https://erti.hu/en/

Contact person:

Katalin Tuba

PhD, prof. associate

tuba.katalin@uni-sopron.hu

Andrea Vágvölgyi

PhD, prof. assistant

vagvolgyi.andrea@uni-sopron.hu

LIVING LAB 4: Hungary

Forest Research Institute - Bajti Breeding Yard research centre

Managed by: University of Sopron

General information
The experimental site can be found near to Sárvár; next to the highway no. 84. It is located in a plain, riparian zone, near to river Rába.
The 0.5 ha allay cropping system was established in 2021.
The site was established with the aim of research into the possibilities of domestic adaptation of agroforestry systems, thereby establishing the foundation of sustainable agriculture.

General farming approach
Agroforestry, organic, integrated farming

Objectives

  • herb cultivation
  • industrial wood production
  • bee pasture
  • testing different soil covering methods (effect on soil microclimate, productivity, etc…

Challenges

  • Improve microclimate, especially boosts the humidity
  • Ameliorate water retention, keep the water in the soil
  • Lift the water from the deepest soil layers
  • Protect the plants from scorcing.


Research goals

Planned research activities:

  • Soil and air microclimate measurements

  • Soil tests

  • Assessment of abundance of indicator species

  • Soil Biological Quality assessment (QBS)

  • Yield quantity and quality tests

  • Environmental footprint analysis with GaBi softwere

The aim and motivation of research is to set up a decision support model tailored to the local conditions, which can be easily used in practice and which can provide significant help in the economic decisions of domestic farmers interested in the topic in the future..

Design of the agroforestry system 

Intercrops: narrowleaf plantain (Plantago lanceolata), periwinkle (Vinca minor), sorrel (Rumex rugosus), beepasture-mixture
Tree species: poplar (Populus x euramericana ‘Pannónia’)

Tree pruning method matches to the intensive poplar cultivation

No irrigation.
Protection against wildlife: 2 m high game fence.

Monitoring

Monitoring plan:
  • microclimate (soil + air)
  • soil
  • tree and intercrop yield
  • indicator species (earthworm, insects)

Currently available baseline information: soil and climate data, tree growth.

Hungary

0.5 ha

Silvoarable

Arable

3 years (established in 2021)

Inter-row/In-row distance: 6 m between tree rows and 40 cm between intercrop rows in alley cropping 4 m between tree rows in solely tree control plot/ 5 m

Width of tree strips: 3 m

170/ 0,5 ha

Poplar (Populus x euramericana 'Pannónia'); narrowleaf plantain (Plantago lanceolata); periwinkle (Vinca minor); sorrel (Rumex rugosus); beepasture-mixture

Livestock: No

Clay soil; soil depth: 0,6-0,7 m

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