tillage management News
-
A statement from the Agricultural Engineers Association
With regret, the Agricultural Engineers Association has taken the decision to cancel this year’s Tillage-Live which was to have taken place on 23rd September. Current government guidance, together with local authority advice, particularly on the insistence of strict social distancing requirements has led the Tillage-Live management group to take this decision. AEA Director General ...
-
No-tillage management of olive groves can improve soil structure while maintaining yield
Non-conservative tillage techniques, such as milling and harrowing, are the most common way to manage soil in Mediterranean olive orchards. A new study confirms the value of alternative methods based on the use of spontaneous cover crops which can significantly improve soil structure and reduce erosion whilst maintaining yields. The olive tree is one of the most widespread crops in the ...
-
Crop performance matters when evaluating GHGs
Measuring the emission of greenhouse gases from croplands should take into account the crops themselves. That’s the conclusion of a study in the September-October issue of the Journal of Environmental Quality, which examined the impact of farm practices such as tillage on the greenhouse gas, nitrous oxide (N2O). Expressing emissions per unit of crop yield rather than on a more conventional ...
-
Iowa’s Corn Farmers Celebrate Soil & Water Conservation Week
Iowa has 71,665 miles of streams and more than 11,000 different types of soil. Both resources are precious to the productivity of our state. Farmers celebrate soil and water every day but, Soil and Water Conservation Week April 28 to May 2, is a good time to recognize Iowa’s innovations to conserve both soil and water resources. “We haven’t reached perfection, yet” said ...
-
Impacts of tillage on soil and crops
The increasing popularity of reduced tillage on crops has not only been an important development in combating soil erosion, but it has also been associated with increasing organic material and producing high crop yields. For peanut crops, however, reduced tillage has not gained a large acceptance as a viable practice, as findings of inconsistent yields have not encouraged farmers to make a ...
-
Soil and Water Conservation Society and Truterra Awarded $1.5M from USDA to Accelerate Adoption of Precision Nutrient Management Practices in Midwestern States
The Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS) and Truterra, LLC have been awarded $1.5 million in funding from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to accelerate the adoption of precision nutrient management and soil health practices in partnership with agricultural retailers in Iowa, Kansas, and Nebraska. SWCS is a nonprofit scientific and educational organization that ...
-
Organic mulch lets insect pollinators do their job
As interest in organic agricultural and horticultural practices continues to grow, so does the need to identify alternative weed control practices. Mulching, a common practice used to control weeds and reduce the need for tillage, can also reduce insect pollinators' exposure to harmful pesticides; however, finding the right mulch materials that allow pollinators to flourish can be challenging. ...
-
Sandwich system found effective in organic apple orchards
In organic apple orchards, one of the most serious challenges for growers is determining ways to limit weed competition while improving soil quality and ensuring high yields of quality apples. Scientists from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences published a study of orchard floor management systems (HortScience, March 2015) that revealed the benefits of using "sandwich systems" in ...
-
No-till improves near-surface soil properties
Near-surface soil aggregate structural properties such as aggregate size distribution, stability, strength, and wettability determine the extent to which a soil will erode under water or wind erosive forces. Knowledge of aggregate structural properties is especially important in semiarid regions, such as the Great Plains, where low precipitation, high evaporation, and variable biomass production ...
-
Switch to organic farming may boost yields and incomes
Switching to organic and resource-conserving methods of farming can improve smallholder crop yields, food security and income, a review study has found. But a more-extensive evidence base founded on rigorous and consistent research methods is needed before the findings can be generalised to other situations, according to the study published in the current issue of the International Journal of ...
By SciDev.Net
-
Transitioning to organic farming
As the organic food trend continues to grow; more farmers are converting from conventional agriculture to organic production. One of the fastest growing markets in the U.S. is the production of organic milk. The growth of this industry has prompted many farmers to transition their land to organic feed grain production. With transition on the rise, it is necessary for these farmers to have ...
-
Ants and termites boost dryland wheat yields
"Ants and termites perform the same ecosystem service functions in dryland agriculture that earthworms perform in cooler and wetter areas, but the potential for ants and termites to provide these benefits has received little attention until now," said CSIRO's Dr Theo Evans. "We already knew that the activities of ants and termites affect soil structure, aeration, water infiltration and nutrient ...
-
Can one-time tillage improve no-till?
A one-time tillage has no adverse effects on yield or soil properties on no-till land, according to field research conducted at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Although tillage is another expense for farmers and generally increases the risk of soil erosion, a one-time tillage may be performed to correct some problem, such as a perennial weed problem. The feasibility study was conducted for ...
-
Climate-smart farming takes root in Kenya
Like most African countries, Kenya is highly vulnerable to the impact of climate change. There is growing concern about potential stress on fragile ecosystems and rural communities, especially in the arid and semi-arid agro-ecological zones and some humid highland areas of the country. In keeping with the Strategy for Revitalizing Agriculture (SRA) of Kenya 2010-2015 and Kenya's vision 2030, ...
-
Tillage and reduced-input rotations affect runoff from agricultural fields
A new study from researchers at the USDA Agricultural Research Service provides information about runoff under different management practices and can help farmers choose the practice that is best for them. No-till management practices can reduce soil erosion, but evidence suggests they can also lead to increased runoff of dissolved phosphorus from soil surfaces. Meanwhile, farmers looking to ...
Need help finding the right suppliers? Try XPRT Sourcing. Let the XPRTs do the work for you