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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Farming Systems Research On Crop Diversification, Tillage, And Management Effects On Yield, Pests, And Environmental Quality In A Semi-Arid Environment, Andrew W. Lenssen, U. Sainju, T. Caesar-Tonthat, B. Allen, R. Lartey
Farming Systems Research On Crop Diversification, Tillage, And Management Effects On Yield, Pests, And Environmental Quality In A Semi-Arid Environment, Andrew W. Lenssen, U. Sainju, T. Caesar-Tonthat, B. Allen, R. Lartey
Andrew W. Lenssen
Available water, depleted soil quality, and weed competition are important constraints to crop production in the northern Great Plains. The traditional rotation in the region has been spring wheat with summer fallow, which is used to accrue additional soil moisture for the subsequent wheat crop. Tillage during fallow periods controls weeds, which otherwise would use substantial amounts of water and inorganic nitrogen, decreasing the efficiency of fallow and increasing soil erosion. Chemical fallow and zero tillage systems improve soil water status for subsequent crops (Lenssen et al., 2007a), allowing for increased cropping intensity and improved nutrient cycling (Lenssen et al., …