Organic farming is a climate-friendly form of agriculture. It deliberately avoids the use of pesticides. Instead, organic fertilisers and adapted crop rotations are used to promote plant growth and protect them from disease. However, organic farming also suffers from the consequences of climate change, such as drought and heat. A new study involving the Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) offers organic farms a solution for achieving sufficient yields even in drought conditions while protecting the environment.

Plant mix to combat drought

Die Forschenden hatten untersucht, wie sich im Ökolandbau – insbesondere unter trockenen Bedingungen – verschiedene Pflanzenmischungen auf Erträge und die Stickstoffverteilung im Boden auswirken. „Gerade im Herbst, wenn die Pflanzen weniger Stickstoff aufnehmen, steigt das Risiko, dass Nitrat ausgewaschen wird“, erklärt Tsvetelina Krachunova, Erstautorin der Studie und Wissenschaftlerin am ZALF.

Combination of alfalfa and ribwort plantain proves effective

The field trials took place in the ecologically managed Canitz water protection area near Leipzig. The results showed that the combination of alfalfa and ribwort plantain yielded twice as much feed mass as conventional alfalfa-grass mixtures, such as those containing meadow fescue. The plant mixture also ensured that less nitrate penetrated into deeper soil layers and thus into the groundwater. The results were published in the Agronomy Journal.

Combined cultivation suitable for dry regions

The reason: ribwort plantain contains natural substances that slow down the conversion of ammonium to nitrate in the soil. This means that more nitrogen remains in a form that is available to plants and less is washed out. According to the study, mixed cultivation of alfalfa and ribwort plantain can make an important contribution to climate-adapted and environmentally friendly agriculture – especially in regions with water shortages or in water protection areas.

In practice, the researchers therefore recommend sowing ribwort plantain in a targeted manner and in appropriate quantities. According to the study, around 100 germinable seeds per square metre are sufficient to achieve a balanced mixture and prevent alfalfa from becoming overgrown.

bb