Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
FIGURE 9.12 Plastic mulch on strawberry beds in coastal California. The plastic is applied after the small strawberry plants are
transplanted, and then slits are cut in the plastic for the plants to grow through.
weighed against potential negative impacts such as
increased costs for cultivation, a greater threat of soil
erosion from rain and wind, and the loss of organic matter
from the dry layer.
the optimum required to maintain the best growth and
development of the crop. This means going beyond simply
removing water when it is in excess and adding it when
it is deficient. Sustainability requires an in-depth under-
standing of how water functions in the soil and at the
plant-soil interface. Efficiency of uptake of water and its
conversion to plant biomass can be one indicator of agro-
ecosystem sustainability. Further development and testing
of water management strategies is needed, especially those
FUTURE RESEARCH
When sustainability is the primary goal, moisture in the
soil is managed so that it remains as close as possible to
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