Soil and water conservation in the Mid-South United States: Lessons learned and a look to the future
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2-9-2010
Abstract
This chapter provides an account of the last one hundred years of conservation agriculture in the Mid-South of the United States, with the goal that lessons learned are applied to ensure continued sustainability of soil as a vital natural resource. Given data from the Mid-South region and elsewhere showing that no-tillage worked to reduce erosion and conserve soil, the first objective was to develop and demonstrate systems that matched economic yields of the status quo. Plots were also incubators for changes in soil properties that affect plant growth/yield, soil erosion and other parameters of water quality. Farming in the Mid-South underwent major transformations in the 20th century, and conservation methods adapted accordingly. Conservation tillage and renewed use of cover crops, together with edge-of-field controls for nonpoint source agricultural inputs, and enrollment in the Conservation Reserve Program have improved soil and water conservation in the Mid-South.
Publication Source (Journal or Book title)
Soil and Water Conservation Advances in the United States
First Page
201
Last Page
236
Recommended Citation
Locke, M., Tyler, D., & Gaston, L. (2010). Soil and water conservation in the Mid-South United States: Lessons learned and a look to the future. Soil and Water Conservation Advances in the United States, 60, 201-236. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaspecpub60.c8