Results

The results of the first crop rotation of the long-term experiment clearly show how different management strategies can influence both soil fertility and yield stability in organic farming systems. Even in this early phase, key insights can be drawn that highlight the importance of sustainable farming concepts:

• Sustainable nutrient management can also be successfully implemented on stockless organic farms.
• Compost-fertilized treatments promote an increased buildup of soil carbon, which is crucial for long-term soil fertility.
• A correlation between soil carbon content and yield underscores the central role of soil fertility in ensuring yields.
• Significant differences in the yield potential of individual crops between the farming systems demonstrate the impact of different management strategies.

Möller, Morten: Abundanz und Artenspektrum von Regenwürmern unter verschiedenen ökologischen Bewirtschaftungssystemen, 17. Wissenschaftstagung Ökologischer Landbau, Gießen, 05. bis 08. März 2024

Morten Möller; Simon Dreßen; Miriam Athmann; Christian Bruns: Carbon and nutrient cycling in stockless organic farms – the future of sustainable farming?; Bonares Conference 2023, 16.05.2023, Berlin

Schmidt, Jan Henrik; Möller, Morten; Athmann, Miriam und Bruns, Christian (2023) Pratylenchus spp. – „the unseen enemies“ in ökologischen Markt- und Tierhaltungsfruchtfolgen? 16. Wissenschaftstagung Ökologischer Landbau, Frick (CH), 7. bis 10. März 2023

Möller, Morten; Langzeitversuch zum Ökologischen Landbau an der Hessischen Staatsdomäne Frankenhausen; Biozyklisch-vegane Vernetzungstage 2022; 09.10.2022; Frankfurt am Main

Möller, Morten; Öko-Langzeitversuche in Hessen: Auf Betriebstypen abgestimmte Fruchtfolgen und Nährstoffmanagement (ÖAP-Projekt); Ökofeldtage 2022; 28.06.2022; Villmar

Articles in trade journals

Möller, M. (2026) New ways for farms without livestock - Bioland Fachmagazin 03/2026

Möller, M., Schmidt, J. (2026) Clover grass as a key factor for soil life - Bio Austria 01/2026

Möller, M. (2025) Fertile soils even without livestock - Ökologie und Landbau 03/2025

Möller, M., Bruns, C. (2023): Balanced nutrient balances in organic farm systems fertilized with compost. In: Humuswirtschaft & Kompost aktuell Q4 2023, page 5-6(PDF)

Peer-reviewed publications

Möller, M., Sarazin, T., Schmidt, O., Bruns, C., Joergensen, R.G., Wachendorf, C., Athmann, M., Earthworm abundance, biomass and species diversity in mixed and stockless organic farming systems: evidence after a six year crop rotation. Preprint available at SSRN: http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.6160528

Schmidt, J. H., König, S., Möller, M., Athmann, M., and Bruns, C.: Unseen population build-up of Pratylenchus in organically grown clover grass leys, EGUsphere [preprint], https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-5843, 2026.

Möller, M., Athmann, M., Dreßen, S., Weber, T.K.D., Ruch, B., Bruns, Christian: How to maintain soil fertility in stockless organic farming: Research concepts and insights from the first crop rotation of a long-term field experiment. Org. Agr. 16, 20 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13165-026-00545-9

Aumer, W., Möller, M., Görres, C.-M., Eckhardt, C., Weber, T. K. D., Bilibio, C., Bruns, C., Gattinger, A., Finckh, M. R., and Kammann, C.: Technical note: Comparison of simultaneously applied chamber-based gas flux measurements from arable soils using gas chromatography (static chamber) and mid-infrared laser absorption spectroscopy (dynamic chamber), Biogeosciences, 23, 1245-1259, 2026 , doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-1245-2026

Milke F, Rodas-Gaitan H, Meissner G, Masson V, Oltmanns M, Möller M, Wohlfahrt Y, Kulig B, Acedo A, Athmann M, Fritz J (2024). Enrichment of putative plant growth promoting microorganisms in biodynamic compared to organic agriculture soils. ISME Communications, ycae021.

Poster

Möller M., Aumer, W., Eckhardt, C., Görres, C., Bruns, C., Kammann, C. (2024): Gas Chromatography vs. Middle-Infrared Laser Absorption Spectroscopy -A comparison of methods for measuring greenhouse gas emissions, XXII International Nitrogen Workshop, Aarhus

Möller, M., Athmann, M., Bruns C., (2023): Long term field experiment on stockless organic farming, Conference: Long term experiments: Meeting future challenges, Rothamsted

Möller, M., Athmann, M., Bruns C., (2023): Long term experiment on stockless farm systems in organic farming, 16th Scientific Conference on Organic Farming, Frick