Purpose Sustainable crop production could contribute to feed and fuel for the ever-
increasing global population. The use of heavy agricultural machinery has improved the …

Background Suboptimal water and nutrient availability are primary constraints in global
agriculture. Root anatomy plays key roles in soil resource acquisition. In this article we …

Cover crops are a valuable management option for reducing soil erosion and nitrogen
losses from agroecosystems. They improve soil quality but the impacts on crop yield depend …

No-tillage (NT) is a major component of conservation agricultural systems. Challenges that
have arisen with the adoption of NT include soil compaction, weed management, and …

The introduction of cover crops in agricultural systems under no-till is important in soil
structuring and remediation. However, there is a lack of studies exploring the effects of cover …

Soil compaction constitutes a major threat to the fertility of arable soils and food security. The
aim of this paper is to highlight the need and opportunities for plant eco-physiological …

Crop rotations with high plant diversity and biomass input have been recognized worldwide
as a crucial practice for increasing the sustainability of grain production systems, particularly …

The structure of compacted soils is characterised by decreased (macro-) porosity, which
leads to increased mechanical impedance and decreased fluid transport rates, resulting in …

Plants are sessile organisms rooted in one place. The soil resources that plants require are
often distributed in a highly heterogeneous pattern. To aid foraging, plants have evolved …

Cover crops are an important component of integrated weed management programs in
annual and perennial cropping systems because of their weed suppressive abilities. They …