Soil degradation and climate change are the most destructive (human- and/or naturally induced) processes, making agricultural production more challenging than ever before. Traditional tillage methods, characterized by intensive mechanical soil disturbance (dominantly using a plow), have come under question for their role in exacerbating soil erosion, depleting organic matter, and contributing to the decline in soil biodiversity and other soil devastating processes. These practices, while effective in the short term for crop production, undermine the sustainability of agricultural systems, posing a threat to food security and environmental stability. This review examines the adoption and implementation of Conservation Soil Tillage (CST) across six European countries: Croatia, Serbia, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, and Poland. The main objective is to analyze the historical development, current status, and future prospects of CST in these countries, highlighting the challenges and opportunities in transitioning from conventional tillage methods. Conservation Soil Tillage (CST) emerges as a promising alternative platform to still dominant conventional plowing tillage approach. By reducing the intensity and frequency of tillage, CST practices aim to maintain adequate soil cover, minimize erosion, and encourage biological activity and organic matter accumulation, thus, ensuring soil productivity and resilience against additional degradation and climate variation. Efforts made by scientists and the government to go over it sometimes are not sufficient. Farmers’ expectations of benefits are the final keystone for the integration of CST as a dominant sustainable practice. Analyses from six European countries pointed to a high level of diversity in readiness and willingness to accept, as well as different levels of knowledge about the adoption of CST. Our study suggested that the adoption of CST is increasing, and it represents a key strategy for soil degradation prevention and climate change mitigation.

Organic tomato cultivation is growing all over the world due to its healthy functional properties and environmental concerns. Recently, some new varieties with increased functional properties, particularly high lycopene, have been developed. However, few were assessed under organic farming systems. The objective of this study was to evaluate physico-chemical properties and the main bioactive compound contents, as well as lipophilic, hydrophilic and total radical scavenging activities of a recently developed high lycopene tomato variety homozygous for hp-2^dg genes (HLT-F71) grown under organic conditions for two non-consecutive years (2019 and 2021) compared to the ordinary control ‘Nemador’ variety. The lycopene, β-carotene, total phenol, flavonoid, vitamin C, radical scavenging activity and tocopherols were analyzed by using spectrophotometric and HPLC methods, respectively. The high lycopene content variety presented suitable marketable yield, average fruit weight, pH, titratable acidity, firmness and higher °Brix, pulp color than the control. Additionally, it has significantly higher lycopene, β-carotene, total phenol, flavonoid, vitamin C and particularly considerable α-tocopherol contents, as well as radical scavenging activity. The high lycopene tomato variety with hp genes proved to be an effective sustainable variety for enhancing tomato fruit yield and functional properties even under organic grown conditions.

This study explores agroecological practices designed to improve soil quality and crop yield in small-scale agriculture, focusing on soil inoculation with beneficial bacteria over conventional fertilizers. Conducted at the SZIA Agroecological Garden MATE in Gödöllő, Hungary, the research utilizes 12 plots to evaluate different conservation tillage methods, including minimum and no-tillage, with and without microbial inoculation. Commenced in 2022, this study centers on potato cultivation (Solanum tuberosum L.) and includes comprehensive chemical and physical analyses of soil and harvested potatoes, alongside continuous monitoring of growth. Statistical analysis using One-way Anova in R revealed p-values predominantly above 0.05, indicating no significant differences across most parameters, though variations in soil plasticity and pH (KCl) were noted. Results suggest that substantial treatmeent differences may require a longer observation period. Notably, plots with microbial inoculation exhibited higher harvest weights and tuber sizes compared to control plots. Additionally, trends and interactions were found between weed abundance, total harvest, and plant height. The findings indicate that the benefits of integrated agroecological practices, including conservation tillage, may take time to materialize, emphasizing the necessity for extended observation. This research lays the groundwork for future studies, underscoring the importance of patience in achieving improvements in soil health and crop quality through sustainable agricultural methods.

Agroecology offers a transformative pathway toward sustainable food systems by integrating ecological, economic, and social dimensions of farming. While its conceptual and policy foundations are increasingly recognized in European Union (EU) strategies, the practical adoption of agroecological principles at the farm level remains uneven, particularly in socio-economically peripheral Member States. This article investigates the enabling and constraining factors of agroecological uptake in three EU countries—Czech Republic, Hungary, and Portugal, using a mixed qualitative approach that combined literature review, policy mapping, and 42 in-depth farmer interviews conducted in 2020–2021. Data were analyzed through a shared coding framework, iterative team discussions, and a standardized comparative matrix to ensure cross-country validity. The results reveal shared barriers, including limited institutional coordination, subsidy dependency, and structural land inequalities, alongside country-specific dynamics such as farmer-to-farmer learning in Portugal, family-farm identity in Czechia, and trust-based advisory relations in Hungary. The findings underscore that systemic constraints, rather than conceptual gaps, impede agroecological transitions, and highlight the need for context-sensitive policy instruments, advisory reforms, and training programs aligned with agroecological principles. The paper contributes to the literature by providing empirical insight into farmer attitudes and practices in Central and Southern Europe and by offering actionable recommendations for designing policies and training.

This study examines the impact of agroecological practices on soil quality and crop yields in small-scale farming, focusing on the combination of microbial soil inoculation, crop rotation, and conservation tillage methods. Conducted at the SZIA Agroecological Garden MATE in Gödöllő, Hungary, the experiment used 12 plots, employing various conservation tillage techniques, including soil loosening with and without microbial inoculants, as well as no-till systems with and without inoculation. Six of the plots were inoculated with beneficial bacteria to enhance nitrogen fixation, phosphorus mobility, nutrient solubilization, phytohormone production, and pathogen suppression. In 2024, peas (Pisum sativum L.) were planted following potatoes in a small-scale market-oriented crop rotation, with the continuous monitoring of crop performance and soil characteristics. This ongoing study focuses on evaluating the long-term effects of crop rotation on key agricultural parameters, aiming to optimize practices over time. Statistical analysis (one-way ANOVA) revealed no significant differences across most parameters (p > 0.05), except for total sugar content (p < 0.05), which aligns with expectations given the limited tillage prior to the study. The standard significance level of p < 0.05 was used to balance error risks, ensure adequate statistical power, and maintain consistency with established agricultural research practices. However, the study trends indicated potential long-term benefits, particularly in plots with microbial inoculants, where pea yield and pod size showed improvement compared to non-inoculated and control plots. Microbial inoculants may show long-term effects, as they gradually improve soil health, support microbial communities, and enhance nutrient cycling, which takes time to become noticeable. These findings highlight the potential advantages of combining conservation tillage with microbial inoculants, suggesting that this combination could foster enhanced soil health and productivity over time. The novel setting of this study underscores the importance of long-term monitoring to fully capture the benefits of agroecological interventions, emphasizing their role in achieving sustainable agricultural practices and improving small-scale farming outcomes.

Background This study investigates agroecological practices aimed at enhancing soil quality and crop yield in small-scale agricultural environments. Through soil inoculation, the primary focus lies on incorporating soil bacteria, prioritizing these microbial agents over conventional fertilizers. Additionally, the research integrates intensive crop rotation and various reduced tillage methods, including minimum tillage and no-tillage, to establish a comprehensive approach to fostering sustainable agricultural production. Conducted at the SZIA Agroecological Garden MATE in Gödöllő, Hungary, the investigation allocates 12 distinct plots to different tillage practices, encompassing loosening with and without soil microbes, as well as no-tillage with and without microbial intervention. The collaboration involved the application of nitrogen-fixing and phosphorus-mobilizing bacteria to six designated plots. Commenced in 2022, the study centers on the cultivation of potatoes (Solanum Tuberosum L.). Extensive chemical and physical analyses of soil and harvested potatoes were performed, accompanied by continuous monitoring of potato growth for physical attributes. Results Statistical analysis, utilizing One-way ANOVA in R, indicates p-values predominantly exceeding 0.05, suggesting no significant differences across most parameters. Exceptions include variations in parameters of soil plasticity according to Arany (parameter explained in the paper) and pH (KCl). Aligned with initial predictions and existing research, the outcomes imply that appreciable distinctions between treatments may require an extended observation period. Observed variations in soil plasticity and pH (KCl) hint at the potential for meaningful impacts over an extended timeframe, underscoring the dynamic nature of agroecological interventions. One of the most anticipated findings was that plots where microbes were introduced generally yielded higher harvest weights and tuber size compared to the control group (without tillage or microbes) and plots without any microbial presence at all. Additionally, noteworthy correlations have emerged between weed abundance and total harvest, as well as plant height. These findings suggest that the application of various agroecological practices holds promise for yielding positive impacts. Conclusions This initial assessment shows the need for extended observation beyond the first year. It highlights that the positive impacts of integrated agroecological practices take time to show. Even though immediate results may not present major differences, the observed changes in soil characteristics suggest that these practices could have significant effects over a longer period. These findings set the groundwork for future research, stressing the importance of being patient in seeing real improvements in both soil health and crop quality from these innovative agroecological approaches. The study's significance extends to guiding sustainable agricultural practices and promoting a long-term approach to agroecological research and application.