International Plant Nutrition Institute - Ecological Intensification

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Why is Ecological Intensification Important?

World population is expected to increase from the current 6.5 billion to over 9 billion by 2050. This represents an approximate 40% increase in just over 40 years. An obvious question is “where will we get the needed food, fiber, and fuel for all these additional people”? Another question that arises is “how much impact will this have on environmental quality?” The answer to these questions can at least partly be found in the concept and practice of ecological intensification (EI) of cropping systems. The following points generally address why EI is important to the future of world agriculture.

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Ecological Intensification Related Publications

Ecological Intensification Related Presentations

Ecological Intensification Related Research

Potential Biofuels Influence on the Fertilizer Market

Recent paper given by Dr. Paul Fixen at the 2007 Fluid Forum

Read the paper

Is Switchgrass a Low Nutrient Input Crop or Not?

A new topic in the the Plant Nutrition Today series examines the nutrient requirements for swithgrass grown for energy.

Plant Nutrition Today

Ecological Intensification of Irrigated Corn and Soybean Systems

Presentation by Achim Doberman discussing variability of yield potential of corn and soybeans, and how management techniques, including environmental factors, affect the attainable yield.

Open presentation

Ecological Intensification of Irrigated Corn and Soybean Cropping Systems

This experiment seeks to (1) quantify and understand the yield potential of corn and soybean under irrigated conditions, (2) identify efficient crop management practices to achieve yields that approach potential levels, and (3) determine the energy use efficiency, global warming and soil carbon sequestration potential of intensively managed corn systems.

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