Press Releases 2023
Agroscope
Soil Atlas Depicts the Distribution of Chemical Elements in Swiss Soils
Agroscope and the Federal Office for the Environment have published the first Geochemical Soil Atlas of Switzerland. It provides an overview of the large-scale distribution of 20 naturally occurring chemical elements in Swiss soils. The soil atlas will help the cantonal environmental protection agencies assess soil pollution levels and take action where necessary.
The Challenge of Nutrient Losses – Agroscope Supports Agricultural Practitioners
Nutrient losses are a key topic for Swiss agriculture. Current Agroscope figures show that nitrogen and phosphorus losses have decreased by around 10 per cent since 2014/2016. Despite this, further efforts are needed to achieve the targets set by policy-makers. With a new series of factsheets, Agroscope is helping farmers improve nutrient efficiency and thereby reduce nutrient losses to the maximum extent possible.
First Experimental Release of Parasitic Asian Wasp to Control Spotted-Wing Drosophila
The invasive spotted-wing drosophila (SWD) is a devastating pest in berry, stone fruit and grape crops. A natural antagonist from the fruit fly’s area of origin in East Asia is now due to be released in Switzerland for the first time by Agroscope and CABI. The experimental releases in the Cantons of Jura and Ticino aim to clarify whether this parasitic wasp can become established in Switzerland to regulate the SWD population and reduce production losses.