Annual Report 2013

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Annual Report 2013

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The Kägi family farm in Gutenswil is representative of all sustainably run

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Mission Statement 04 Foreword 05 Interview 06 Agroscope Research Programmes 10

Highlights and Research Departments

Changins and Wädenswil 15 Liebefeld, Posieux and Avenches 23 Reckenholz and Tänikon 31

Agroscope Research 2014 – 2017 38 Reorganisation of Agroscope 40 Sites 43

Key Figures 43

State Accounts 2013 44

Addresses 46

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Mission Statement

Swiss Research for Agriculture, Nutrition and the Environment

Agroscope, the Swiss centre of excellence for agricultural research, is affiliated with the Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG). Since January 2014, Agroscope has been organised into four institutes: the Institute for Plant Production Sciences (IPS), the Institute for Livestock Sciences (ILS), the Institute for Food Sciences (IFS) and the Institute for Sustainability Sciences (ISS).

Agroscope is strategically managed by the Agroscope Council, whilst the Agroscope Executive Board is responsible for its operative management.

Vision

Agroscope makes an important contribution to a sustainable agriculture and food sector as well as to an intact environment, thereby contributing to an improved quality of life.

Objective and Purpose

Agroscope researches along the entire value chain of the agriculture and food sector for a competitive and multifunctional agricultural sector, for high-quality food for a healthy diet, and for an intact environment.

Our focus is on research and development for the benefit of the agriculture and food sector;

the provision of decision-making bases for federal-authority legislation; enforcement tasks within the framework of the legal requirements in support of agriculture and the general public; and knowledge exchange and technology transfer with practitioners, the advisory sector, industry, science, the teaching sector and the public.

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Foreword

Research, Decision-Making Bases, Legal Enforcement, Knowledge Transfer: Ex- ploiting Synergies for Maximum Impact

As a departmental research institution whose remit is agricultural research, Agroscope serves the needs of the Federal Administration, which deals both directly and indirectly with the agriculture and food sector. This reflects the fact that the agriculture and food sector is more in the public eye than other branches of the economy. However, Agroscope is also tasked with achieving as great an impact as possible in favour of both the economy and society:

research is also meant to be of direct benefit to private stakeholders. This wide range of stakeholders explains the great breadth of the research undertaken, with around 70 fields of activity with different degrees of proximity to basic or applied research, as well as to action in the policy or economic sector. The important thing here is for the complementarity between scientific and practical knowledge to be deliberately exploited. Only in this way do effective synergies emerge.

The federal government charges Agroscope with numerous enforcement tasks requiring scientific proximity, inter alia with the authorisation of plant-protection products. For this, an extensive knowledge of the latest scientific achievements is essential, a knowledge which, thanks to its research, Agroscope possesses: a knowledge, for example, of the characteristics, reproduction, effects, and in some cases even the genomes of pests and diseases. Knowledge exchange within the same institution enables direct communication channels and rapid work- flows. In addition, this combination of activities means that the specialised, high-end research infrastructure can be better leveraged.

Conversely, research and policy also benefit from enforcement, when, for instance, the Farm Accountancy Data Network provides farm-management data and other valuable information that would otherwise only be available through time-consuming and expensive research.

These data serve to determine whether agricultural-policy decisions have achieved their desired effects. In addition, they serve as a basis for model calculations to assess the consequences of agricultural-policy decisions, and can also be used in researching farmers‘ decision-making behaviour.

Knowledge exchange and technology transfer do not only flow from research to practice, but also provide research with valuable information on where practitioners have identified new knowledge gaps, and where research can most appropriately be applied.

In order to further leverage these synergies, Agroscope concluded a multistage reorganisation process at the end of 2013 which brings the individual areas of responsibility even closer together, whilst facilitating further synergies for the benefit of its broad-based clientele.

We hereby invite you to take a closer look at the varied work we undertake at Agroscope.

Bernard Lehmann Michael Gysi

President of Agroscope Council Head of Agroscope

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Agroscope: A strategy, a brand, a clear profile and outstanding employees – these are our trump cards for achieving national and international success.

(Left to right:) Jean-Philippe Mayor, Michael Gysi and Paul Steffen: Looking back and towards the future.

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Interview

Fit for the Future

Up until 2013, Michael Gysi, Jean-Philippe Mayor and Paul Steffen each presided over an Agroscope research station as its director. As of 2014 Michael Gysi has overall responsibility for the new organisation as Head of Agroscope. Jean-Philippe Mayor and Paul Steffen take over the reins of the Institute for Plant Production Sciences and the Institute for Sustainability Sciences, respectively, as well as the strategic divisions of Corporate Communication and Corporate Research, respectively. In this interview, they look back on their tenure as directors of the three sites, and venture a look into Agroscope’s future.

7–6–3–1: That’s how the formula for the restructuring of the last few years could be described. What was this period like for you?

Gysi: The restructuring was a long process.

Over the years, it became apparent that Agroscope had a high potential for synergies between the individual sites. That’s why we initiated the restructuring – first to six units, then to three, and now to one.

Steffen: This process was not imposed on us;

rather, the realisation grew that a bit of a shake-up was needed again. One could feel the pushing and pulling. Despite this, we have managed to set up a new form of organisation jointly and constructively, at a time of major changes. These processes have whipped Agroscope into shape. It has been a very positive experience.

Mayor: The individual research stations had previously done a very good job, of course.

Now we can continue to develop under a single umbrella organisation. Naturally, this is a learning process – at all levels. However, we can say that staff have accepted this change a great deal better than, for example, the step from six down to three estab- lishments. This surely also speaks for the

trust in Management that we have developed over the last eight years.

What were the main reasons for the reorganisation?

Steffen: For the further development of Agroscope, it was important for the Executive Board, together with the Management of the Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG), to undergo a solid analysis. As far as operative management is concerned, the individual organisations were very well placed. We can be proud of this. Now it’s a question of harmonising our processes and becoming even stronger under a single umbrella.

Gysi: Our appraisal of the situation showed that we fell short of the mark in terms of strategic management. The research institutes’ strategies weren’t well enough coordinated with those of the other institutes. In addition, we wanted to separate operative and strategic management, as is usual in modern organisations. We wanted to harmo- nise heterogeneous processes in order to make use of synergies.

Mayor: After all, we are not three fundamen- tally different operations that are now coming together. By pooling our strengths, we can make even more of a mark nationally and internationally. With one instead of three brands, we hope to achieve a better impact on the market.

The changeover period was associated with major organisational challenges.

How did you deal with these?

Mayor: We knew, of course, that in future there would only be one Director. That was a difficult initial situation for us. Right from the outset, though, Paul Steffen and I accepted Michael Gysi as the new Director. This is first and foremost because of his way of dealing with the Executive Management. We have a solid foundation.

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Steffen: One factor of our success is that as a management team we have gone through this process together. We were aware of the impending change, discussed it early and openly, and tackled the challenge in a sports- manlike manner. That makes us even stronger as a team now.

Gysi: The change was and still is a big challenge for me. The leap from colleague to boss is never easy. What’s more, the inclusion of all employees in the changeover process at the appropriate level was important. This worked well for us with the project organisation and the working groups. Another challenge is the relationship between the FOAG and Agro- scope: this relationship is being put on a new footing and we must now prove ourselves.

What were you able to achieve in your respective tenures as Directors of ACW, ALP-Haras and ART?

Steffen: ART previously consisted of three independent research stations, which we merged into one. During the transformation

process, the challenge was to instil staff with confidence in the future, to create a moti- vating environment and in this way maintain

performance and quality. We succeeded in doing this, and I am proud of that.

Gysi: With regard to Liebefeld-Posieux, the integration of the National Stud was an important milestone. Another field is bee research: this area has undergone massive development. Cooperation at our sites with external partners has also always been important for me.

Mayor: Changins and Wädenswil were also two stations. The challenge was to form a whole from two different parts. Not only did we need to reorganise resources and research, we also had to weed out duplications and develop a new culture. We succeeded in this. What’s more, we implemented a functioning quality management and expanded cooperation with practitioners.

Gysi: In our previous roles as institute directors we were also all in charge of strategic portfolios. We had put in a lot of preliminary spadework here, which made the reorganisation substantially easier. In my opinion this has also been a success. Together, we have a great deal of experience with restructurings – and it is probably not least of all because of this that the transformation went so well.

What insights will you take into the new era of Agroscope from your time as Direc- tors?

Steffen: We must act rather than react. We hold the success of Agroscope in our own hands. ‘To govern is to anticipate’ – we endeavour to live that. It is essential for the future.

Mayor: From my eight years as a director I take confidence and a portion of equanimity.

Agroscope will continue to develop – and in a good sense. I am convinced of that.

Gysi: First and foremost, it is our employees that deliver the service. They are our greatest asset. We would be well advised to bring out the best of this capital.

Our employees deliver the service. They are our greatest asset.

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What gains in synergy do you expect from the merger?

Gysi: The Performance Mandate is construed such that the four institutes work together closely – across all of the sites. In doing so, we deliberately bring together different specialist disciplines, skills and infrastructures.

In these processes, we primarily strive for a standardisation which will pay off in higher quality. I also hope for synergies between brand management and communication.

Steffen: Our employees are our success factor. We must build structures for people, not around them. And I am convinced that with a strong brand, we will succeed in raising our profile both internationally and nationally.

Mayor: We must learn to work within the new structure. With all that we have learned from the past, though, I also think it is important that we have the courage to find new answers and answers of our own to the issues of the future.

The new organisation has been imple- mented. What do you think of it so far?

Mayor: It’s probably still too early for an initial stock-taking. However, I’m gratified to note

that our employees are working with calm and focus. The Executive Management is scrutinising its own work critically and con- stantly making adjustments. At the moment I am satisfied.

Gysi: The new structures are in place. In one respect though, we still have a long way to go, and that is in terms of our corporate culture. Creating a common understanding here will become a long-term task. A second point is our cooperation with the FOAG, which has been redefined for both parties. A new balance must be found here.

Steffen: It’s becoming more and more enjoy- able. The longer we’ve been doing this the more we realise what the important topics are, and who should be responsible for what.

Clearly, the new mindset is forward-looking.

At the Executive Board level they are all great

We hold the success of Agroscope in our own hands.

We must have the courage to find new answers and answers of our own to future issues.

people – with different opinions, but able to work together constructively and with a great deal of mutual respect. There is a great deal of agreement on the strategic management level.

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Programme research plays an essential role both in Switzerland and abroad. In addition to the national research programmes conducted by the Swiss National Science Foundation since 1975, various research institutions in Switzerland have supplemented their activities with in-house programmes since the mid-1990s. In this way, interdisciplinary programme research steadily gained relevance in the past, and will continue to remain important in future. This is especially true in view of the realisation that many pressing environmental and social problems must be solved through the concerted efforts of different scientific disciplines.

The three Agroscope Research Programmes (ARPs) that concluded in the first trimester of 2014 dealt with key questions on the development of the Swiss agriculture and food sector – to wit, approaches for achieving a competitive plant-production sector in an increasingly liberalised market environment (ProfiCrops), the importance of the food chain from cultivation up to consumption in terms of food quality and safety (NutriScope), and agriculture’s contribution to sustainable development of the mountain regions (AgriMontana). In addition, the national platform Profi-Lait, in which Agroscope and further partners are involved, aims to promote a professional approach to milk production (Profi-Lait).

The impact of both interdisciplinary programme research and disciplinary research depends decisively on whether they succeed in combining the necessary basic research for solving key problems with practice- and implementation-oriented research, and in applying the knowledge developed in the programmes to practice. Experience with the three ARPs and with Profi-Lait show that the findings have influenced practice, enforcement and policy in a variety of ways.

Concrete examples of this are the research activities on fire blight, on product-differentiation strategies in connection with the Quality Ordinance, on food safety and quality, and on the impact of the summering and alpine-grazing payments. For knowledge transfer, in addition to scientific publications and practice-oriented articles and presentations, dialogue with stakeholders is of great importance.

After the conclusion of the ProfiCrops, NutriScope and AgriMontana programmes, summer 2014 will witness the start of the two new programmes ‘Microbial Biodiversity’ and ‘REDYMO:

Reduction and Dynamics of Antibiotic-Resistant and Persistent Microorganisms along the Food Chain’. Both deal with medium-to-long-term-oriented topics with a potential for creating new areas of research and development. For the period 2014-2018, Agroscope will be supporting the programmes to the tune of CHF 0.8 million a year.

The researchers have set themselves ambitious programme objectives. A key factor for dealing with the questions posed will be smoothly functioning interdisciplinary cooperation. With its wide variety of competencies, Agroscope has the ideal conditions for contributing to the solu- tion of important contemporary problems.

Agroscope Research Programmes

Impact of Programme Research

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ProfiCrops

A highly Productive Final Year

The final year of the ProfiCrops research pro - gramme was devoted to the overall synthesis as well as to individual modules concerning the competitiveness of the plant-production sector. Several papers were published in the journal Agrarforschung Schweiz. Various occasions marked the conclusion of modules and integrated projects, e.g. those concerned with product differentiation (briefing session in Changins on 8 February entitled ‘Quality of Arable Crops: A Challenge for Research’) and fire blight (International Workshop in Zurich from 2– 5 July, www.fireblight2013). A list with over 300 proposed solutions for improving the competitiveness of the Swiss plant-production sector was compiled. These were summarised according to their specific contributions to competitiveness. The majority of the solutions increase efficiency, whilst others strengthen product differentiation, promote innovation or optimise framework conditions.

Teaching and Outlook

To allow for a better understanding of increasingly complex problems, more and more research projects must include social-science aspects. An innovation process is needed for the provision of customised solutions ulti- mately to be adopted by players in the plant- production sector. The ‘objective product differentiation’ approach can strengthen research and better communicate the quality of Swiss products. The valorisation of the results and the experience gained from the ProfiCrops project enable a better positioning of plant-production research at Agroscope.

NutriScope

A Wide-Ranging Look at Swiss Foods

Top-quality, safe food is of key importance for the Swiss agriculture and food sector.

During its runtime from 2008 to early 2014, NutriScope coordinated a total of 113 projects or subprojects. A prime concern of NutriScope was the investigation and deliber- ate influencing of the composition of milk and dairy products, meat and meat products, and selected products of plant origin. In addition to this, current issues of food safety, food quality and life-cycle assessment were addressed. Nutrigenomics, nutrigenetics and nutriepigenetics constituted three brand-new fields of research. At the same time, human studies examining health issues were conducted at the University Hospital in Berne, as well as at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) in Lausanne.

National Research Programme ‘Healthy Nutrition and Sustainable Food Produc- tion’ (NRP 69)

The programme outline was drafted under the aegis of the Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG) and Agroscope. In 2012, NutriScope held a workshop with all interested partners for the joint development of project outlines for the new research programme.

Foodle.ch Platform

NutriScope launched the interactive platform Foodle.ch with over 20 partners. As an important partner, Agroscope is present on this national platform with its own area and a protein atlas for dairy products. In Decem- ber 2013, the new format ‘Foodle.ch spot- lights your favourite food’ was adopted. A survey with subsequent assessment of the chosen food will now be carried out several times a year, followed by publication of the findings.

Agroscope Research Programmes

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AgriMontana

Robust Foundations for Mountain Farms

The AgriMontana research programme deals with agriculture’s contributions to sustainable development in mountain areas. Main thrusts in 2013 were the maintenance of the openness of cultivated landscapes, the importance of special crops, and prospects for mountain agriculture.

Supporting Farming Families in their Decision-Making

For the targeted development of mountain agri - culture, an informed and broad-based discussion of future prospects is necessary. As a basis for this, various analyses were compiled on income development for mountain agriculture and for the most important farm types, as well as on the profitability of organic farming. The results provide farming families in the mountain areas with a basis of comparison for assessing their own farms. In addition, these analyses provide a wide range of information for optimising farm and production structures, as well as for testing alternative focuses.

Di scussions in the AgriMontana programme forum and stakeholder feedback confirm that such bases are used in practice. What’s more, they are crucial for supporting the decision- making processes of farming families and of in stitutions such as the cantonal agencies or mutual savings banks.

Final Conference 2014

AgriMontana concluded on 21 May 2014 with the conference ‘Future Prospects of Mountain Agriculture’. The conference made a substan- tial contribution to the further development of mountain agriculture not only through the presentation of the project’s findings, but also by hosting an in-depth discussion with partici- pants on three future scenarios for mountain agriculture.

Profi-Lait

Network for Milk Production

Partners in the milk-production sector from research, extension and practice are involved in the Profi-Lait network both in order to provide impetus for research and development, and to intensify knowledge transfer from research to practice. Together, they search for solutions to the future challenges of milk production. In the year under review, for instance, an intense debate flared up on the new direct-payment instrument for subsidising grassland-based milk and meat production (abbreviated in German as GMF). Through its involvement in organising a symposium on GMF in May 2013, Profi-Lait helped introduce greater objectivity into the discussion.

Generating a Fresh Impetus

Profi-Lait injected fresh impetus into research within the framework of Agroscope’s Stake- holder Survey on its new work programme.

The research concerns formulated by Profi-Lait at the Research Day were submitted to Agro- scope and served as one of the foundations of its future research activities in the milk- production sector.

Promoting Knowledge Transfer

Holding symposia for farmers is an important element of knowledge transfer. In 2013, together with partners, Profi-Lait organised inter alia on Mont Crosin in Jura a well-attended meeting on site-appropriate, primarily-grass- based milk production in border locations.

Knowledge transfer also took place at the Swiss Milking Competition, which Profi-Lait helped to organise for the fourth time. Not only were the best young milkers in Switzerland selected at this competition, but a wide- ranging communication campaign highlighted the importance of the milking process for quality milk production in Switzerland.

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Our research is conducted in the service of society for a diversified plant-

production sector, healthy foods and protection of the environment.

Highlights

Agroscope Changins and Wädenswil

The mechanisms of fungal infection are studied under controlled conditions, enabling the development of new plant-protection strategies.

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Variety Testing: A Statutory Duty as an Engine of Innovation

Agroscope’s official variety testing allows the objective determination of the best varieties as well the formu- lation of appropriate recommendations to practitioners, processing facilities and consumers. Research is systemati- cally advanced by improving the quality and productivity of crops, their adaptation to the environment and their resistance to disease, as well as by optimising the use of harmful substances. As a mainspring of innovation, this statutory duty is a key element in the creation of a dynamic and competitive agricultural sector which produces healthy food and preserves natural resources.

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Aerated-Steam Treatment Eliminates Pathogens on Sprouting Seeds

Time and again, the consumption of tainted sprouts has caused food- poisoning outbreaks in human popula- tions worldwide. Produced in warm and damp conditions, sprouts can easily be contaminated with pathogens. In such cases, the agents are usually already present in small quantities on the original seeds.

Agroscope developed an efficient aerated-steam-based treatment for killing pathogens on the sprouting seeds without adversely affecting the germinability of the latter. For the first time, this innovative method proved suitable for eliminating bacteria such as E. coli, salmonella and listeria.

The residue-free decontamination process ensures that healthy sprouted seeds can be consumed safely.

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Highlights

Agroscope Changins and Wädenswil

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Einstein and the Art of Brandy Tasting

Every second year, Agroscope organ- ises training days for tasters for the Distisuisse National Brandy Awards.

In the year under review, ‘Einstein’

moderator Nicole Ulrich attended the training session for future distillate experts. Agroscope’s flavour wheels are an important tool for judging brandies, furnishing the vocabulary for professional discussions on the smell and taste of distillates, as well as making it easier for lay people to discover and describe the individual flavours in this drink. The experts trained by Agroscope award prizes to high-proof Swiss brandies, thereby safeguarding their quality over the long term.

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Population Dynamics of Scaphoideus titanus:

Model Calculation and Control

The cicada Scaphoideus titanus is the vector of the grapevine phytoplasma disease flavescence dorée, an especially dangerous quarantine disease which also occurs in Switzerland, where control of the vector in infested vineyards is obligatory. The model calculation of the population dynamics

of Scaphoideus titanus provides valuable data for a targeted warning, allowing optimal and timely planning of control measures for the affected vines. It also allows us to evaluate control strategies and determine the risk of the cicada spreading to non- infested vine areas.

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Risk-Reducing Measures for Use with Plant-Protection Products

Plant-protection products (PPP’s) have become an indispensable part of a modern, productive agricultural sector.

They enable harmful organisms to be held in check, thereby minimising profit losses. Owing to their biological activity, however, PPP’s can also have negative effects on the environment. For this reason, Agroscope has set itself the

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New Raspberry Varieties Are Rich in Antioxidants

Although raspberries are a source of healthy antioxidants, content varies significantly from one batch to another. Now genotypes have been identified whose fruits are rich in antioxidants – specifically, ellagitannins (‘QualiRedFruits’ consortium in the 7th EU Framework Programme, consisting of 7 farms and 5 research institutions).

Experiments with mycorrhizal fungi further improved the quality of the berries, highlighting the importance of this technique. The heavy colonisation of the roots with these microorganisms had a positive influence on the antioxi- dant activity of the raspberries. Today, these findings can be used by breed- ers, nurseries and producers to grow raspberries of higher quality, thereby increasing the competitiveness of the varieties.

objective of optimising PPP applications in order to keep environmental risks to a minimum without neglecting crop protection. In the year under review, workable measures for reducing drift and surface runoff of PPP’s were developed, ensuring that non-target organisms in adjacent surface waters and biotopes are better protected.

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Divico: First Resistant Grape Variety for Organic Viticulture

Divico, the first grape variety resistant to fungal diseases, is now available, opening up new prospects for organic viticulture. Divico enables a significant reduction in the use of plant-protection products, depending on disease pres- sure. The variety Vitis vinifera is highly susceptible to both downy and pow- dery mildew as well as to grey mould – diseases requiring fungicide treatment 07

The ’Ladina’ Apple Variety:

Tasty and Fire Blight-Resistant

In modern dessert-fruit orchards, only those varieties whose fruit meets the highest quality standards are planted.

In addition to the importance of the taste, appearance and keeping quali- ties of the fruit, the trees must have a high resistance to disease so that chemical plant protection can be kept to a minimum. Until now, varieties resistant to the pome-fruit disease fire blight have been few in number, and only the use of antibiotics could save infected orchards. Ladina, the new apple variety bred by Agroscope, combines good fruit quality with a robust resistance to fire blight, which facilitates protection against this disease. Nurseries are now propagating this variety to meet the strong demand from practitioners.

Highlights

Agroscope Changins and Wädenswil

at regular intervals (every 8 –12 days).

Through a conventional crossing of grape varieties containing resistance genes, Agroscope bred Divico, which possesses sufficient genes coding for grape quality and for the production of phytoalexins for natural resistance. This extremely resistant grape variety yields an attractive wine, and is meeting with keen interest from winemakers.

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Registration of Plant-Protection Products: Safety and Protection of the Environment

Before plant-protection products for all crops can be used, they must be authorised. Agroscope evaluates herbicides, fungicides, insecticides and acaricides on the basis of stringent criteria: efficacy, chemical and eco- toxicological properties, risk of the development of resistance in the treated organisms, potential undesir- able effects on useful soil and aquatic organisms. Based on this evaluation and together with experts from other federal agencies, the Federal Office for Agriculture stipulates the usage restrictions for the active substances and formulates the warnings on the packaging of the plant-protection products. Thanks to the work of Agroscope, it is possible to produce healthy, high-quality foods, to look after the environment, and to promote the biological control of pests and diseases.

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Healthy Seed Potatoes Courtesy of Agroscope

Most of the potatoes consumed in Switzerland are produced domestically.

Good harvests require top-quality seed potatoes. Agroscope makes a significant contribution here, with rigorous checks on seed production in both field and laboratory (certification), and with the development of methods for controlling diseases such as blackleg. In 2013, 4.4 per cent of seed-potato batches were down- graded, or rejected based on the field checks and laboratory analyses performed.

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Import Diagnostics –

a Consequence of Globalisation

Especially dangerous harmful organisms (quarantine organisms or QO’s) can be introduced through the global trade in plant material. QO’s either do not occur in a country at all, or do so only rarely, are difficult to control, and are capable of inflicting major economic damage. Using state-of-the-art technologies, Agroscope experts per- form import diagnostics as part of the enforcement work of the Federal Office for Agriculture. Plant material contaminated by QO’s can be diagnosed within just a few hours, and can therefore be rejected in time at the border, thereby preventing the introduction and spread of QO’s in Switzerland.

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Research Department 1

Field Crops and Grazing Systems

− After field trials, it was possible to determine the amount of Asulam-based herbicide residue in grass more accurately. Despite falling rapidly in the first few weeks after treatment, asulam residues can – depending on the type of meadow – still be present in high concentrations after three weeks.

− Variety trials conducted in close cooperation with industry players throughout Switzer- land permitted an updating of the variety lists for bread and fodder cereals, maize, oilseed rape, sunflowers, protein peas, soya and potatoes.

− A statistical study evaluating both harvest quality and meteorological data highlights the effects of climate warming: a rise in temperature during formation of the grain reduces alpha-linolenic acid content in rapeseed oil and the potential viscosity of the triticale grain.

Arable-Crop Breeding and Genetic Resources

− The soya breeding programme led to new admissions to the Swiss and EU catalogues.

The success of the Agroscope varieties is reflected in the doubling of the global cropped area for the species in question (10–12,000 ha). Research into the protein content and quality of the beans as well as into their organoleptic characteristics means that producers can now be guaranteed higher margins per hectare and that the desired variety can now be offered to the processing industry.

− Around ten new and improved varieties were admitted to the catalogue in 2013 as part of the bread-grain breeding programme. In Belgium, the programme culmi- nated in the development of the innovative

‘grand cru’ concept: the manufacture of bread based on ‘pure’ flours, with no use of variety mixtures. The Agroscope varieties are selected on the basis of their taste characteristics and their outstanding rheological properties.

Product Quality and Safety, Nutrition and Health

− By means of a steam treatment, human- pathogenic bacteria was for the first time successfully eliminated on sprouting seeds without adversely affecting the germinability of the latter.

− Initial studies on saving energy during fruit storage, conducted as part of the Interreg IV project, have yielded highly promising results. Savings of the order of up to 15 per cent are possible without adversely affecting fruit quality.

− Concepts for the reduction of plant- protection product emissions caused by runoff and drainage as well as for the protection of non-target arthropods were devised and presented to the cantonal plant-protection services, where they met with a positive response.

Production and Plant Protection of Crops in Alpine Areas / Greenhouse Crops

− With the help of traps, Agroscope has set up a national network for monitoring the vinegar fly Drosophila suzukii. The preven- tive hygiene measures implemented for test purposes in the crops and the mass traps laid were a success, efficiently reducing and delaying infestation by pests.

− The ripening of greenhouse tomatoes has been successfully hastened through the

Research Departments

Agroscope Changins and Wädenswil

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addition of the natural gas ethylene during the final growth phase in the greenhouse, enabling increased yields without significant loss of quality.

− Optimum techniques for applying plant- protection products in the greenhouse were defined for tomatoes, salad cucumbers and aubergines.

− ACW3851, a pear bred by Agroscope, has recently been made subject to plant-variety protection. Thanks to its two-toned appearance, good resistance to fire blight and optimum storability, it is meeting with keen interest from the fruit-growing sector.

− Tests with multi-armed olfactometers revealed major differences between apricot varieties in terms of the attraction of psyllids, which are the vectors of the phytoplasma of apricot chlorotic leafroll.

Plant Protection for Arable Crops and Vines / Viticulture and Oenology

− A complete revamp of the website www.

agrometeo.ch for the prediction of risks in agriculture (including iPhone use and geo- location) was carried out. The website now contains a risk forecast for black rot in grape production and for potato-virus diseases, as well as a tool for monitoring the European corn borer.

− With regard to potato certification, virologi- cal studies using molecular methods have been concluded. These have shown that fumigation with Rindite to break the dor- mancy of the tubers can be avoided.

− Molecular identification of the vine via microsatellite analyses allowed the identification of unknown grape varieties from the old vine stocks (Malbec, Perle, Sulima, Humagne blanc, Peloursin, Limberger, Gouais blanc and Dameuret).

− The Research Department developed active closures to prevent the oxidation of drinks in bag-in-box containers, thereby increasing the shelf life of said drinks.

Plant Protection and Fruit and Vegetable Extension

− Imported fruits and vegetables are in- spected in order to prevent the introduction of dangerous organisms. New molecular genetic methods have significantly improved the speed and reliability of the diagnoses.

− Fruit producers were given advice on the danger posed by Marssonina, a disease of apple trees new to Switzerland, as well as recommendations for combatting the disease.

− Studies in orchards have shown that ap- proval of the restricted use of antibiotics against the the pome fruit disease fire blight does not lead to the enrichment of resistance genes in other bacteria occurring naturally in the environment, as had been feared.

− In light of the evidence that the fungal disease downy mildew of parsley also causes damage on fennel, it is recommended that these two crops be grown some distance apart from one another.

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Our practice-oriented research allows us to supply solutions and make cases for policy advice and enforcement in accordance with the needs of prac - titi oners.

Highlights

Agroscope Liebefeld, Posieux and Avenches

Clean-room technology offers a wide range of new opportunities in the development of freeze-dried bacteria for cheese production.

01

Development of the Swiss Equine Sector

Together with partners, Swiss National Stud researchers published a report entitled ‘The Importance of the Horse in Switzerland in Terms of Economic, Social and Environmental Policy as of 2013’. According to the book, the number of horses, ponies and donkeys has grown by 42 per cent since 2002, reaching a total of 103,000 in 2012.

Data from Agate/Identitas AG and the customs administration allowed precise analyses of the structure of the equine population and the relevant trade.

Seventy-six per cent of the equids are on farms, using 60,000 hectares of useful agricultural area (determined according to energy-requirement methods), generating income, and enabling a diversification of agricultural activities.

02

Dioxin in Meat, Listeria in Cheese – Which Is More Dangerous?

In Switzerland there is no system for comparing the risks posed by different food and feedstuffs. A generic programme for prioritising risks was created in order to manage research. A ranking system must be quick and easy to use, and the decision-making criteria must be clear and comprehensible.

In this system, the values are based on measurable factors such as disability- adjusted life-years (DALYs) as well as data on health risks and costs. The risk-prioritisation tool is meeting with interest both at home and abroad, and is being discussed by various agencies as a possible instrument for risk-based product inspections.

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Highlights

Agroscope Liebefeld, Posieux and Avenches

04

No Stomach-Ache after Eating Cheese

Many consumers suffer from histamine intolerance. Formed in fermented foods by bacteria, histamine leads to health complaints in those with the corresponding sensitivity. In cheese, it is usually the lactic-acid bacterium Lactobacillus parabuchneri that produces high histamine levels. If histamine enters the cheese via the raw milk, the longer the ripening period, the higher the histamine content. In developing a specific method for identifying this undesired bacterium, Agroscope has created an important instrument for promoting the safety and quality of Swiss cheeses.

03

Examining the Amino-Acid

Requirement of Fattening Pigs

In order to provide proof of ecological performance, pig producers need a reliable result in terms of import/export balances. The underlying data here is furnished by trials conducted in the 1980s.Since then, the carcasses of fattening pigs have become fleshier owing to selection. Moreover, the animals are frequently given nitrogen- and phosphorus-reduced feed, which can even lead to an undersupply of amino acids. For this reason, Agroscope is investigating the body composition of growing pigs with different amino-acid provision. The revised recommended amino-acid requirements will enable pigs to be fed in an even more targeted manner in future.

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05

In Focus: Animal Welfare Aspects of Grass Feeding

Switzerland’s topography and climate offer the ideal conditions for the production of milk using grass and small amounts of concentrate as feed.

Because its low energy density and imbalanced nutrient composition can have an adverse effect on the milk production and well-being of high-yielding cows, however, grass-

based feed has its limitations. Together with the Vetsuisse Faculty of the University of Berne, Agroscope is investigating the effects of an imbalanced grass feed on high-yielding cows. On a practical level, the results are meant to clarify the extent to which deviations from optimum nutrient supply influence animal welfare.

06

Palatable and Safe as well as Healthy

According to health recommendations, we should reduce our consumption of salt and sugar. Are low-sugar or low-salt foods actually still palatable and safe, however? Consumer tests have shown that the sugar content of yoghurt can be reduced by 30% with no ensuing loss of product popularity. For meat products, a salt reduction of around 10% is possible without incurring microbiologi- cal problems or defects in texture, taste or smell. Such findings enable the food industry to adapt its recipes to the new requirements.

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Highlights

Agroscope Liebefeld, Posieux and Avenches

08

Can Late-Blooming Phacelia Harm Bees?

The use of phacelia as green manure is on the increase. This genus is meant to fix soil nutrients, reduce erosion and preserve soil structure. Beekeepers, however, suspect that the late bloom in October as well as the treatment of a previous crop with systemic insecticides could harm the bees. ALP-Haras has conducted field trials with around

30 colonies in cooperation with the Fondation Rurale Interjurassienne. The first year of the experiment failed to confirm the aforementioned fears;

fluctuations in survival rate and development were observable in neither the exposed nor the non-exposed colonies.

Despite this, the trial is being extended to a second year.

07

Using Whey to Finish Beef

Cattle on Alpine Pastures

In alpine cheese production, large quantities of energy-rich whey accumulate which are used insuffi- ciently, if at all. Finishing beef cattle with whey in mountain regions could be an attractive way to valorise this by-product. Since 2012, within the context of several trials and with various partners, Agroscope has been using a multidisciplinary approach to research whether the alpine cheese- and meat-production systems complement one another. Previous studies have already demonstrated the feasibility of combining cost-efficient meat production with landscape conservancy in mountain regions.

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11

Breeding and Genetics

Using new methods based on main- component analysis and network theory, and with the inclusion of both Herd Book data and DNA information, Swiss National Stud researchers identified and selected the 30 genetically most representative Franche-Montagne horses with the aim of sequencing their genome. Conducted in partnership with the University of Berne, the analyses yielded around 13 million variable gene sites per animal. High computa- tional power and innovative statistical methods are needed in order to render these enormous quantities of information useful. The studies aim to preserve the genetic diversity of the Franche- Montagne breed over the long run, as well as to pinpoint gene sites in the 09

Tête de Moine AOP Cheese Is now Protected against Counter- feiting

Because of the traditional methods used in their manufacture, ‘Protected Desig- nation of Origin’ products (French abbre- viation: AOP) achieve a high value-added on the market. This explains why AOP products are frequently copied. Since 2011, the proof-of-origin process developed by Agroscope to identify an AOP cheese has been used with Emmen- tal cheese. With the aid of molecular- biological methods, so-called marker bacteria are identified in a piece of ripe AOP cheese and in rosettes added as a culture during the manufacture of the cheese. January 2013 saw the launch of the second proof-of-origin culture, this time for Tête de Moine AOP.

10

Do Alkaloids Have a Negative Effect on the Quality of Swiss Honey?

To protect themselves against plant-eaters, individual nectar plants produce alkaloids. These substances are also found in the nectar of the plants, and can therefore also accumulate in the honey. Since alkaloids are presumed to be carcinogenic and damaging to the liver, ALP-Haras wished to discover whether consuming Swiss honey actually puts one at risk of exposure. Alkaloids were found in 38 of 71 tested samples. Swiss honey exhibits lower concentrations of alkaloids than that of other countries.

Beehives, however, should not be placed in the vicinity of viper’s bugloss or ragwort, since these are rich in alkaloids and produce a great deal of nectar.

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Research Departments

Agroscope Liebefeld, Posieux and Avenches

Milk and Meat Production

– Differences in feed-selection and feeding behaviour between Swiss and New Zea- land Holstein cows are substantially less than expected. This study and others have been conducted for several years on the pasture of the L’Abbey organic farm in Sorens (FR).

– With appropriate management, highly fertile sows can also give birth to vigorous piglets with a high average birth weight. It therefore makes sense to factor average birth weight into the breeding strategy in addition to litter size.

– Together with the pig-production sector, Agroscope has developed a method for determining boar taint in the live animal.

Over 700 analysed samples from breeding boars enabled genetic evaluation to be further improved. This allows the breeding farm to use boars exhibiting a lower breeding value for boar taint.

– The development of strategies for hand- ling early-weaned, low-weight piglets is underway as part of an EU project. The aim is to clarify whether the growth of such piglets can be improved via targeted feeding measures.

– The National Science Foundation project for the further development of the Swiss Feed Database was successfully continued.

The test phase was concluded, and the Swiss Feed Database has been live since August 2013. As well as being given a new image, the ‘Feedbase’ has been equipped with innovative tools (www.feedbase.ch).

Milk and Meat Processing

– The Research Department developed a highly specific method intended to identify the bacteria responsible for the formation of biogenic amines in cheese. This allows the reason for elevated levels to be determined.

– The concept of proof of origin via the addition of selected lactic-acid bacteria was also successfully implemented for Tête de Moine cheese in 2013. In addition, the first culture for the manufacture of salami was successfully introduced in practice.

– A new Agroscope survey shows that the quality of the raw milk used in Switzerland for the production of cheese from raw or thermised milk is very high, even when based on an international comparison.

– In Switzerland there is no system for comparing the (micro-)biological, chemical, physical and diet-related risks posed by various foodstuffs with one another. Agro- scope has therefore created a generic program for ranking risks posed by food and feed. This risk-prioritisation tool is meeting with great interest both at home and abroad.

– The oxidation of fat and protein during storage can have negative effects for milk and meat products. The introduction of a new method (chemiluminescence) has laid the foundations for a better understanding of these processes with a view to allowing concrete recommendations for practice to be issued.

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Horses and Bees

– Agroscope’s Centre for Bee Research (ZBF) was the focus of a number of policy ad- vances in 2013. One result was the ‘Plan of Action for Bee Health’, submitted by an Expert Group to the Federal Office for Agriculture. This report serves as the basis for a catalogue of measures for the attention of the Swiss Federal Council.

– The Bee Health Service (BGD) and the Institute for Bee Health (IBH) commenced their activities. Both bodies focus in particular on bee welfare, pollination security and the preservation of biodiversity.

– Publications authored by ZBF employees attracted worldwide interest.

– The ZBF was given the mandate of national reference laboratory (RefLab) for bee diseases from the Swiss Federal Veterinary Office (SFVO), now the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO).

– The effects of plant-protection products on pollinators were widely discussed in the media. ZBF experts are active on national and international commissions with the aim of developing solutions via new test methods.

– There was a slight decrease in classic stud services provided by the Swiss National Stud (SNS) in respect of stallion-keeping and covering services.

– Once again, SNS events delighted thou- sands of spectators and helped to support Swiss horse-breeding.

– In the ethology, horse-keeping and horse-usage sectors, SNS employees investigated ways to optimise conventional stall-housing systems. In addition, the project concerning the keeping of stallions in groups on pasture met with great interest at both a national and international level.

– In the breeding and genetics sphere, a chromosome region influencing jaw deve l- opment in horses was identified in partnership with the Institute for Genetics of the University of Berne and the Swiss Institute of Equine Medicine (ISME) in Berne and Avenches, as well as the School of Agricul- tural, Forest and Food Sciences (HAFL) in Berne.

– Setting a new attendance record, the 8th Annual Meeting of the Swiss Equine Re- search Network in Avenches (Vaud canton) was one of the highlights of the year.

– Advice and knowledge transfer are still key elements of SNS activities. Policy issues such as the adaptation of spatial-planning legislation provoked a high need in practice for pertinent information.

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For sustainability research, we utilise the synergies emerging at the interface between science and practice.

Highlights

Agroscope Reckenholz and Tänikon

Qualitative and quantitative surveys allow researchers to record the most important social aspects of farms and to devise recommen d- ations for the attention of policy- makers.

01

Influence of Nanoparticles on Nitrogen-Fixing Rhizobia

In future, industrially manufactured nanomaterials could also be used in agriculture, for example in fertilisers or pesticides. Expected benefits include improved efficacy and environmental sustainability of the products, as well as increased crop yields. A risk assessment of nanoparticles in terms of possible effects on the environment and crops is therefore essential. Within the scope of the National Research Programme on ‘Opportunities and Risks of Nanomaterials’ (NRP 64), Agroscope is investigating the influence of titanium oxide nanoparticles on beneficial soil microbes and crops (NANOMICROPS), for instance on nitrogen-fixing rhizobia and clover.

Laboratory experiments have shown that high concentrations of these nanoparticles can affect growth of rhizobia and clover.

02

A Database for the Environ-

mental Footprint of Foods

How can we determine and communicate the ecological footprint of foods in a better way? Agroscope and the advisory firm Quantis have initiated a new database providing reliable, up- to-date information on the environmental performance of food and drink, for this very purpose. The project is meant to bring together professionals from the entire food-sector value chain, and to create a comprehensive database enabling accurate life-cycle assessments in this sphere. Two public institutions and nine companies from the food sector joined the project in 2013, and it is envisaged that addi - tional partners will be acquired on a regular basis.

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04

Value-Added via Qualitative Differentiation

In farming, implementing a quality strategy with the aim of boosting value-added is linked with the differentiation of agricultural products. An example of this is the blue potato. In order to highlight opportunities af- forded by product quality, Agroscope has used a literature analysis and interviews with experts to compile a total of 32 examples. These attest to the fact that a differentiation already exists in wide areas of Swiss agriculture, and can be expanded where necessary. Even though most of the examples are niche products, the exploitation of additional market shares and ultimate absorption into retail trade is conceivable. This repre- sents an opportunity to generate value-added along the entire supply chain.

Highlights

Agroscope Reckenholz and Tänikon

03

Minimising Water Demand whilst Maintaining Productivity

Climate change will raise water demand in regions of Switzerland and lead increasingly to water shortages.

Excessive water withdrawal by agriculture for irrigation could negatively affect the quality and biodiversity of smaller bodies of water. Adaptive soil-tillage measures, increased cultivation of winter crops and limitation of irrigation prevent this without substantially curtailing agricultural

production. ‘The aim is to maintain productivity whilst minimising water demand and environmental impacts’, says Jürg Fuhrer, leader of the ‘Water Demand in Swiss Agriculture, and Sustainable Adaptive Options for Land and Water Management’ (AGWAM) project, carried out at Agroscope as part of the ‘Sustainable Water Man- agement’ National Research Pro- gramme (NRP 61).

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06

Newly Created Alpine Gardens in Maran (Graubünden Canton)

The Agroscope experimental station in Maran (above Arosa) encompasses the experimental fields for forage crops and potatoes, as well as a 1000-square- metre alpine garden with around 500 vascular plants. Throughout the vege- tation period the facility can be visited freely during opening hours, and the Arosa tourism website gives the times for guided tours. The alpine garden has been undergoing gentle remodelling since 2011. Recent additions are six south-facing rockeries with limestone, silicate and serpentine, as well as a wetland area. The valuable living collec- tion is continually supplemented with additional species from the Arosa area.

In 2013, local and specialist media visited the experimental station at the invitation of Agroscope.

05

Future Prospects for Swiss Summer Grazing

Every summer, 400,000 cows, heifers and calves as well as 210,000 sheep – not to mention horses, goats, llamas and other ruminants – graze in the mountain regions. In this way, alpine grass is used for the production of milk, cheese and meat, with 7000 Swiss summer farms generating annual revenues of CHF 280 million. Moreover, summer farming contributes to the maintenance and promotion of biodiversity and to protection from natural hazards. It substantially shapes the alpine landscape and enhances its attractiveness for tourism. The completion of the five-year AlpFUTUR research programme saw the publication of a synthesis book with three implementation films and the ‘Summertime’ docu- mentary film on DVD (www.alpfutur.ch).

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Highlights

Agroscope Reckenholz and Tänikon

07

First Organic Forage Grass in Europe

Organic forage producers need varieties that are resistant to disease, demonstrably competitive with weeds, high-yielding even with low nitrogen applications, and which produce high-quality roughage. In its Organic Breeding Programme, Agroscope is studying eight different species: Italian, perennial and hybrid ryegrass, meadow fescue, tall fescue, orchard grass, sainfoin and red clover. The perennial ryegrass ‘Arcturus’ is the first fodder- grass variety of the Organic Breeding Programme to pass the official variety test – a ‘first’ for the whole of Europe.

08

Time-Use Survey: The Varied Working Days of Women in Farming

The time-use survey conducted by Agroscope not only informs us about women’s workloads on family farms, but also identifies the division of labour in agriculture between the sexes and generations. Since 1974, for example, the working day of a woman in farming has become shorter, but in some cases more intensive, more demanding and more varied. Activities in the household and on the farm are dealt with more quickly today than in the past, whilst more time is invested nowadays in education and in outside paid employment. These are the results of a survey conducted on 223 family farms throughout Switzerland.

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10

25 Years of PhytoPRE – New Web App

The regional and temporal occurrence of late blight of potato as well as single weather events play a major role in the spread of this disease. A quick line of communication is therefore essential for efficient provision of advice to growers.

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of PhytoPRE, Agroscope developed a Web app offering Smartphone access to

information about late blight, which is updated several times a day. Growers are now able to download a geographic map showing late blight attacks, the main infection and sporulation periods (MISP) and the regional infection risk, as well as various bulletins from plant-protection officers (www.phytopre.ch/phytoapp).

09

Instruments for Physical Soil Protection

The Erosion Risk Map and the ‘Terr- animo’ programme for assessing compaction risk are new decision- making aids for implementing physical soil protection in agriculture. Agro- scope was decisively involved in the development of both of these tools.

The Erosion Risk Map (ERM2) provides an overall assessment of the utilised agricultural area potentially at risk of erosion. ‘Terranimo’ highlights the conditions in which a high risk of harmful soil compaction arises. Both instruments as well as further Agro- scope research contributions were included in the Soil Protection in Agriculture enforcement tool published jointly by the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) and the Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG) in 2013.

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Research Department

Agroscope Reckenholz and Tänikon

Environmental Resources and Agriculture

– The two-day ‘Carbon in the Soil’ symposium held in conjunction with the Swiss Soil Science Society (SSSS) in Zurich Reckenholz was a great success, with over 100 professionals from Switzerland and neighbouring countries taking part. Key focal points were methodo- logical development in analytics and model- ling, data availability, process knowledge on C turnover and C exchange between soil and atmosphere, exogenous organic inputs, and organic carbon and soil functions.

– Test and remediation values for various uses of mercury-contaminated soils were compiled for the attention of the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), and will be applied for the first time in the canton of Valais.

– On the occasion of the ‘Sustainable Use of Soil as a Resource’ National Research Programme (NRP 68), four project consortia were launched in this research department on the following themes: Sustainable Management of Organic Soils (Peaty Soils); Soil-Carbon Input through Crop Plants; Regeneration of Compacted Soils;

and Regional Soil-Monitoring Tool for Sustain- able Element Cycles on Agricultural Soils (Early-Warning System).

– Implementation of the new Laboratory Infor- mation Management System LISA is practically finished, and will contribute to a more efficient, transparent analytics support of the Institute for Sustainability Sciences ISS.

– The Research Department disseminated new findings and recommendations in numerous publications and presentations. Of particular note were the completion of two dissertation projects and several Master’s theses. In addition, a number of reports and statements were drafted for the FOAG and FOEN.

Grassland and Arable Cropping Systems

– The Research Department published numerous papers for practice and held successful events with demonstrable public appeal.

Within the scope of a dissertation, it was shown that mycorrhizal fungi can significantly reduce the production of nitrous oxide under laboratory conditions. Initial results from the trial for the development of minimum-tillage systems, set up in 2009 and 2010, revealed that the choice of green manure is particularly important for organic plots, and can have a decisive impact on yields.

– In the concluded Swiss variety testing for white clover and smooth-stalked meadow grass, Agroscope varieties achieved an extraordinarily high success rate of 100 per cent. The two tested varieties of white clover and all three varieties of meadow grass obtained the necessary classification for recommendation in the agronomic value analysis trial. The results of the test for distinctness, uniformity and stability (DUS) will follow in 2014.

– The Research Department supported the

‘Organic Farming and Horticulture’ Bache- lor’s specialisation in Environmental Engi- neering Studies at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) with educational events in Organic Arable Farming and Or- ganic Forage Production. In the case of knowledge transfer, researchers ensured that students were able to link theoretical knowledge with practical experience, e.g. on field trips, or via practical tasks on farms.

– Within the Institute for Sustainability Sciences ISS, the ‘Grassland and Arable Cropping Systems’ research department has been renamed ‘Grassland Sciences and Agricultural Ecosystems’. Henceforth, the focus here will be on developing

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sustainable grassland and alpine farming systems, as well as on improving the yields and environmental performance of agricultural production systems.

Biodiversity and Environmental Management

– After a several-year-long developmental phase and an initial pilot year, the FOEN and FOAG have decided to move the ‘Agricul- tural Species and Habitats’ (ALL-EMA) monitoring programme into the routine phase (initial survey 2015 to 2019).

– The successful conclusion of the AGRIBALYSE project – a life-cycle inventory database for French agricultural products – has allowed Agroscope to establish itself with the French authorities as an official reference.

– The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has approved a follow-up application for the highly successful and strategically important database project for recording the arthropod community in important European field crops. These data form the basis for assessing the side-effects of genetically modified plants and pesticides on non-target organisms. A project for further studies on Bt cotton and its interactions with non-target organisms was approved by the Swiss Na- tional Science Foundation (SNSF).

– The sequencing of the first genome of the causal agent of bacterial wilt in ryegrass, Xanthomonas translucens pv. Campestris, has revealed a detailed picture of possible pathogenicity factors which can now be actively investigated in experiments. More- over, in partnership with a Canadian research group, the Research Department has succeeded in equipping insect-pathogenic biological-control fungi with a fluorescent marker enabling the observation of both the infection process and the behaviour of these fungi in the ecosystem.

Agricultural Economics and Engineering

– Biological control of broad-leaved dock was successfully implemented in practice.

Agroscope has developed various methods for this: a motorised dock-weeder (the so-called ‘Blackenzwirbel’) replaces manual labour. The targeted application of hot water promises high efficacy at a moderate cost. The larvae of the native Fiery Clear- wing (Pyropteron chrysidiformis) feed on the roots of broad-leaved dock, and can therefore cause the plants to die off.

– The Tyres/Tracks And Soil Compaction (TASC) V3.0 software, which offers a decision-making tool for the prevention of soil damage in agriculture and forestry, has recently become available. This software enables us to estimate stress in the topsoil and subsoil, as well as the energy and fuel requirement in arable farming. TASC was introduced on the occasion of the Agricul- tural Engineering Days and the Agritechnica exhibition.

– One hundred fifty-five people took part in the Further-Education Event for Building Specialists, learning about reasonably priced, ergonomically optimised flexible-use animal housing concepts, as well as about concrete solutions for ammonia emission reduction in the building sector.

– A study into the economic and environmental services provided by mountain dairy farms was launched as part of a dissertation and as a contribution to the ‘Healthy Nutrition and Sustainable Food Production’

National Research Programme (NRP 69).