Diversifying European agricultural systems by intercropping

Assessing reactive nitrogen flows in European agricultural systems

In most ecosystems, nitrogen is a scarce and growth-limiting nutrient. Natural and anthropogenic processes convert unreactive atmospheric dinitrogen (N2) into reactive, bioavailable, nitrogen. This conversion occurs mainly through biological nitrogen fixation (BNF), industrial ammonia (NH3) synthesis, and oxidation of N2 into nitrogen oxides (NOx) during combustion of fossil fuels. The rate of ...

Signatures of Diversifying Selection in European Pig Breeds

Following domestication, livestock breeds have experienced intense selection pressures for the development of desirable traits. This has resulted in a large diversity of breeds that display variation in many phenotypic traits, such as coat colour, muscle composition, early maturity, growth rate, body size, reproduction, and behaviour. To better understand the relationship between genomic compos...

The Common Agricultural Policy 2014–2020: scenarios for the European agricultural and rural systems

The reform of Common Agricultural Policy for 2014–2020 aims at promoting greater competitiveness, efficient use of public goods, food security, preservation of the environment and specific action against climate change, social and territorial equilibrium, and a more inclusive rural development. The economic crisis of the last years, the globalization, the increasing pressure on natural resource...

Maize and Pigeonpea Intercropping Systems in Mpumalanga, South Africa

Light Competition in Chinese Cabbage/Maize Strip Intercropping Systems

Due to drastic socio-economic changes traditional intercropping systems in China are endangered. New high yielding intercropping systems that can easily be mechanized have to be developed. By using environmental resources more efficiently intercropping often produces higher yields compared to monocropping. Solar radiation as the strongest growth factor plays a key role when designing new interc...