First results of experiments for carbon enrichmet with different land use techniques under organic and conventional farming

Since agricultural soils are far from saturation (Vaccari et al.2011), there is a potential of carbon (C) sequestration with land use change. At the Thuenen-Institute of Organic Farming in Germany several stationary field experiments were established to increase soil organic carbon (SOC) content with different land use techniques. On the sites no differences in initial SOC and total nitrogen (Ntot) contents of soils, before implementation of the trials were detected. In the first year significant lower yield and also chlorophyll contents were found in organic spring wheat on plots without ploughing. Compared to the use of wood-chips and seed treatment with N-binding bacteria organic manures improved the yields. Undersown crops in organic faba beans and conventional rapeseed caused no significant yield effects.