While in eastern Austria the amounts of seepage water in the lysimeter systems are extremely low due to insufficient rainfall, comparable measuring instruments regularly deliver high amounts of seepage water when there is sufficient rainfall, as is proven at the Winklhof site.
In an agricultural field trial established there, the environmentally relevant effects of crop rotations with different fertilization intensities are being investigated in comparison to conventional and organic farming practices with regard to yield and crop quality. The focus is on nutrient leaching losses into groundwater, which
are measured using lysimeters and nutrient leaching devices. The results only make
sense in conjunction with those of the predecessor project 2948 regarding the effects of the entire crop rotation. Particularly in areas where nutrient leaching is a recurring problem, the findings of this project can serve as a basis for agricultural advisory services.
