Intercropping and its implications for soil management

Preface Management of the soil encompasses a wide range of practices with the express purpose of improving the capability of the soil to perform the various functions. Improvement in soil management practices will result in increased soil functionality and will be realized only if these practices are based on scientific principles. In assembling this book, we had two primary goals. The first goal was to gather the information about the emerging challenges in soil management from a number of different perspectives. The second goal was to develop this book to help a wide range of readers understand the need and opportunities in improving soil management. As editors and active researchers in the area of soil management, we are aware of the need to enhance our soil and protect our environment for future generations. We feel that we must continue to enhance our soils and prevent further degradation of the soil resource. If we consider the need to increase the world’s food supply over the next 40 yr to meet the demands of the rapidly expanding population, we will have to develop soil management practices capable of increasing and sustaining the production necessary to meet these demands. A focus on the efficiency of the current production systems will be necessary to maximize what we produce from a given amount of water, nutrients, carbon, and light. Our personal concern is that we have not focused enough on how to improve our soils and soil management practices. The demands to produce food, feed, fuel, fiber from our soil resources demands soil with the capability of supplying water, nutrients, oxygen, and microbial diversity. We express our sincere thanks to all of the chapter authors and their unselfish efforts to share their knowledge by preparing these chapters as a summary of the current state of knowledge. Without their dedication to advancing scientific knowledge, it would be impossible to develop this collection of materials covering the diverse set of topics within this book. We also thank the ASA and SSSA headquarters staff for their help and assistance in preparing this final product and the Societies for supporting and encouraging us to undertake this task. Finally, we thank you as the reader for taking the time to increase your knowledge of the challenges in soil management. Jerry L. Hatfield. Thomas J. Sauer