Agricultural and Food Science (AFSci) is a peer-reviewed journal, published quarterly. AFSci publishes original research reports on agriculture and food research in relation to primary production in boreal agriculture. Acceptable papers must be of international interest and have a northern dimension. We especially welcome papers related to agriculture in Boreal and Baltic Sea Region.
The Scientific Agricultural Society of Finland
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Socio-psychological factors influencing decision-making and implementation of IPM methods among Finnish farmers
The European Union’s Green Deal aims to reduce the use of chemical pesticides, promoting Integrated Pest Management (IPM) as a sustainable alternative. This study is the first to examine Finnish farmers’ perspectives on IPM adoption using a modified Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) framework. We included knowledge, moral norms, and well-being as additional factors to the original TPB components: attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control. Data were collected via an online survey (n=303), and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was used to analyse factor relationships. The model explained 72% of the variance in Intention and 49% in Behaviour. Moral norms, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control explained attitudes towards IPM. Attitude explained intention directly, which in turn explained actual IPM use. Knowledge of IPM emerged as a strong mediator affecting both intention and usage of IPM methods. Based on our study, there is a need for targeted educational initiatives and support systems to facilitate the adoption of IPM while also considering broader socio-psychological factors that shape farmers’ attitudes.
integrated pest management, plant protection, agriculture, behavioural science, theory of planned behaviour
Copyright (c) 2025 Eliisa Malin, Jaana Sorvali, Janne Kaseva, Marja Jalli https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Impact of genotype-environment interactions on wheat yield and quality: Evidence from multilocation trials
Common wheat is a globally important cereal crop, with its winter form essential for milling and baking industries. This study explores the relationships between grain quality traits and yield in wheat, focusing on genetic and environmental influences. Field trials of 55 cultivars across 12 locations over five seasons evaluated grain yield (GY), grain protein content (GPC), thousand-grain weight (TGW), Zeleny sedimentation value (SV), and Hagberg falling number (FN) using linear mixed models and path analysis. Results revealed trade-offs between yield and quality: higher FN and SV correlated with increased GPC, while higher GY and TGW were linked to lower GPC. GY positively correlated with TGW but was negatively influenced by GPC. Path analysis confirmed these relationships, emphasizing genetic and environmental interactions. GGE biplot analysis identified cultivars with stable performance across environments. This study highlights strategies for balancing yield and quality in breeding programs, offering insights for developing resilient cultivars tailored to specific uses and environmental conditions, applicable beyond wheat breeding.
common wheat, grain quality, grain yield
Copyright (c) 2025 Adriana Derejko, Marcin Studnicki, Elzbieta Wójcik-Gront https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Spent Mushroom Substrate (SMS) as a Sustainable Soil Amendment and Biofertilizer:
Spent mushroom substrate (SMS), a byproduct of mushroom cultivation, has gained increasing attention as a sustainable soil amendment in agricultural and horticultural systems. SMS provides a promising alternative to peat-based substrates and synthetic fertilizers, supporting circular bioeconomy principles and sustainable farming practices. This is particularly relevant in boreal regions, where soils are typically acidic, nutrient-poor, and subject to short growing season conditions, presenting both opportunities and challenges for organic inputs. This review synthesizes current research on the agronomic and environmental implications of SMS use in agriculture and horticulture, including its effects on seed germination, plant growth, crop yield, root development, soil structure, and disease suppression. From an environmental perspective, the use of SMS contributes to waste reduction by repurposing organic residues and replacing peat, a non-renewable resource with significant ecological costs. However, several hurdles remain, including high salinity, inconsistent composition, nutrient imbalances, and complex compounds difficult for plants to access, which can impede plant performance. While prior studies have explored SMS in isolated settings, a comprehensive evaluation across systems is lacking. This review addresses that gap by assessing current evidence, identifying limitations, and outlining future research needs to optimize the use of SMS and scale its adoption in sustainable farming.
sustainable agriculture, peat alternative, organic waste recovery, circular bioeconomy, soil health, environmental safety
Copyright (c) 2025 Hesam Mousavi, Ida Quisth, Isabella Ulfsparre, Bettina Müller, Volkmar Passoth, Svein Øivind Solberg, Carlos Martín, Luis Alejandro Romero-Soto, Mari Pent https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Chemical composition and nitrogen-to-protein conversion factor for honey bee drone brood –pupae of Apis mellifera L.
Honey bee drone brood is one of the novel complementary protein sources despite its long global history as a food source. We have studied its nutritional value thoroughly, paying special attention to protein. In addition to nitrogen and amino acids, moisture, chitin, dietary fibre, fat, fatty acid profile, glycogen, sugars, minerals, heavy metals, and ash were analysed. According to our results, the appropriate nitrogen-to-protein conversion factor for drone brood is 4.82 and the protein content hence 8.62 g 100g-1 as fresh weight. When the protein content of drone brood is calculated by the traditional conversion factor 6.25, the protein content appears to be almost a third higher, 11.26 g 100g-1. The digestible indispensable amino acid score (DIAAS analysis) revealed the good nutritional value of the drone brood protein as DIAAS values were in the range of 0.9 to 1.5. The mean chitin content was 0.72 g 100g-1 as fresh weight.
amino acids, chitin, DIAAS, insect, protein quality
Copyright (c) 2025 Tiina Ritvanen, Marja Raatikainen, Janne Järvinen, Helena Pastell https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Valorization of carrot, cabbage, and red beet by-products – A review
Approximately 30% of vegetables end up as by-products during processing. Vegetable by-products have traditionally been used as animal feed, soil improvers, or raw material for biogas. In this literature review, we examine and discuss studies concerning the utilization of cabbage, carrot, and red beet by-products in a wide variety of applications, including technical applications. These vegetables are widely cultivated in northern climates as well as around the world, and there is a need to outline potential uses for their by-products. Numerous product ideas and research results exist concerning the use of by-products in food, feed, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, biosorbents, composites and films, energy products, soil amendments and pesticides, enzymes, dyes and biosurfactants, and electrical products. Food and food additives were the most examined targets of carrot, cabbage, and red beet by-product valorization. These studies could be used, for example, in creating a company’s by-product utilization strategy. High-value biochemicals, tailored nutraceuticals, feed additives, bioplastics, or biofuels may be realistic options in large-scale production. Environmental, safety, and economic aspects must be taken into account when utilizing by-products.
side-stream, Daucus carota L., Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata, Beta vulgaris L. var. conditiva, utilization, application
Copyright (c) 2025 Marja Lehto, Hanna-Riitta Kymäläinen, Minna M. Kahala, Eila P. Järvenpää https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Chestnut tannin supplementation at ensiling: Effects on composition, degradability, and fermentation of forage silages
Tannins are plant secondary compounds capable of forming pH-dependent reversible bonds with proteins, thereby reducing protein degradation in the silo and rumen. This study evaluated the effect of adding chestnut hydrolysable tannin (HYT) at ensiling on the chemical composition, protein degradability, and rumen fermentation of grass, whole-crop pea, and bean silages. Forages were harvested, wilted (48 h), chopped (5 cm), and ensiled in mini silos (~25 kg) with one of four treatments: 40 g kg-1 FW HYT (HT), 20 g kg-1 HYT (LT), an inoculant (IN), or water (W, control). Tannin addition reduced (p< 0.01) ammonia-N during ensiling by 31% (HT), 19% (LT), and 7% (IN) compared to W. Tannin treatments decreased (p< 0.01) CNCPS fraction A and increased (p< 0.01) fractions B1, B2, and C, as well as undegradable protein at a 0.05 h⁻¹ outflow rate (HT = 282; LT = 273; IN = 222; W = 216 g kg⁻¹ CP). In-situ degradation showed reductions (p< 0.01) in both the immediately soluble fraction “a” and total degradable fraction “a+b” with tannin inclusion. Gas production was also reduced (p< 0.01) with HT (254 ml) and LT (281 ml) compared to IN (310 ml) and W (337 ml). Furthermore, dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) disappearance declined (p< 0.01) with tannin treatment (DM: HT = 532, LT = 583; OM: HT = 588, LT = 605 g kg⁻¹ DM) relative to control (DM = 641; OM = 661 g kg⁻¹ DM). In conclusion, ensiling with chestnut tannins improved protein preservation and reduced the rumen degradation and fermentability of protein, suggesting potential benefits for enhancing forage utilization in ruminant diets.
forage preservation, hydrolysable tannin, protein protection, silage additives
Copyright (c) 2025 Vahel Jaladet Taha, James A. Huntington, Robert R. Wilkinson, Dave Davies https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
A revision of emergent pests in major agricultural and horticultural crops in Finland
Climate change and changes in agricultural production will benefit pest species in Northern Europe by decreasing climatic restrictions and increasing availability of host plant species. We reviewed changes in the status of agricultural and horticultural pests that were identified in 2011 as potential future threats to Finnish plant production and identified species that were not mentioned in the previous review but are considered emergent pests now. In field crops, the emergent weed species were Echinochloa crus-galli and Solanum nitidibaccatum, the emergent plant pathogens Zymoseptoria tritici, Fusarium graminearum and F. langsethiae and rusts (Puccinia spp.) in cereals, as well as Potato mop-top virus (PMTV) and emerging species of potato blackleg bacteria (Dickeya and Pectobacterium spp.). The migrant Lepidopteran, Autographa gamma, the established alien sawfly Athalia rosae in oilseed crops, the alien Bruchus rufimanus in faba beans, native Chaetocnema spp. in spring cereals and wireworms (Elateridae) in potato were the emergent arthropod pests of field crops. In horticultural crops, Aculops lycopersici, Bemisia tabaci, Rhagoletis batava, Igutettix oculatus, Hoplocampa flava and Hoplocampa minuta and Otiorhynchus spp. were emergent alien arthropod pests, while the greenhouse whitefly, various aphids, thrips, and Phytonemus pallidus and Tetranychus urticae were emerging mainly due to withdrawal of chemicals. Warm early summers, banning of chemicals and importation of plants and seeds were considered the major drivers of the change. Several pests not considered potential future threats in 2011 are now emergent pests in Finland, underlining rapid changes in pest emergence and the challenges of their prediction. Utilization of citizen science platforms is encouraged to enhance early observation of emerging pests.
arthropod, climate change, plant health, plant pathogen, biological invasions, weed
Copyright (c) 2025 Terho Hyvönen, Juho Hautsalo, Lea Hiltunen, Erja Huusela, Marja Jalli, Anne Nissinen, Marika Rastas, Pentti Ruuttunen, Irene Vänninen https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Substituting fossil-based mineral fertilizers with bio-based products – impacts on potentially toxic elements in soil and crops
Similar to conventional mineral fertilizers, circular bio-based fertilizer (BBF) products may contain potentially toxic elements (PTEs). In this study, conducted as part of the LEX4BIO project, the contents of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni) and lead (Pb) were surveyed in 37 phosphorus (P) BBFs and 7 nitrogen (N) BBFs representing different product function and component material categories. In addition, mass balances of these elements were calculated over 100-year scenarios of P fertilization with a product that was low or high in the assessed elements, a common mineral phosphate fertilizer (MPF), and a hypothetical fertilizer containing the maximum amount of these PTEs allowed by the EU regulations. The examination was performed using case-specific conditions for Finland, Denmark, France, Spain, Hungary, and Germany, in which countries the products had been tested. Although in some individual products the current maximum EU limits were exceeded for Cd and Ni, the contents of the targeted PTEs were overall low in the studied products. The dominant trends in the contents and fluxes of As, Ni, and Pb were decreasing in all fertilizer-use scenarios with observed BBF concentrations, but the maximum allowed rates would instead commonly lead to prominent increases. The highest sensitivity to variation in fertilizer input rates, along with some substantial increases in the environmental contents and fluxes was observed for Cd. However, with low-Cd BBFs, favorable development is also achievable for Cd fluxes. It is recommended that PTE levels remain well below the maximum EU limits.
mass balance modelling, arsenic, cadmium, lead, nickel
Copyright (c) 2025 Tapio Salo, Riikka Keskinen, Maria del Rosario Dominguez Carrasco, Johanna Suomi, Kari Ylivainio https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Impacts of climate change on agricultural yield and the economic feasibility of adaptation in Sweden
Climate change alters precipitation patterns and temperature. The impact thereof on agricultural yields varies across production seasons and crops. The purpose of this study is to examine the nonlinear effect of seasonal precipitation on the yields of winter wheat, spring wheat, oats, and spring barley using Swedish county-level data from 1979 to 2021. To this end, we use Poisson Pseudo-Maximum Likelihood regressions with high-dimensional fixed effects. Results show that increased precipitation during the early growing season enhances crop yields except for spring barley. Increased precipitation in the second, main growing season negatively affects all crops, but the magnitude of the impact is small compared to that in the early growing season. The impacts are generally more beneficial in the southern part of the country. Irrigation of winter wheat in the spring could be profitable for farms that own irrigation equipment, but for spring crops this would only be the case under extremely dry conditions. Results point to the need for well-tailored climate adaptation strategies.
costs, crop mix, irrigation, precipitation, revenues, season
Copyright (c) 2025 Katarina Elofsson , Bahre Gebru, Hans Andersson https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Assessing Estonia’s viticultural potential based on the compositional analysis of sugars and acids of wine grape cultivars
The primary objective of this study was to assess Estonia’s potential for viticulture through the calculation of the Heliothermal Index and analysis of its 20-year dynamics. The secondary objective was to determine the variability in grape sugars and acids composition depending on vintage (2023, 2024) and cultivar characteristics in ‘Solaris’, ‘Regent’, ‘Leon Millot’, ‘Cabernet Cortis’, ‘Marquette’, ‘Hasansky Sladky’, ‘Zilga’, and ‘Rondo’. Over the twenty years, the Heliothermal Index ranged from 872 to 1622, showing a warming trend with implications for viticultural potential. Fructose content in grapes ranged from 72 to 98 g l⁻¹, with ‘Marquette’ having the highest and ‘Zilga’ the lowest. Glucose content was lowest in ‘Zilga’ (64 g l⁻¹) and highest in ‘Marquette’ (98 g l⁻¹). ‘Zilga’ had the highest tartaric acid content (5.9 g l⁻¹), while ‘Leon Millot’ (3.5 g l⁻¹) and ‘Regent’ (3.7 g l-1) had the lowest. ‘Hasansky Sladky’ had the highest malic acid content (5.5 g l⁻¹), while ‘Regent’ (2.1 g l⁻¹) and ‘Solaris’ (2.5 g l⁻¹) had the lowest. The study confirmed that the tested cultivars are suitable for producing dry wine in Estonia, which belongs to the EU viticulture zone A.
total sugars, fructose, glucose, total acid, tartaric acid, malic acid
Copyright (c) 2025 Reelika Rätsep, Mariana Maante-Kuljus, Kadri Karp, Priit Põldma, Angela Koort, Leila Mainla, Ulvi Moor https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Pathogenicity of different Fusarium species on six arable crop species in Finland
In cereals, Fusarium species composition and associated mycotoxin risks are well studied in the Nordic countries, but the interactions between Fusarium populations and the legume crops faba bean and field pea, and the increasingly cultivated new crops such as maize and oilseed hemp, are unrevealed. In this study, two-year field experiments were carried out with spring wheat, oat and and the above-mentioned crops on small demonstration plots in 10 different fields in Central Finland. The aim was to analyse the severity of symptoms and prevalence of Fusarium species from the root and stem tissues of the field plants. While the legumes exhibited the most symptomatic plants, the prevalence of Fusarium species and symptoms in the samples varied considerably between the fields, F. avenaceum and F. equiseti being the most frequently detected species. In addition, the germination, growth and symptom development from Fusarium inoculated seeds of these arable crop species were examined in greenhouse conditions. F. graminearum, F. culmorum, and F. avenaceum were the most pathogenic Fusarium species in these experiments comparing up to 105 Fusarium isolate x crop species combinations.
Copyright (c) 2025 Juho Hautsalo, Marja Jalli, Ulla Heinonen, Satu Latvala https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Timing and intensity of weed harrowing in spring barley
At present weed harrowing is gaining significance in conventional agriculture as there is a growing trend to reduce the application of pesticides. Unfortunately, the harrowing is partially damaging to crop plants. The objective of the study was to find the optimum timing and intensity (1–3 harrow passes) of weed harrowing in spring barley. A 3-year one-factor field experiment was conducted on the alluvial loamy sand soil. Weed harrowing was conducted at different growth stages of barley. The additional treatments were: the increased seeding rate of barley by 20%; herbicide application and an untreated control. At least two passes with spring-tine harrow: at barley emergence and next at tillering or at the 2-leaf stage and tillering were needed for the significant weed density reduction, but only the first treatment did not reduce barley grain yield. Three harrow passes: at barley emergence, the 2-leaf stage, and tillering most efficiently reduced weed density but were also most damaging to barley. The experiment showed that when planning weed harrowing twice during barley growth, the cereal needs a long period of time to recover after the first cultivation.
mechanical weed control, spring-tine harrow, seeding rate, herbicide application, weed density, barley density
Copyright (c) 2025 Piotr Sobkowicz, Ewa Tendziagolska, Grzegorz Cwanek, Bartłomiej Dróżdż, Joanna Gisman, Aneta Hawryluk https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Citizens’ attitudes, concern and familiarity with animal production explaining the purchase intention for animal-welfare-labeled pork
This study uses a modified Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to explore how the ethical concern and familiarity with animal farming as proxies for self-identity and consumption strategies of ‘boycotting’ and ‘buycotting’, influence citizens’ intentions for purchasing and paying a premium for welfare-labeled pork. A survey was conducted with 400 Finnish respondents, and structural equation modeling was used to analyze the relationships within TPB constructs, including above-mentioned modifications of self-identity and consumption strategies, across different socioeconomic subgroups and the full sample. The findings indicate that attitudes toward farm animal welfare, ethical concerns, and familiarity with animal farming are the strongest predictors of purchasing intentions for welfare-labeled pork. While most respondents expressed a willingness to pay more for AW-labeled products, the role of boycotting emerged as more significant than buycotting, particularly among women and those sharing grocery shopping responsibilities. Social norms and perceived behavioral control showed limited influence in the full sample but were significant for specific groups, such as higher-educated consumers and middle-aged respondents. These results provide valuable insights into consumer motivations, particularly the role of self-identification with ethical concerns, and offer strategic opportunities for marketers and policymakers to promote ethical consumption and strengthen the market potential of welfare-labeled products.
etcal consumption, theory of planned behavior (TPB), boycotting, buycotting
Copyright (c) 2025 Katriina Heinola, Janne Kaseva, Terhi Latvala, Jarkko Kristian Niemi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
In vitro evaluation of agro-industrial by-products in diets for cattle
The objective of this in vitro batch culture study was to evaluate various agro-industrial by-products as feeds for cattle. In Experiment 1, a basal diet composed of grass silage and barley grain was replaced by additional barley grain, palm kernel cake (PKC), beet molasses (M), wheat bran (WB), or sugar beet pulp (SBP) at two levels of dietary supplementation. In Experiment 2, soybean meal (SBM) was compared with heat-treated rapeseed meal, dried distillers´ grains (DDG), rapeseed cake (RSC), and rapeseed meal (RSM) at two levels of dietary protein concentration in diets based on grass silage supplemented with barley grain or SBP. Propionate and branched chain volatile fatty acids decreased, and CH4 production increased when energy by-products of higher fibre content replaced barley grain. Diets incorporating PKC and WB were less fermentable, while M and SBP did not alter digestibility when replacing barley. Generally, incremental levels of protein in Experiment 2 linearly increased digestibility, utilisable crude protein (uCP), isobutyrate and valerate in vitro. Utilisable crude protein increased for all by-products that replaced SBM, except for RSM in diets including SBP. There was a positive linear effect of by-product level on uCP and valerate, and a negative linear effect for acetate. Diet digestibility was equivalent for DDG and SBM in diets composed with barley as well as SBP. Overall, by-products provided more uCP than diets supplemented with SBM. However, the intestinal digestibility of uCP of the different feeds can vary. In vivo production experiments are needed to fully assess the potential of in vitro evaluated by-products as widely applicable alternative feeds in diets for cattle.
barley, by-products, methane, protein, soybean meal, utilisable crude protein
Copyright (c) 2025 Sophie Julie Krizsan, Marcia Franco, Marketta Rinne, Mohammad Ramin, Farhang Fatehi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Influence of different production systems on the sensory attributes, fatty acid composition and vitamin E concentration in meat from intact male lambs
Sensory attributes, fatty acid composition and vitamin E concentration of meat from intact male lambs reared in four different production systems were analysed. The production systems were: I) indoor feeding with silage and concentrate; II) cultivated pasture; III) cultivated pasture with concentrate supplement; and IV) semi-natural pasture. Meat from lambs reared on semi-natural pasture tended to have stronger hay odour (p= 0.052) and leafy flavour (p= 0.078) than lamb meat from the production systems involving cultivated pasture and indoor feeding. Resistance to cutting was lower (p= 0.032) for meat from lambs reared on cultivated pasture without supplementary concentrate compared to cultivated pasture with supplemented concentrate. Production system resulted in a tendency for difference in the ratio between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. The ratio between n-6 and n-3 was affected by production system (p< 0.0001) where the indoor feeding with silage and concentrate had a higher ratio (2.64) than the other groups (cultivated pasture plus concentrate=1.96, cultivated pasture=1.45, and semi-natural pasture=1.41). No other differences were found regarding fatty acid composition. Vitamin E concentration was higher (p< 0.0001) in all three pasture groups compared to the indoor feeding with silage and concentrate.
Copyright (c) 2025 Elin Stenberg, Viktoria Olsson, Anders H Karlsson, Karin Wendin, Katarina Arvidsson Segerkvist https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Management factors affecting preservation quality of grass silage: laboratory evaluation and on-farm case study
Silage quality significantly influences livestock production costs and environmental impacts. This study assessed the fermentation quality, preservation losses, aerobic stability and microbial quality of grass silages under varying management practices, including compaction methods and additive treatments. In laboratory-scale, timothy and meadow fescue mixture was ensiled in 12-litre silos using three compaction methods (normal, loose, and normal followed by additional delayed compaction) and five additive treatments (control, homofermentative inoculant, heterofermentative inoculant, salt-based additive, and formic and propionic acid-based additive). Silage samples from three farms with aerobic stability issues were also analysed. In laboratory scale, chemical preservatives enhanced aerobic stability and minimized fermentation losses more effectively than biological inoculants. Heterofermentative inoculants increased acetic acid production, enhancing stability, while homofermentative inoculants had minimal impact on most parameters. Farm silages exhibited varied quality, with poor microbial quality linked with fast aerobic deterioration. Effective silage management practices, including oxygen limitation, proper compaction, and appropriate preservative application, are crucial to preventing spoilage and ensuring silage quality.
silage additive, compaction, aerobic stability, formic acid, lactic acid bacteria
Copyright (c) 2025 Marcia Franco, Katariina Manni, Arto Huuskonen, Marketta Rinne https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Textural properties of faba bean-based Camembert analogue
As global food systems evolve toward sustainability, the demand for plant-based alternatives to traditional animal-derived products is growing. Faba beans (Vicia faba), known for their versatility and agricultural benefits, offer a promising solution in the development of vegan cheese analogues. This study explores the potential of using faba beans to produce a Camembert-like cheese. The Camembert analogues were formulated with fat contents of 15% and 30% and varying proportions of coconut and rapeseed oils in triplicate. The proportions of coconut and rapeseed oils were 40:60, 50:50, and 60:40. Generally, the Camembert analogues with the higher fat content (30%) resulted in higher hardness, springiness, chewiness, and dry matter content compared to the analogues with 15% fat. This suggests that fat content is more important for these parameters than proportions of coconut and rapeseed oil. Future research should focus on optimising texture to more closely replicate traditional dairy Camembert and meet consumer sensory expectations. Incorporating sensory evaluations and consumer feedback is essential to validate instrumental findings and ensure the product meets consumer expectations.
Vicia faba, plant-based food, dairy analogue, vegan
Copyright (c) 2025 Galia Zamaratskaia, Nariman Mousa, Fredrik Fogelberg, Oksana Kravchenko, Maud Langton https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Copyright (c) 2025 Tuula Puhakainen https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Defining critical SOC/clay thresholds for soil health in boreal croplands using satellite-based NDVI proxies for productivity and resilience
The European Union’s soil strategy underscores the necessity for establishing feasible criteria to assess the soil health condition. In this study, we developed a method to define a critical threshold value for SOC/clay ratio on the basis of crop productivity and resilience. The study integrated data from national soil monitoring (NSM) of Finnish cropland soils (n=505) with satellite-based normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) obtained from the EcoDataCube (EDC) portal. The study area was confined to the boreal environmental zone to ensure consistent pedo-climatic conditions. The results show that the interannual variation in crop productivity increases rapidly below SOC/clay ratio of 0.09 (95% confidence intervals ranging from 0.07 to 0.16), whereas the corresponding threshold for mean productivity was 0.13 (0.09–0.16). The observed threshold values were found applicable for both cereals and temporary ley. The SOC/clay ratio of 1:13 (=0.08), regarded as a criterion for healthy soil in the current Soil Monitoring Law proposal, based on studies by Johannes et al. (2017) and Prout et al. (2021), is lower than the mean thresholds estimated in this study but aligns close to the lower bound of the 95% confidence intervals. In this research, Finnish agricultural land served as the case study area, but the method is easily applicable to various pedo-climatic regions and potentially to different land use types.
Soil Monitoring Law, SOC/clay ratio, cropland, NDVI, satellite data, national soil monitoring
Copyright (c) 2025 Jaakko Heikkinen, Riikka Keskinen, Kari Ylivainio https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Comparison of spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L) varieties grown in organic trials: lodging and plant height
Lodging is one of the main factors influencing yield reduction in both organic and conventional systems. In the organic system, lodging is mainly controlled by selecting varieties with increased resistance to lodging, by regulating sowing density, or by cultivation of varieties of appropriate height. The present study aimed to compare ten varieties tested in the years 2020–2022 in organic trials in terms of plant height and resistance to lodging in two growth phases (milk and harvest). Depending on the analyzed trait, a linear or cumulative link linear mixed model was fitted on plot data. The analyses showed that variety Farmer was the most resistant to lodging in the two growth phases, whereas varieties KWS Vermont and Rubaszek were less resistant to lodging in two growth phases than Farmer, but only at the milk phase, the differences were significant. Furthermore, Radek was the tallest among the tested varieties, whereas Farmer was classified as mid-tall. According to Wricke’s ecovalence coefficient, Bente was the most stable, while Farmer ranked third. Therefore, varieties that are the most resistant to lodging and are the most stable in terms of height, should be promoted for cultivation.
plant height, lodging, organic trials, mixed models, stability
Copyright (c) 2025 Tomasz Lenartowicz, Henryk Bujak, Marcin Przystalski, Kamila Nowosad, Krzysztof Jończyk, Beata Feledyn-Szewczyk https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Modelling effects of different milk production intensities on methane production and nitrogen excretion when targeted amounts of milk and beef are produced
The objective of the study was to model the effects of different milk production intensities on methane (CH4) production and nitrogen (N) excretion of cattle in Finnish milk and beef production when the targeted amount of milk and beef is produced. Beef production strategies at current annual milk production in Finland (2 200 million kg) were optimised by Excel Solver for each combination of milk yield (8 000, 9 000, 10 000, 11 000, and 12 000 kg year-1) and beef production (60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, and 100 million kg year-1). Increased milk production intensity decreased total CH4 production at each beef production level. In addition, at the lower levels of beef production than currently (85 million kg) total manure N output decreased with increased intensity of milk production but at current or higher beef production levels the effects of milk yield were small. The current strategy of producing milk and beef with high milk production intensity seems to be effective in terms of CH4 production and N emissions.
dairy cattle, beef cattle, beef production, environmental impacts
Copyright (c) 2025 Arto Kalevi Huuskonen, Manni Katariina, Pekka Huhtanen https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Comparison of the effects of bio-based and mineral fertiliser use on heavy metals dietary exposure in six European countries
This study compared the effects of using bio-based fertilisers (BBFs) of high (BBFH) or low (BBFL) metal content with conventional mineral superphosphate (SP) fertilisation on dietary exposure of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni) and lead (Pb), in Finland, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, and Spain. We estimated changes in the metal content of the following crops: wheat, barley, oat, rye, potato, carrot, sunflower seed, and maize following 100-year scenarios of fertilization with the different products. To estimate changes in chronic dietary exposure to metals via food, we used available national data of food consumption and metal content in target crops. Our results showed low changes to current chronic dietary exposure after using BBFs. Exceedance of the maximum allowed levels of Cd and Pb in food (EU 2023/915) was more rare with low-Cd BBF than with SP mineral fertilizer. Only the BBFH slightly increased the dietary exposure to Cd, although similarly to SP. In conclusion, the studied BBFs did not increase dietary exposure to heavy metals, especially compared with the use of conventional SP mineral fertiliser.
recycling, health, risk, hazard, agriculture, contaminant
Copyright (c) 2025 María D. R. Domínguez Carrasco, Tapio Salo, Riikka Keskinen, Johanna Suomi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Factors explaining the differences in the adoption of circular economy measures among farms in Southwest Finland
Transitioning to a circular economy is essential for addressing the inefficiencies and environmental impacts of traditional agricultural practices that rely on synthetic fertilizers and fossil resources. These conventional methods degrade soil, increase greenhouse gas emissions, and pollute waterways through nutrient runoff. A circular economy enhances sustainability by minimizing waste, optimizing resource use, and recycling nutrients. This study analyzes the adoption of circular economy practices among farms in Southwest Finland and identifies influencing factors. A survey distributed to farmers measured the extent of circular practices and the challenges faced. Cross-tabulations and logistic regression analyses evaluated how farm characteristics and farmer attitudes impact implementation. Results show a slow and variable transition among farms. About 50% of respondents have reduced mineral fertilizer use, although trading in byproducts and especially on-farm energy production from byproducts remains uncommon. Many farmers highlight insufficient policy support. The study concludes that policy interventions, training, and education are essential to accelerate adoption and stresses the importance of tailored, regional decision-making for effective policy development.
agriculture, byproducts, fertilization, nutrient management, statistical analysis
Copyright (c) 2025 Antti Hynni, Jukka Käyhkö, Tuomas Kuhmonen https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The first recorded case of herbicide resistance in Estonia: common chickweed (Stellaria media) resistant to sulfonylureas
Herbicide resistance has been insufficiently studied in the Baltic countries. Chickweed (Stellaria media), an adaptive and competitive annual weed, poses a significant agricultural threat due to its low and dense canopy. This study aimed to evaluate the level of resistance to acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitors in chickweed populations in Estonia and identify potential mechanisms. In the initial dose-response experiment, a biotype from Järva County exhibited resistance to the ALS inhibitor tribenuron-methyl. Molecular analysis identified a mutation at position 574 in the ALS gene, where tryptophan was replaced by leucine. Testing of eight chickweed biotypes for resistance to tribenuron-methyl and the combination herbicide iodosulfuron + amidosulfuron found three resistant biotypes. The Järva County biotype was cross-resistant to sulfonylureas, while two others exhibited resistance only to iodosulfuron + amidosulfuron. The latter two biotypes lacked the ALS gene mutation, suggesting non-target-site resistance mechanisms, although these were not investigated further. These findings highlight the potential for widespread herbicide resistance in Estonia and emphasize the need for more comprehensive monitoring and research into resistance mechanisms.
ALS inhibitor, tribenuron-methyl, sulfuron, target-site, non-target site
Copyright (c) 2025 Silvia Pihu, Andres Mäe, Hannah Joy Vivian Kennedy, Katerina Hamouzova https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Yield and protein composition in seeds of four buckwheat (Fagopyrum sp.) cultivars cropped in Sweden
Buckwheat (Fagopyrum sp.) is increasingly favoured for its nutritional composition and overall health benefits in Sweden. However, buckwheat cultivation in Sweden is low. This project evaluated the cultivation of four cultivars of common buckwheat in Scandinavian cropping conditions over two years, employing standard sowing methods and harvesting techniques. The results showed that a seeding rate of 200 seeds per m² was sufficient to achieve a yield comparable with other studies. There were no significant differences in germination rate and number of plants per m² between buckwheat cultivars, while significant differences were observed in maturation time and yield. The average yield of buckwheat (common or Tartary) varied from 724 kg ha-1 (“Darja”) to 3 276 kg ha-1 (“Panda”) in 2021, and from 2 587 kg ha-1 (“Kora”) to 3 133 kg ha-1 (“Tartary buckwheat”) in 2022. All buckwheat cultivars had a protein content in the seeds of approximately 110 g kg-1 of dry matter and were composed of a well-balanced amino acid profile. Our results indicate that the Swedish geographic latitude and meteorological conditions were suitable for achieving high buckwheat yields for some cultivars.
Fagopyrum esculentum, Fagopyrum tataricum, Nordic environment, amino acid content
Copyright (c) 2024 Martin Knicky, Galia Zamaratskaia, Fredrik Gogelberg https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Trade-offs between carbon conservation and profitability in crop cultivation: unlocking potential through diversifying crop allocations regionally
Adjusting crop rotation is a key agricultural strategy to boost variable profit, enhance soil fertility, adapt to climate change, and mitigate farming risks. The aim of this paper is to assess the opportunities for simultaneously enhancing carbon balance and variable profit of crop cultivation through altering the allocation of crop use in a regional scale. Using a numerical optimization model for mineral soils in southern Finland, results show that careful diversifying of crop cultivation can enhance both carbon balance and profit compared to the current allocation. Including the lifecycle carbon footprint of nitrogen fertilizers further increases potential gains. Variable profit can rise by 75–207 € ha-1 year-1, while carbon balance improves by 70–336 kg C ha-1 year-1, depending on the weighting of economic and climate outcomes. Changes can be made without significantly increasing fixed costs of cultivation. Optimal strategies include reducing spring crops and fodder grass while increasing nitrogen-fixing grasses and high-profit crops like clover grass, green manure, potato, and sugar beet. Sensitivity analysis highlighted the importance of higher yields for enhanced outcomes, emphasizing the need to enhance forage grass, clover grass, and green manure yields for carbon balance and forage grass, potato, sugar beet, and spring crop yields for increased variable profit. Investments in infrastructure, marketing, and innovative food products are essential to promote local crop diversity and incentivize farmers to utilize and test new crops on a farm.
diversifying crop production, crop rotations, linear programming, optimization, regional analysis
Copyright (c) 2024 Eveliina Kiiski, Kari Hyytiäinen https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Effects of Spray Drying and Lactic Acid Fermentation on the Technological Characteristics of Yellow and Green Pea (Pisum sativum L.) Protein Products
This research evaluates a pH-shifting and drying process for producing powdered protein products from yellow and green peas (Pisum sativum L.), aiming to enhance their technological characteristics. In the precipitation stage, lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus lantarum and Lactobacillus lactis) served as a generally recognized safe precipitant agent. The fine fraction (<150 µm) from yellow and green peas milling acted as an encapsulant/adjuvant agent in the drying stage. Results showed high process productivity (0.41–0.51 kg protein product/kg pea flour) and low specific water consumption (52.58–62.39 kg water/kg protein product) with this approach. Variations in processing parameters affected protein content, yield, and specific water consumption. Significant differences were observed in wetting time, water activity, flowability (Carr index), cohesiveness (Hausner index), density, particle size, and colour of the protein products, depending on the processing alternatives. This flexibility allows tailoring the properties of the powdered protein product for various food technology applications.
Yellow pea, green pea, pH-shifting process, protein content, extraction yield, lactic acid bacteria, spray drying, encapsulant/ adjuvant agent
Copyright (c) 2024 María Angeles Guraya, Antonia Miwa Iguti, Edison Paulo De Ros Triboli , Eliana Paula Ribeiro, Cecilia Accoroni, María Andrea Espósito, Pablo Antonio Torresi, María Agustina Reinheimer, Ezequiel Godoy https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Yield variation and yield potential of organic arable crops in Finland derived from statistical data
This study aims to expand and diversify the analysis of crop yields in organic production by utilising the long-term statistical data reported by farmers. We examined the variation of the harvested yields of organic arable crops (season’s ad hoc harvest) on Finnish organic farms and determined the yield potential for different organic crops and in comparison, with conventional counterparts. When comparing median yields per ha, organic yields were on average 65% of conventional yields. The mean yield difference significantly differed between plant species. Among the analysed crops, faba bean performed best, gaining on average 84% of conventional yields, while organic cereals attained an average of 54–68% of conventional yields. The ratio of organic and conventional median yields was compared between geographical regions, and significant regional differences were found. The performance of organic cereals remained stable over the years, but the relative performance of the organic grain legumes, pea and faba bean, depended more on growing conditions. An average yield gap between the best-performing and median farms was 38% for organic farms and 28% for conventional farms. This indicates that Finnish organic farms have greater potential to improve the yield level than conventional farms.
yield gap, organic farming, conventional farming
Copyright (c) 2024 Sari Iivonen, Oiva Niemeläinen, Mirva Kokkinen, Lauri Jauhiainen https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Statistical modelling of growth curve for longitudinal data on a feeding trial in goat breeds
The growth curve parameters were estimated extending a linear regression to higher degree polynomial with attempts to use also the biologically appealing Gombertz function. The data contained monthly weight records from weaning to the age of 14 months of kids in two Omani goat breeds Sahrawi and Jabbali used in a feeding trial assessing the effect of concentrate supplement (14% crude protein). The growth curve parameters were estimated within the fixed effects breed and feed concentrate level (2 or 3% of live body weight) with an extension to mixed models using animals as random effects. The parameters and model contrasting were performed with ML or REML as appropriate with relative comparison relying on AIC and significance testing of estimated parameters. The mixed model analyses were performed with publicly available R software package programs. The fixed effect cubic regression with linear random effect model fitted into the data. The higher level of concentrates improved the immediate post-weaning growth in the same way in the breeds while the subsequent growth curve differed with more pronounced weight increments in the Jabbali breed.
growth rate, concentrate feeding, polynomial regression, mixed model, Omani goats
Copyright (c) 2024 Ihab Mostafa Shaat, Alaa Alhamadani , Khafan Al-Shargi, Rashid Al-Habsi , Talal Al-Sedeiri , Asila Al Naabi, Asko Maki-Tanila https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Spatial dynamics of T-2 and HT-2 toxins in Swedish oats
The contents of T-2 and HT-2 toxins (T2+HT2) were analysed in 677 samples of oats delivered to silos in Sweden during the years 2020─2022. The spatial and temporal variation patterns in the prevalence of elevated T2+HT2 contents were explored and the covariation with temperature means or precipitation sums computed for windows of 15 days and T2+HT2 levels in the previous year were tested. There was a statistically significant spatial variation structure (Moran’s I; p< 0.05) in two of the years, and high T2+HT2 content was positively related to high content the previous year (p< 0.001). There were positive correlations between T2+HT2 content and warm weather in July and negative correlations with precipitation in May and July in two of the years. This is the first time a pronounced regional variability for T2+HT2 is presented. The results can be valuable when searching for safe regions to produce grains intended for food for infants. In a sampling campaign in 11 fields, it was found that T2+HT2-levels can vary substantially within fields.
cereals, Fusarium toxins, spatial variability, weather variables, baby foods
Copyright (c) 2024 Thomas Börjesson, Kristin Persson, Anders Lindgren https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0