Establishing Living Labs Trials in Serbia
Contributing Authors: Prof. Dr Jegor Miladinović, Marjana Vasiljević
Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Novi Sad, 26/11/2024
Winter crop trials play a crucial role in advancing sustainable farming practices, and in Serbia, the VALERECO project is leading the way. These trials are not just about growing crops—they’re about transforming farming systems to be more climate-resilient, productive, and environmentally friendly. In this blog post, we explore the steps involved in establishing these Living Labs and the exciting potential they hold for the future of agriculture.
The VALERECO project aims to promote the adoption and understanding of legume crops, which are essential for transitioning to sustainable, productive, climate-neutral, and resilient farming systems. As part of this initiative, the establishment of winter crop trials serves as a valuable tool for showcasing the numerous benefits of legumes. Led by Prof. Dr. Jegor Miladinović and the IFVCNS team, the winter crop trials in Serbia are now fully prepared for the growing season. The trials encompass three main activities that will provide key insights into how legumes contribute to more sustainable agricultural practices.
Soil Sampling, Analysis & Plot Selection
As a first step, both the general chemical and physical properties of the soil were assessed to understand the baseline conditions. Analysis will be performed over the course of the experimental years.
Special attention was given to soil compaction and bulk density, as these physical properties can directly impact root development and plant growth. Limited root growth leads to reduced nutrient uptake from the soil, which in turn affects the productivity and yield of the plant species. Favourable physical properties and proper aeration in the root zone are essential for balanced growth and development of the cultivated plants. The plot was selected based on the soil analysis and then prepared to ensure optimal conditions for sowing.
Why Choose Winter Cover Crops?
The key challenge for agricultural producers is integrating winter cover crops into the existing crop rotation of major field crops and understanding how this system affects overall production success. The benefits of this approach are numerous: it helps absorb and prevent nutrient leaching, fixes atmospheric nitrogen (when legumes are used), improves soil structure, enhances the physical, chemical, and microbiological properties of the soil, and offers protection against wind and water erosion.
Criteria for choosing the winter cover crop:
- Production system;
- Existing crop rotation;
- Main crop;
- Technical equipment of the farm;
- Reason for introducing cover crops (e.g. improving soil parameters, providing nutrients, increasing the yield and quality of the main crop).
The varieties selected for the trial were created through the breeding work at the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, an Institute of National Importance for the Republic of Serbia (https://ifvcns.rs/).
On October 18, 2024, sowing the winter cover crop of green manure was performed. This green manure will be evaluated for its potential to improve soil fertility and to support ecosystem services.
What Are the Plans for Spring?
Mulching the winter cover crop biomass (winter pea) and conservation tillage, seed bad preparation and sowing of following crops (wheat, soybean, and chickpea) will be performed.
Cultivation practices such as the use of winter cover crops have the potential to greatly improve the sustainability of agricultural production systems and provide practical answers that result in long-term and beneficial effect of legumes in production systems.
As the winter crop trials progress, we look forward to sharing our findings and collaborating with the broader farming community. Stay tuned for updates and join us in supporting the shift toward more sustainable agricultural practices. Together, we can create a resilient, climate-smart future for farming.
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