Burgio Suzana Madžarić Elena Testani Enrico Muzzi Giancarlo Mimiola Fabio Tittarelli Impact of Agroecological Practices on Greenhouse Vegetable Production: Comparison among Organic Production Systems Agronomy cover crops agrobiodiversity conventionalization system approach |
| title | Impact of Agroecological Practices on Greenhouse Vegetable Production: Comparison among Organic Production Systems |
| title_full | Impact of Agroecological Practices on Greenhouse Vegetable Production: Comparison among Organic Production Systems |
| title_fullStr | Impact of Agroecological Practices on Greenhouse Vegetable Production: Comparison among Organic Production Systems |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of Agroecological Practices on Greenhouse Vegetable Production: Comparison among Organic Production Systems |
| title_short | Impact of Agroecological Practices on Greenhouse Vegetable Production: Comparison among Organic Production Systems |
| title_sort | impact of agroecological practices on greenhouse vegetable production comparison among organic production systems |
| topic | cover crops agrobiodiversity conventionalization system approach |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/9/7/372 |
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