The Gallecs trial, a mid-term experiment on reduced tillage, fertilisation and green manure in Mediterranean dryland arable cropping systems

Conservation agriculture and organic farming are two alternative strategies aimed at improving soil fertility in arable cropping systems through reducing tillage intensity, maintaining year-round soil cover and increasing nutrient recycling, using farmyard and green manures. However, the reduction of tillage intensity can increase weed infestation and decrease nutrient availability. The mid-term "Gallecs" trial (Catalonia) was established in autumn 2011 at Gallecs, a periurban agricultural area near Barcelona. The effects of tillage (mouldboard versus chisel ploughing), fertilisation by farmyard manure (without versus with) and green manure (without versus with) on soil fertility indicators, weed abundance and grain crop yields were studied in a 4-years cereal-legume rotation for human consumption under organic farming conditions in the Mediterranean region (Catalonia, Spain).