DOK Case Study

The DOK long-term trial compares two organic (BIOORG, BIODYN) and two conventional (CONMIN, CONFYM) certified and regionally applied farming systems along with an unfertilized control (NOFERT) since more than 40 years.

The DOK long-term experimental field trial is located in Therwil close to Basel (Switzerland) and started in 1978. The DOK compares different organic and conventional certified and regionally applied framing systems at two fertilization intensities. The soil is a haplic luvisol under continental climate with a MAP of 9.5 °C and MAP of 792 mm.

Objectives

The DOK trial compares two organic (BIOORG, BIODYN) and two conventional (CONMIN, CONFYM) farming systems along with an unfertilized control (NOFERT). The organically fertilized systems (BIOORG, BIODYN, CONFYM) are maintained at two fertilization intensities (0.7 and 1.4 livestock units). The experiment is designed as a randomized split block with four biological replications and three times iterated (different stages of the 7 year crop rotation). In total DOK encompasses 96 plots with a size of 5 x 20 m each.

Local Focus

Comaparison of organic and conventional managemement