NOcsPS

A More sustainable Agriculture 4.0 without Chemical-Synthetic Plant Protection

Time to rethink conventional practices

European and national political demands to reduce chemically synthesised plant protection products (csPSM) are to be met with the development of a new, more sustainable agricultural cultivation system. At the same time, this is intended to address society's desire for a diet that is as healthy as possible, as the use of csPSMs is being critically scrutinised and discussed by the public due to possible residues in food and the environment and the associated potential negative effects on biodiversity. At the same time, however, there is also an obligation to ensure an adequate food supply and to guarantee sufficient biomass production overall, which requires the use of mineral fertilisers.

 

Innovative cropping systems for a sustainable agricultural production

The overarching goal is to develop an innovative, site-adapted, more sustainable agricultural system that represents an alternative or supplement to conventional and organic farming and thus breaks down the dichotomy between these markets.
A NOcsPS cultivation system with its potential to inspire conventional agriculture to reduce csPSM with optimised fertilisation and organic agriculture with regard to alternative fertilisation strategies and cultivation measures can serve as a bridge between the two established systems.
Investigation levels of the NOcsPS cropping system
Investigation levels of the NOcsPS cropping system
By dispensing with csPSM and the targeted use of mineral fertilisers, the aim is to increase biodiversity and maintain soil fertility to produce high biomass yields, while at the same time ensuring that the population is supplied with sufficient quantities of high-quality, affordable food. The NOcsPS 2.0 joint project is not only investigating the prerequisites for this cultivation system and its chances of implementation at various levels. The practical implementation of NOcsPS products in the agribusiness value chains is also being prepared. To this end, a variety of experimental set-ups will be used to test whether NOcsPS cultivation systems can lead to comparatively high ecosystem services with high productivity using state-of-the-art, networked and digital technologies as well as innovative cultivation measures to strengthen plant resilience and take utilisation measures into account.​​​​​​​

 

Interdisciplinarity and systemic approaches to the agricultural systems of the future

NOcsPS cultivation systems are developed and analysed at various levels. To this end, system and exact trials on NOcsPS cultivation systems are carried out at different locations at plot and field level in comparison with other cultivation systems. In addition, investigations are carried out at farm and landscape level, but also in real laboratories, in order to be able to make a holistic assessment from an ecological, economic and social perspective.
To this end, the scientists are working on the development and analysis of the NOcsPS cultivation system in an interdisciplinary manner and are transferring their findings on crop cultivation and yield-stabilising technical strategies as well as biodiversity effects to areas such as life cycle assessment or the modelling of phytosanitary and yield-oriented as well as economic decision-making tools. The results are used to assess sustainability and to analyse market potential under real conditions, which serve as a basis for the design and evaluation of implementation options for NOcsPS cultivation systems.

Important disciplines of agricultural science are represented in the network for this holistic assessment: Plant cultivation and plant nutrition, phytomedicine, landscape ecology, agricultural engineering, sustainability assessment, business management and agricultural marketing.
The network receives support from companies in the value chain, as NOcsPS cultivation systems are to be developed and implemented as an interplay of innovative agronomic and technical measures, particularly in the area of smart farming, while at the same time fulfilling the requirements at the processing and marketing level to enable NOcsPS products to be brought to market quickly.

Coordinator and deputy
Prof. Dr. Enno Bahrs
Institut für Landwirtschaftliche Betriebslehre - Universität Hohenheim (UHOH), Schwerzstrasse 44, 70599 StuttgartProf. Dr. Ralf Vögele
Institut für Phytomedizin (360) – Universität Hohenheim (UHOH), Otto-Sander-Straße 5, 70599 Stuttgart
Dr. Hella Kehlenbeck
Institut für Strategien und Folgenabschätzung - Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI) Bundesforschungsinstitut für Kulturpflanzen, Stahnsdorfer Damm 81, 14532 Kleinmachnow
Prof. Dr. Achim Spiller
Marketing für Lebensmittel und Agrarprodukte - Georg-August-Universität Göttingen (UGOE), Platz der Göttinger​​​​​​​​​​​​​​


Coordination office NOcsPS
Dr. Ingrid Claß-Mahler (field trials)
Dr. Nicole Schönleber (administration)
Dr. Beate Zimmermann (administration)
University of Hohenheim

www.nocsps.de

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Contact
University of Hohenheim
Institute of Farm Management
Schwerzstr. 44
70599 Stuttgart
Tel.: +49 (0)711 459-22934
E-Mail: nocsps@uni-hohenheim.de

Project partners
The Julius Kühn Institute (JKI) 
Dr. Hella Kehlenbeck
Dr. Til Feike
Prof. Dr. Stefan Kühne
Dr. Jürgen Schwarz
Dr. Bettina
Dr. Sandra Krengel Horney

University of Göttingen
Prof. Dr. Armin Spiller
University of Hohenheim
Prof. Dr. Enno Bahrs
Dr. Elisabeth Angenendt
Dr. Beate Zimmermann
Prof. Dr. Roland Gerhards
Prof. Dr. Simone Graeff-Hönninger
Dr. Sebastian Munz
Prof. Dr. Ingo Graß
Dr. Wilfried Hermann
Prof. Dr. Ellen Kandeler
Dr. Sven Marhan
Prof. Dr. Iris Lewandowski
Jan Weik
Prof. Dr. Uwe Ludewig
Prof. Dr. Torsten Müller
Dr. Reiner Ruser
Dr. Klára Bradáčová
Prof. Dr. Georg Petschenka
Prof. Dr. Frank Schurr
Dr. Jörn Pagel
Prof. Dr. Anthony Stein
Prof. Dr. Ramona Weinrich

Staatsschule für Gartenbau
Dr. Michael Ernst​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Industry partners
AGLUKON Spezialdünger GmbH & Co. KG
Bäckerhaus Veit
Bio-Protect Gesellschaft für Phytopathologie mbH
Der Drohnenservice
Gemüsering Stuttgart GmbH
Geo-Konzept GmbH
HORSCH Maschinen GmbH
Kaufland Stiftung & Co. KG
KraichgauKorn - Marktgemeinschaft Kraichgau Korn w.V.
Lebosol® Dünger GmbH
LuxFlux GmbH
RAUCH Landmaschinenfabrik GmbH
SAM Dimension GmbH
SP Sourcon Padena GmbH
Vereinigte Hagelversicherung VVaG
​​​​​​​Zürn Harvesting GmbH & Co. KG