Minutes of the 1st Meeting WG3 – Tune Landboskole, June 04 WG3 plant and soil interactions Minutes of the meetings of Working Group 3 during the 1 st SUSVAR workshop at Tune Landboskole (28-30 June 2004) Compiled by Fabio Mascher-Frutschi, Agroscope RAC Changins, Nyon (CH). 2 July 2004.

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

Minutes of the 1st Meeting WG3 – Tune Landboskole, June 04 Excused Andrzej Anioł Elisabeth Stockdale, University of Newcastle Geneviève Défago, ETH Zürich Paul Mäder, FibL Yvan Moënne-Loccoz, Université de Lyon1

Minutes of the 1st Meeting WG3 – Tune Landboskole, June 04 Programme proposal for WG3 Monday 16:30-18:00 Presentations (I) Tuesday 9:00- 10:00 Presentations (II) 10:00-12:00 Discussions: objectives, aims, outputs and deliverables Wednesday 10:00-13:00 Common experiments Protocols and sites STSMs in WG3 Next workshop Monday, 28 June INTRODUCTION

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

Minutes of the 1st Meeting WG3 – Tune Landboskole, June 04 A summary of topics treated within the presentations Monday, 28 June PRESENTATIONS

Minutes of the 1st Meeting WG3 – Tune Landboskole, June 04 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 (

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

Minutes of the 1st Meeting WG3 – Tune Landboskole, June 04 Aim of SUSVAR to 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 Tuesday, 29 June INTRODUCTION

Minutes of the 1st Meeting WG3 – Tune Landboskole, June 04 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 Tuesday, 29 June INTRODUCTION

Minutes of the 1st Meeting WG3 – Tune Landboskole, June 04 Working topics covered within WG3 (n=11) Others: nutrient recycling, integration between crop & animal, plant root systems (architecture/lifespan), C & N turnover in soil Tuesday, 29 June THE QUESTIONNAIRE

Minutes of the 1st Meeting WG3 – Tune Landboskole, June 04 A = Soil science; B = Soil microbiology; C = Plant nutrition/nutrient acquisition D = Biocontrol/Plant pathology; E = Soil ecology; F = Breeding G = Genotypes-soil disturbance interactions; H = others Your expertise Tuesday, 29 June THE QUESTIONNAIRE

Minutes of the 1st Meeting WG3 – Tune Landboskole, June 04 Our expertise A = Soil science; B = Soil microbiology; C = Plant nutrition/nutrient acquisition D = Biocontrol/Plant pathology; E = Soil ecology; F = Breeding G = 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, Tuesday, 29 June THE QUESTIONNAIRE

Minutes of the 1st Meeting WG3 – Tune Landboskole, June 04 Your experimental approach A = field; B = greenhouse; C = laboratory; D = theoretically; E = other Tuesday, 29 June THE QUESTIONNAIRE

Minutes of the 1st Meeting WG3 – Tune Landboskole, June 04 A = field; B = greenhouse; C = laboratory; D = theoretically; E = other Others: farm, farming systems, farm level studies Our experimental approach Tuesday, 29 June THE QUESTIONNAIRE

Minutes of the 1st Meeting WG3 – Tune Landboskole, June 04 Field experiments (possibility to host an experiment) Finland: MTT Agrifood Research Pentti Seuri Susanna Muurinen Ari Rajala Scotland:Scottish Agriculture College Christine Watson Denmark: Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences Ingrid K. Thomsen The Royal Veterinary and Agriculture University Tara S. Gahoonia Switzerland:Agroscope RAC Changins Fabio Mascher Norway: Agricultural University of Norway Marina Azzaroli Bleken Tuesday, 29 June THE QUESTIONNAIRE

Minutes of the 1st Meeting WG3 – Tune Landboskole, June 04 Field experiments (sampling and analysis) Finland: MTT Agrifood Research Pentti Seuri Susanna Muurinen Ari Rajala Scotland:Scottish Agriculture College Christine Watson Switzerland:Agroscope RAC Changins Fabio Mascher ETH Zürich Matthias Lutz Tuesday, 29 June THE QUESTIONNAIRE

Minutes of the 1st Meeting WG3 – Tune Landboskole, June 04 List of problems in low-input agriculture A grain quality (protein content), weeds, smuts Nsoil structure, weeds, N-depletion CH N-deficiency, yield stability, soil- and seed-borne diseases Syield stability (weeds, N-unavailable in spring) DKyield quantity UKN-unavailable in spring, weeds FINyield formation, weeds, baking quality Tuesday, 29 June DISCUSSION

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

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

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

Minutes of the 1st Meeting WG3 – Tune Landboskole, June 04 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 Wednesday, 30 June DISCUSSION

Minutes of the 1st Meeting WG3 – Tune Landboskole, June 04 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 Wednesday, 30 June DISCUSSION

Minutes of the 1st Meeting WG3 – Tune Landboskole, June 04 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 Wednesday, 30 June DISCUSSION

Minutes of the 1st Meeting WG3 – Tune Landboskole, June 04 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 Wednesday, 30 June DISCUSSION

Minutes of the 1st Meeting WG3 – Tune Landboskole, June 04 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) Wednesday, 30 June DISCUSSION

Minutes of the 1st Meeting WG3 – Tune Landboskole, June 04 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 Wednesday, 30 June DISCUSSION

Minutes of the 1st Meeting WG3 – Tune Landboskole, June 04 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: ?? Wednesday, 30 June DISCUSSION

Minutes of the 1st Meeting WG3 – Tune Landboskole, June 04 STSM Proposals for STSM Work on one field experiment (to be selected) and partners make a set of measurements of root & soil parameters Wednesday, 30 June DISCUSSION

Minutes of the 1st Meeting WG3 – Tune Landboskole, June 04 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 Wednesday, 30 June DISCUSSION

Minutes of the 1st Meeting WG3 – Tune Landboskole, June 04 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. Wednesday, 30 June DISCUSSION

Minutes of the 1st Meeting WG3 – Tune Landboskole, June 04 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 -allert for WG3 or a discussion forum Wednesday, 30 June DISCUSSION

Minutes of the 1st Meeting WG3 – Tune Landboskole, June 04 Thanks a lot for the excellent discussions! Wednesday, 30 June