The dossier, which contains current publications, gives an insight into selected Agroscope research projects.
Hot, dry summers and other extreme events are becoming increasingly common, posing major challenges for the Swiss agriculture and food sector. With its research work, Agroscope helps ensure that agriculture remains productive despite changing climatic conditions.
Dry summers can see a loss of up to 25% of total Swiss roughage production. This is because grassland yields are strongly correlated with summer drought, as shown by a new analysis conducted by Agroscope and the Swiss Farmers’ Union.
The past 30 years have seen a clear trend towards rising water costs. The sup-ply of agricultural land with water from natural sources is thus coming under increasing pressure.
Model calculations show how climate change will affect the water requirement for different crops grown on the Swiss Central Plateau. This will allow us to proactively plan for crop irrigation and adaptation to the changing climate.
Maize is one of the most important crops in Switzerland. Variety selection and site adaptation play a crucial role in maize cultivation in a changing climate. Heat-supply maps created by Agroscope help in the choice of suitable varieties.
A rainfall manipulation experiment was conducted over a two-year period on two semi-natural grassland sites, in order to determine the effects of drought on both forage production (dry matter and nutritive value) and plant-soil relationships.
The agriculture and food sector faces major challenges. Among others, these include climate change, protecting the air, soil, water and biodiversity, and providing a healthy diet to a growing population. Agroscope’s 2022–2025 Work Programme takes up these challenges.