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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 121 - 150 of 161

Simply Sustainable Water

resource Linking Environment and Farming (LEAF) A practical guide to help you develop an effective on-farm management strategy for efficient and sustainable water use.

Drainage, Natural resources & waste
Reduced Tillage: Farmer’s motivations and problems

resource Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) A video from the TILMAN-ORG project providing useful insights from farmers who have have adopted reduced tillage on their farms.

Compaction & cultivation, People & skills
Manifold green manures Part 2: Alsike and crimson clovers

resource Organic Research Centre Details on alsike and crimson clover that will help assess suitability for inclusion in fertility-building mixes, as defined in Legume LINK.

Rotations, Grasslands & forage crops, 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
Manifold green manures - Part I: Sainfoin and birdsfoot trefoil

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

Type, texture & structure, Grasslands & forage crops
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
Getting to the Root of Rhizobia to Improve Agricultural Yields

resource The Naked Scientists (University of Cambridge) A podcast focusing on the role of nitrogen-fixing soil bacteria rhizobia in improving legume crop yields and specific research into lucerne.

Type, texture & structure, Crop nutrition & fertility building
Managing the drought

resource Harper Adams University College Don’t waste a drop. Belts of native trees can act as an insurance policy against droughts by modifying the crop microclimate.

Agroforestry, Type, texture & structure, Drainage, Animal health & welfare, Cereals, oil seeds & pulses, Crop nutrition & fertility building, Natural resources & waste, Climate
Simply Sustainable Soils

resource Linking Environment and Farming (LEAF) LEAF’s soil assessment tool to help you improve the soil on your farm and long-term sustainability of your land using ‘Six Simple Steps.’

People & skills, Type, texture & structure
Illustrated guide to water courses beside grassland

resource Natural England Practical guidance to help you manage watercourses and livestock in ways that will cause the least harm to water quality and wildlife.

Drainage, Natural resources & waste
A Guide to Nutrient Budgeting on Organic Farms

resource SAC & Newcastle University Everything you may need to know about basic nutrient budgeting and valuable insights into how using them can benefit your farm.

Type, texture & structure, Rotations, Crop nutrition & fertility building, Regulations, standards & policy, Business management, Markets & food systems, People & skills
Organic Farming Practices

resource The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation Ways in which you can adjust your organic farm management practices to minimise harm to pollinators and insects that manage pests.

Organic farming, Compaction & cultivation, Rotations, Weeds, Pests & diseases, Pollinators & ecological services
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
Common chickweed

resource Garden Organic Detailed information from Garden Organic on the occurrence, biology, persistence and spread of chickweed, with guidance to help you manage it more effectively.

Compaction & cultivation, Weeds
Crop Protection in Reduced Tillage Systems

resource Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) Pest, weed and disease management in reduced tillage cropping systems; factors to consider and actions you can take.

Compaction & cultivation, Cereals, oil seeds & pulses
Silage sorghum, an alternative to silage maize

resource Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) & Wageningen University & Research (WUR) Some practical recommendations for producing silage sorghum based on research carried out as part of the DiverIMPACTS project.

Compaction & cultivation, Weeds, Cereals, oil seeds & pulses, Grasslands & forage crops, People & skills, Climate
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
Effects of severe flooding on a lowland farm

resource Harper Adams University Postgraduate student, Rachel Glover, has been investigating the impact of severe annual river flooding on a mixed lowland farm in Shropshire.

Agroforestry, Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Drainage, Animal health & welfare, Natural resources & waste, Biodiversity, Climate
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
Reduced till - is it a viable option for organic systems?

resource Garden Organic Potential benefits and problems with using reduced tillage in organic systems and how it impacts on weed control.

Compaction & cultivation, Weeds
Fallowing in organic systems - a last resort?

resource Garden Organic A leaflet looking at the pros and cons of leaving land fallow in organic systems to help manage weeds,

Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Soil biology, Weeds, People & skills
ROTOR: organic crop rotation planner

resource Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) A tool to help you plan for food and fodder within your rotation and consider weed management, plant health, maximising nitrogen (N) fixation and avoiding...

People & skills, Rotations, Crop nutrition & fertility building, Weeds, Pests & diseases
Performance of UK organic spring wheat and contrasting soil tillage: yield and economic impact

resource Royal Agricultural University RAU research results revealing insights into effects of different levels of tillage on wheat yields, weeds, and costs.

Buildings & machinery, Type, texture & structure, Compaction & cultivation, Cereals, oil seeds & pulses, Weeds

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