Improving water management in organic crop cultivation

Publication date: 22/10/2018
Extent: 26 pages

Contributions by: Michael J. Goss, University of Guelph, Canada; Adrian Unc, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada; and Wilfried Ehlers, Georg-August University, Germany

Chapter synopsis: Managing water for crop production requires capture and storage of water in the soil, which must also be protected from damage by raindrop impact and excess water. These actions ensure that the soil will benefit from increased organic matter content and be protected by harvest residues, living plants or a mulch of dead shoot material. This chapter describes actions to deal with excess water and offset water shortage through irrigation, and addresses issues concerning the water cycle, statics and dynamics of water in soil, the field water balance, soil evaporation, crop transpiration, crop water use, and water use efficiency. The chapter considers new developments and requirements in relation to future demand for food production without any risk to the natural environment or human welfare, and explores the potential to develop improved practices that allow soil organisms to protect crops from water shortage.

DOI: 10.19103/AS.2017.0029.09