Stop 6 – Organic farming: horticultural crops

What is organic horticulture
Organic horticulture produces vegetables without using chemicals (fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides) in order to protect the environment and provide consumers with products without pesticide residues

The issues
The absence of pesticide residues in horticultural products has helped promote the market of organic vegetables for fresh consumption and for the processing industry. Many young farmers are now exploiting this production system, which is successful even in small areas and does not require large capital investment.
However, if organic horticulture is only practised superficially, is likely to have a negative impact on the environment due to:

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the rapid succession of short cycle crops on the same land involves the considerable soil tillage• energy consumption
the need to supply high quality products can lead to the intensive use of fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides of natural origin among those allowed by “organic” regulation• energy consumption
• soil compaction due to agricultural machinery traffic resulting in the modification of the physical characteristics of the soil

Organic horticulture research at the CiRAA
Research at CiRAA concerns the:
•replacement of chemical fertilizers with “natural” fertilizers (such as green manure = burial of nutrient-rich not-for-sale crops)
•increase in soil fertility
•replacement of chemical herbicides with physical and mechanical means to limit weeds
•combatting fungal and insect diseases through crop rotation

The results
The organic horticultural systems at CiRAA have proved to be fully environmentally sustainable and have highlighted that high quality vegetables can be produced at competitive prices with conventional ones. Achieving these results entails:
-crop rotations with crops dedicated exclusively to improving the characteristics of the soil
-correct inputs of natural organic fertilizers
good mechanical weed control

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