Comparative Assessment of Soil Properties and Economic Return of Alternative Dryland Farming Systems.

Diverse farming system strategies are being designed and evaluated in the dryland cropping regions of the Pacific Northwest.  In 2001, we established five contrasting low-disturbance systems consisting of two no-till crop rotations, a low soil disturbance organic system, a perennial-based system and a restored native system (conservation reserve program planting).  After five years, we conducted comparative soil property and economic analyses of these different cropping systems.  No differences in soil organic C or N occurred among farming systems, however, soil organic C and N were increasing in all systems. Soil pH, dehydrogenase activity and substrate-induced respiration were all greater for the organic and native systems.  Economic returns favored the no-till annual cropping systems and the native system.  Based on these trends, the organic and perennial-based systems were redesigned to increase potential profitability.