Research

The main objective of this project is to continue expertise in chickpea cultivation in Austria. With 381 ha (as of 2023, AMA evaluation), chickpea cultivation in Austria is still considered a niche crop. A lack of knowledge about cultivation methods and variety selection makes it difficult for farmers to successfully cultivate chickpeas. However, changes in climatic conditions and increasingly frequent extreme weather events such as droughts and heat waves require local agriculture to adapt. Chickpeas, which are considered drought-tolerant and heat-stable, can make an important contribution as a native protein crop. The aim of this project is therefore to identify cultivation potential, particularly for arid areas, which should result in cultivation and variety recommendations for practicing agriculture. An experiment with different chickpea varieties and inoculants is being conducted on the organic fields of BOKU University in Marchfeld with the aim of gaining insights into the nitrogen fixation performance and water use efficiency of chickpeas. These findings could be of great importance for organic farming in particular, as the lack of readily available synthetic fertilizers requires coordinated and balanced crop rotation processes, especially in organic farming.

The proposed project "Initiative of Fostering cross-border knowledge exchange and co-creation on sustainable soil and farm management (Soil-X-Change)" will help to connect farmers, actors, policy makers, projects, and initiatives to speed up innovation and promote faster, wider co-creation and transposition of innovative solutions into practice. It will contribute to effective AKIS by intensifying thematic cooperation between researchers, farmers, and other stakeholders in the EU. Soil-X-Change will also contribute to the green transition, smart agriculture, climate-neutrality, and sustainability areas, as well as enhancing and exchanging the knowledge of the main actors. Soil-X-Change, initiated by EIP-AGRI Operational Group practitioners (OGs), reflects the needs of 151 direct partners. It will collect, combine, harmonise, analyse and integrate the results and data product developed by the different EIP-AGRI OGs and the project partners. Soil-X-Change will disseminate and share innovative practices across 9 member countries. Furthermore, the Soil-X-Change project will bring together EIP OGs and key stakeholders working on sustainable soil and farm management to create an EU-wide network, share knowledge, and introduce ready-to-use practices that will enable farmers to make the right decisions related to agricultural production practices. At the end of the project the extended knowledge and innovative ideas of member and non-member OGs will widen the scope of their activities and showcasing their result to an increased number of stakeholders and farmers in an international environment and network across EU countries. Soil-X-Change will use a bottom-up approach (farmers to OGs) and will reinforce and share practical knowledge using the main dissemination channels suitable for farmers and practitioners.

Saatgutkompetenz von Bäuerinnen und Gärtnerinnen im Pustertal – Stand, Einflussfaktoren und mögliche Fördermaßnahmen. Ackerbau und Viehhaltung prägten im Pustertal noch bis weit nach dem Ende des Zweiten Weltkrieges das Landschaftsbild. Das Sicherstellen der Lebensmittelversorgung der Familienmitglieder stand besonders in den abgelegenen Tälern und Bergregionen im Vordergrund des überwiegend kleinbäuerlichen Wirtschaftens. Von den Kulturpflanzen, die im Pustertal angebaut wurden, wurde in der jüngeren Geschichte immer auch Saatgut vor Ort selbst vermehrt. Wenn Saatgut vermehrt wurde, fand immer auch eine Auslese von Saatgut bestimmter Pflanzenindividuen statt. Diese Auslese wurde nach Erfahrungswerten und Intuition durchgeführt; geprägt von den persönlichen Vorstellungen und Notwendigkeiten derjenigen, die die Kulturpflanzen anbauten, pflegten und vermehrten. Dies hat zu der enormen Vielfalt genau in diesen lokalen Herkünften der unterschiedlichsten Kulturpflanzenarten geführt, auch im Pustertal. Das Handwerk der eigenständigen Erhaltung, Selektion und Vermehrung von Saatgut wird kaum mehr ausgeübt. Damit geraten einzigartige Kulturpflanzen und deren lokale Herkünfte in Vergessenheit und sind vom Verschwinden bedroht. Die lebendige Erhaltung des kulturellen Erbes der Saatgutvermehrung und Weitergabe von Saatgut liegt in den Händen von einigen wenigen engagierten Menschen. In Handarbeit wird eine große Vielfalt angebaut. Im Projekt „Saatgutkompetenz“ wird der aktuelle Stand der Saatguterhaltung für Kulturpflanzen im Pustertal dokumentiert. In Interviews mit Erhalterinnen werden fördernde und hemmende Faktoren für die Saatguterhaltung, sowie Informations- und Beratungsbedarf der ErhalterInnen identifiziert. Auf Basis dieser Erkenntnisse werden lokale, regionale und nationale Fördermaßnahmen identifiziert, die dazu beitragen die Saatgutkompetenz im Pustertal zu erhalten.   Farming and animal husbandry shaped the landscape in the Pustertal until well after the end of the Second World War. Securing the food supply for family members was the focus of the predominantly small-scale farming, especially in the remote valleys and mountainous regions. In recent history, the seeds of the cultivated plants that were cultivated in the Puster Valley have always been propagated locally. When seed was propagated, a selection of seed from certain plant individuals always took place. This selection was made based on experience and intuition; shaped by the personal ideas and needs of those who cultivated, cared for and propagated the cultivated plants. This has led to the enormous diversity of accessions of cultivated plants in the Puster Valley. The craft of independent conservation, selection and propagation of seeds is hardly practiced anymore. As a result, unique cultivated plants and their local accessions are forgotten and threatened with disappearance. The living preservation of the cultural heritage of seed propagation and seed transmission is in the hands of a few committed people. In the "Seed Competence" project, the current status of seed conservation for cultivated plants in the Puster Valley is documented. In interviews with conservators, supporting and inhibiting factors for seed conservation, as well as information and advice needs of the conservators are identified. Based on these findings, local, regional and national funding measures are identified that contribute to maintaining seed expertise in the Puster Valley.