Contact/s:
Robert Dohál
robert.dohal@gmail.com
Living Laboratory on Living and Healthy Soil, Capable of Producing Healthy Food
Slovakia
Mild Continental Climate
- Improved Water Retention – reduces impact of rainfall fluctuations; water remains in porous soils.
- Enhanced Nutrient Availability – balanced mineralization; organic nutrients more accessible to plants.
- Stronger Plant Health & Quality – increased disease resistance; fewer harmful substances; higher nutritional value.
Thematic Areas
Production System/s
Summary for Practicioners on the Main Finding(s)/Innovative solution(s)
A healthy, structurally aerobic soil must maintain a proper water/air ratio to retain moisture without displacing air. Key to this is enabling water infiltration, leaving plant residues on the surface, and avoiding disturbance to soil layers and organisms—thus respecting natural principles and the soil microbiome. Plants and fungi play vital roles in nutrient and moisture transfer over long distances. On this farm, mechanical loosening and ploughing have been replaced by biological soil processing— a symbiosis of plant roots and fungi. Soil organic matter and fungi help stabilise soil aggregates.
The farm Agricultural Cooperative Krakovany – Stráže follows a holistic approach, implementing practices gradually:
⦁ In 2011, minimisation technologies were introduced, and ploughing was stopped.
⦁ From 2013, cover crops were used.
⦁ Between 2016–2018, they transitioned to full no-till farming.
⦁ From 2020/2021, they eliminated fungicides, insecticides, and artificial fertilisers.
Monitoring began in 2014, in partnership with the University of Agriculture, focusing on organic carbon soil. Since 2020/2021, mineral nitrogen is assessed during different crop stages. From 2020, microbial life, particularly soil fungi and bacteria—is also monitored. In 2023, collaboration with the Slovak Academy of Sciences began, using DNA metabarcoding to assess soil fungal diversity.
Additionally, soil compaction is being measured after machinery passes, comparing conventional fields to those under no-till for 8–10 years. These studies are part of various academic theses (bachelor, master’s, PhD, and Habilitation), including assessments of the economic benefits of switching from conventional to regenerative practices.
Summary for Practicioners in Native Language
Zdravá štruktúrna aeróbna pôda musí mať správny pomer vody a vzduchu, ktorý umožňuje zadržiavanie a presakovanie vody tak, aby sa vzduch nevytláčal. Presakovanie vody, ponechávanie rastlinných zvyškov na povrchu, nenarúšanie jednotlivých pôdnych vrstiev a života v pôde, teda rešpektovanie prírodných princípov a prírodného mikrobiómu, je predpokladom zdravej pôdy; rastliny a huby si totiž dokážu preposielať živiny a vlahu na veľké vzdialenosti. Mechanické kyprenie, oranie pôdy, bolo preto na farme nahradené biologickým spracovaním pôdy, symbiózou koreňov zelených rastlín a hubami. Pôdne organické hmoty, včítane pôdnych húb tak dokážu zabezpečiť stabilizáciu pôdnych agregátov. Farma uplatňuje holistický prístup, neuplatňuje iba jeden vybraný parameter, ale využíva kombináciu viacerých, pričom jednotlivé kroky boli zavádzané postupne:
⦁ Od roku 2011 začali s minimalizačnými technológiami a prestali s orbou,
⦁ od roku 2013 zaradili krycie plodiny,
⦁ v rokoch 2016 až 2018 postupne prešli úplne na bezorbové hospodárenie,
⦁ od sezóny 2020/2021 úplne prestali používať fungicídy, insekticídy a umelé hnojivá.
V roku 2014 sa začal uplatňovať systém monitorovania: merania prínosu regeneračných postupov začali meraním organického uhlíka v pôde, v spolupráci so Slovenskou poľnohospodárskou univerzitou v Nitre. Od rokov 2020-2021, kedy prešla farma na hospodárenie bez hnojív, sa hodnotí minerálny dusík v pôde v rôznych fázach vegetácie. Od roku 2020 je sledovaná úroveň mikrobiálneho života v pôde s dôrazom na pôdne huby a baktérie. V roku 2023 začala spolupráca so Slovenskou akadémiou vied na hodnotení diverzity pôdnych húb v pôdnych vzorkách metódou DNA metabarcoding.
Okrem toho, prebiehajú druhý rok merania zhutnenia pôdy po prejazde kolies (rôzne kvalitné pneumatiky – flotácia) poľnohospodárskych strojov a porovnanie prejazdu po konvenčne obrábanej pôde (pri orbe) a prejazdu po pôde, ktorá bola 8-10 rokov v bezorbovom režime. Všetky merania a výskumy boli a sú realizované v rámci vedeckých (bakalárskych, diplomových, doktorandských, habilitačných) prác. Vrátane prác hodnotiacich ekonomický prínos zmeny hospodárenia z konvenčného na regeneračné.
Additional Information
A healthy, structurally aerobic soil must have the correct water/air ratio to allow water to be retained and infiltrated so that air is not displaced.
Water infiltration, leaving plant residues on the surface, and not disturbing the different soil layers and soil life—i.e., respecting natural principles and the natural microbiome—is a prerequisite for healthy soil, as plants and fungi are able to transfer nutrients and moisture over long distances.
Mechanical loosening and ploughing have therefore been replaced on the farm by biological soil processing—a symbiosis of green plant roots and fungi.
Soil organic matter, including soil fungi, can ensure the stabilisation of soil aggregates.
The farm Agricultural Cooperative Krakovany – Stráže adopts a holistic approach, not applying only one selected parameter, but using a combination of several, with the individual steps introduced gradually: • Since 2011, they started with minimisation technologies and stopped ploughing.
• From 2013 onwards, cover crops were introduced.
• Between 2016 and 2018, they gradually switched completely to no-till farming.
• From the 2020/2021 season onwards, they completely stopped using fungicides, insecticides, and artificial fertilisers.
In 2014, a monitoring system was established: measurement of the benefits of regenerative practices began with the assessment of soil organic carbon, in cooperation with the University of Agriculture.
From 2020–2021, when the farm switched to fertiliser-free management, mineral nitrogen in the soil has been assessed at different vegetation stages.
From 2020, the level of microbial life in the soil has been monitored, with an emphasis on soil fungi and bacteria.
In 2023, collaboration with the Slovak Academy of Sciences began to assess the diversity of soil fungi in soil samples via DNA metabarcoding.
In addition, measurements of soil compaction after wheel passage of agricultural machinery, and comparisons between conventionally cultivated soil and soil in a no-till regime for 8–10 years, have been underway for the second year.
All measurements and investigations have been and continue to be carried out as part of scientific (bachelor, diploma, doctoral, and habilitation) theses, including works evaluating the economic benefits of transitioning from conventional to regenerative management.
The farm has drawn up an internal regulation document, including a code of ethics, which explains the application of 10 principles it strives for and promotes to unify the regeneration movement in Europe:
- No ploughing
- Permanent coverage
- Cover crops
- No chemicals
- Regenerative grazing
- Biodiversity support
- Bee friendliness
- No GMOs
- Direct sales
- Honest and fair approach
Consumers are the main reason for adopting these approaches. They need to be convinced that restoring the soil is vital for the future of coming generations: only healthy soil produces healthy, wholesome, and real food.
That is why the farm sells produce directly to customers.
Krakovany Stráže is the first agricultural cooperative in Slovakia to sell CO₂ credits.
It is now in its third year in the CO₂ sequestration measurement program with the certified Czech company Carboneg.
The funds raised through this help finance educational, research, and promotional activities.