Plant Comunication

Techniques for Sustainable Agricultural Production

Techniques for Sustainable Agricultural Production

 

Image of www.syngenta.com.mx/sistema-sustentable.aspx

 Sustainable crop production is a way of growing or raising food in an ecologically and ethically responsible manner.  Keeping the balance between three important factors; food production, economy and environmental protection.

Links to know more about the Sustainable Agricultural Production:

• FAO (Organización de Naciones Unidas para la Alimetación y la Agricultura)
• ONU Fomento de la agricultura y del desarrollo rural sostenible
•  Sustainable Crop Production 
• Agricultural Sustainability Institute at UCDAVIS 

 

 Compost

  Compost is decomposed organic matter and utilized like fertilizer and soil amendment. Recycling of inorganic compounds from waste is a process carried naturally by soil microorganisms in all terrestrial ecosystems. For this compost is a key ingredient in sustainable crop production.

How to do Compost:

• Elaboración de composta
• List of composting systems
• Materials for Composting

Know more about Compost:

• Compost microbes, Cornell University.
• Compost (Wikipedia)

Organic Crops

 

 "Organic agriculture is an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain and enhance ecological harmony" -Definition as USDA National Organic Standards Board (NOSB)








How to do Organic Agriculture:

• Organic production for small farms FAMU

• Organic farming - European Commission

Know more about Organic Agriculture

• What is organic production?
• What is organic Farming? 

Conservation Tillage

What it is?
Conservation tillage is a technique that it´s performed on a surface covered with residue from the previous crop. This technique retains moisture and decreases soil loss caused by rain and wind on agricultural land at risk of erosion. This practice increases soil productive capacity, yield and production costs are reduced.

Image by www.fao.org

How it Works?
This system operates covering at least 30% of the soil surface with crop residue after planting. Crop residues can come from a forage crop or a winter crop.




How to improve production?

. Conserves soil moisture and reduces production costs
. Reduce production costs
. Increases soil productivity
. Reduced soil compaction
. Generates an increment of biological activity in the soil surface
. Reduces weed infestation
. Improves internal soil drainage
. Reduce water deficiencies

¿Quieres saber más?

• FAO,2000
• SAGARPA
• CONCYTEG
• EUMED

¿What is protected crops (Greenhouse)?

According to the Mexican Association of Greenhouse Builders (AMCI, 2014); protected crops is the generic way of referring to crops in greenhouses.

Image by www.larepublicaonline.com

"It is an agricultural building metal structure, used for cultivation and / or protection of plants ...... that simulates the most suitable for the growth and development of plants grown inside ... weather conditions."

Image by www.tapsadecv.com

They are classified into 2 groups:

°Type  A (greenhouse structures or battery).

Image by www.eljardin.ws 

° Type B ( Structures shadow house or 

 macro tunnels).

Both types have 10 years approximately of use.

5 important variables for a succesfull  agriculture production control :

• Moisture.
• Temperature.
• solar radiation.
• Nutrients.
• pests and diseases.

This activity in Mexico has had an accelerated growth in the past 20 years and will continue to remain in the ascendancy, thanks to new technologies that have been involved in the design and engineering of crops. For example we find aquacultures, vegetables or recirculation aquaculture systems for producing several elements in one, always keeping a check points  on the environmental conditions.