http://www.fao.org/globalsoilpartnership This presentation was made during the workshop 'Managing Living Soils' that took place at the FAO HQ, Rome, Italy from 5-7 DEC 2012. This presentation was made by Agr. Eng. Maria Beatriz, and it has the objective to present Status and priorities of soil management in Argentina. ©FAO: http://www.fao.org

1. “MANAGING LIVING SOILS”
GSP WORKSHOP
FAO Headquarters – Rome, Italy
December 2012
Status and priorities of soil management
in Argentina

2. La sustentabilidad como programa
Aapresid foundation - 1989

3. Evolution of NT surface in Argentina
1977-2011
Source: Aapresid (2012)
Aapresid
GMOs

4. Source: Aapresid 2012
Evolution of NT surface in Argentina compared to
the total cropland. 1977-2011
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
Campaigns (Year)
Percentage of total cropland area under No Till in Argentina, 1977/78 to 2010/11
campaigns. Source: Aapresid (2012)
78,5%

6. Sustainability as a program
Aapresid's MISSION
To promote the No Till system in order
to achieve an economically, environmentally and
socially sustainable agricultural activity based on
technological, organizational and institutional
innovation, undertaking the commitment to
interact with public and private organizations to
achieve an integral development of our Nation.

9. CURRENT SOIL
Loss of fertility
Loss of porosity
Loss of structure
SOM: 2-3%
ATMOSPHERE
CO2
Virgin soil
Structure
Porosity
Fertility
SOM: 5-6% ROUTE FOLLOWED UNTIL
THE PRESENT
TILLAGE =
DETERIORATION,
UNSUSTAINABLE SYSTEM
PRODUCTIVITY QUALITY
WITH BIG AMOUNTS OF
EXTERNAL INPUTS
CONVENTIONAL TILLAGE
HUMANFACTOR
R. Fogante / 98

10. CURRENT SOIL
Loss of fertility
Loss of porosity
Loss of structure
SOM: 2-3%
ATMOSPHERE
CO2
Virgin soil
Structure
Porosity
Fertility
SOM: 5-6%
ROUTE TO FOLLOW
HIGH YIELDS
NO TILL
NO TILL SYSTEM
R. Fogante / 98
HUMANFACTOR
PROPORTIONALLY LESS
EXTERNAL INPUTS

11. Roots
Source: C. Crovetto, Chile

13. NT reduces soil erosion
by 90%
About 20% of global
cropland is eroded to the
extent that part of it has
been abandoned

14. Salty water
97.3%
Ice 2.04%
Underground water 0.61%
Soil humidity 0.005%
Vapor 0.001%
Lakes 0.009%
Rivers 0.0001%
Fresh water
2.7%

15. NT reduces water
evaporation by 70%
Food production
accounts for 70% of total
freshwater use

16. Continuous Soybean
Typical Argiudol after 50 years of agriculture (last 10 in No till)
Crop rotation in the past 10 years: 9 SoyFS-1 maize
Source: INTA Oliveros

17. Field under crop rotation
Typical Argiudol after 47 years of agriculture (last 10 in No till)
Crop rotation in the past 10 years: 5 Wheat/SoyDC- 5 maize
Source: INTA Oliveros

18. Water Conductivity Measurement
(water movement through the soil)
 In the field under
soybean-grass rotation,
water circulation was 80%
higher than that under
soybean monocrop
Source: S. Bacigaluppo, 2005. INTA Oliveros

19. Production average (last 5 years): 4.80 tn./ha/año
Crop area (% total area)
– Marcos Juárez County –
Wheat SoyDC SoyFS Maize
Area % 19.80 19.80 70.70 9.50

20. 2 year Crop rotation (Maize-Wheat/SoyDC)
H. Ghio Farm, Marcos Juarez County
Yearly production average (3 crops)
Campaign 97/98 98/99 99/00 00/01 01/02 02/03 03/04 04/05 05/06 06/07 07/08 08/09 09/10 10/11
Tn/ha/year 8.86 8.61 8.82 9.35 9.34 8.91 10.04 11.30 10.37 10.85 10.20 9.10 8.90 11.00
Production average (last 5 years): 10.02 tn./ha/año
212% yield increased with the same inputs (land, water, radiation…)

21. SOIL CARBON BALANCE (SOM)
The soil undergoes both SOM losses naturally through mineralization and SOM gains
through the amount and quality of crop residues left over its surface.
The amount of crop residues the soil should receive to maintain its organic matter level
(balance value) can be determined using simulation models.
4,300 kg/ha/year of Carbon (about 11,000 kg of crop residues) will be needed to
maintain an average value of 2.5% of SOM under continuous No Till system.
Thesis done by Thomas and Andriulo, 2001
for Hansen and Baldissera soils (typical Argiudol soils)

22. The world is trying
to reduce CO2 emissions
No Till increases
soil Carbon content
NT helps to save 40%
of fossil fuel because of
the absence of tillage

23. WATER CONSUMPTION AND EFFICIENCY UNDER DIFFERENT LEVELS OF
FERTILIZATION - LATE SOYBEAN 2006/07
Yield (kg/ha) 2684 4253 2596 4266 4499
Water Use Efficiency
(kg of grain/mm)
4 7 5 8 9
Agr. Eng. Guillermo Beltramo – AAPRESID Internship
Control S Treatment NP Treatment NPS Treatment
NPS
Reposition
Phenological Stages S Fl MF S Fl MF S Fl MF S Fl MF S Fl MF
Total available Water
(2.5m)
134 185 330 107 186 276 82 211 318 41 220 277 10 186 293
Rainfall P to PM 793mm
AW Planting (mm) 134 107 82 41 10
Consumption by Crop
(mm)
597 624 557 557 510

24. WATER CONSUMPTION AND EFFICIENCY UNDER DIFFERENT LEVELS OF
FERTILIZATION MAIZE 2007/08
Control S Treatment NP Treatment NPS Treatment NPS Reposition
Phenological Stages S Fl MF S Fl MF S Fl MF S Fl MF S Fl MF
Total available Water (2.5m) 278 58 34 276 52 31 270 54 81 259 40 30 271 43 60
Rainfall P to PM 274mm
Rainfall 15 days before flowering 16mm
Agr. Eng. Guillermo Beltramo – AAPRESID Internship
Yield (kg/ha) 4,640
6,222 5,656
7,947
8,497
Water Use Efficiency (kg of
grain/mm)
9
12 12
16
18
AW Planting (mm) 278
276 270
259
271
Consumption by Crop (mm) 518
519 463
503
485

25. NSAP
GAP
NE
CONCLUSION
GAP is more similar to NE than NSAP
and it is in between those situations
BIOlogía del Suelo y Producción Agraria Sustentable
(Soil Biology and Sustainable Agricultural Production)
Ministry of Science and Technology (MINCyT) +1 NGO(AAPRESID)+2 Companies+
12 Research Units

26. Organism Pounds of liveweight/acre
Bacteria 1000
Actinomycetes 1000
Molds 2000
Algae 100
Protozoa 200
Nematodes 50
Insects 100
Worms 1000
Plant roots 2000
Source: Dr. Dwayne Beck, SDSU

27. ALTA
PRODUCTIV
IDADAD
Water
Air Nutrients
C
INTENSITYSource: Moraes Sa, 2003

28. INITIAL
0-5 years
Low OM
Low residue
Soil structure regenaration
Microbial activity increases
More needs of N Source: Adapted from J.C. Moraes Sa, 2003
CONSOLIDATION
11-20 years
C accumulation
Increase residues
> available water in the soil
N mineralization > immobilization
Increase CEC
> nutrient cycling
TRANSITION
6-10 years
OM acumulation
More residues
> soil aggregates
> soil microbial activity
N immobilization > mineralization
P accumulation
MAINTENANCE
+ 20 years
Continuous flow of N and C
High residues
> available water in the soil
High nutrient cycling
> N and P availability
TIME

29. BPA 1: Siembra Directa
Good Agricultural Practices

30. BIOTECHNOLOGY

31. We need government policies
based on clear rules that promote
a sustainable production
guaranteeing food safety and
minimizing the consequences of
climate change.
Government policies with a fair
tax system that promotes wealth
generation with a correct tax collection
to promote activities
for social inclusion
of those with less resources.

34. Agr. Eng. María Beatriz (PILU) Giraudo
giraudo@aapresid.org.ar
www.aapresid.org.ar
Aapresid is ready
but it’s better
If we can do this
together!!
THANK YOU
“The only limit in No Till is in
your mind”
Dr. Shirley Phillips