HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Free Full Text (PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Hanson, J. D. Articles by Stott, D. E. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Hanson, J. D. Articles by Stott, D. E. Agricola Articles by Hanson, J. D. Articles by Stott, D. E. Related Collections Dryland Cropping Systems Agricultural Systems Crop Systems Other Integrated Systems

Symposium Papers

Dynamic Cropping Systems

Increasing Adaptability Amid an Uncertain Future

^a USDA-ARS, Northern Great Plains Research Lab., P.O. Box 459, Mandan, ND 58554
^b USDA-ARS National Soil Erosion Research Lab., 275 S. Russell St., West Lafayette, IN 47907-2077

^* Corresponding author (Jon.Hanson{at}ars.usda.gov)

Received for publication April 26, 2006. Future trends in population growth, energy use, climate change, and globalization will challenge agriculturists to develop innovative production systems that are highly productive and environmentally sound. Furthermore, future agricultural production systems must possess an inherent capacity to adapt to change to be sustainable. Given this context, adoption of dynamic cropping systems is proposed to meet multiple agronomic and environmental objectives through the enhancement of management adaptability to externalities. Dynamic cropping systems are a form of agricultural production that relies on an annual strategy to optimize the outcome of (i) production, (ii) economic, and (iii) resource conservation goals using ecologically-based management principles. Dynamic cropping systems are inherently complex, possessing larger crop portfolios and greater crop diversity and sequencing flexibility as compared with monoculture and fixed-sequence cropping systems. Greater crop diversity and sequencing flexibility within dynamic cropping systems may result in reduced weed and disease infestations, greater nutrient- and precipitation-use efficiency, decreased requirements of exogenous inputs, and lower production risk. The multiple interactions among management components of dynamic cropping systems demand greater management intensity than monoculture and fixed-sequence cropping systems. Further development of dynamic cropping systems is important for managing crop production systems in a sustainable manner. These systems can ultimately assist land managers to develop new and improved land-use strategies to the benefit of generations to come.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. A. Liebig, D. L. Tanaka, J. M. Krupinsky, S. D. Merrill, and J. D. Hanson Dynamic Cropping Systems: Contributions to Improve Agroecosystem Sustainability Agron. J., June 5, 2007; 99(4): 899 - 903. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]