RESEARCH INTO AND DEVELOPMENT OF INTEGRATED FARMING SYSTEMS FOR LESS-INTENSIVE ARABLE CROP PRODUCTION - EXPERIMENTAL PROGRESS (1989-1994) AND COMMERCIAL IMPLEMENTATION

The Less-Intensive Farming and Environment (LIFE) project is an interd isciplinary research study at IACR-Long Ashton designed to address, ex ploit and integrate interactions of fanning system components, holisti cally, and to provide the technology for economically viable, ecologic ally acceptable and environmentally benign production systems. The fir st 5-year cycle was completed at harvest 1994. Over the 5-year period, adoption of less-intensive strategies based on integrated technology, reduced overall yields of wheat and oilseed rape by up to 18%, and yi elds of barley and oats by 11%. Nevertheless, production costs were al so reduced by 32% and overall profitability was maintained. Within thi s period, substantial reductions (kg a.i. ha(-1)) in applied nitrogen (36%), herbicides (26%), fungicides (79%) and pesticides (78%) have be en obtained over standard farm practices designed to reflect current a rable crop production strategies. Data are presented on innovative str ategies and decision-making processes, and their implementation in two commercial 'Demonstration Farms' in south-west England. (C) 1997 Else vier Science B.V.