Field experiments |
Reduced tillage, green manure, organic mulch, traditional water harvesting under almonds and conventional and reduced tillage under cereals Author: Joris de Vente
In close collaboration with stakeholders during a series of two workshops in 2008, a selection was made of the most appropriate and feasible soil and water conservation measures to be implemented and monitored in DESIRE. Here we present the first implementation and monitoring results.
Three field sites were selected with either almonds or cereals production. The conservation measures are monitored according to ecologic-, economic-, and social criteria. Here we present the main implementation and monitoring activities, including some preliminary results.
The first field demonstration day took place the 30th of October 2009 from 10-13h at the experimental farm ‘Los Alhagüeces’
Since August 2008 a meteorological station, installed near the field sites, has monitored rainfall, temperature, wind direction and speed at 5 minute intervals. The chart shows the mean monthly temperature and rainfall for the period of measurement. The total annual rainfall of 340 mm is equal to the long term average. A maximum 5 minute rainfall intensity (I5max) of 108 mm/h was registered in May 2009.
Field site C is a cereal field where conventional mouldboard tillage is compared to reduced tillage with a disc-plough. Under both tillage regimes 3 replica erosion and runoff plots were installed to measure soil- and water loss. A fallow year follows harvest in both schemes. Last August the plots were seriously threatened by forest fire, but not affected.
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Study sites
Acknowledgement
The DESIRE project was
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DESIRE brought together the expertise of
26 international research institutes
and non-governmental organisations.
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