Iowa farmers most often employ a corn-soybean rotation, planting corn and soybea

Question

Iowa farmers most often employ a corn-soybean rotation, planting corn and soybean in the same fields in alternate years. Crop rotation helps reduce pest populations in both crops since many insect pests and pathogens are specific to one crop or the other (Robertson et al. 2014). Greta, who has adopted Bt corn to help manage insect pests, is still struggling with large populations of weedy plants that compete with both the corn and soy crops. Her current management strategies include herbicides that are approved for the crops, if the timing is right to use them, as well as tillage, which she completes prior to and after planting of her crops, between the crop rows.
Tillage, a term referring to some sort of soil disturbance (Figure 8A), is one way farmers kill weeds and other plant residues either after crop harvest or prior to planting. This practice is disruptive to the soil, alters the community of soil animals and microbes that live there (Stinner and House 1990, Lundgren et al. 2006), and destroys soil structure, making it much easier for soil to blow away or float away in wind or water erosion (Karlen et al. 1994). Soil is a valuable habitat in terms of both biodiversity and the ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration and water filtration (Lavelle et al. 2006). Conservation tillage, also referred to as reduced or no-till practices, can positively impact soil quality through reduced disturbances and maintenance of crop residue on the soil surface (Figure 8B). Greta recently went to a farming conference where she heard other Iowa farmers talking about how much they love no-till farming and keeping their ground covered. She loves the idea of protecting her soil for generations to come. She couldn’t believe it when she heard at the conference that in some parts of Iowa, topsoil is being lost at rates of 10-50 times faster than soil is being formed at those sites (Neuman 2011).
However, if Greta switches to no-tillage farming, she will have to change the way she manages weeds, because she won’t be tilling the ground to kill the plants. Her neighbor tells her that’s why he uses herbicide-tolerant crops. He can plant his soybeans and then go right over the whole field with an herbicide that kills the weeds but does not kill his crops.
A group of scientists let by Wade Givens were curious to find out if farmers who adopted herbicide-tolerant crops changed their tillage practices at all (Givens et al. 2009). Could switching over to herbicide-tolerant crops affect what type of tillage farmers use? If so, this could have implications for soil conservation.
Dr. Givens and his collaborators surveyed 1,195 growers from six states in the Midwestern United States. The results are presented in Table 2.
Examine the data table below from their study. Did farmers change their tillage practices after adopting glyphosate-resistant (GR) crops? Explain. However, if Greta switches to no-tillage farming, she will have to change the way she manages weeds, because she won’t be tilling the ground to kill the plants. Her neighbor tells her that’s why he uses herbicide-tolerant crops. He can plant his soybeans and then go right over the whole field with an herbicide that kills the weeds but does not kill his crops.
A group of scientists let by Wade Givens were curious to find out if farmers who adopted herbicide-tolerant crops changed their tillage practices at all (Givens et al. 2009). Could switching over to herbicide-tolerant crops affect what type of tillage farmers use? If so, this could have implications for soil conservation.
Dr. Givens and his collaborators surveyed 1,195 growers from six states in the Midwestern United States. The results are presented in Table 2.
Examine the data table below from their study. Did farmers change their tillage practices after adopting glyphosate-resistant (GR) crops? Explain.

Explanation / Answer

Yes, farmers have changes their tillage practice after adopting the glyphosate-resistant (GR) crops. The table is clearly showing that there is reduction in the tillage practice that was destroying the soil. The reduced tillage practice will have a string impact on the biodiversity and ecosystem provided by the soil. Reduction in the tillage will help in maintaining the integrity of the soil. This will also help in flourishing the new and healthy plants. As there is crop rotation adapted by the farmers so, it will also increase the fertility of the soil.

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