https://doi.org/10.4081/ija.2022.2025
Organic spelt production systems: Productive and financial performance in three orographic regions
Submitted: 14 December 2021
Accepted: 9 May 2022
Published: 29 June 2022
Accepted: 9 May 2022
Abstract Views: 761
PDF: 346
HTML: 58
HTML: 58
Publisher's note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
A two-year field trial was conducted to study the effects of biohumus, biofertiliser, and soil conditioner application on spelt grain yield in different regions (plain, hilly, and mountainous regions) in Serbia. An analysis of economic efficiency indicators of spelt production in organic farming systems was also performed. The field experiment had a randomised complete block design with three replicates in each of the three regions. One winter spelt cultivar was also studied. The largest differences in spelt yield compared to control were found in the plain region in the biohumus + biofertiliser treatment (28.0%) and the hilly region in the organic fertiliser + zeolite treatment (28.8%). The differences in grain yield between control and treatment conditions in the mountain region were insignificant. Analysis of the economic effects of organic spelt production found a significantly lower gross margin in treatments with expensive organic fertilisers (3955.05 and 1104.75 € ha–1) than the control (5094.31 and 1833.85 € ha–1), leading to the conclusion that their application was not economically justified despite the increases in grain yield. The highest production costs (3569.71 € ha–1) were observed in treatments in the hilly region, resulting in the lowest benefit-cost ratio (0.1), while the greatest benefit-cost ratio was recorded in treatments in the mountainous region (2.1). Following the economic analysis results, a significant negative correlation between the benefit-cost ratio and the total production costs (r= –0.91**) was determined and a positive correlation between the gross margin and grain yield (r=0.66*). These results lead to the conclusion that the management strategy of spelt production in organic farming systems should be harmonised with the soil and agro-ecological characteristics of the region and directed at decreasing the costs and share of external inputs. In this case, organic spelt production can be economically profitable.
Highlights
- Organic fertilisers and soil conditioners affect spelt grain yield.
- The analysis of the economic effects of organic spelt production concluded that fertiliser application was not economically justified despite the increases in grain yield.
- Treatments in the plain region displayed the best production results compared to mountain region treatments, but these did not have the best benefit-cost ratio.
- Knowledge of production costs is an important element in improving the economic efficiency of organic farming systems.
Adamtey N, Musyoka MW, Zundel C, Cobo JG, Karanja E, Fiaboe KK, Foster D, 2016. Productivity, profitability and partial nutrient balance in maize-based conventional and organic farming systems in Kenya. Agric Ecosyst Environ. 235:61-79.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2016.10.001
Andruszczak S, Kwiecińska-Poppe E, Kraska P, Pałys E, 2011. Yield of winter cultivars of spelt wheat (Triticum aestivum ssp. spelta L.) cultivated under diversified conditions of mineral fertilization and chemical protection. Acta Sci. Pol. Agricultura. 10:5-14.
Atanasov D, Zorovski P, Beluhova-Uzunova R, 2020. Technical and economic efficiency of ancient wheat species, grown under different technologies of organic fertilization. Scientific Papers Series Management, Economic Engineering in Agriculture and Rural Development. 20:109-117.
Borrelli L, Pecetti L, 2019. Wheat yield as a measure of the residual fertility after 20 years of forage cropping systems with different manure management in Northern Italy. Ital. J. Agron. 14:142-6.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4081/ija.2019.1359
Cisse A, Arshad A, Wang X, Yattara F, Hu Y, 2019. Contrasting impacts of long-term application of biofertilizers and organic manure on grain yield of winter wheat in north China plain. Agronomy. 9:312.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy9060312
Ćupina B, Vujić S, Krstić D, Radanović Z, Čabilovski R, Manojlović M, Latković D, 2017. Winter cover crops as green manure in a temperate region: the effect on nitrogen budget and yield of silage maize. Crop Pasture Sci. 68:1060-9.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1071/CP17070
D’Amico M, Coppola A, Chinnici G, Di Vita G, Pappalardo G, 2013. Agricultural systems in the European Union: an analysis of regional differences. New Medit. 124:28-34.
Di Mola I, Ottaiano L, Sacco A, Senatore M, Mori M, 2021. Organic versus mineral fertilization: Assessing of yield and quality of durum wheat in marginal lands. Ital. J. Agron. 6:1855.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4081/ija.2021.1855
Ferreira S, Oliveira F, Gomes da Silva F, Teixeira M, Gonçalves M, Eugénio R, Gonçalves JM, 2020. Assessment of factors constraining organic farming expansion in lis valley, Portugal. AgriEngine. 2:111-27.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/agriengineering2010008
Grobelnik-Mlakar S, Bavec F, Bavec M, Jakop J, Robačer M, Brkljača J, Bodroža Solarov M, 2014. Technological properties of spelt according to different production systems. pp. 610-615 in Proceeding of the II international congress Food technology, quality and safety, 28-30 October 2014, Institute of Food Technology, Novi Sad, Serbia.
Haniati IL, Minardi S, Suryono S, 2020. Combined applications of manure, rock phosphate and zeolite to increase nutrient uptake and soybean yield in Alfisols. In: AIP Conference Proceedings, 2219:080001.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0003052
Hardie M, 2020. Review of novel and emerging proximal soil moisture sensors for use in agriculture. Sensors 20:6934.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/s20236934
Ibrahim M, Alghamdi G, 2021. Effect of the particle size of clinoptilolite zeolite on water content and soil water storage in a loamy sand soil. Water 13:607.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/w13050607
Iocola I, Colombo L, Dara Guccione G, De Vita P, Palumbo M, Ritunnano V, Sciacca F, Virzà N, Canali S. 2021. A multi-criteria qualitative tool for the sustainability assessment of organic durum wheat-based farming systems designed through a participative process. Ital. J. Agron. 16:1785.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4081/ija.2021.1785
Jablonskytė-Raščė D, Maikštėnienė S, Mankevičienė A, 2013. Evaluation of productivity and quality of common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and spelt (Triticum spelta L.) in relation to nutrition conditions. Zemdirbyste-Agriculture. 100:45-56.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.13080/z-a.2013.100.007
Janković S, Ikanović J, Popović V, Rakić S, Kuzevski J, 2013. Agroecological conditions and morphoproductive properties of spelt wheat. Biotechnol. Anim. Husb. 29:547-54.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2298/BAH1303547J
Jankowska-Huflejt H, Wróbel B, Twardy S, 2011. Current role of grasslands in development of agriculture and rural areas in Poland - An example of mountain voivodships małopolskie and podkarpackie. J. Water Land Dev. 15:3-18.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/v10025-012-0001-4
Klima K, Kliszcz A, Puła J, Lepiarczyk A, 2020. Yield and profitability of crop production in mountain less favoured areas. Agronomy. 10:700.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10050700
Kovačević D, Roljević S, Dolijanović Ž, Djordjević S, Milić V, 2014. Different genotypes of alternative small grains in organic farming. Genetika. 46:169-78.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2298/GENSR1401169K
Lacko-Bartošová M, Korczyk-Szabó J, Ražný R, 2010. Triticum spelta - a specialty grain for ecological farming systems. Res. J. Agric. Sci. 42:143-7.
Leenhardt D, Angevin F, Biarnès A, Colbach N, Mignolet C, 2010. Describing and locating cropping systems on a regional scale. A review. Agron Sustain Dev. 30:131-8.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/agro/2009002
Lefebvre M, Espinosa M, Gomez y Paloma S, Paracchini L, Piorr A, Zasada I, 2015. Agricultural landscapes as multi-scale public good and the role of the Common Agricultural Policy. J. Environ. Plan. Manag. 58:2088-112.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09640568.2014.891975
Mahesh M, Thomas J, Kumar KA, Bhople BS, Saresh NV, Vaid SK, Sahu SK, 2018. Zeolite farming: A sustainable agricultural prospective. Int. J. Curr. Microbiol. App. Sci. 7:2912-24.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2018.705.340
Muhlbachova G, Simon T, 2003. Effects of zeolite amendment on microbial biomass and respiratory activity in heavy metal contaminated soils. Plant Soil Environ. 49:536-41.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17221/4190-PSE
Muller A, Schader C, El-Hagr Scialabba N, Niggli U, 2017. Strategies for feeding the world more sustainably with organic agriculture. Nat. Commun. 8:1290.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-01410-w
Narjary B, Aggarwal P, Singh A, Chakraborty D, Singh R, 2012. Water availability in different soils in relation to hydrogel application. Geoderma. 187:94-101.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2012.03.002
Rapčan I, Galić Subašić D, Ranogajec LJ, Hajduk S, 2020. Organic farming of spelt (Triticum spelta L.) and economic results. Agron. glas. 82:135-46.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.33128/ag.82.3.4
Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia. Hydrometeorological data. Available from: http://www.hidmet.gov.rs/ciril/meteorologija/klimatologija_godisnjaci.php
Roljević Nikolić S, Kovačević D, Cvijanović G, Dolijanović Ž, Marinković J, 2018. Grain yield and rhizosphere microflora of alternative types of wheat in organic production. Rom. Biotechnol. Lett. 23:13301-9.
Roljević-Nikolić S, Knežević D, Paraušić V, 2021. Modeling the relationship between the characteristics of agricultural holdings and the presence of organic farming. Acta Agricult. Serbica. 26:123-30.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5937/AASer2152123R
Ruegger A, Winzeler H, 1993. Performance of Spelt (Triticum spelta L.) and Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) at two different seeding rates and nitrogen levels under contrasting environmental conditions. J. Agron. Crop Sci. 170:289-95.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-037X.1993.tb01088.x
Sembiring M, Sabrina T, Mukhlis M, 2020. Effect of soil conditioner enriched with biofertilizers to improve soil fertility and maize (Zea mays L.) growth on andisols Sinabung area. Acta Agric. Slov. 116:253-60.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14720/aas.2020.116.2.1322
Simane B, Zaitchik F, Foltz D, 2016. Agroecosystem specific climate vulnerability analysis: application of the livelihood vulnerability index to a tropical highland region. Mitig. Adapt. Strateg. Glob. Chang. 21:39-65.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11027-014-9568-1
Subić J, Roljević Nikolić S, Simonović Z, 2019. Evaluation of economic sustainability ecological production vegetables on family farms in Serbia. pp. 35-44 in Proceedings of the 10th edition of the international symposium Agrarian Economy and Rural Development - Realities and Perspectives for Romania, 14 November 2019, Research Institute for Agriculture Economy and Rural Development, Bucharest, Romania.
Sugár E, Fodor N, Sándor R, Bónis P, Vida G, Árendás T, 2019. Spelt wheat: n alternative for sustainable plant production at low N-levels. Sustainability. 11:6726.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su11236726
Szerement J, Ambrożewicz-Nita A, Kędziora K, Piasek J, 2014. Use of zeolite in agriculture and environmental protection. A short review. Bulletin of the Lviv Polytechnic National University. Theory and practice of construction. 781:172-7.
Tobiašová E, 2011. The effect of organic matter on the structure of soils of different land uses. Soil Till. Res. 114:183-92.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2011.05.003
Troccoli A, Codianni P, 2005. Appropriate seeding rate for einkorn, emmer, and spelt grown under rainfed condition in southern Italy. Eur. J. Agron. 22:293-300.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2004.04.003
Vukoje V, Bodroža Solarov M, Vučković J, Košutić M, Živković J, 2011. Economical effects of organic production of spelt wheat. Econ. Agric. 58:80-7.
Wang J, Baranski M, Korkut R, Kalee HA, Wood L, Bilsborrow P, Volakakis N, 2021. Performance of modern and traditional spelt wheat (Triticum spelta) varieties in rain-fed and irrigated, organic and conventional production systems in a semi-arid environment; Results from exploratory field experiments in Crete, Greece. Agronomy. 11:890.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11050890
Willer H, Trávníček J, Meier C, Schlatter B (Eds.), 2021. The World of Organic Agriculture. Statistics and Emerging Trends 2021. Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL, Frick, and IFOAM - Organics International, Bonn. Available from: www.organic-world.net/yearbook/yearbook-2021.html
Wilson JD, Bechtel DB, Wilson GWT, Seib PA, 2008. Bread quality of spelt wheat and its starch. Cereal Chem. 85:629-38.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1094/CCHEM-85-5-0629
Winnicki T, Żuk-Gołaszewska K, 2018. Agronomic and economic characteristics of common wheat and spelt production in an organic farming system. Acta Sci. Pol. Agric. 16:247-54.
Zielinski H, Ceglinska A, Michalska A, 2008. Bioactive compounds in spelt bread. Euro. Food Res. Technol. 226:537-44.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00217-007-0568-1
How to Cite
Dolijanović, Željko, Roljević Nikolić, S., Subić, J., Jovović, Z., Oljača, J., & Bačić, J. (2022). Organic spelt production systems: Productive and financial performance in three orographic regions. Italian Journal of Agronomy, 17(2). https://doi.org/10.4081/ija.2022.2025
Copyright (c) 2022 The Author(s)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
PAGEPress has chosen to apply the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0) to all manuscripts to be published.