Research and Development at COR
Precision organic fertiliser R&D at Centre for Organics Research (COR); improving soil fertility, and crop health and quality
Johannes Biala, Terry Rose, Adam Willson, Graham Lancaster and Carlo Leifert
Speaker e-mail:j.biala@uq.edu.au
Previous R&D including studies by COR researchers showed that the use of controlled aerobic composting methods for manure and organic waste can generate “precision organic fertilisers” which not only address the nutritional demands of specific crops, but also reduce soil borne and foliar disease severity (Schüleret al. 1989; Dafermos et al. 2012; Giotis et al. 2012a&b). Crop protection impacts of “disease suppressive” composts and soil amendments were linked to both increased soil biological activity and induced resistance in crop plants.
The seminar presentation will present both previous research results and the planned soil management focused R&D programme of the COR-team.
Dafermos, N.G., Leifert, C. et al. (2012) Integration of Elicitors and Less Susceptible Hybrids for the Control of Powdery Mildew in Organic Tomato Crops. Plant Disease 96,1506-1512.
Giotis, C., Leifert, C.et al.(2012a) Effect of variety choice, resistant rootstocks and chitin soil amendments on soil-borne diseases in soil-based, protected tomato production systems. European Journal of Plant Pathology 134, 605-617.
Giotis, C., Leifert, C.et al.(2012b) The effects of different biological control agents (BCAs) and plant defence elicitors on cucumber powdery mildew (Podosphera xanthii). Organic Agriculture2, 89-101.
Schüler, C., Biala, J.et al. (1989) Suppression of root rot on peas, beans and beet root caused by Pythium ultimumand Rhizoctonia solani through the amendment of growing media with composted organic household waste, Journal of Phytopathology127, 227 - 238
Acknowledgement
The Centre for Organics Research is a joint initiative between NSW DPI and Southern Cross University
Crop agronomy R&D at Centre for Organics Research (COR); developing agronomic and crop breeding innovations to improve crop health, nutritional quality, consumer demand and economic performance
Terry Rose, Adam Willson, Bronwyn Barkla, Marcin Baranski, Tobias Kretzschmar, Carlo Leifert and Graham King
Speaker e-mail: terry.rose@scu.edu.au
Previous R&D including studies by COR researchers suggest that the use of an organic farming standard may improve certain nutritional quality parameters for harvested product (e.g. higher antioxidant concentrations and lower cadmium and pesticide residues) (Cooper et al. 2011; Branski et al. 2014) in line with consumer expectations. However, organic production also results in an average of 20% lower crop yields when compared to conventional farming systems (e.g. Rempelos et al. 2018). There is also increasing evidence that modern crop varieties developed for the conventional farming sector lack many of the resistance, resource use efficiency and product quality traits desired by organic and other low-input farming systems (Murphy et al. 2008; Lammerts van Bueren et al. 2011). As a result there is a need to integrate agronomic innovation with breeding/selection of new varieties suitable for the organic sector.
The seminar presentation will present both previous research results and the planned crop management and breeding/selection focused R&D programme of the COR-team.
Barański, M., Leifert, C.et al. (2014) Higher antioxidant and lower cadmium concentrations and lower incidence of pesticide residues in organically grown crops: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Nutrition 112, 794-811.
Cooper, J., Leifert, C.(2011)Effect of organic and conventional crop rotation, fertilization and crop protection practices on metal contents in wheat (Triticum aestivum). Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry59, 4715-4724.
Lammerts van Bueren, E.T., Leifert, C. et al.(2011) The need to breed crop varieties suitable for organic farming, using wheat,tomato and broccoli as examples: A review. NJAS-Wageningen Journal of Life Science 58,193–205.
Murphy, K. M. et al. (2008) Relationship between yield and mineral nutrient concentrations in historical and modern spring wheat cultivars. Euphytica, 163, 381-390.
Rempelos, L., Leifert, C.; Rose, T.et al. (2018) Effects of agronomic management and climate on leaf phenolic profiles, disease severity and grain yield in organic and conventional wheat production systems Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry DOI10.1021/acs.jafc.8b02626.
Seufert, V. et al. (2012) Comparing the yields of organic and conventional agriculture. Nature 2, 485, 229-234.
Acknowledgement
The Centre for Organics Research is a joint initiative between NSW DPI and Southern Cross University
Livestock R&D at the Centre for Organics Research (COR): developing feeding, husbandry and breed selection innovations to optimise animal health, product quality, consumer demand and economic performance
Carlo Leifert, Marcin Barański, Lorraine Gordon, and Bronwyn Barkla
Speaker e-mail: carlo.leifert@scu.edu.aU
Previous R&D, including studies by COR researchers, suggest that the use of an organic farming standard may improve certain nutritional quality parameters (e.g. higher omega-3 and CLA content in milk and meat; higher vitamin E and iron concentrations in milk, reduced antibiotic use) in line with consumer expectations (Średnicka-Tober et al. 2016a&b).
However, recent studies also highlighted the need to (a)optimise some quality parameters (e.g. Selenium and iodine concentration in milk; Średnicka-Tober et al. 2016a) and (b)reduce production costs, which are usually higher than in conventional farming systems (Gordon, L., in preparation). There is now evidence that further extensification including a switch to (a) grass-fed systems, (b) traditional breeds and (c) use of natural and or improved pastures with high species diversity may further improve the nutritional quality in organic and other low-input systems (Benbrook et al. 2018; Stergiades et al. 2018). As a result there is a need to integrate agronomic innovation with breeding/selection of new varieties suitable for the organic sector to address.
The seminar presentation will present both previous research results and the planned livestock management and breed selection focused R&D programme of the COR-team.
Benbrook, C.M., Leifert, C., Baranski, M. et al. (2018) Enhancing the fatty acid profile of milk through forage-based rations, with nutrition modeling of diet outcomes. Food Science and Nutrition 6, 681–700.
Lorraine Gordon, (2019) The sustainability of conventional and alternative beef cattle grazing systems in the high rainfall areas of Northern NSW.PhD-thesis University of New England, in preparation. PhD-thesis University of New England, in preparation
Średnicka-Tober, D., Marcin Barański, M., Leifert, C. et al. (2016a) Higher PUFA and omega-3 PUFA, CLA, α-tocopherol and iron, but lower iodine and selenium concentrations in organic milk: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta- and Redundancy Analyses. British Journal of Nutrition 115, 1043–1060
Średnicka-Tober, D., Marcin Barański, M., Leifert, C. et al. (2016b) Composition differences between organic and conventional meat; a systematic literature review and meta-analysis. . British Journal of Nutrition 115, 994–1011.
Stergiadis, S., Baranski, M., Leifert, C.et al. (2018) Impact of US Brown Swiss genetics on milk quality from low-input herds in Switzerland: interactions with season.Food Science 251, 93-102. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.01.077.
Acknowledgement
The Centre for Organics Research is a joint initiative between NSW DPI and Southern Cross University
Johannes Biala, Terry Rose, Adam Willson, Graham Lancaster and Carlo Leifert
Speaker e-mail:j.biala@uq.edu.au
Previous R&D including studies by COR researchers showed that the use of controlled aerobic composting methods for manure and organic waste can generate “precision organic fertilisers” which not only address the nutritional demands of specific crops, but also reduce soil borne and foliar disease severity (Schüleret al. 1989; Dafermos et al. 2012; Giotis et al. 2012a&b). Crop protection impacts of “disease suppressive” composts and soil amendments were linked to both increased soil biological activity and induced resistance in crop plants.
The seminar presentation will present both previous research results and the planned soil management focused R&D programme of the COR-team.
Dafermos, N.G., Leifert, C. et al. (2012) Integration of Elicitors and Less Susceptible Hybrids for the Control of Powdery Mildew in Organic Tomato Crops. Plant Disease 96,1506-1512.
Giotis, C., Leifert, C.et al.(2012a) Effect of variety choice, resistant rootstocks and chitin soil amendments on soil-borne diseases in soil-based, protected tomato production systems. European Journal of Plant Pathology 134, 605-617.
Giotis, C., Leifert, C.et al.(2012b) The effects of different biological control agents (BCAs) and plant defence elicitors on cucumber powdery mildew (Podosphera xanthii). Organic Agriculture2, 89-101.
Schüler, C., Biala, J.et al. (1989) Suppression of root rot on peas, beans and beet root caused by Pythium ultimumand Rhizoctonia solani through the amendment of growing media with composted organic household waste, Journal of Phytopathology127, 227 - 238
Acknowledgement
The Centre for Organics Research is a joint initiative between NSW DPI and Southern Cross University
Crop agronomy R&D at Centre for Organics Research (COR); developing agronomic and crop breeding innovations to improve crop health, nutritional quality, consumer demand and economic performance
Terry Rose, Adam Willson, Bronwyn Barkla, Marcin Baranski, Tobias Kretzschmar, Carlo Leifert and Graham King
Speaker e-mail: terry.rose@scu.edu.au
Previous R&D including studies by COR researchers suggest that the use of an organic farming standard may improve certain nutritional quality parameters for harvested product (e.g. higher antioxidant concentrations and lower cadmium and pesticide residues) (Cooper et al. 2011; Branski et al. 2014) in line with consumer expectations. However, organic production also results in an average of 20% lower crop yields when compared to conventional farming systems (e.g. Rempelos et al. 2018). There is also increasing evidence that modern crop varieties developed for the conventional farming sector lack many of the resistance, resource use efficiency and product quality traits desired by organic and other low-input farming systems (Murphy et al. 2008; Lammerts van Bueren et al. 2011). As a result there is a need to integrate agronomic innovation with breeding/selection of new varieties suitable for the organic sector.
The seminar presentation will present both previous research results and the planned crop management and breeding/selection focused R&D programme of the COR-team.
Barański, M., Leifert, C.et al. (2014) Higher antioxidant and lower cadmium concentrations and lower incidence of pesticide residues in organically grown crops: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Nutrition 112, 794-811.
Cooper, J., Leifert, C.(2011)Effect of organic and conventional crop rotation, fertilization and crop protection practices on metal contents in wheat (Triticum aestivum). Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry59, 4715-4724.
Lammerts van Bueren, E.T., Leifert, C. et al.(2011) The need to breed crop varieties suitable for organic farming, using wheat,tomato and broccoli as examples: A review. NJAS-Wageningen Journal of Life Science 58,193–205.
Murphy, K. M. et al. (2008) Relationship between yield and mineral nutrient concentrations in historical and modern spring wheat cultivars. Euphytica, 163, 381-390.
Rempelos, L., Leifert, C.; Rose, T.et al. (2018) Effects of agronomic management and climate on leaf phenolic profiles, disease severity and grain yield in organic and conventional wheat production systems Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry DOI10.1021/acs.jafc.8b02626.
Seufert, V. et al. (2012) Comparing the yields of organic and conventional agriculture. Nature 2, 485, 229-234.
Acknowledgement
The Centre for Organics Research is a joint initiative between NSW DPI and Southern Cross University
Livestock R&D at the Centre for Organics Research (COR): developing feeding, husbandry and breed selection innovations to optimise animal health, product quality, consumer demand and economic performance
Carlo Leifert, Marcin Barański, Lorraine Gordon, and Bronwyn Barkla
Speaker e-mail: carlo.leifert@scu.edu.aU
Previous R&D, including studies by COR researchers, suggest that the use of an organic farming standard may improve certain nutritional quality parameters (e.g. higher omega-3 and CLA content in milk and meat; higher vitamin E and iron concentrations in milk, reduced antibiotic use) in line with consumer expectations (Średnicka-Tober et al. 2016a&b).
However, recent studies also highlighted the need to (a)optimise some quality parameters (e.g. Selenium and iodine concentration in milk; Średnicka-Tober et al. 2016a) and (b)reduce production costs, which are usually higher than in conventional farming systems (Gordon, L., in preparation). There is now evidence that further extensification including a switch to (a) grass-fed systems, (b) traditional breeds and (c) use of natural and or improved pastures with high species diversity may further improve the nutritional quality in organic and other low-input systems (Benbrook et al. 2018; Stergiades et al. 2018). As a result there is a need to integrate agronomic innovation with breeding/selection of new varieties suitable for the organic sector to address.
The seminar presentation will present both previous research results and the planned livestock management and breed selection focused R&D programme of the COR-team.
Benbrook, C.M., Leifert, C., Baranski, M. et al. (2018) Enhancing the fatty acid profile of milk through forage-based rations, with nutrition modeling of diet outcomes. Food Science and Nutrition 6, 681–700.
Lorraine Gordon, (2019) The sustainability of conventional and alternative beef cattle grazing systems in the high rainfall areas of Northern NSW.PhD-thesis University of New England, in preparation. PhD-thesis University of New England, in preparation
Średnicka-Tober, D., Marcin Barański, M., Leifert, C. et al. (2016a) Higher PUFA and omega-3 PUFA, CLA, α-tocopherol and iron, but lower iodine and selenium concentrations in organic milk: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta- and Redundancy Analyses. British Journal of Nutrition 115, 1043–1060
Średnicka-Tober, D., Marcin Barański, M., Leifert, C. et al. (2016b) Composition differences between organic and conventional meat; a systematic literature review and meta-analysis. . British Journal of Nutrition 115, 994–1011.
Stergiadis, S., Baranski, M., Leifert, C.et al. (2018) Impact of US Brown Swiss genetics on milk quality from low-input herds in Switzerland: interactions with season.Food Science 251, 93-102. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.01.077.
Acknowledgement
The Centre for Organics Research is a joint initiative between NSW DPI and Southern Cross University
