Innovative and smart weed-control methods aim to significantly reduce the use of herbicides in vegetable production. To this end, Agroscope evaluates and tests the feasibility of various weed-control approaches whilst identifying necessary adaptations of cultivation systems and determining impacts both on the crops in question and on organisms that are not targeted by the herbicides.
The control of pests in vegetables, berries and other special crops plays an essential role in safeguarding yield and quality. In seven subprojects, pests such as insects, mites and nematodes are studied under different conditions, e.g. in the field and laboratory, to ensure the protection of crops grown in organic and integrated production systems.
Once plants have been infected, phytopathogenic viruses and phytoplasmas can no longer be tackled with direct-control measures. Bacterial diseases are also very difficult to keep in check with plant protection products. The primary aim of this project is therefore to develop non-chemical preventive measures suitable for lowering the risk of severe losses from these pathogens in vegetable, berry and other special crops.
At present, greenhouses crops are grown in production systems considered to be indispensable, but whose environmental impact – in particular, owing to their use of fossil fuels – is sometimes seen as contentious. The aim of this project is to test innovative solutions for reducing the environmental impact of greenhouse systems, either by reducing resource use or increasing yields.