After a year of preparation, the exhibition and excursion area on the topics of "Soil-Water-Plants" was officially opened on Wednesday, June 22nd, by Dr. Andreas Steinwidder – representing Director Johann Gasteiner – and Dr. Bernhard Krautzer, Head of the Institute for Plant Production and Cultural Landscape. At a total of eight stations, interested students, farmers, and consumers can now gain firsthand insight into the complex interplay of climate, soil, plants, and cultivation.

The newly opened cultural demonstration garden vividly illustrates the diversity of grassland. The plant population typically consists of a mixture of 15 to 40 different grasses, clover species, and herbs – in exceptional cases, even more than 100 different species. "This is always the result of an interplay of numerous factors," explained Bernhard Krautzer in his welcoming address. "One important factor is the climate – that is, temperature, precipitation, and the length of the growing season. The next essential factor is the soil. Through the interplay of soil physics, chemical parameters, and water balance, it forms the basis of life and is also the most important production factor in agriculture. The availability of water and nutrients has a significant impact on root growth and thus also on the development of the above-ground parts of the plants."

As part of this new exhibition and excursion area, interested visitors will have the opportunity to look deep into different soils and watch the roots grow.

The different types of grassland are also presented in a clear and engaging way. From herb-rich to grassy, ​​sometimes cut short, then again in the ripening stage – a visit to the cultural demonstration garden allows everyone to see for themselves the diversity of grassland.

Grassland doesn't turn green on its own

At least, that's the case if one wants to optimize forage yields and quality on such areas. This requires varieties from forage plant breeding that are adapted to the climate, location, and management practices. These slightly over 20 species, with well over 300 varieties, must be tested for their suitability under Austrian farming conditions and their composition observed at different locations.

“Of course, in the grassland area there is not only this one type of crop, but also other important crops such as silage maize, potatoes, cereals, to name just a few, which are also used as animal feed or for human nutrition,” the institute director continues.

Loss of biodiversity

More intensive use, as is necessary in commercial grassland, inevitably leads to a reduction in biodiversity. Only those species and varieties that can tolerate the nutrient levels and intensity of use under the specific site and management conditions can survive. However, plant populations can be supported by regular reseeding with suitable mixtures.

Biodiversity is important for grassland; therefore, in addition to securing the economic basis of grassland farms for the production of milk and meat, it is also important to preserve and promote biodiversity.

There are various ways to achieve this, but the prerequisite is the presence of the desired range of species. These native wildflower species, protected in our gene bank and propagated by farmers, can be combined to create suitable, extensive, richly flowering grassland mixtures, thus enriching the cultivated landscape and bringing with it all the positive effects on the development of insects, birds, and small game. Grassland provides essential ecosystem services for us humans – in addition to biodiversity, these include the provision of high-quality drinking water, oxygen, carbon storage in the soil, and ultimately, a richly structured cultural landscape with exceptional recreational value.

The scientific staff at the Institute for Plant Production and Cultural Landscape deal with all these topics, and they can now be experienced and explored firsthand – presented clearly and summarized – during a visit to the "Soil-Water-Plants" exhibition and excursion area.

The individual stations demonstrate how different fertilization methods affect the composition and yield of the plant community, as well as a selection of possible arable crops for the inner Alpine region. They also showcase the diversity of seed mixtures for managing different grassland sites and the influence of reseeding and management intensity on the yield, forage quality, plant community, and water consumption of permanent grassland. The Soil-Water-Root Show Cellar, which illustrates the soil as a vital resource with all its functions, and the globally unique open-air experiment ClimGrass, where a wide variety of climate scenarios are simulated on a total of 54 experimental plots, complete the offerings.

 Registrations are now being accepted and we would be delighted to welcome many school classes, farmers and interested consumers.