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Browse our library of the best technical guides, research papers and videos on sustainable agriculture below. You can also filter by topic.

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Displaying 61 - 90 of 92

Diverse legume leys: pollinator benefits

resource Organic Research Centre The important role of legumes as a food resource for pollinators and species that can help provide the forage reserves throughout the year.

Organic matter, Cereals, oil seeds & pulses, Grasslands & forage crops, Roots & horticulture, Pollinators & ecological services, Biodiversity
Sowing and Management of Multi-species Leys to Encourage Pollinators

resource Institute of Organic Training & Advice (IOTA) Guidance on selecting species and managing leys to benefit pollinators, linking to the LegLink project and Countryside Stewardship options.

Organic matter, Grasslands & forage crops, Crop nutrition & fertility building, Regulations, standards & policy, Markets & food systems, Pollinators & ecological services, Biodiversity
TILMAN - the final report

resource School of Agriculture/ Food and Rural Development at Newcastle University The impacts of reduced tillage methods on crop yield, fertility building and weeds; some key messages from the TILMAN-ORG project.

Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Rotations, Organic matter, Soil biology, Weeds, Cereals, oil seeds & pulses, Grasslands & forage crops, Roots & horticulture, Crop nutrition & fertility building
Above and below the ground: building resilient, productive and profitable soils

resource Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust This Nuffield Report is the result of arable farmer David Walston's explorations of why some soils are more productive than others and the best ways...

Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Rotations, Organic matter, Cereals, oil seeds & pulses, Grasslands & forage crops, Crop nutrition & fertility building, People & skills
Filter fences: catching sediment to prevent run-off

resource Linking Environment and Farming (LEAF) LEAF Demonstration Farmer Nick Bragg from Frogmary Green Farm talks about his experience of tackling soil erosion and run-off problems, with the help of CSF.

Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Drainage, Organic matter, Natural resources & waste, People & skills
Healthy Grassland Soils pocketbook

resource Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) / EBLEX / DairyCo A practical guide giving pictorial advice on assessing, maintaining and improving grassland soil structure and soil biology levels.

Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Organic matter, Soil biology, Weeds, Grasslands & forage crops, Crop nutrition & fertility building, Business management, Buildings & machinery
Visual Evaluation of Soil Structure

resource Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) Assess soil structure out in the field and identify where changes in management may be required with the help of a visual reference tool.

Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Drainage, Organic matter, Soil biology, Grasslands & forage crops, Crop nutrition & fertility building
The Use of Compost and Digestate on Organic/Converting Land

resource OF&G Useful guidance from OF&G to help you comply with regulations for using compost and digestate on organic land.

Organic matter, Regulations, standards & policy
Working with Soil

resource An article published in Star & Furrow exploring the biodynamic approach to working with soil... “With what and how do we feed this soil life?”

Biodynamic farming, Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Organic matter, Soil biology, Crop nutrition & fertility building, People & skills
Living Soils - A Call to Action

resource Centre for Agroecology/ Water and Resilience and Soil Association The causes and implications of soil degradation explained, with a plea to adopt agroecological approaches to help tackle the problems.

Regulations, standards & policy, Compaction & cultivation, Organic matter, Soil biology
The Farm Crap App Pro

resource Duchy College & Rothamsted Research Duchy College and Rothamsted Research’s mobile manure management app; find out how you can use it and access the app from this webpage.

Organic matter, Crop nutrition & fertility building, Natural resources & waste
Biodynamics

resource Biodynamics; what is it, what are the biodynamic preparations, how is biodynamic farming and soil health and fertility intrinsically linked?

Biodynamic farming, Organic matter, Soil biology, Animal health & welfare, Crop nutrition & fertility building
Practical recommendations on reduced tillage systems

resource Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) Video footage of a member of the TILMAN-ORG project outlining some of the problems and potential solutions associated with reduced tillage.

Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Drainage, Rotations, Organic matter, Weeds, Roots & horticulture, Crop nutrition & fertility building
Soil: Improving Structure and Function

resource Linking Environment and Farming (LEAF) LEAF Demonstration Farmer Chris Baylis discusses measures put in place to help improve soil structure and drainage on his farm with agricultural advisor Philip Wright.

Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Drainage, Rotations, Organic matter, Soil biology, People & skills
Using green waste compost as a soil management tool

resource Duchy College A grower’s experience and insights on using green waste compost within a rotational farming system to improve soil structure.

Organic matter, Crop nutrition & fertility building
Manifold green manures Part 3: Black medic and lucerne

resource Organic Research Centre Two lesser-used legume species with properties that you can make use of in fodder, green manure or hay crops, as highlighted in Legume LINK.

Organic matter, Crop nutrition & fertility building
Managing soil biota to deliver ecosystem services: Summary document

resource Newcastle University Research identifying ways your farming practices can enhance the diversity, abundance and function of soil organisms.

Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Drainage, Rotations, Organic matter, Soil biology, Crop nutrition & fertility building, Pollinators & ecological services, Biodiversity
Managing phosphorus dynamics in organic rotations

resource Institute of Organic Training & Advice (IOTA) Practical recommendations for improving soil phosphate (P) availability for your crops; maintaining levels and maximising on P inputs.

Organic farming, Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Drainage, Rotations, Organic matter, Soil biology, Roots & horticulture, Crop nutrition & fertility building, Business management
Compost: The Effect on Nutrients, Soil Health and Crop Production

resource Institute of Organic Training & Advice (IOTA) Practical guidance to inform your use and management of compost, using it to its full potential to improve soil properties and crop yields.

Rotations, Organic matter, Crop nutrition & fertility building, Regulations, standards & policy, Natural resources & waste
Soil Analysis and Management

resource Institute of Organic Training & Advice (IOTA) Improving and managing soil fertility in organic farming systems though soil analysis; what you need to know and how you can do it.

Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Drainage, Rotations, Organic matter, Soil biology, Pests & diseases, Crop nutrition & fertility building
Towards farmer principles of health

resource Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research Germany & Humboldt University Berlin & University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Austria Ten statements / principles farmers have developed that make them successful in developing healthy farming systems, as part of the HealthNetworks Project, and used as...

Compaction & cultivation, Organic matter, Soil biology, Weeds, Pests & diseases, Animal health & welfare, Crop nutrition & fertility building, Business management, Markets & food systems, Natural resources & waste, People & skills, Pollinators & ecological services, Biodiversity, Climate, Nutrition & public health, Communities & education
Reduced tillage trials aim to improve soil sustainability

resource University of East Anglia / Wensum Alliance Interesting results from a 5-year reduced cultivation trial that took place at the Salle Park Estate, Norfolk, to assess the impact of contrasting tillage regimes...

Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Drainage, Organic matter, Soil biology, Cereals, oil seeds & pulses, Crop nutrition & fertility building, Buildings & machinery, People & skills, Pollinators & ecological services
Cover crops help to reduce diffuse water pollution

resource University of East Anglia / Wensum Alliance An update from research undertaken as part of the Demonstration Test Catchments research platform established to investigate the extent by which on-farm mitigation measures can...

Compaction & cultivation, Drainage, Organic matter, Cereals, oil seeds & pulses, Crop nutrition & fertility building, Business management, People & skills, Pollinators & ecological services
Measuring and managing soil organic matter

resource Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) - produced as part of the AHDB-BBRO Soil Biology and Soil Health Partnership (ahdb.org.uk/greatsoils) This GREATSoils factsheet explores different ways in which organic matter can be added to soil and how you can measure how much organic matter is...

Type, texture & structure, Organic matter, Soil biology, People & skills
Short-term green manures for intensively cultivated horticultural soils

resource AHDB Horticulture A GREATsoils factsheet detailing the main green manure species suitable for use in high value vegetable and salad rotations and summarising benefits they can bring

Type, texture & structure, Rotations, Organic matter, Roots & horticulture, Crop nutrition & fertility building, People & skills
Transition to agroecological approaches

resource Scottish Natural Heritage / GWCT / ORC / Land Use Policy Group A case study focusing on Douglas Christie, a farmer in Scotland, who has been experimenting with direct drilling and growing cover and companion crops in...

Organic matter, Soil biology, Beef cattle & sheep, Cereals, oil seeds & pulses, Business management, People & skills, Biodiversity
The effects of reduced tillage practices and organic material additions on the carbon content of arable soils

resource Rothamsted Research / ADAS A report summaring results from a review which looks at the extent by which reduced tillage practices and organic material returns could increase the organic...

Compaction & cultivation, Drainage, Organic matter, Cereals, oil seeds & pulses, Grasslands & forage crops, Climate
Opportunities for cover crops in conventional arable rotations

resource AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds An introduction to the potential environmental and agronomic benefits of cover crops in arable systems.

Compaction & cultivation, Rotations, Organic matter, Weeds, Pests & diseases, Cereals, oil seeds & pulses, Crop nutrition & fertility building
Sort out your soil

resource Cotswold Seeds / Garden Organic This Cotswold Seeds / Garden Organic publication provides detailed, practical information to help you select and use green manure crops.

Organic matter, Animal health & welfare, Grasslands & forage crops, Crop nutrition & fertility building
Manifold green manures - Part 4: Large birdsfoot trefoil, meadow pea and white clover

resource The Organic Research Centre An article outlining properties of three species that could be considered for fertility-building mixes, trialed in the Legume LINK project.

Organic matter, Crop nutrition & fertility building

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