Technologies

Preparation 500 application in agricultural soils under a biodynamic management. [Spain]

Cow horn manure applied in biodynamic agricultural management.

technologies_2690 - Spain

Completeness: 92%

1. General information

1.2 Contact details of resource persons and institutions involved in the assessment and documentation of the Technology

Key resource person(s)

land user:
Name of project which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)
Interactive Soil Quality assessment in Europe and China for Agricultural productivity and Environmental Resilience (EU-iSQAPER)
Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)
Agrochesmistry and Environment Department, University Miguel Hernandez (UMH) - Spain

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

The compiler and key resource person(s) accept the conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT:

Ja

1.4 Declaration on sustainability of the described Technology

Is the Technology described here problematic with regard to land degradation, so that it cannot be declared a sustainable land management technology?

Nee

1.5 Reference to Questionnaire(s) on SLM Approaches (documented using WOCAT)

Fruit trees under biodynamic agricultural management in southern Spain
approaches

Fruit trees under biodynamic agricultural management in southern … [Spain]

Biodynamic farming is a method of farming that aims to treat the farm as a living system, based on the application of specific organic preparations which stimulate the natural functions of the farm soils and provide the necessary component towards a self-sustaining agro-ecological farm management.

  • Compiler: Alicia Morugán-Coronado

2. Description of the SLM Technology

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

This technology is focused in the application of the preparation number 500 based on cow dung filled in cow horns, and buried in the soil pit during the cooler month to improve soil structure, soil nutrition and humus formation

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

1. Preparation 500 application in agricultural soils under a biodynamic management is applied in a flat peaches orchard of 40 ha located in Jumilla in southeastern Spain. It is sited in the north east of the Region of Murcia, on the Altiplano area, close to the towns of Cieza and Yecla. This area has an important agricultural activity being the mainly crops the vineyards, Jumilla is a Spanish Denominación de Origen (DO) for wines that extends over
the north of the region of Murcia.
2. This technology is based on the application of the preparation number 500, commonly known as cow horn manure. Preparation 500 is made by filling a cow's horn with cow dung every year, and burying it in the soil during the cooler months (November through February). The horns should be buried open end down so that they will not become water logged if the pit is over watered. When the preparation is ready after 4 months should have turned into dark humus. It should be stored in a cool place and in glazed pots isolated. It is sprayed up to four times a year. The best times are in October and November and then again in February and March. It is stirred for one hour making a vortex. The Horn Manure preparation 500 should be diluted in good-quality rainwater that has been properly stored. The preparation is then stirred vigorously for exactly one hour before spraying. The water should be heated before stirring, ideally to body temperature. Spraying in the field area should be done in the evening, not before 5 pm (4 pm in winter) on a day that is not too windy or too hot, avoiding direct sunlight. A slightly overcast, late afternoon is ideal. Avoid spraying in the rain, or if heavy rains are forecast after spraying. Don't spray if night frost is expected, in order to ensure the correct working of preparation 500.
Preparation 500 is basically fermented cow dung. It is the basis for soil fertility, and the renewal of degraded soils.
3. The main purpose of this technology is focused in to treat the farm as a living system, based on preparations
which mean objective is prepare to soil as self-sustaining agro-ecosystem.
4. This flat tree orchard was under organic farming management before the current technology was applied, the major activity was elaborated the preparation 500 and sprayed out in the orchard. Secondary activities were focused in maintain the preparation during the rest of the year and improve the soil keeping vegetation cover and reducing the tillage.
5. There are several benefits observed after this technology was applied, regarding the soil quality a Strong humus layer was formed and organic matter increased, in general the soil structure improved. Another positive impact was the response against plagues, the establishment of self-sustaining agro-ecosystem increase the biodiversity and the
beneficial species in the orchard.
6. Land user is satisfied with the results of this technology in his orchard because a new market sector opens thanks to changing the orchard to biodynamic farming, the crop quality and the soil properties improved, soil organic matter, soil structure and response against plagues were enhanced. On the other hand, land user dislikes the great amount of money to change the agricultural management to biodynamic farming, the preparations and the external organization certifications are expensive.

2.3 Photos of the Technology

2.4 Videos of the Technology

Comments, short description:

The spontaneous plants are cut during may in biodynamic agricultural land in southern Spain

Date:

05/05/2017

Location:

Jumilla

Name of videographer:

Alicia Morugán Coronado

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Technology has been applied and which are covered by this assessment

Country:

Spain

Region/ State/ Province:

Murcia

Further specification of location:

Jumilla

Specify the spread of the Technology:
  • evenly spread over an area
If precise area is not known, indicate approximate area covered:
  • 0.1-1 km2

2.6 Date of implementation

Indicate year of implementation:

2014

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:
  • through land users' innovation

3. Classification of the SLM Technology

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

  • improve production
  • reduce, prevent, restore land degradation

3.2 Current land use type(s) where the Technology is applied

Land use mixed within the same land unit:

Ja

Specify mixed land use (crops/ grazing/ trees):
  • Agroforestry

Cropland

Cropland

  • Perennial (non-woody) cropping
  • Tree and shrub cropping
Tree and shrub cropping - Specify crops:
  • grapes
  • duraznos planos (Prunus persica var. platycarpa), frutas mediterráneas
Number of growing seasons per year:
  • 1
Comments:

Organic farming was stablished in 1998. In 2014 the farmer changed the agricultural management to biodynamic practice with the same crop.

3.4 Water supply

Water supply for the land on which the Technology is applied:
  • full irrigation

3.5 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

  • integrated soil fertility management

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

agronomic measures

agronomic measures

  • A2: Organic matter/ soil fertility
  • A3: Soil surface treatment

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

chemical soil deterioration

chemical soil deterioration

  • Cn: fertility decline and reduced organic matter content (not caused by erosion)
physical soil deterioration

physical soil deterioration

  • Pk: slaking and crusting
  • Pu: loss of bio-productive function due to other activities
biological degradation

biological degradation

  • Bq: quantity/ biomass decline
  • Bs: quality and species composition/ diversity decline

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

Specify the goal of the Technology with regard to land degradation:
  • prevent land degradation
  • reduce land degradation

4. Technical specifications, implementation activities, inputs, and costs

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

Author:

Alicia Morugán Coronado

Date:

05/05/2017

4.2 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify how costs and inputs were calculated:
  • per Technology area
Indicate size and area unit:

40

other/ national currency (specify):

euro

If relevant, indicate exchange rate from USD to local currency (e.g. 1 USD = 79.9 Brazilian Real): 1 USD =:

0.944508

Indicate average wage cost of hired labour per day:

60

4.3 Establishment activities

Activity Timing (season)
1. Preparation process all year
2. Spread out preparation 500 november, december, january, may
3. None None
4. None None
5. None None
Comments:

all the costs are for the 40 ha together

4.4 Costs and inputs needed for establishment

Specify input Unit Quantity Costs per Unit Total costs per input % of costs borne by land users
Labour weed cutting persona/dia 2.0 60.0 120.0 100.0
Labour Filling horns, burying and recovery persona/dia 15.0 60.0 900.0 100.0
Labour Mixing hummus with water and spread out preparation 500 persona/dia 5.0 60.0 300.0 100.0
Equipment electricity item 2.0 18.0 36.0 100.0
Equipment Cow horns to be filled with cow dung item 100.0 10.0 1000.0 100.0
Equipment glazed storing pots for Preparation 500 item 3.0 50.0 150.0 100.0
Equipment tractor with trailer (hire per day) pieza 1.0 30.0 30.0 100.0
Equipment cow dung item 5.0 60.0 300.0 100.0
Plant material shovel item 1.0 15.0 15.0 100.0
Plant material tank irem 1.0 10.0 10.0 100.0
Plant material None None 1.0 3000.0 3000.0 100.0
Fertilizers and biocides cow manure needed to produce Preparation 500 kg 10.0 10.0 100.0 100.0
Fertilizers and biocides organic amendment
Total costs for establishment of the Technology 5961.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology in USD 6311.22
Comments:

all the costs are for the 40 ha together

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

Activity Timing/ frequency
1. weed cutting October
2. Biodynamics Preparations November-December
3. Biodynamics preparations application November to May
4. None None
5. None None
Comments:

all the costs are for the 40 ha together

4.6 Costs and inputs needed for maintenance/ recurrent activities (per year)

Specify input Unit Quantity Costs per Unit Total costs per input % of costs borne by land users
Labour Biodynamics preparations application persona/dia 15.0 60.0 900.0 100.0
Labour None None 5.0 60.0 300.0 100.0
Labour None None 2.0 60.0 120.0 100.0
Equipment tractor with trailer (hire per day) item 8.0 30.0 240.0 100.0
Fertilizers and biocides preparations item 10.0 10.0 100.0 100.0
Fertilizers and biocides manure item
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology 1660.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology in USD 1757.53
Comments:

all the costs are for the 40 ha together

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Weather conditions could affect the orchard production if heavy rainfall occur or intensive drought affect to vegetative stress.

5. Natural and human environment

5.1 Climate

Annual rainfall
  • < 250 mm
  • 251-500 mm
  • 501-750 mm
  • 751-1,000 mm
  • 1,001-1,500 mm
  • 1,501-2,000 mm
  • 2,001-3,000 mm
  • 3,001-4,000 mm
  • > 4,000 mm
Specify average annual rainfall (if known), in mm:

369.00

Specifications/ comments on rainfall:

Lluvias torrenciales concentradas en Septiembre y Octubre

Agro-climatic zone
  • semi-arid

5.2 Topography

Slopes on average:
  • flat (0-2%)
  • gentle (3-5%)
  • moderate (6-10%)
  • rolling (11-15%)
  • hilly (16-30%)
  • steep (31-60%)
  • very steep (>60%)
Landforms:
  • plateau/plains
  • ridges
  • mountain slopes
  • hill slopes
  • footslopes
  • valley floors
Altitudinal zone:
  • 0-100 m a.s.l.
  • 101-500 m a.s.l.
  • 501-1,000 m a.s.l.
  • 1,001-1,500 m a.s.l.
  • 1,501-2,000 m a.s.l.
  • 2,001-2,500 m a.s.l.
  • 2,501-3,000 m a.s.l.
  • 3,001-4,000 m a.s.l.
  • > 4,000 m a.s.l.
Indicate if the Technology is specifically applied in:
  • not relevant

5.3 Soils

Soil depth on average:
  • very shallow (0-20 cm)
  • shallow (21-50 cm)
  • moderately deep (51-80 cm)
  • deep (81-120 cm)
  • very deep (> 120 cm)
Soil texture (topsoil):
  • coarse/ light (sandy)
  • medium (loamy, silty)
Soil texture (> 20 cm below surface):
  • coarse/ light (sandy)
Topsoil organic matter:
  • high (>3%)
If available, attach full soil description or specify the available information, e.g. soil type, soil PH/ acidity, Cation Exchange Capacity, nitrogen, salinity etc.

1157 µS/cm; pH 8; 12% clay, 36% silt; 52% sand; 5.7% organic matter; 5 g/kg Nitrogen; 265 mg(kg available phosphorus.

5.4 Water availability and quality

Ground water table:

5-50 m

Availability of surface water:

good

Water quality (untreated):

for agricultural use only (irrigation)

Is water salinity a problem?

Ja

Specify:

excessive salts content in the irrigation water

Is flooding of the area occurring?

Nee

5.5 Biodiversity

Species diversity:
  • medium
Habitat diversity:
  • medium

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Sedentary or nomadic:
  • Sedentary
Market orientation of production system:
  • commercial/ market
Off-farm income:
  • less than 10% of all income
Relative level of wealth:
  • average
Individuals or groups:
  • individual/ household
Level of mechanization:
  • mechanized/ motorized
Gender:
  • men
Age of land users:
  • middle-aged

5.7 Average area of land used by land users applying the Technology

  • < 0.5 ha
  • 0.5-1 ha
  • 1-2 ha
  • 2-5 ha
  • 5-15 ha
  • 15-50 ha
  • 50-100 ha
  • 100-500 ha
  • 500-1,000 ha
  • 1,000-10,000 ha
  • > 10,000 ha
Is this considered small-, medium- or large-scale (referring to local context)?
  • medium-scale

5.8 Land ownership, land use rights, and water use rights

Land ownership:
  • individual, titled
Land use rights:
  • individual
Water use rights:
  • communal (organized)

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

health:
  • poor
  • moderate
  • good
education:
  • poor
  • moderate
  • good
technical assistance:
  • poor
  • moderate
  • good
employment (e.g. off-farm):
  • poor
  • moderate
  • good
markets:
  • poor
  • moderate
  • good
energy:
  • poor
  • moderate
  • good
roads and transport:
  • poor
  • moderate
  • good
drinking water and sanitation:
  • poor
  • moderate
  • good
financial services:
  • poor
  • moderate
  • good

6. Impacts and concluding statements

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

crop quality

decreased
increased

production area

decreased
increased
Income and costs

expenses on agricultural inputs

increased
decreased

farm income

decreased
increased

Socio-cultural impacts

SLM/ land degradation knowledge

reduced
improved
Comments/ specify:

Biodynamic farming reduce soil degradation

Ecological impacts

Water cycle/ runoff

water quantity

decreased
increased
Soil

soil moisture

decreased
increased
Comments/ specify:

the soil keept the moisture because the organic amendment applied in preparation 500

soil loss

increased
decreased

soil crusting/ sealing

increased
reduced

soil compaction

increased
reduced

nutrient cycling/ recharge

decreased
increased

soil organic matter/ below ground C

decreased
increased

acidity

increased
reduced
Biodiversity: vegetation, animals

biomass/ above ground C

decreased
increased

invasive alien species

increased
reduced

beneficial species

decreased
increased

habitat diversity

decreased
increased

pest/ disease control

decreased
increased

6.2 Off-site impacts the Technology has shown

groundwater/ river pollution

increased
reduced

6.3 Exposure and sensitivity of the Technology to gradual climate change and climate-related extremes/ disasters (as perceived by land users)

Gradual climate change

Gradual climate change
Season increase or decrease How does the Technology cope with it?
seasonal rainfall autumn increase not well

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Climatological disasters
How does the Technology cope with it?
heatwave not well at all
drought not well at all
Biological disasters
How does the Technology cope with it?
epidemic diseases moderately

6.4 Cost-benefit analysis

How do the benefits compare with the establishment costs (from land users’ perspective)?
Short-term returns:

neutral/ balanced

Long-term returns:

positive

How do the benefits compare with the maintenance/ recurrent costs (from land users' perspective)?
Short-term returns:

slightly positive

Long-term returns:

very positive

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

  • single cases/ experimental
Of all those who have adopted the Technology, how many did so spontaneously, i.e. without receiving any material incentives/ payments?
  • 91-100%

6.6 Adaptation

Has the Technology been modified recently to adapt to changing conditions?

Nee

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
Strong humus formation
Improvement against plagues
Absorption and retention of water is greater
Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Increase of organic matter
Enhancement of soil structure
Increase biodiversity of soil

6.8 Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks of the Technology and ways of overcoming them

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the land user’s view How can they be overcome?
Short response time to the weather risks
Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view How can they be overcome?
The high dependency on climatological conditions

7. References and links

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

  • field visits, field surveys

2

  • interviews with land users

1

  • interviews with SLM specialists/ experts

2

  • compilation from reports and other existing documentation
When were the data compiled (in the field)?

05/05/2017

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

no

7.3 Links to relevant online information

Title/ description:

Web page

URL:

http://www.frutasvargas.com/

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