Soil microbial community structure and crop yield was investigated in field tomato production systems that compared black polyethylene mulch to hairy vetch mulch and inorganic N to organic N. The following hypotheses were tested: (1) hairy vetch cover cropping increases crop yield and significantly affects soil microbial community structure when compared to the standard plastic mulch and synthe...

Agroforestry can increase the sequestration of carbon (C) in soils of tropical agroecosystems through increased litter and tree pruning inputs. Decomposition of these inputs is a key process in the formation of soil organic matter and in nutrient cycling. Our objectives were to study decay of tree pruning mulch and effects on soil C and N in a shaded coffee agroecosystem in Hawaii. Chipped tree...

Organic mulch is a complex organic material that is typically populated with its own consortium of microorganisms. The organisms in mulch breakdown complex organics to soluble carbon, which can then be used by these and other microorganisms as an electron donor for treating RDX and HMX via reductive pathways. A bench-scale treatability study with organic mulch was conducted for the treatment of...

Introduction ............................................................................................................................2 Organic Farming & the Tillage Dilemma .........................................................................3 Mulch Tillage .........................................................................................................................5 Ridge Ti...

in order to determine the effect of irrigation interval and mulch on growth of olive an experiment was carried out in dallaho olive research station at sarepole. a split plot experiment was used based on a completely randomized design with three replications and two factors (mulch and irrigation interval). each experiment unit consists of 4 trees. land preparation was done in february 2005 in a...

The aim of this study was to produce mulch by combining natural mineral and organic substances in order to reach soil stabilization and improve soil physical and mechanical properties in Koopal area. The effects of organic mulch (at 3 levels of O1: combination of 1% sugarcane bagasse biochar+0.5% gum Arabic+0.5% gelatin; O2: combination of 3% sugarcane bagasse biochar+1% gum Arabic+1% gelatin; ...

Introduction ............................................................................................................................2 Organic Farming & the Tillage Dilemma .........................................................................3 Mulch Tillage .........................................................................................................................5 Ridge Ti...

The use of leaf mulch as a soil cover is effective in improving yield and soil fertility. The field experiment was conducted during 2010 and 2011 to study the effect of plant spacing (30 cm × 30 cm and 45 cm × 30 cm) and four mulches {pine needles (Pinus roxburghii), poplar leaf (Populus deltoides), silver oak (Grevillea robusta) tree leaf mulch and unmulched control} on growth, yield, qual...

Stale seedbeds are used by organic growers to reduce weed populations prior to crop planting. Ryemulches, derived from mechanically killed (rolled and crimped) winter rye cover crops, can serve the same purpose for spring-planted organic crops. Both methods can also be employed by conventional growers who face looming problems with herbicide resistant weeds. The objective of this research was t...

Genetic modification of crop plants to introduce desirable traits such as nutritional enhancement, disease and pest resistance, and enhanced crop productivity is increasingly seen as a promising technology for sustainable agriculture and boosting food production in the world. Independently, cultural practices that utilize alternative agriculture strategies including organic cultivation subscrib...