Minutes of the 1st Meeting WG3 – Tune Landboskole, 28-30 June 04 WG3 plant and soil interactions Minutes of the meetings of Working Group 3 during the

Minutes of the 1st Meeting WG3 – Tune Landboskole, 28-30 June 04

WG3plant and soil interactions

Minutes of the meetings of Working Group 3 during the 1st SUSVAR workshop at Tune Landboskole

(28-30 June 2004)

Compiled by Fabio Mascher-Frutschi, Agroscope RAC Changins, Nyon (CH).

2 July 2004.


People present• John Baddeley, Scottish Agricultural College• Marina Azzaroli Bleken, Agricultural University of Norway• Tara S. Gahoonia, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University• Paul Hallett, Scottish Crop Research Institute• Eva Johansson, SLU, Alnarp• Anne-Kristin Løes, Norwegian Centre for Ecological Agriculture• Matthias Lutz, Institute of Plant Science, Zürich• Fabio Mascher-Frutschi, Agroscope RAC Changins• Susanna Muurinen, MTT Agrifood Research• Ari Rajala, MTT Agrifood Research• Peter Schweiger, Ludwig-Boltzmann-Institute for Biol. Agr.• Ingrid Kaag Thomsen, DIAS, Foulum• Christine Watson, Scottish Agricultural College• Maria Wivstad, SLU, Uppsala• Sandra Wright, Göteborg University


Excused• Andrzej Anioł

• Elisabeth Stockdale, University of Newcastle

• Geneviève Défago, ETH Zürich

• Paul Mäder, FibL

• Yvan Moënne-Loccoz, Université de Lyon1


Programme proposal for WG3

Monday 16:30-18:00Presentations (I)

Tuesday 9:00- 10:00Presentations (II)

10:00-12:00Discussions: objectives, aims,outputs and deliverables

Wednesday 10:00-13:00Common experimentsProtocols and sitesSTSMs in WG3Next workshop

Monday, 28 June INTRODUCTION


Monday 28 June 04

• Short presentations of all participants• After the presentation:

– list on the blackboard the methods you use (only in a few words).

Monday, 28 June INTRODUCTION


A summary of topics treated within the presentations

Monday, 28 June PRESENTATIONS

Varieties Mixtures (Eco-) systemsRoot development

M.A. Bleken, T.S. Gahoonia, J. Baddeley, C. Watson, I.K. Thomsen, A.K. Løes

J. Baddeley, C. Watson, A.K. Løes

N + P uptake M. Wivstad, M.A. Bleken, I.K. Thomsen, S. Muurinen,A. Rajala

E. Johannson

Soil disturbance

P. Hallett, I.K. Thomsen

P. Hallett, I.K. Thomsen

Microbial ecology

F.Mascher M. Lutz, P. Schweiger

Biocontrol S. Wright

Description of


Monday, 28 June PRESENTATIONS

A rough picture of the blackboard filled up with methods available in WG3,a complete list will be compiled by A.K. Løes and made available in the WG3 section of the SUSVAR homepage (http://www.cost860.dk)


Tuesday, 29 June 2004• Finishing the presentations of the participants• Focus on SUSVARs’ aims and objectifs• Problems in low-input and organic agriculture• What WG3 may contribute to SUSVAR?• How WG3 may contribute to SUSVAR?

Tuesday, 29 June INTRODUCTION


Aim of SUSVARto ensure stable and acceptable yields of good-

quality crops for low-input, especially organic, cereal production in Europe

Objectives• to establish methods for selecting varieties,

lines and populations • to develop ways to increase and make use of

– crop diversity and – genotype-environment interactions



Aims of WG3

• Provide information to breeders about – nutrient acquisition of cereal genotypes– genotype and microbe interactions– adaptation to low-input agriculture

• Study solutions for stabilizing yield in low-input/organic agriculture– varieties– microbial inoculants



Working topics covered within WG3 (n=11)

Others: nutrient recycling, integration between crop & animal, plant root systems (architecture/lifespan), C & N turnover in soil

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Soil science (chemistry/ physics)

Soil microbiology

Plant nutrition

Biocontrol / Plant Pathology

Soil ecology

Breeding

Other

Tuesday, 29 June THE QUESTIONNAIRE


TG

A

B

C

D

E

FG

H

PS

A

B

C

DEF

G

H

CW

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

AR

A

B

C

DEFGH

JB

A B

C

DE

F

G

H

SM

A

B

C

DEFG

H

AL

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

FM

A B C

D

E

F

GH

ML

AB C

D

EFGH

IT

AB

C

D

E

FGH

A = Soil science; B = Soil microbiology; C = Plant nutrition/nutrient acquisitionD = Biocontrol/Plant pathology; E = Soil ecology; F = BreedingG = Genotypes-soil disturbance interactions; H = others

Your expertiseTuesday, 29 June THE QUESTIONNAIRE


A

B

C

DE

F

G

H

Our expertise

A = Soil science; B = Soil microbiology; C = Plant nutrition/nutrient acquisitionD = Biocontrol/Plant pathology; E = Soil ecology; F = BreedingG = Genotypes-soil disturbance interactions; H = others

Others: nutrient recycling, integration between crop & animal, plant root systems, plant ecology, crop development and growth, conversion to organic farming, social science,



PSA

B

C

DE

CW

A

B

C

D

E

AR

A

B

C

D

E

JB

A

B

C

D E

SM

A

B

C

D

E

AL

A

BC

D

E

FM

A

B

C

D E

ML

A

B

C

D

EIT

A

B

C

D

E

AA

A

B

C

D E

TG

A

B

C

D E

Your experimental approach

A = field; B = greenhouse; C = laboratory; D = theoretically; E = other



A = field; B = greenhouse; C = laboratory; D = theoretically; E = other

Others: farm, farming systems, farm level studies

A

B

C

D

E

Our experimental approach



Field experiments(possibility to host an experiment)

• Finland: MTT Agrifood ResearchPentti SeuriSusanna MuurinenAri Rajala

• Scotland: Scottish Agriculture CollegeChristine Watson

• Denmark: Danish Institute of Agricultural SciencesIngrid K. Thomsen

The Royal Veterinary and Agriculture UniversityTara S. Gahoonia

• Switzerland: Agroscope RAC ChanginsFabio Mascher

• Norway: Agricultural University of Norway Marina Azzaroli Bleken



Field experiments(sampling and analysis)

• Finland: MTT Agrifood ResearchPentti SeuriSusanna MuurinenAri Rajala

• Scotland: Scottish Agriculture CollegeChristine Watson

• Switzerland: Agroscope RAC ChanginsFabio Mascher

ETH ZürichMatthias Lutz



List of problems in low-input agriculture

• A grain quality (protein content), weeds, smuts• N soil structure, weeds, N-depletion• CH N-deficiency, yield stability, soil- and seed-borne

diseases• S yield stability (weeds, N-unavailable in spring)• DK yield quantity• UK N-unavailable in spring, weeds• FIN yield formation, weeds, baking quality

Tuesday, 29 June DISCUSSION


Tasks of WG3

• Task 1: Make more N + P available at the right time (standpoint plant AND soil)

• Task 2: Study beneficial microbes to enhance plant health and yield stability

• Further tasks will be determined during SUSVAR

Tuesday, 29 June DISCUSSION


Wednesday 30 June 2004• Division into two groups: (1) roots/nutrients and

(2) microbial ecology• Each group discusses and documents:

– the indicators to provide– the discussion and planning of common experiments– proposals for STSMs

• Presentations of the outcome of each group• STSMs, homepage, next workshops • Establishment of an AGENDA• Closing the WG3 meeting

Wednesday, 30 June INTRODUCTION


Task 1• Make more N + P available at the right time (standpoint plant

AND soil)

How to intervene• Study root development• Study root associated microbes• Study plant growth and development habit• Nutrient allocation and timing

Wednesday, 30 June DISCUSSION


Providing indicators

• Aboveground (sequential sampling) - biomass, N, P, leaf area, grain and straw measurements at harvest

• Belowground - top 40cm, biomass, root length, root hairs, architecture, “Bertholdsson test”. (Possible additions - root interactions in mixtures, AMF (mycorrhiza))

• Soil basic data - extractable P, K, total N, texture, density, pH, loss on ignition, CEC



Considerations

• Emphasis on existing experiments, use of common techniques where possible

• modelling techniques likely to be important• use existing data where possible• work on mixed and arable systems• grain yield is not the only consideration (eg biomass production

may be important)• emphasise importance of root measurements to breeders and

obtaining model varieties



Task 2• Study beneficial microbes to enhance plant

health and yield stability

How to intervene• Study biocontrol bacteria against seed- and soil-borne

diseases• Study colonization of cultivars by micro-organisms• Study effect of cultivars on beneficial micro-organisms• Develop methods to preserve mycorrhiza



Providing indicators

• Screening methods to study cereal cultivars and beneficial bacteria interaction

• Screening methods to study effect of seed-coating bacteria in greenhouse and field

• Cultural methods to preserve mycorrhiza



Common experiments within WG3 and among

WGs• Looking at colonization of genotypes by microbes and effect of

cultivars on efficacy of microbes (WG3)

• Using isolates for protection against seed- and soil-borne diseases (varieties field test in Sweden and Scotland)

(WG3, WG3 + WG5)• Problem stinking smut: use seed drench bacteria

and varietal resistance (WG3 + WG5 => WG1)

• Develop methods to examine soil-physical impact on plants and microbes

(WG3 + WG4)



To consider further• Use of existing data • Sustainable soil management• Soil structure/properties/organic matter• Impact of varieties on soil and vice-versa• Nutrient ecology: role of microbes• Nutrient losses from soil• Protein analysis (for baking/pasta quality) (E.

Johansson)• Extractable organic N in soils and role of AMF



A common activity within WG3

Question: Find varieties that optimise nutrient extraction from soil

We collaborate in:

Root development and physiology

Root – shoot allocation

Microbes colonization and efficiency

Modelling nutrient uptake

We need:

Input from WG6 and WG1 for varieties to study and ongoing field trial sites

Responsable: ??



STSM

Proposals for STSM• Work on one field experiment (to be selected) and

partners make a set of measurements of root & soil parameters



Homepage

What to put on the homepage:• minutes of WG3 meetings• method list of blackboard• a presentation of each participant in WG3 (short

description of each p., publication list, working topic etc).

• .pdf files as reprints of publications upon request to the author

• responsible for WG3: Matthias Lutz



Possible types of workshops

1. Presentation workshops

2. Practical workshop learning and seeing new methods, do something together (learning by doing) evalutation of field tests etc. data discussion (refer to as « digging workshop »)

3. WG meetings, discussion and organising common activities

4. Mixtures

Important is the way to organise a « presentation workshop », as a basis of discussion, it might not be necessary to show «perfect presentations » but to present methodology and results which allows questions and suggestions.



AGENDA

• Meeting at Witzenhausen to refine our discussions

• WG meeting: spring 2005 in Switzerland– « Contributions to genotype testing »– evtl. combined WG3 + WG5 workshop– evtl. postpone to do a practical workshop (digging)

Establish email-allert for WG3 or a discussion forum



Thanks a lot for the excellent discussions!

Wednesday, 30 June

Documents

Minutes of the 1st Meeting WG3 – Tune Landboskole, 28-30 June 04 WG3 plant and soil interactions Minutes of the meetings of Working Group 3 during the