New Farming Systems (NFS) 2006 – 2021

The New Farming Systems (NFS) project consists of a set of four experiments funded by TMAF and the JC Mann Trust. These mainly examine three inter-related themes;-

• Fertility building
• Tillage
• Soil amendment use.

These experiments are fully replicated, large plot studies using farm scale equipment and techniques. The core NFS work has enabled a number of other research projects funded and supported by other organisations.

TMAF-funded experiments	Funder
Evaluating cultivation approaches	TMAF
Fertility building and cover crops	TMAF
The use of soil amendments	TMAF
Bio-sustainable systems for conventional arable cropping	TMAF

Code	Research projects	Funder/Organisation
NFS11	Platforms to test and demonstrate sustainable soil management: integration of major UK field experiments	AHDB
NFS12	Improvement of soil structure and crop yield by adding organic matter to soil	AHDB
NFS13	Cover cropping with oilseed radish (Raphanus sativus) alone does not enhance deep burrowing earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris) midden	DEFRA / AHDB
NFS14	Sustainable Intensification Platform (SIP)	DEFRA
NFS15	Soil microbial study	CEH
NFS16	The study of soil volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) under annual and perennial cropping systems	Innovate UK

Code	Educational studies	Funder/Organisation
NFS21	Worm survey	BSc – Easton&Otley College
NFS22	Harnessing multiple ecosystem services from novel diverse crop rotations	PhD – Reading University
NFS23	Novel crop rotations to enhance the provision of multiple ecosystem services underpinning arable production	PhD – Reading University
NFS24	The effects upon soil bulk density and tillering in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum), under conventional plough and shallow non-inversion tillage systems	BSc – Easton&Otley College
NFS25	Modelling and measuring soil organic carbon under different tillage practices in agricultural soils of the UK	MSc – Aberdeen University
NFS26	Impact of different tillage approaches on break crop yields in England	MSc – University of Angers
NFS27	Below-ground biodiversity	PhD – University of East Anglia
NFS28	Soil mycorrhizae	PhD – University of Cambridge
NFS29	Soil compaction

Code	Papers and posters	Published/ presented by
NFS31	New Farming Systems Research (NFS) project: long term research seeking to improve the sustainability and resilience of conventional farming systems	AAB
NFS32	Farming systems research; evaluation of current practice and the development of novel approaches within UK systems	ESA
NFS33	Approaches to cover cropping and the impact on soils and farming systems	AAB
NFS34	The impact of cover crops on yield and soils in the New Farming Systems programme	AAB
NFS35	Platforms to test and demonstrate sustainable soil management: integration of major UK field experiments	AAB
NFS36	The impact of repeated brassica cover crops use on system performance and oilseed rape yield	AAB
NFS37	The impact of soil management on yield, margin and working practices in long running UK field experiments	AAB
NFS38	Soil tillage and crop yield in long term UK field experiments	ESA
NFS39	Evaluation of sustainable soil management and cover crop practices	ESA
NFS310	Tillage and cover crop practices – evaluation indicators and metrics	AAB
NFS311	The legacy effect of greenwaste compost application on crop performance in a long running UK field experiment	ISTRO
NFS312	A root elongation assay for assessing the impact of tillage in medium-term management trials	ISTRO
NFS313	There are no differences in soil carbon storage between inversion tillage and reduced tillage systems in medium-term experiments in the UK	ISTRO