ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to determine the impact of plant diversity and agricultural practices on crop productivity on organically managed mixed and arable farms under different natural conditions. Organic farms in three regions of Lithuania, differing in landscape homogeneity, soil quality and farming intensity, were evaluated. The results showed that there were arable farms in all regions, regardless of the soil fertility and the largest number of mixed farms was in Western Lithuania. On the mixed farms, perennial forage grass prevailed in the cropping structure, whilst cereals were the main crops on the arable farms with grain legumes grown to restore soil fertility. Short crop rotations and a low diversity of crops predominated. The average grain yields of the winter and spring cereals and the grain legumes were 3283, 2539 and 2917 kg ha⁻¹, respectively. The productivity of the cereals and grain legumes depended on the region, and for spring cereals also on the interaction between region and farm type. Significantly lower yields of winter and spring cereals were recorded on the arable farms in East Lithuania, compared with the arable farms in the other regions. For organic farming systems, especially for arable farms, it was recommended to explore and implement the use of mixed or strip relay intercrops and multicultural cropping systems or blocks, thereby increasing spatial and temporal crop diversity and using plants that provide ecological services (e.g. legume swards). Reduced tillage practice to increase humification of plant residues in the soil was also recommended.

摘要

这项研究的目的是确定在自然条件不同的情况下，有机管理的混合和可耕农场的植物多样性和农业实践对作物生产力的影响。对立陶宛三个地区的有机农场进行了评估，这些农场的景观同质性，土壤质量和耕种强度不同。结果表明，无论土壤肥力如何，所有地区都有耕地，混合农场数量最多的是立陶宛西部。在混合农场中，多年生牧草在作物结构中占主导地位，而谷物是可耕种农场的主要作物，种植了豆类以恢复土壤肥力。轮作时间短，作物多样性低。冬季和春季谷物和豆类作物的平均谷物产量为3283、2539和2917千克公顷^-1。谷物和豆类的生产率取决于地区，春季谷物的生产率也取决于地区与农场类型之间的相互作用。与其他地区的耕地农场相比​​，立陶宛东部的耕地农场记录的冬季和春季谷物单产明显降低。对于有机耕作系统，特别是可耕种的农场，建议探索并实施混合或带状间作间作作物和多元文化种植系统或块的使用，从而增加时空作物多样性并使用提供生态服务的植物（例如豆科植物） ）。还建议减少耕作以增加土壤中植物残体的腐殖度。