Helena Aronsson

I have been working for many years with applied research on environmental improvement measures in agriculture, mainly regarding the water environment. My role as a researcher with a commitment for extension duties means that I have an extensive network within academia, the agricultural sector, authorities, etc., which have proven to be important for research results to have an impact on society.

My research is mainly about plant nutrient management in agriculture, with focus on improved nutrient use efficiency and reduced losses to waters. I have a long-term experience of field and farm studies including crop rotation, cover crops, soil tillage and no-till, mineral fertilizer, and manure management strategies. This includes also strategies for combining reduced nutrient leaching with other environmental aspects such as reduced need and impact of pesticides, sustainable outdoor livestock systems and horse-keeping, and carbon sequestration.

I teach and supervise work on bachelor's and master's programs at SLU. I also collaborate with teaching at upper secondary schools and at the Baltic Sea Science Center at Skansen in Stockholm.

Lima PDM, Edström M, Aronsson H, Nordberg Å, Sindhøj E. 2025. Comparative analysis of manure treatment scenarios on climate change and eutrophication in the Baltic Sea. Resources, Conservation & Recycling212(2025)108017

Norberg, L and  Aronsson, H. 2025. Conventional and reduced tillage, and set-aside land – Effects on nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium subsurface leaching from a clay soil during 9 years. Soil and Tillage Research,Volume 250, 2025, 106515. doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2025.106515.

Lima PDM, Edström M, Aronsson H, Strand L, Björs M. 2024. Farmers’ perceptions on organic fertilisers towards circularity – a case study in Sweden. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica B — Soil & Plant Science, 74:1, 2290247, DOI: 10.1080/09064710.2023.2290247

Norberg L, Aronsson H. 2024. Effects of spring and autumn tillage, catch crops, and pig manure application on long-term nutrient leaching from a loamy sand. European Journal of Agronomy 156, 127156, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2024.127156.

Barrios Latorre SA, Aronsson H, Björnsson L, Viketoft M, Prade T. 2024. Exploring the benefits of intermediate crops: Is it possible to offset soil organic carbon losses caused by crop residue removal? Agricultural Systems 215, 103873, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2024.103873.

Liu J, Djodjic F, Ulén B, Aronsson H, Bechmann M, Bergström L, Krogstad T, Kyllmar K. 2024. Toward better targeting of mitigation measures for reducing phosphorus losses from land to water: Andrew Sharpley's legacy in Norway and Sweden. J Environ Qual. 2024 Mar 31. doi: 10.1002/jeq2.20558. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38556846.

Kumblad, L., Petersson, M., Aronsson, H. et al. 2024. Managing multi-functional peri-urban landscapes: Impacts of horse-keeping on water quality. Ambio 53, 452–469 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-023-01955-9

Norberg, L. and Aronsson, A. 2022. Mitigating phosphorus leaching from a clay loam through structure liming. Acta Agriculture Scandinavica, Section B—Soil & Plant Science 72 (1): 987-996. https://doi.org/10.1080/09064710.2022.2138528

Aronsson, H., S. Nyström, E. Malmer, L. Kumblad and C. Winqvist. 2022. Losses of phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen from horse manure left on the ground. Acta Agriculture Scandinavica, Section B—Soil & Plant Science 72: 893–901.  https://doi.org/10.1080/09064710.2022.2121749

Aronsson H, Wahlund L, Lovang M, Hellstrand E, Odelros Å, Salomon E. 2021. Phosphorus load in outdoor areas for laying hens and capacity of phosphorus retaining materials to reduce the environmental impact. Organic Agriculture, https://doi.org/10.1007/s13165-021-00349-z

Pantelopolus, A. and Aronsson, H. 2021. Two-stage separation and acidification of pig slurry – Nutrient separation efficiency and agronomical implications. Journal of Environmental Management 280: 111653, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.111653

Aronsson H, Hansen E M, Thomsen I K, Liu, J, Øgaard A F, Känkänen H, Ulén B. 2016. The ability of cover crops to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus losses from arable land in southern Scandinavia and Finland – a review. Journal of Soil and water Conservation 71 (1): 41-55.