By Rachel Sells
Regenerative agriculture practices help preserve soil and water resources for future generations of farmers. Yet, some farmers are hesitant to implement these practices, often due to yield-decline concerns.
But what if regenerative agriculture strategies could save water without hurting yield?
Water modelers at Oklahoma State University (OSU) found that using a mix of cover crops and no-tillage planting can save water while not impacting yield. They have been using computer models to research the long-term impacts of adopting regenerative agriculture practices on crops in Oklahoma as part of the regenerative agriculture project.
“When we incorporate different practices together, yields become very similar to the conventional practices they were using before. We can show farmers that yes, these yields are identical to the conventional practice, yet it’s helping us get a sustainable future,” said Navdeep Saasan, an OSU doctoral student on the research team.
When using a mix of cover crops and no-tillage, researchers also observed an increase in root-zone water storage, a reduction in runoff, and better yield reliability. Cover crops were particularly beneficial because they can increase water storage and help with grazing.
Source : tamu.edu