DATE: 25 May 2023
SECTOR: Farming
SOURCE: The University of Massachusetts, Amherst – via Earth’s Future, published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of the American Geophysical Union (AGU)
TOPIC: Soil health
SUMMARY: How different tillage methods impact soil health and sustainability in the Midwest
DESCRIPTION: Plowing has a significant impact on soil health, as quantified by new research from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Using landscape evolution models, researchers simulated how three different types of tillage will affect soil erosion and soil organic carbon (SOC) erosion in the Midwestern United States over the next century. They looked at conventional tillage, current use of low-intensity tillage (i.e., no-till farming), and increased use of no-till. They concluded that less is more – with the widespread adoption of no-till cultivation promising to reduce soil loss and erosion by approximately 95% while boosting soil sustainability.
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