Arable production systems

Crop plants provide 70% of the food for the world s population and in addition produce vegetable oils and valuable raw materials for industrial processes. 

---

In arable production systems, organic farms in one study (Peppelman et al, 2002) consume about 50% more energy per hectare than do non-organic farms. Other studies show smaller differences and the opposite has been seen as well. Although organic farms use less and different fertiliser and other inputs this does not always offset the high eonsumption per hectare of fossil fuels. If calculated per unit of product, this difference would be remarkably higher. 

Fresh produce is a term used to describe edible horticulture crops. The fresh produce sector is technically challenging the range of crops is laige and different production systems are employed for many of them. The crops are harvested fresh and, in contrast to arable crops, may be harvested regularly for a number of months. Some of the key differences between fresh produce and broad-acre arable crops are ... 

As well as the various EU directives impacting on arable production, once we joined the EU it also led to the adoption of metric units. The first edition of crop husbandly was all written using imperial units now of course everything is metricated, though in practice many farmers still use both systems ... 

Declining amounts of arable land, increasing world populations, and increasing costs of fertilizer and food and energy needs will make it increasingly difficult to maintain our soil resources. A key component for sustaining soil productivity is the maintenance of soil organic carbon (SOC). SOC maintenance requires the amount of carbon added to the system to equal the amount of relic carbon mineralized... 

Oomen, G.J.M. and Habets, F. 1998. Using the static whole farm model FARM and the dynamic model NDJCEA to integrate arable and animal production. In H. van Keulen, E.A. Lantinga and H.H. van Laar (eds) Proceedings of an International Workshop on Mixed Farming Systems in Europe. Dronten, Wageningen. pp. 199-106. 

Spiertz, J.H.J. 1989. Arable crop production. In Zadoks, J.C. (ed.) Development of Farming Systems. Evaluation of Jive year period 1980-1984. Pudoc, Wageningen. pp. 19-25. 

---