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Editor's
NOTE
In addition to analyzing data from our research trials
and developing new domestic and international research
initiatives, Don reviews dozens of research studies
each week. He'll present the most interesting of his
findings every week on the web site. |
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As global climate change increases, there are predictions of increased
climatic instability leading to increased incidence and severity
of droughts and flooding and other extreme climatic events (Sombrock
and Gommes, 1996; Weiss and Bradley, 2001). Cropping stability and
the ability to buffer yields during periods of climatic adversity
are critical factors in agriculture’s ability to support society
in the future.
Organic crop systems have a track record of better performance
than conventionally managed systems in this area. A number of studies
have shown that under drought conditions crops in organically managed
systems produce higher yields than comparable crops managed conventionally
(Dormaar et al., 1988; Stanhill, 1990). This advantage can result
in organic crops outyielding conventional crops by 70-90% under
severe drought conditions (Lockeretz et al., 1981; Wynen, 1994;
Petersen et al., 1999; Lotter, 2003). Others have shown that organically
managed crop systems have lower long-term yield variability, i.e
higher cropping system stability (Henning, 1994; Peters, 1994; Smolik
et al., 1995). Swift (1994) proposed that assessments of crop performance
should include analysis of two components – non-declining
crop trends, and stability of yield from cycle to cycle.
The results of the 21-year Rodale Farming Systems Trial, in which
organic and conventional corn-soybean rotations are compared, verify
these research findings. In all six drought years in Pennsylvania
1988, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, and 1999 – the organic corn
outyielded the conventional corn, by as much as 40%.
The future of food production will entail adapting to the changing
environment, as biological systems have always done via natural
selection. As an example, because crops use 70% of pumped water,
impending shortages of aquifer-sourced irrigation water in Asia
(Brown, 2003) will force the use of drought-adapted crop systems.
Selection pressure will be favoring crop systems that are better
adapted to stress, and organic agriculture will be there to fill
that niche.
1. Brown, L. R. 2003. Water deficits growing in many countries.
Earth Policy Institute Update #15, www.earth-policy.org.
2. Dormaar, J. F., C. W. Lindwall, and G. C. Kozub. 1988. Effectiveness
of manure and commercial fertilizer in restoring productivity of
an artificially eroded dark brown chermozemic soil under dryland
conditions. Canadian Journal of Soil Science, 68:669-679.
3. Henning, J. 1994. Economics of organic farming in Canada. In:
The Economics of Organic Farming, N. H. Lampkin and S. Padel, Editor.
CAB: Wallingford, UK. p. 3-8
4. Lockeretz, W., G. Shearer, and D. H. Kohl. 1981. Organic farming
in the Corn Belt. Science, 211:540-546.
5. Lotter, D. W. 2003. Organic agriculture. J. Sust. Agric., 21
(4).
6. Peters, S. E. 1994. Conversion to low-input farming systems in
Pennsylvania, USA: an evaluation of the Rodale Farming Systems Trial
and related economic studies. In: The Economics of Organic Farming,
N. H. Lampkin and S. Padel, Editor. CAB: Wallingford, UK. p. 265-284
7. Petersen, C., L. Drinkwater, and P. Wagoner. 1999. The Rodale
Institute Farming Systems Trial: the first 15 years. The Rodale
Institute. Kutztown, PA.40 p. www.rodaleinstitute.org
8. Smolik, J. D., T. L. Dobbs, and D. H. Rickerl. 1995. The relative
sustainability of alternative, conventional and reduced-till farming
system. American Journal of Alternative Agriculture, 10 (1):25.
9. Sombrock, W. G. and R. Gommes. 1996. The climate change-agriculture
conundrum. In: Global climate change and agricultural production,
F. A. Bazzaz and W. G. Sombroek, Editors. FAO; Wiley: Chichester;
New York. p. 1-14
10. Stanhill, G. 1990. The Comparative Productivity of Organic Agriculture.
Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 30 (1-2):1-26.
11. Swift, J. J. 1994. Maintaining the biological status of soil:
a key to sustainable land management? In: Soil resilience and sustainable
land use: proceedings of a symposium held in Budapest; 28 September
to 2 October 1992, including the Second Workshop on the Ecological
Foundations of Sustainable Agriculture (WEFSA II), D. J. and I.Szabolcs
Greenland, Editor. CAB International: Wallingford, UK. p. 235-247
12. Weiss, H. and R. S. Bradley. 2001. What drives societal collapse?
Science, 291 (5506):988.
13. Wynen, E. 1994. Economics of organic farming in Australia. In:
The Economics of Organic Farming, N. H. Lampkin and S. Padel, Editor.
CAB: Wallingford, UK. p. 185-199
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