10-Year study on the impact of organic fertilization on winter wheat yield and quality following lucerne and grain pea in a dry sub-humid region under organic cultivation in Austria

Summary

Winter wheat (WW) plays a pivotal role in organic agriculture due to its response to various farming practices. This study assessed the impact of prolonged organic fertilization systems (FSs) on winter wheat productivity and quality in eastern Austria over a decade. We used a comprehensive dual analytical approach throughout the study. First, we evaluated three organic FSs individually: FS1 (without livestock (-L), using two-year lucerne green manure (GM)), FS2 (-L, including two-year lucerne GM and municipal compost (GM + MC)), and FS3 (with livestock (+L), including two-year lucerne forage-use and farmyard manure (FU + FYM). Second, we analyzed how FSs and preceding crops affected WW performance and quality over 10 years. Estimated biological N 2 fixation for lucerne ranged from 250 to 2