There are many other knowledge gaps that have been identified in our meetings and it is these gaps which point future research needs. In 1996, we identified some areas where these gaps exist. Questions arising from these knowledge gaps have been answered in part over the last few years, but many still require further research. We know the value of conservation tillage but still need to look at the potential benefits of different types of tillage systems in different agro-ecological zones, with different crops and crop rotations, and on different soils. This research requires long-term experiments.
Research also needs to be conducted on a whole-farm basis.
Researchers need to work with the farmers to look at actual fields, which may have a great deal of soil variability and to see if we can measure changes there. Research is needed to determine how fertility testing information can be used to help us understand changes in soil carbon levels. Over 2 million samples are analyzed each year for this purpose. Soil organic matter is one of the things measured during fertility testing. We need to look at changes over time on farms using no-till or other conservation tillage systems and on farms using conventional tillage.