Ecological-functional intensification in arable farming through mixed cultures of medicinal plants and wheat and biodynamic preparations

Ecological-functional intensification is guided by the question of how productivity in crop production can be increased while at the same time improving ecosystem services by harnessing biological processes.

The project investigates three approaches to ecological-functional intensification: complementary use of resources through mixed crops, targeted use of plant-microorganism associations that promote plant growth in the form of fermented preparations, and improved access to water in the subsoil through preceding crop effects.

On four Hessian sites, the influence of

1. annual and perennial mixed crops of medicinal plants and wheat and
2. the biodynamic field preparations horn manure and horn silica

on root growth and morphology, shoot growth and physiology, earthworm abundance and contribution to biopore genesis in the subsoil. In addition to the spatial development of the root space, the focus is on root morphological adaptations such as increased specific root length.

Due to the pronounced root performance of perennial crops, a high potential is expected in terms of climate adaptation (through particularly deep root systems) and climate protection (through high carbon-rich root mass). In addition, the effects of biodynamic preparations on root morphological parameters are being investigated under field conditions for the first time. In contrast to previous studies, this is being done against the background of strong indications of microbially mediated plant growth-promoting effects of these preparations, i.e. with the aim not only of testing possible effects at the level of different plant reactions, but also with the aim of gaining a deeper process understanding of the mode of action of these preparations. The effects of perennial deep-rooted arable crops on biopore densities in the subsoil are being investigated for the first time on several sites with very different soil properties.