An aerial view of the DOK (biodynamic, organic and conventional) experiment (Tibor Fuchs)
Organic agriculture is a globally applied technology practiced on agricultural land. It is carried out in 188 countries, with over 96 million hectares of agricultural land managed organically by at least 4.5 million farmers.
The main elements of this technology include the use of biological methods of pest control and organic fertilizer application, which replace chemical fertilizers and pesticides. It generally prohibits synthetic pesticides, antibiotics, synthetic fertilizers, genetically modified organisms, and growth hormones. The purpose of organic agriculture is to achieve sustainability in farming, enhancing soil fertility, increasing biological diversity and reducing the reliance on external inputs to agriculture, relying on nutrient recycling by applying manure and on biological nitrogen fixation from legumes. It also aims to provide a healthier and more environmentally friendly alternative to conventional farming practices. To establish and maintain organic agriculture, major activities include the application of organic fertilizers, crop rotation, and the use of pest-resistant plant varieties. Regular soil testing and monitoring of pest populations are also necessary. Certification of a farm as being officially organic is needed if the products are to be sold at a price premium.
Organic agriculture can improve soil health, reduce pollution of the surrounding environment, and contribute to biodiversity in the fields. Moreover, it can offer healthier food options and potentially higher income for farmers due to the premium prices of organic products. Land users appreciate organic agriculture for its environmental benefits and potential for higher income. However, some dislike the increased labour and time required, the 10-30% of reduction in yields, compared to conventional agriculture, as well as the need for a transition period before farms can be certified as organic and products sold at a premium price.
The DOK experiment presented here is representative of organic practices in the context of temperate regions (specifically, Switzerland and surrounding countries). It is jointly managed by the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), and by the Swiss Confederation's centre of excellence for agricultural research (Agroscope). The name "DOK Experiment" is derived from its main purpose, to compare three cultivation systems: Biodynamic (D), organic (O) and conventional (K) agriculture. These differ in terms of how they are fertilized (D: liquid manure, manure compost, biodynamic preparations; O: liquid manure, rotted manure; K: two variants, one with liquid manure, fresh or rotted manure, mineral fertilizer (CONFYM variant) and one with only mineral fertilizer (CONMIN variant)), as well as by plant protection (D and O: organic; K: chemical-synthetic). In addition to two fertilization levels of the three cultivation systems (half fertilization and standard practice fertilization), two controls are carried out, an unfertilized (N) and a purely mineral-fertilized variant (M). The experiment is spatially replicated four times. The results presented here refer to the conventional (K) and the organic (O) treatments at the standard practice fertilization level.
Lugar: Therwil, Basel, Suiza
No. de sitios de Tecnología analizados: un solo sitio
Difusión de la Tecnología: aplicada en puntos específicos/ concentrada en un área pequeña
¿En un área de protección permanente?: No
Fecha de la implementación: 1978
Tipo de introducción
| Especifique insumo | Unidad | Cantidad | Costos por unidad (CHF) | Costos totales por insumo (CHF) | % de los costos cubiertos por los usuarios de las tierras |
| Mano de obra | |||||
| Labour requirements compared to conventional agriculture | % | 113,0 | |||
Cantidad antes de MST: Mean wheat yield of 5 t DM/ha
Cantidad luego de MST: Mean wheat yield of 4 t DM/ha
Other mean yields of organic treatment (BIOORG2 with 1.4 livestock units):
Potatoes: 7.5 t DM/ha
Soybean: 2.8 t DM/ha
Other mean yields of conventional treatment with only mineral fertilizer(CONMIN2):
Potatoes: 10 t DM/ha
Soybean: 2.8 t DM/ha
Cantidad antes de MST: Grass-clover: 13 t DM/ha
Cantidad luego de MST: Grass-clover: 12.5 t DM/ha
Other mean yields of organic treatment (BIOORG2 with 1.4 livestock units):
Maize silage: 17 t DM/ha
Other mean yields of conventional treatment with only mineral fertilizer(CONMIN2):
Maize silage: 19 t DM/ha
Refers to overall organic agriculture in Switzerland (not DOK experiment)
Refers to overall organic agriculture in Switzerland (not DOK experiment)
Refers to overall organic agriculture in Switzerland (not DOK experiment)
Refers to overall organic agriculture in Switzerland (not DOK experiment)
Cantidad antes de MST: About 1.3% SOC in the mineral fertilizer treatment in 2020
Cantidad luego de MST: About 1.6% SOC in the organic agriculture treatment in 2020
Organic treatment refers to BIOORG2 with 1.4 livestock units. Conventional treatment to the one with only mineral fertilizer (CONMIN2).
Cantidad antes de MST: pH of 6.3 in the mineral fertilizer treatment in 2020
Cantidad luego de MST: pH of 6.5 in the organic agriculture treatment in 2020
Organic treatment refers to BIOORG2 with 1.4 livestock units. Conventional treatment to the one with only mineral fertilizer (CONMIN2).
Based on a recent modeling study, emissions were between 0.5 to 1 t CO2 equivalent less per ha and year in organic compared to conventional agriculture in Switzerland (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2020.102822).
In contrast to emissions per land area, it has been found that due to the lower yields there is little difference in terms of emissions per unit of food produced (https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aa6cd5).
