For example, breeding crops for insect and disease tolerance or resistance can drastically reduce the need for pesticides. Conservation tillage systems and improved planting equipment have introduced new potentials for moisture conservation and reduction of erosion on susceptible lands. Improved pasture management, such as controlled grazing, can reduce the cost of producing milk and meat while improving the nutrient status and physical properties of the soil. Additionally, biotechnology may provide breakthroughs in crop productivity and plant protection that we cannot yet conceive. Thus, current research and extension efforts provide some of the needed technology.
Many specific practices have the potential to enhance sustainability.
Several sustainable components and their applications are listed in Table 1, opposite page. These strategies are just a few examples already being practiced by many farmers. Development and use of these and others are continuing. Additional research is needed that will lead to other practices to reduce input costs. Fine-tuning fertilizer recommendations and calibrating soil tests with crop responses are examples of topics on which current research needs to be intensified.