A new study from the University of Illinois-Agroecosystem Sustainability Center is providing one of the most comprehensive explanations to-date of how tile drainage, a common agricultural practice, enhances the functioning of agricultural landscapes. Tile drainage has been widely studied as an important form of agricultural infrastructure, but the new study built a comprehensive framework to explain why tile drainage is so effective across a wide range of outcomes. The study pinpoints soil-oxygen dynamics as the critical, hidden mediator that is pivotal for drainage impacts on crop growth, soil health and crop resilience.
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Jessica Till
Jessica Till is a research scientist, and the outreach and communications lead for the University of Illinois-Agroecosystem Sustainability Center. Email jtill@illinois.edu to reach her.
The Agroecosystem Sustainability Center was founded in 2021 to lead global efforts in harmonizing sustainable food production with thriving ecosystems. The center strives to revolutionize agricultural systems through research, collaboration and engagement, bridging science and practice for agricultural productivity and ecosystem sustainability.
