Topics in
Natural
Systems Agriculture
Within each of the following topics, you will find articles based on research carried out by the University of Manitoba and our collaborators. For a complete alphabetical list of all articles, please see the Site Map.
Increasing Crop Diversity - Increasing crop diversity is an important step towards cropping systems that mimic natural systems.
No-till Cropping Systems - No-till or zero-tillage farming mimics the natural system by leaving soils mostly undisturbed.
Organic Crop Production - Organic cropping systems mimic natural systems in a number of ways, including nutrient dynamics and plant associations with soil microorganisms.
Reduced Chemical Cropping Systems - Chemical use in crop production can often be reduced by using alternative pest control strategies and by growing vigourous, healthy crops.
Cover Crops and Green Manures - Cover crops and green manures add diversity to the crop rotation and can be used to "perennialize" the cropping system.
Perennial Crops in Rotation - Perennial crops are critical to any naturally-based system.
Perennial Grain Crops - If perennial crops could be grown for grain instead of only herbage, increasing perennial crop production would be much more feasible.
This page created April 2008.
Updated April 2011.