History – A look back or how it all began

Abstract

25 years ago, the first long-term field tests were carried out in Dahnsdorf. The field is located in southern Brandenburg, near the city of Bad Belzig, in the natural area “Hoher Fläming”. When setting up the trial field, care was taken to ensure a wheat-compatible soil and a high level of representation for the agricultural locations in eastern Germany. In autumn 1995, complex plant protection trials were set up as long-term field trials. At that time, the three farming systems of cash crop production, fodder production and organic farming were established. During the course of the trials, the main research topics were adjusted. Due to the increase of non-inversion tillage to about 40% of the arable land in Germany, the issue how the intensity of plant protection depends on tillage was taken into closer examination. Of course, legal changes such as the liability of integrated plant protection (since 01.01.2014) were taken into account. In the permanent field trials future developments in crop protection will be taken into consideration (abandonment of candidates for substitution) in order to adequately serve the task of policy advice.