Retracted Article: Conservation tillage in Germany: A solution of soil erosion

Authors

  • Puran Mal Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Institut für Agrarpolitik und Marktforschung
  • Joachim W. Hesse Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Institut für Agrarpolitik und Marktforschung
  • Michael Schmitz Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Institut für Agrarpolitik und Marktforschung
  • Hendrik Garvert Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Institut für Agrarpolitik und Marktforschung

Keywords:

Conservation tillage, soil erosion, machine costs, working hours, Glyphosate, CO<sub>2</sub>-emission

Abstract

A Retraction Note to this article was published on December 18, 2019, https://doi.org/10.5073/JfK.2015.09.02.retraction

The loss of fertile soil by wind and water erosion is a worldwide problem. In Germany alone its 2 million hectares area which is categorised under highly endangered by soil erosion with the risk of annual soil loss of about 10 tones (cereal) and up to 50 tones per hectare (row crop). Minimizing the tillage operations and long term crop rotations with use of catch crop covering the soil surface with organic material reduces the negative effects on soil from wind and water. Additionally, it increases water absorption and water holding capacity of the soil which lowers the risk of soil erosion.

Calculating the planned costs from various crop rotations taking into account the direct costs and the labor and machinery costs based on expert interviews from North-East Germany and Low Mountains range regions show the positive ecological effects of conservation tillage along with the economic advantages for the farmers. With an adapted Glyphosate strategy in the crop rotations, machine and labor costs as well as CO2-emissions can be reduced under conservation tillage without affecting the yield of the crops. Conservation tillage associated with crop protection management is a good practice of crop production which makes it an essential contributor to a sustainable agriculture.

 

DOI: 10.5073/JfK.2015.09.02, https://doi.org/10.5073/JfK.2015.09.02

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Published

2015-09-01

Issue

Vol. 67 No. 9 (2015)

Section

Original Article

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