Soils conservation tillage effects

Lai, R. (1997). Residue management, conservation tillage and soil restoration for mitigating greenhouse effect by C02-enrichment. Soil Tillage Res. 43, 81-107. 

The benefits of the triazines in multiple cropping systems range from their application flexibility, effective weed control, soil residual activity, and crop selectivity to their important role in resistance management and conservation tillage. The triazines also have made a major impact on agricultural sustainability and crop yields, as evidenced by the use of atrazine, especially in com. 

No one herbicide will do the job and control all of the many weeds in most fields. Farmers require combinations of effective and dependable herbicides that will work under a wide variety of weed species and densities, soil types, and climatic conditions. Many years of research, trial, error, and experience have been required for farmers to arrive at the greater than 22% of all corn acreage in no-till, and 112.6 million A (45.6 million ha) or more than 40% of our total United States cropland acres in some form of conservation tillage systems in 2004 (CTIC, 2004). Table 33.1 shows the trend toward various types of conservation tillage in recent years. 

Canola-based biodiesel gels at a lower temperature than the one produced from other feedstocks make it a more suitable fuel for colder regions, with a cloud point of 1°C and a pour point of —9°C (Peterson et al., 1997). The Canola Council of Canada published in 2010 an LCA study on canola biodiesel that shows a crop with a good energy balance and a lower GHG emissions profile when cultivated in Canada rather than in Europe. These effects are due to differences in the agronomic process low annual precipitation (less N2O emissions), alkaline soils (no pH adjustment required), use of ammonium-type fertilizers (with lower emissions than nitrate ones), and conservation tillage practices, among other factors (Inc., 2010). 

Peters RD, Sturz AV, Carter MA, Sanderson JB (2003) Developing disease-suppressive soils through crop rotation and tillage management practices. Soil Till Res 72 181-192 Pfiffner L, Luka H (2003) Effects of low-input farming systems on carabids and epigeal spiders - a paired farm approach. Basic Appl Ecol 4 117-127 Pimentel D, Harvey C, Resosudarmo P, Sinclair K, Kurz D, McNair M, Crist S, Shpritz L, Fitton L, Saffouri R, Blair R (1995) Environmental and economic costs of soil erosion and conservation benefits. Science 267 1117-1123... 

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