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Home > AFO Strategies for Source Water Protection > Proactive Solutions for Reducing Waste Generation |
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*Source Water Protection |
Conservation Tillage Conservation tillage is a technique where crops are grown with minimal cultivation of the soil. With less tillage than traditional planting methods, plant residues from previous crop cycles are not completely plowed into the soil, and instead remain on top of the soil to provide cover and reduce runoff (USEPA, 2001a; USEPA, 2001b). This practice can be especially helpful for reducing phosphorus losses (USEPA, 2001b). Crop rotation can help minimize fertilizer and pesticide needs, and thus not only reduce potential transport of these chemicals to environments outside of the farm, but also provide crop improvement and economic benefits. Different plants have different nutrient uptake requirements and abilities, and occasional switching of plant type helps to reduce the amount of fertilizer that must be applied. Legumes can be planted to provide nitrogen for subsequent crops. Switching to deep-rooted crops can help provide uptake of nutrients deeper in the soil where shallow-rooted plants can't reach (USEPA, 2001b). Information on tillage practices is available from the USEPA. |
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