Dear Avijit Ghosh, In the past the interest of agroindustrial inputs has suggested that maize is maize and that there should be no concern about the inputs in producing the crops and what effect they would have on the product.

As a past Director of Research at Rodale Institute we tested the capacity of biologically based organic farming systems to be competitive with conventional maize and soybean agriculture with inputs using the agroindustrial model. The Farming Systems Trial has 8 replications and is still in progress.

The use of cover cropping organic amendment and rotation led to significant progressive increase in soil organic matter which was related in the nutrient content of the crops produced. Based at blanket cropping of oats the legacy of biological based farming increased soil organic matter about 1% over the conventional baseline for each year of using it and after 22 years the mineral nutrient content was increased across the wide range or nutrients the same amount.

In the case of conservation agriculture the increase of soil organic matter can be expected to result in similar increases in nutrient content of food produced from that system.

I am attaching the FST booklet which will give you a good idea of the long term trial and its ability to differentiate systems. The central importance for you is tracking soil organic matter can be a useful barometer of the health and productivity of your farming system and it will lead to increase energetic, environmental and animal and plant health.

Dear Avijit Ghosh, In the past the interest of agroindustrial inputs has suggested that maize is maize and that there should be no concern about the inputs in producing the crops and what effect they would have on the product.

As a past Director of Research at Rodale Institute we tested the capacity of biologically based organic farming systems to be competitive with conventional maize and soybean agriculture with inputs using the agroindustrial model. The Farming Systems Trial has 8 replications and is still in progress.

The use of cover cropping organic amendment and rotation led to significant progressive increase in soil organic matter which was related in the nutrient content of the crops produced. Based at blanket cropping of oats the legacy of biological based farming increased soil organic matter about 1% over the conventional baseline for each year of using it and after 22 years the mineral nutrient content was increased across the wide range or nutrients the same amount.

In the case of conservation agriculture the increase of soil organic matter can be expected to result in similar increases in nutrient content of food produced from that system.

I am attaching the FST booklet which will give you a good idea of the long term trial and its ability to differentiate systems. The central importance for you is tracking soil organic matter can be a useful barometer of the health and productivity of your farming system and it will lead to increase energetic, environmental and animal and plant health.

Thanks a lot Sir.

thanks Paul for a nice paper uploading, as far as the question is concerned, most of the literature is basically targeting on the productivity of the crops/cropping systems in CA and health of the soil, whereas the quality of the produce has not been debated in most of the works under CA. 

Even there is a need of the development of the decision system tool to understand the short and long term consequences of CA

Regards

Dear Naveen Kalra To the extent the soil organic matter and biological activity and chemical content of soil is enhanced the food from that soil will be similarly enhanced. This will work regardless of the practices and systems are employed. The maize is maize argument is strictly an argument to favor standardized practices with vested corporate interests. Follow the money! Paul

Agreed Dr Paul, but to promote CA this componental analysis is desired, regards

Dear Naveen Kalra, The Ohio State University has the longest on coming comparison of conventional no till maize production system. They might have the capacity to give that type of comparison. You might want to contact Dr. Rattan Lal who is involved with the OSU programs to see what comparisons might be accessed.

Paul

Why do you think of producing food by the olden ways? Think new but safe ways already available on the websites of Agricultural Universities in India and Maharashtra.