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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lincoln, Nebraska » Agroecosystem Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #192348
Title: PRESERVING SOIL AND CROP RESOURCES BY INCREASING CROPPING INTENSITY AND DECREASING TILLAGE

Author
item Wienhold, Brian
item WEIL, R - UNIV OF MARYLAND

Submitted to: Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/1/2005
Publication Date: 1/31/2006
Citation: Wienhold, B.J., Weil, R.R. 2006. Preserving soil and crop resources by increasing cropping intensity and decreasing tillage. Renewable Agriculture and Food System 21:1-2..

Interpretive Summary: This editorial introduces a special issue of the journal dealing with soil management in the Great Plains. Five of the papers in this issue are the result of a multi-location study comparing traditional and alternative management practices at eight locations in the Great Plains, two of the papers compare profitability and energy costs among cropping practices. A review of the book ‘Managing Soil Quality – Challenges in Modern Agriculture’ concludes the special issue. Results presented describe improvements in soil function resulting from crop rotation and reduced incidence of tillage, introduce assessment tools for comparing soil function among contrasting management practices or monitoring the effect of soil management on soil function over time, validate several analytical methods related to important soil functions, and pose directions for future research.

Technical Abstract: This editorial introduces a special issue of the journal dealing with soil management in the Great Plains. Five of the papers in this issue are the result of a multi-location study comparing traditional and alternative management practices at eight locations in the Great Plains, two of the papers compare profitability and energy costs among cropping practices. A review of the book ‘Managing Soil Quality – Challenges in Modern Agriculture’ concludes the special issue. Results presented describe improvements in soil function resulting from crop rotation and reduced incidence of tillage, introduce assessment tools for comparing soil function among contrasting management practices or monitoring the effect of soil management on soil function over time, validate several analytical methods related to important soil functions, and pose directions for future research.