Supporting Information Table S1. Field trial characteristics. Annual temperature and precipitation refers to the mean of the normal period 1961-1990. Further information in: Olesen, J. E.; Askegaard, M.; Rasmussen, I. A. Design of an organic farming crop-rotation experiment. Acta Agr. Scand. B-S P. 2000, 50, 13-21. Flakkebjerg Foulum Jyndevad Region Zealand Central Jutland South Jutland Coordinates 11 o 23 E, 55 o 19 N 09 o 34 E, 56 o 30 N 09 o 08 E, 54 o 54 N Plot size (m 2 ) 169 216 378 Soil type Sandy loam Loamy sand Sand Clay (%) a 16 9 5 Silt (%) a 12 13 2 Sand (%) a 70 74 91 Organic matter (%) a 1.7 3.8 2.0 Annual temperature ( C) 7.8 7.3 7.9 Annual precipitation (mm) 626 704 964 a In the upper 25 cm (top soil). 1
Table S2. Crop rotation, sowing/harvest date and irrigation for the growing period in year 1 and 2. FL (Flakkebjerg), FO (Foulum), JY (Jyndevad). Crop (location) Sowing date Harvest date Irrigation (mm) Year 1 Year 2 Year 1 Year 2 Year 1 Year 2 Wheat (FL) 05 Oct 04 Oct 27 Aug 15 Aug 0 0 Wheat (FO) 25 Sep 24 Sep 07 Aug 18 Aug 25 94 Wheat (JY) 28 Sep 24 Sep 02 Aug 16 Aug 111 198 Barley (FL) 13 Apr 23 Apr 27 Aug 13 Aug 0 0 Barley (FO) 12 Apr 22 Apr 07 Aug 18 Aug 25 94 Barley (JY) 30 Mar 19 Mar 23 Jul 16 Aug 68 198 Faba bean (FL) 13 Apr 23 Apr 31 Aug 01 Sep 0 0 Faba bean (FO) 12 Apr 22 Apr 28 Aug 01 Sep 25 94 Faba bean (JY) 30 Mar 19 Mar 13 Aug 31 Aug 68 198 Potato (FL) 24 Apr 07 May 06 Sep 15 Sep 0 126 Potato (FO) 24 Apr 05 May 04 Sep 17 Sep 25 94 Potato (JY) 11 Apr 15 Apr 24 Aug 03 Sep 33 146 2
Table S3. Mean temperature, precipitation, and global solar radiation for different periods of the growing season in year 1 and 2 measured at the field trial sites. FL (Flakkebjerg), FO (Foulum), JY (Jyndevad). Location Period Temperature ( C) Precipitation (mm) Global radiation (MJ m -2 ) Year 1 Year 2 Year 1 Year 2 Year 1 Year 2 FL Oct-Mar 6.6 4.9 337 127 703 729 Apr-Jun 12.5 11.8 198 82 1660 1877 Jul-Aug 16.7 17.3 145 166 981 1068 FO Oct-Mar 6.2 4.4 447 325 698 693 Apr-Jun 11.8 11.1 123 100 1630 1806 Jul-Aug 15.6 16.4 144 190 944 1056 JY Oct-Mar 7.2 5.1 600 377 716 738 Apr-Jun 12.5 12.0 224 65 1556 1823 Jul-Aug 16.0 16.7 213 237 1004 978 3
Table S4. Fertilizer application rate in the three cropping systems (C: conventional, OA: organic with animal manure, OB: organic with cover crops) in two growing years. FL (Flakkebjerg), FO (Foulum), JY (Jyndevad). Crop (location) Conventional (C) Organic A (OA) Organic B (OB) N/P/K (Kg ha -1 ) a N/P/K (Kg ha -1 ) b N/P/K (Kg ha -1 ) c Year 1 Year 2 Year 1 Year 2 Year 1 Year 2 Wheat (FL) 165/35/105 170/30/90 115/15/120 100/15/90 0/0/85 5/0/60 Wheat (FO) 165/20/105 165/20/105 105/20/130 110/25/110 0/0/75 0/0/60 Wheat (JY) 160/10/60 155/20/70 105/10/100 65/10/60 0/0/70 0/0/65 Barley (FL) 130/35/105 130/25/85 65/10/75 65/10/55 0/0/70 0/0/40 Barley (FO) 130/20/95 130/20/95 55/10/70 55/10/65 0/0/50 0/0/40 Barley (JY) 125/10/60 130/15/60 60/10/55 65/10/60 0/0/70 0/0/45 Faba bean (FL) 0/55/125 0/60/130 0/0/60 5/0/60 0/0/50 5/0/60 Faba bean (FO) 0/25/125 0/25/125 0/0/75 0/0/60 0/0/75 0/0/60 Faba bean (JY) 0/25/125 0/25/125 0/0/0 0/0/65 0/0/70 0/0/65 Potato (FL) 140/55/285 140/45/215 115/15/120 110/20/130 0/0/35 5/0/75 Potato (FO) 140/30/205 140/30/150 115/25/125 110/20/160 0/0/100 5/0/80 Potato (JY) 140/30/205 140/40/195 135/20/180 115/25/135 0/0/95 0/0/85 a Applied as inorganic fertilizer. b Applied as animal manure. K was supplemented as vinasse for all crops in system OA. c K was applied as vinasse for all crops in system OB. 4
Table S5. Pesticide applications in the conventional system. FL (Flakkebjerg), FO (Foulum), JY (Jyndevad). Crop (location) Year 1 Year 2 Wheat (FL) 190 g ha -1 Atlantis, 0.05 l ha -1 DFF, 17 g ha -1 Hussar, 0.4 l ha -1 Biopower, 1.33 l ha - 1 MCPA, 0.53 l ha -1 Proline 200 g ha -1 Atlantis, 0.05 l ha -1 DFF, 0.5 l ha -1 Oxitril, 0.5 l ha -1 Biopower, 1.33 l ha - 1 MCPA, 0.53 l ha -1 Proline Wheat (FO) 0.25 l ha -1 Starane, 1 tab ha -1 Express, 0.25 l ha -1 Opus, 0.3 l ha -1 ProlineEC250, 0.2 l ha -1 Amistar, 0.125 l ha -1 Cypermethrin 0.25 l ha -1 Starane, 1 tab ha -1 Express, 0.25 l ha -1 Opus, 0.3 l ha -1 ProlineEC250, 0.2 l ha -1 Amistar, 0.125 l ha -1 Cypermethrin Wheat (JY) 0.08 l ha -1 DFF, 0.20 l ha -1 Oxitril, 1.0 l ha -1 Boxer, 0.1 l ha -1 Opus, 0.25 l ha -1 Bampa 1.0 l ha -1 Boxer, 0.2 l ha -1 Oxitril, 0.08 l ha -1 Pelicon, 0.25 l ha -1 Tilt Top Barley (FL) 0.5 l ha -1 Basagran, 1.5 tab ha -1 Harmony Plus ST, 0.15 l ha -1 Agropol, 1.33 l ha -1 MCPA, 0.28 l ha -1 Proline 0.5 l ha -1 Basagran, 1.5 tab ha -1 Harmony Plus ST, 0.15 l ha -1 Agropol, 1.33 l ha -1 MCPA, 0.28 l ha -1 Proline Barley (FO) 0.75 l ha -1 OxitrilCM, 0.15 l ha -1 Amistar, 0.15 l ha -1 Unix 0.75 l ha -1 OxitrilCM, 0.15 l ha -1 Amistar, 0.15 l ha -1 Unix Barley (JY) 0.15 l ha -1 Starane, 1 tab ha -1 Express 0.8 l ha -1 Starane XL, 0.5 tab ha -1 Ally ST, 0.25 l ha -1 Tilt Top Faba bean (FL) 2.5 l ha -1 Fenix, 0.4 kg ha -1 Karate 2.5 l ha -1 Fenix, 0.4 kg ha -1 Karate 2.5 WG, 0.75 l ha -1 Pirimor G Faba bean (FO) 0.125 l ha -1 Cypermethrin 0.125 l ha -1 Cypermethrin, 0.3 kg ha -1 Pirimor G Faba bean (JY) 0.25 l ha -1 Cypermethrin 5
Table S5 continued. Crop (location) Year 1 Year 2 Potato (FL) 30 g ha -1 Titus, 0.8 l ha -1 Shirlan, 0.8 l ha -1 Ranman, 2 kg ha -1 Ridomil, 2.0 l ha -1 20 g ha -1 Titus, 12 kg ha -1 Dithane NT, 2.0 l ha -1 Reglone Reglone Potato (FO) 1.5 l ha -1 Fenix, 30 g ha -1 Titus, 0.4 l ha -1 SweDane Contact, 1.2 l ha -1 Shirlan, 6.0 kg ha -1 ha DithaneNT, 0.125 l ha -1 Cypermethrin, 2.0 l ha -1 Reglone Potato (JY) 20 g ha -1 Titus, 0.10 l ha -1 WSB, 3.5 l ha -1 Dithane, 0.6 l ha -1 Karate, 0.3 l ha -1 Shirlan, 4.0 l ha -1 Tattoo, 1.5 l ha -1 Reglone 1.5 l ha -1 Fenix, 30 g ha -1 Titus, 0.4 l ha -1 SweDane Contact, 1.2 l ha -1 Shirlan, 6.0 kg ha -1 DithaneNT, 0.125 l ha -1 Cypermethrin, 3.0 l ha -1 Reglone 1.25 l ha -1 Fenix, 4.0 l ha -1 Jablo glyfosat, 4.0 l ha -1 Kvikup, 30 g ha -1 Titus, 0.2 l ha - 1 SweDane Contact, 7.0 l ha -1 Dithane, 0.1 l ha -1 Ranman, 2.0 l ha -1 Tyfon, 2.0 kg ha -1 Ridomil MZ Gold, 0.4 l ha -1 Shirlan, 5.0 l ha -1 Reglone 6
Table S6. Manganese applications. Manganese was only used in wheat and barley at the Jyndevad location where visual manganese deficiency symptoms were observed. C (conventional), OA (organic with animal manure), OB (organic with cover crops), FL (Flakkebjerg), FO (Foulum), JY (Jyndevad). Crop/Location/System Year 1 Year 2 Wheat/JY/C 6.0 l ha -1 Nitraman 3.5 l ha -1 Nitraman Wheat/JY/OA 6.0 l ha -1 Nitraman 3.5 l ha -1 Nitraman Wheat/JY/OB 6.0 l ha -1 Nitraman 3.5 l ha -1 Nitraman Barley/JY/C 2.0 l ha -1 Nitraman 1.0 l ha -1 Microcare Mn 500 Barley/JY/OA - 1.0 l ha -1 Microcare Mn 500 Barley/JY/OB 2.0 l ha -1 Nitraman 1.0 l ha -1 Microcare Mn 500 7
Table S7. Analyses of plough layer soil samples taken in March in two growing years, three geographical locations, and three cropping systems. Values are the mean ± SD (n=48). The three lower rows represent results from the statistical analysis across years and cropping systems (location effect), locations and cropping systems (year effect), and locations and years (system effect). Locations, years or cropping systems followed by different lower case letters are significantly different (p<0.05). C (conventional), OA (organic with animal manure), OB (organic with cover crops), FL (Flakkebjerg), FO (Foulum), JY (Jyndevad), LOD (limit of detection), NS (non-significant). System ph K Mg P S a Ca Fe Mn Cu a Ba Sr Na Co mg 100 g -1 mg 100 g -1 mg 100 g -1 mg 100 g -1 C 5.86±0.39 10.5±3.90 4.10±1.04 3.98±0.93 2.45±1.01 139±52.1 2.27±1.57 3.36±3.22 0.10±0.04 6.31±6.30 4.64±1.37 9.65±1.88 0.05±0.03 OA 5.95±0.39 9.19±2.62 4.90±1.01 3.84±1.07 2.45±0.80 141±46.3 2.43±1.63 2.48±2.30 0.11±0.04 6.12±6.11 4.38±1.35 11.7±2.96 0.05±0.03 OB 5.98±0.42 6.99±1.96 4.83±0.61 3.18±1.14 3.24±1.32 149±53.2 2.42±1.56 2.76±2.60 0.11±0.04 6.73±6.73 4.57±1.46 13.6±5.18 0.05±0.03 Location NS FL b FL b FL c NS FL b b FL c JY a JY c JY a JY ab JY a Year 2007 b NS NS NS - NS NS NS - NS 2007 b NS NS 2008 a 2008 a System NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS NS a Data for S and Cu was <LOD in year 2. 8