For weed control, the application of herbicides in bands or strips can greatly reduce application rates per acre. In the South and southwestern farming regions of the U.S., herbicidal bands and strips were utilized on approximately one-third of cotton acres from 1990 through 1995. Bioengineered insect-resistant varieties of cotton, potatoes, and corn were approved for commercial use in the U.S. in 1994. In addition, the use of crop rotations is beneficial for controlling pests economically. Soil tests can be advantageous in determining soil fertility and potential.
Many farmers apply nitrogen during the fall and spring rather than during the growing season.
Nitrogen stabilizers or inhibitors aid in synchronizing nitrate supplies to peak plant demand. Green management of irrigation suggests the transfer from gravity-flow irrigation to pressurized sprinklers. Globally, these irrigation practices are up more than fourfold since 1979. Conservation tillage and no-till reduce erosion by leaving soils undisturbed from harvest to planting. All of these green practices are beneficial for the environment and the future of sustainable agriculture.