Oral Session

S06 Soil & Water Management & Conservation High-input agriculture produces greater amounts of food, feed, and fiber, but current practices have affected soil quality with diminished ecosystem services. By 2050 U.S. agricultural production may have to double, which will make existing cropland increasingly dependent on chemicals, water, and energy inputs. Such intensification of farming will have consequences on terrestrial ecosystems that are expected to be detrimental. No-till keeps topsoil and nutrients where they belong: in the field. However, transitional no-till is associated with soil compaction, weed infestations, and decrease in crop yields. For a successful NT transition, crop rotation with cover crops is essential to improve soil quality for greater agricultural sustainability.