Plants farmers

In 2007 a bumper crop in corn took the edge off problems with supplies. The USDA confirmed that corn acreage was up almost 20% from 2006, with farmers planting almost 2.5 million more acres than they had planned. The crop was estimated at 13 billion bushels, up 23% from 2006. This caused corn prices to drop 40 cents to 50 cents a bushel, but increasing demand for corn to produce ethanol and to feed livestock in Asia, Latin American and elsewhere kept world stocks low. 

Farmers reported that yields following compost application increased up to 4000 kg ha of maize and more importantly, that crops are less prone to damage from dry spells because of higher soil organic matter content. Some farmers even experiment with the combination of compost and fertiliser. They achieve yields of up to 5000 kg ha One particular farmer planted trees around his 8 hectare farm and allowed 2.8 hectares to develop into forest. The leaves of the fence and the... 

Traditionally, organic winemakers have chosen grapes to suit their soil types and have chosen varieties for their character and their resistance to disease, rather than for their ability to produce high yields. This is true in other organic agriculture where farmers plant arable crops that produce lower yields but are able to withstand pests, diseases and falling over. 

Many organic farmers plant a cover crop of winter rye on ridges prior to their soybean crop to assist in erosion and weed prevention. 

Obtain a small handful of soybean seedsfrom a Co-oP or a local farmer. Plant the soybean seeds about 2 cm deep and water as needed to keep the soil moist. They usually will take about 3-4 days to germinate, and nodules will begin to form about 10 days later. Plants 3 weeks old should contain sufficient nodules for this experiment. 

Another area where improved air quaUty has impacted on sulfur use is ia agriculture. As sulfur dioxide emissions have decreased, sulfur content of soils has also decreased. Sulfur, recognized as the fourth most important plant nutrient, is necessary for the most efficient use of other nutrients and optimum plant growth. Because many soils are becoming sulfur-deficient, a demand for sulfur-containing fertilizers has been created. Farmers must therefore apply a nutrient that previously was freely available through atmospheric deposition and low grade fertilizers. 

Nitrate is one of the facts of life. It is essential for the growth of many plant species, including most of those we eat, but it becomes a problem if it gets into water in which it is not wanted. It is perceived mainly as a chemical fertilizer used by farmers, but much of the nitrate found in soil is produced by the microbes that break down plant residues and other nitrogen-containing residues in the soil. There is no difference between nitrate from fertilizer and that produced by microbes, but, whatever its origin, this rather commonplace chemical entity has now become a major environmental problem and is also treated as a health hazard. 

---