Weather and Soil Conditions Pose Unique Problems for Farmers in American Southwest
All farmers are confronted with a variety of challenges when it comes to the soil in which they plant their crops. Issues ranging from erosion to nutrient loss (or leaching) to reconciling various fluctuations in soil chemistry (such as pH, Carbon/Nitrogen balance, and so on) impact farmers’ approaches to their planting and crop management and, inevitably, their yields. These issues, however, can prove to be particularly challenging for the farmers in areas of the Southwestern United States, such as western Texas, eastern New Mexico and Oklahoma.
According to Kyle Lawles, Monsanto field data operations specialist, some of the key factors farmers deal with in this region are irregular water supply, wind and heat, and low organic-matter content in the soil.
“The low organic-matter content has always been a challenge with soils in this region,” Lawles said. “The soil fertility in this area is lower than soils in more northern states, and the overall low organic-matter content, along with the sandiness of the soil, means that these nutrients aren’t retained as well as in other parts of the country. Nutrients have a hard time staying in soil if there is not enough organic matter to bind with.”
Farmers in this region make a sustained effort to retain the resources in their soil through better land management and controlled use of fertilizer.
“With the high winds common in this area farmers know that they need to engage in either no till or vertical tilling methods to retain top soil and lessen water loss,” Lawles said. “Although these processes create a lot of tough residue on the surface, we’ve developed a good array of seeds that can push through this residue and grow deeper root mass for stronger and more drought resistant crops.”
In addition to helping retain residual water, an environmental benefit of no till or vertical tilling is that it slows down the breakdown of organic material in the soil.
“In this situation prolonged bouts of intensive heat mixed with the organic-matter breakdown produce a lot of carbon dioxide that is released in to the air,” Lawles said.
“Even with all of the soil issues facing farmers in the Southwestern US, they continue doing a good job practicing smart soil conservation practices that help them retain good yields and act in a sustainable manner,” he said. “With additional technologies in the Monsanto pipeline for traits such as increased drought resistance and more efficient nitrogen use, these farmers should continue to have success on their land even as weather and other factors may remain uncertain.”
ORGANIC PRINCIPLE IS TRUE
Start using only small-scale farming with natural methods of growing, and you will see less erosion and an improvement in soil conditions! And with decreased use of fossil fuels, the weather may eventually become more favorable, too.