ARS | Publication request: THE SOUTH CAROLINA AGROECOLOGY PROGRAM: A MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM APPROACH

Submitted to: Abstract of Agronomy Meetings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: October 1, 2001
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: A multidisciplinary agroecology program was initiated by Clemson University and the USDA-ARS in 1997. The focus of the program is to develop new cropping systems for the southeastern Coastal Plain and to obtain a better understanding of how new technologies and practices affect crop productivity, environmental quality, and the ecology of the crop community. Field experiments are conducted to develop new cropping systems centered on conservation tillage, narrow row widths, site-specific management, and new genetic technologies for wheat, soybean, corn, and cotton. This information is used to design management practices for a long-term, split-field study where a cropping system based upon new technologies and practices is compared to a cropping system based upon traditional practices. The quantity of water, nutrients, sediment, and pesticides that move offsite during rainfall events is being monitored. Soil chemical, physical, and biological properties, as well as fire ant mound distribution and size, are also measured each year. A summer internship program and an advisory panel are integral parts of the program. Research results from all studies are posted on the Agroecology website