PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Agriculture, particularly intensive livestock production, contributes 60 % of nitrogen released into the soil and water of northern Italy’s Po Plain. Assessing the amount of soluble nitrogen in the environment during different periods of the year and in different climatic and cultivation conditions is an important part of the knowledge-gathering process involved in clarifying optimum inputs of farm nitrogen.
OBJECTIVES
This LIFE-Environment project aimed to tackle nitrogen pollution linked to agriculture by conducting trials to optimise nitrogen fertiliser levels for specific crops and calibrate nitrogen balance methodologies for different climatic conditions and farm types. The overall objective focussed on fostering environmentally and economically sustainable practices that enabled farmers to balance production and environmental goals, via crop rotation techniques, use of cover crops and improved quantities of fertiliser inputs. A monitoring network was established to track nitrogen availability in the soils on pilot farms in Parma, Modena and Reggio Emilia provinces. Real time monitoring data was then provided to famers via the internet which allowed them to accurately determine required levels of nitrogen inputs.
RESULTS
Monitoring stations were set up on 18 environmental vulnerable farms and soil samples were collected from 1.2 ha sites at three depths (0 – 25 cm, 25 – 50 cm and 50 – 75 cm), four times a year (during crop sowing, before manuring for winter crops and after manuring for summer crops, during harvesting and after harvest). All soil samples were tested using standard 4N analysis techniques. Common findings across the majority of monitoring sites indicated that nitrogen requirements had been overestimated by farms with large numbers of livestock and/or with a high percentage of leguminous crops. As such, the beneficiary concluded that nitrogen enrichment from large quantities of farm effluent and alfalfa stands had not been sufficiently taken account of by the local farming community. Data from the monitoring network was successfully presented on-line to farmers using the project’s “SIM.BA-N” internet service which continues to provide farmers with analysis on the basis of a “Nitrogen Simplified Balance Sheet”. This self-regulatory nitrogen management tool has been popular with farmers since it is very easy to operate and 134 farmers were recorded as on-line users from September 2007 to March 2008. The innovative, real time, system calculates nitrogen manuring requirements for individual farms and application of the Nitrogen Balances determined during the project are predicted to help reduce residual soil nitrates by 25-30%, mainly via lower levels of chemical fertiliser use. Alternative technology was tested to try and identify simplified methods for soil analysis, substituting ionic chromatography, in order to increase the attractiveness and cost-effectiveness of self-soil-sampling by local farmers. This aspect of the project proved to be challenging since results showed that simplified methods were only relevant in particular cases, which required a good knowledge of soil and plant characteristics. Results from experimental plots showed that the fodder crops could limit nitrogen losses to soil and groundwater, thereby reducing pollution risks. Fodder crops were also noted as providing good cover crops, which help reduce erosion-related problems. All findings from the project were discussed on an international level through the project’s European Orientation Group, which included members from Italy, Greece, France, Denmark, Poland, The Netherlands and Britain. A large number of national dissemination events were also arranged, including a final conference attended by almost 290 delegates, but difficulties were encountered in organising events for farmers, due to their production commitments. As such the beneficiary worked closely with two agricultural training bodies and this has helped to ensure long-term dissemination of the results to local farmers. The project’s results have also been incorporated within a conservation farming model that will be proposed to both provincial and regional authorities as an eligible technical assistance service for producer organisations and technical suppliers. Strong interest has been shown from Emilia-Romagna regional authority in integrating the project outcomes within its spatial planning remit, particularly in terms of controlling agronomic uses of livestock farm effluent and calculating nitrogen fertiliser doses for integrated regulations. Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report and After-LIFE Conservation Plan (see "Read more" section).
