Agriculture and Environment: Corn (Maize)

Better Management Practices: Increase Organic Matter in the Soil

The key to sustainable agriculture is the maintenance or rehabilitation of the soil.

Organic matter in the soil is perhaps the single most important issue, as many other factors stem from it. For example, organic matter in the soil can trap or detain major water pollutants and chemicals.

Overall water use in corn production is related directly to the poor water retention of soils. The main cause for reduced water retention is the depletion of organic matter in the soil where corn is produced. Thus, any buildup of organic matter in the soil will result in a net water savings.

The buildup in organic mater will also result in a net savings in fertilizer and pesticide use, because organic matter also reduces nutrient leaching and makes plants more vigorous and thus more pest-resistant. This means that organic debris from the harvest should be returned to the fields rather than removed for any other purpose.

There are now techniques, including adding decomposer microrganisms, that can make crop residues decompose very quickly into organic matter within the field itself. Conservation tillage, described above, is one of the ways to increase soil organic matter in corn production.