Conservation Agriculture Soil Health Matters Paul Reed Hepperly, PhD Senior Scientist, Rodale Institute Fulbright Scholar
Rodale Institute 1970
Stop Erosion
Soil Organic Matters Holds water Cements soil particles Reduces acid soil toxicity through natural liming Increases micronutrient availability Electron micrograph of soil humus
Reducing Erosion
Organic Matter Increases Infiltration Organic Using Compost Conventional
Organic Corn - 1995 Drought Better infiltration, retention, and delivery to plants helps avoid drought damage Organic Conventional
Soil Organic Matter (mt / ha) Historical Management 100 75 50 Future Prediction No Till, Cover Crop, Compost Compost Cover Crop Fertilizer 25 Conventional Monoculture 0 1900 1925 1950 1975 2000 2025 2050
The Farming System Trial
The Farming System Trial Established in 1981. Three cropping systems are compared. 8 replications, 3 crops represented each year in each system Plot size: 20 x 300 ft (6 x 91.5 m) Lysimeters installed in 4 reps in fall of 1990
Soil Organic Matters 5 % 1% 1% 5%
FST Soil Carbon and Soil Nitrogen change from 1981 to 2002 30 25 20 15 10 5 0-5 Conv. 1% 5% Legume Manure % Carbon % Nitrogen
Soil in Organic Systems Higher corn and soybean yields in drought years Increased soil C and N Higher water infiltration Higher water holding cap. Higher microbial activity
Carbon is Covered Total Soil Carbon Content ( % ) 2.6 2.5 2.4 2.3 2.2 2.1 2.0 1.9 1.8 1.7 Manure Conventional Legume Manure: R2 = 0.83 y = 0.021x + 2.03 Legume: R2 = 0.79 y = 0.015x + 2.12 Conventional: R2 = 0.04 y = 0.002x + 1.97 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005
3.3 3.1 2.9 2.7 2.5 2.3 2.1 1.9 1.7 1.5 1.3 1.1 0.9 0.7 0.5 0.3 0.1 Carbon Profile Depth in Organic & Convention Systems Farming Systems Trial 2006 Conventional Organic Legume Organic Animal 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 Soil Depth (cm)
Mycorrhizal Fungi Extends plant root systems Produces erosionresistant, carbon enriched soil Provides mechanisms for soil biological carbon fixation Slows decay of organic matter
Energy Use FST Energy use (in million kcal) 6 5 4 3 2 1 Seeds Herbicides Fertilizer Fuel 0 MNR LEG CNV
No-Till Roller Crimper Biologically Based No-Till
Energy Used in Different Corn 250 Production Systems Conventional 231.7 200 150 100 50 199.2 121.6 Organic 77.5 0 Tillage No Till Tillage No Till
Successful Weed Control Biologically Based No-Till Corn
Proven, Affordable, Immediate Holistic Grazing Biologically Based No Till
Basic grazing determine River Restoration If landscapes are like this: or like this. (Two rivers in the same area, with the same soils and rainfall, on the same day.) ManagingWholes.com
Putting it Together Soil carbon under continuous cropping for forage and in permanent pasture and short and long pasture rotation w ith no till cropping 1995 t0 1999. Soil Carbon (%) 2.5 2 1.5 1 ct 1.368 rt 1.584 nt 1.665 pp 2.052 Sr Nt 2.088 LR NT 2.268 0.5 0 ct rt nt pp Sr Nt lr NT Management
Water Holding Capacity Water in Pounds 200 150 100 50 0 195 lbs. 140 lbs. 100 lbs. 55 lbs. 33 lbs. 5% 4% 3% 2% 1% Organic Matter
Carbon Impact by Field Treatment 2500 Carbon Sequestration ( kg C / ha /year) 2363 2000 1500 1000 1261 1000 500-44.6-18.9-8.1 312 330 0-500 Moldboard Plow Sub Soil Mole Knife Raw Dairy Manure Cov. No Till Winter Cover Crops Compost Broiler (litter, leaves) Compost (Dairy, Manure, Leaves)
Creating New Soil A photo from a Canadian research station showing the root growth of bunchgrass plants that were kept clipped at certain levels. Research efforts in the soil science arena have concentrated on reducing the rate of soil loss. The concept of building new topsoil is rarely considered. From Dr. Christine Jones, Carbon For Life, Inc.
Creating New Soil From Dr. Christine Jones, Carbon For Life, Inc.
Premium Prices 1995 to 2007 145% Mean Organic Premium (%) 1995 to 2007 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 104%. 76% 70% 0 Soybean, Corn, Wheat, Oats
Increased Foliar Nutrients Organic Livestock System Compared To Conventional Corn Soybean Row Crop System Percent Increase over Conventional Control 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0-10 -20-30 N P K Ca Mg Mn Fe Cu B Al Zn Oat Leaf Tissue Mineral Comparative Mineral Content *Zero is equal to the conventional baseline.
Increased Grain Mineral Content Percentage Increase 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 Increases in mineral contents in oat grain comparing organic and conventional production systems after 22 years of system differentiation. When zero Organic and Conventional were equal. 10 0 K P Ca Mg S ASH Series1 17.24137931 20.51282051 20 21.42857143 16.66666667 74.25742574 Elements
Wet Year Organic Conventional
Fiber Min. D. E. Lys. Meth. A. Prot. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 FST Corn 2005 Compost Conventional C. Prot.
Vegetables Quality Analysis of Carrots, Peppers & Tomatoes: Antioxidants Vitamin C Carotenoids Pigments
Advantages Better Disease reaction to carrot necrosis and leaf blight, pepper virus complex and tomato late blight. Equal yield except higher in organic when disease was limiting as carrot necrosis. Higher Calcium, Magnesium, Sulfur, and Boron in Tomato fruit Higher Calcium, Sulfur, and Boron in Tomato leaves Higher Boron and Sodium in Carrot leaves and roots Higher ascorbic acid and total antioxidants in dry environment for tomato, peppers, and carrots
Ecological Regeneration 1. Building Soils 2. Cleaning up Waterways 3. Improving Water Dynamics 4. Avoid Drought & Floods 5. Improve Yield Productivity 6. Increase Adaptability to Climate Change 7. Improve Food Quality
Rodale Institute Conservation Agriculture
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