www.sare.org publications conservation-tillage-systems-in-the-southeast chapter-3-benefits-of-increasing-soil-organic-matter soil-organic-matter-and-soil-biology Soil Organic Matter and Soil Biology Soil is teeming with life, both macroscopic and microscopic. These life forms range in size from invisible microorganisms to easily visible insects, earthworms and plant roots (Figure 3.8). In a teaspoon of soil, there are millions of bacteria, hundreds of thousands of fungi, thousands of protozoa and many larger organisms. These soil organisms play essential […]
www.sare.org publications conservation-tillage-systems-in-the-southeast chapter-3-benefits-of-increasing-soil-organic-matter soil-organic-matter-and-soil-fertility Soil Organic Matter and Soil Fertility Soil fertility is one of the most important soil characteristics for crop growth. Crops require nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and other nutrients at the right levels to grow properly and yield well. Fertile soils retain moderate to high levels of the nutrients needed for plant growth and good yield. Both soil organic matter and mineral composition […]
www.sare.org publications conservation-tillage-systems-in-the-southeast chapter-3-benefits-of-increasing-soil-organic-matter soil-organic-matter-and-soil-properties Soil Organic Matter and Soil Properties As soil organic matter increases with conservation tillage systems, soil properties change for the better in many ways. Soil structure and soil-water relationships are improved, and the soil better resists compaction and erosion. Soil Structure Soil structure is formed from the interaction of mineral particles and organic matter. Soil organisms generate organic compounds, such as […]
www.sare.org publications conservation-tillage-systems-in-the-southeast chapter-3-benefits-of-increasing-soil-organic-matter Chapter 3: Benefits of Increasing Soil Organic Matter Julia Gaskin, University of Georgia Francisco Arriaga, University of Wisconsin–Madison Alan Franzluebbers, USDA-ARS Yucheng Feng, Auburn University Soil organic matter is a complex mixture of plant debris, dead roots, soil microbe and insect bodies, animal manures and humus in various stages of decomposition and reformation. All the materials forming soil organic matter include carbon and […]
www.sare.org publications conservation-tillage-systems-in-the-southeast chapter-2-conservation-tillage-systems-history-the-future-and-benefits summary-4 Chapter 2 Summary Beginning in the 1700s, farmers came to recognize that intensive production practices led to increased soil erosion, which threatened the land’s productivity. As a result, farmers and researchers gradually developed the practices that constitute today’s conservation tillage systems. One of the earliest strategies was to add winter crops to rotations, which took advantage of residues […]
www.sare.org publications conservation-tillage-systems-in-the-southeast chapter-2-conservation-tillage-systems-history-the-future-and-benefits benefits-of-conservation-tillage-systems Benefits of Conservation Tillage Systems There are both environmental and economic benefits to conservation tillage systems. Environmental benefits include improved water quality; reduced nutrient losses; increased water availability; improved air quality; and improved soil quality, meaning increased organic matter and improved soil structure, porosity and tilth. Economic and societal benefits include improved quality of life (reduced labor, greater flexibility in […]
www.sare.org publications conservation-tillage-systems-in-the-southeast chapter-2-conservation-tillage-systems-history-the-future-and-benefits a-future-for-conservation-tillage-systems A Future for Conservation Tillage Systems To look into the future of conservation tillage systems, the authors interviewed members of the Conservation Agriculture Systems Alliance, a group of “voluntary producer organizations that work hard to promote no-till systems and other practices that provide economic benefits, as well as environmental benefits to their regions.” We asked the members: (1) What do you […]
www.sare.org publications conservation-tillage-systems-in-the-southeast chapter-2-conservation-tillage-systems-history-the-future-and-benefits a-historical-perspective A Historical Perspective Agriculture in the Southeast was dominated by cotton in the late 19th century, with Georgia and Alabama as the leading cotton-producing states. In 1896, half of Alabama’s population was employed on the state’s approximately 3 million acres of cotton [36]. Although cotton is a profitable crop, growing it results in a greater risk of soil […]
www.sare.org publications conservation-tillage-systems-in-the-southeast chapter-2-conservation-tillage-systems-history-the-future-and-benefits Chapter 2: Conservation Tillage Systems: History, the Future and Benefits Dorcas H. Franklin, University of Georgia Jason S. Bergtold, Kansas State University Necessity is the mother of invention. A need or problem encourages creative efforts to meet the need or to solve the problem. Throughout time, mankind has strived to feed a growing population through improved farming practices. At times these efforts caused degradation of […]
www.sare.org publications conservation-tillage-systems-in-the-southeast chapter-1-introduction-to-conservation-tillage-systems summary-3 Chapter 1 Summary Conservation tillage has become the standard, but implementation of conservation tillage systems is still being developed. Farm policy is moving to more intensified conservation on-farm to further environmental stewardship while still promoting farm profitability and agricultural sustainability. Farmers can take the lead in pushing the envelope of conservation tillage systems and be involved in the […]