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26 (1993)237-269 ElsevierSciencePublishersB.V.Allrightsreserved

Soil & Tillage Research,

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InternationalSoilTillage ResearchOrganization

Editors:Dr. W.A.Dick(USA)andIt. C.vanOuwerkerk(Netherlands) December1992

Number33

INTRODUCTION The world is changing! That is not really an original thought. Yet as we look closely at how the world is changing we immediately observe that there are fewer and fewer people working the fields and being the primary producers of our food and fiber. The past 40 years, since the end of the Second World War, have seen a mass migration of people from rural to urban areas. Still, many of the major problems facing humanity today are related to food production and protection of our soil and water resources. In Ohio two researchers, Drs. Glover Triplett and Dave van Doren, initiated experiments in 1962 and 1963 to investigate how much tillage was really needed to produce crops. Their primary focus was to investigate the practicality of using no-tillage (or zero tillage) for crop production. That experiment has continued to the present day, but little did they anticipate that in the 1990s the experiment would be looked at from an environmental perspective, and not merely a crop production perspective. Now the question being asked, and for which the experiment can provide some answers, is how much carbon can no-tillage crop production practices remove from the atmosphere and store in the soil? This question has worldwide implications if some of the models being developed, relating global warming to increased carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, are correct. Fewer people farming the land and understanding how tillage and soil interact; more people to feed with less land; a greater impact of tillage and crop production practices on the environment; farming of marginal lands susceptible to erosion; and the impact of tillage machinery on soil compaction-these are just a few of the problems with which the scientist studying soil tillage must be involved as we look ahead to the next century and the next millennium. Where will the expertise be found to help integrate all of these tillage-related problems? The purpose of ISTRO is to stimulate scientific research in the domain of soil tillage and related subjects, and to promote the application

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of the results of such research. The membership of ISTRO is located around the globe and can have a significant role in the information that is obtained that will help solve the above-mentioned problems. This is not a time to be modest about what the scientist or practitioner of soil tillage can contribute to the issues of food production and environmental protection! The theme of the 13th International ISTRO Conference to be held in Denmark in 1994 is "Soil Tillage for Crop Production and Protection of the Environment". Particular emphasis will be given to topics of soil quality, crop production and environmental impacts related to soil tillage, and proper matching of soil tillage to various cropping systems. This is indeed a timely conference and the conference chair and current ISTRO President, Dr. H.E. Jensen, and the conference organizing committee are working hard to prepare for this conference. With your participation and cooperation, the 13th International ISTRO Conference can serve as an excellent forum to discuss the many issues related to soil tillage. The knowledge available to the scientists of ISTRO studying soil tillage must not be hidden, but must be publicized, not only via scientific journal articles, but by every available means. The decisions yet to be made concerning crop production and the environment must be based on the best available knowledge and information. In my opinion, the membership of ISTRO are uniquely qualified to provide that information. WARREN A. DICK

13TH I N T E R N A T I O N A L C O N F E R E N C E O F ISTRO

The title of this conference to be held in Alborg, Denmark, 24-29 July 1994 is "Soil Tillage for Crop Production and Protection of the Environment". Particular emphasis during the conference will be placed on soil quality, crop production and environmental impacts related to soil tillage and soil management. The main theme of the conference will be supported by papers defining subtopics of soil physical properties and soil-implement interactions, crop establishment and crop production related to soil physical properties and soil tillage. Also, soil quality and environmental impacts, e.g. losses of chemicals from soil as affected by tillage and soil management, are included. Finally soil tillage adopted to various cropping systems, modeling in soil tillage, and resource utilization and economy of soil tillage in crop production and environmental impacts are topics to be discussed. Local excursions will provide conference participants an impression of the alternating Danish landscape, research and commercial farming activities as well as social and cultural events. A 5-day post-conference tour is planned as

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a cross country tour starting at the very top of continental Europe, down through Jutland and across the Islands Funen and Zealand and terminating in Copenhagen. Post-conference sites will include research stations and farms on contrasting soil types and places of geological, historical and cultural interest. The Executive Committee planning this conference include Prof. H.E. Jensen (Chairman), Senior Scientist Per Schjonning (Vice Chairman ), Dr. S.A. Mikkelsen (Secretary and Treasurer) and K.B. Madsen (Assistant Secretary). To obtain further information about the conference you can write to the conference address--ISTRO CONFERENCE 1994,/~lborg Convention Bureau, Osteraa 8, DK-9000/~lborg, Denmark. Tel. ( +45 )98 12 63 55. Fax: ( + 4 5 ) 9 8 16 69 22. The city of/~lborg can be reached by International flights to Copenhagen and connecting domestic flights to/~lborg. Hotel rooms in various categories, family cabins, youth hostels and private lodging are available near the conference site. There will be a full program of events for guests including children during the conference. The official language of the conference will be English.

TALLINN CONFERENCE

International Conference on "Soil Compaction and Soil Management", 8-12 June 1992, at Tallinn, Estonia

The conference was organized by Dr. E. Nugis (Estonian Research Institute of Agriculture and Land Improvement, Saku) and Dr. R. Lehtveer (Estonian National Land Survey, Tallinn), assisted by an enthusiastic Organizing Committee, drawn largely from the independent Scientific-Creative Association "Ecofiller". Further support and close cooperation was obtained from NCEC (Nature Conservation Engineering Centre), ENLS (Estonian National Land Survey) and ISTRO (Ir. C. van Ouwerkerk). The conference was held in the Estonian Management Institute (EMI), Siitiste tee 21, Tallinn, where the majority of the participants were accommodated. Approximately 48 scientists attended the conference, of whom nine participated in the pre-conference tour. There was a very satisfactory mix of scientists from eastern and western countries with the following attendance: Central and Eastern Europe, 28; Western Europe and Scandinavia, 14; North America, 5; Asia, 1. Pre-conference tour, 1-6 June 1992 The tour included a visit to the Estonian Research Institute of Agriculture and Land Improvement at Saku, which was first established as early as 1910 and covers all aspects of land use. Much of the current programme is related

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Fig. 1. Participants of the Tallinn Conferencein front of the Estonian ManagementInstitute. to the privatization of land which is beginning to be implemented. Before the present policy of privatization c o m m e n c e d there were 475 collective farms covering 64% of the arable area of the country. At Saku, a visit was made to EVIKA, a near-private organization devoted to the propagation and multiplication of virus-free potato varieties by meristem-tissue propagation under the Director, Dr. Viive Rosenberg. Excellent facilities are available for this work which finds widespread application throughout the C.I.S. and Eastern Europe. A n u m b e r of collective and state farms were visited, with attention being given to the compaction problems which have arisen from the use of very large tractors (up to 225 kW). Such vehicles have been shown to have ground contact pressures of up to 250 kPa and to cause detectable compaction to a depth of at least 50 cm. On Estonian collective farms, soil damage effects have been detected to as m u c h as 30 m from the edge of the field as a result of the turning of very large tractors and machinery. One collective farm visited was farming on 10 000 ha and employed 1200 workers, of which 60 were involved with administration in the headquarters building. However, average yields (grain 4 t ha-1; potatoes 18 t ha -l ) are limited by light-textured soils and s u m m e r drought. The compactive effect of tractors of various mass and running gear was demonstrated in the Matsalu Nature Reserve where, in the flood plain of the

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Fig. 2. Measuring the penetration resistance at cooperative farm V~i~itsa.

Fig. 3. Discussion of the results of soil strength measurements made at the demonstration of the compactive effect of various tractors at Matsalu Nature Reserve.

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river Kasari, soft soil conditions prevail, and, on arable land, on the state farm Adavere. Visits were made to the Agricultural University, Tartu, where soil studies started as early as 1919. The collection of soil monoliths and accompanying paintings of Estonian scenery is a valuable asset in the Department of Soil Science.

The conference The theme of the conference "Soil Compaction and Soil Management", was introduced in a keynote paper by Prof. Dr. I. H~kansson (Uppsala, Sweden): "Soil physical conditions, soil compaction and crop production". The paper illustrated that the motto of the conference, "Proper soil management avoids compaction and benefits the environment", was very well chosen. There were three sub-themes, which were introduced by invited speakers: (1) "Traffic and machinery-induced soil degradation" (Prof.Dr.Sc. A.S. Kushnarev, Melitopol, Ukraine ); (2) "Soil physical conditions, soil compaction and crop production" (Dr.Sc. E. Nugis, Saku, Estonia); (3) "The use of modem running gear and modified tillage systems to minimize compaction" (Dr. B.D. Soane, Penicuik, UK). In the technical sessions, 33 papers were presented by participants from India (one), Canada (three), UK (one), Sweden (three), Germany (four), Netherlands (one), Italy (one), Poland (four), Hungary (two), Romania ( one ), Lithuania ( one ), Estonia ( five ), Russia (two), Ukraine ( four ). These

Fig. 4. The m o t t o o f the Tallinn Conference.

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papers regarded a wide variety of subject matter, i.e. soil degradation (two), crop response (five), soil physical properties and soil strength (seven), tillage machinery (two), compaction process (nine), simulation models (two), soil biology and soil chemistry (one), loosening of compacted soil (two), limits to ground pressure (two), energy requirements (one). Nearly all papers have been printed in the Conference Proceedings (see Reading Table: Ecofiller, 1992 ).

Subjects receiving particular attention during the conference Instrumentation Leaflets on a number of instruments available from Germany, Russia and Scotland were distributed, indicating that a conference can be used as much to promote interest in available instruments as to promote research findings. There was renewed interest in the measurement of air permeability and soil water tension in the field as a method of characterising compacted soils. Stress gauges manufactured in Russia, with portable measuring equipment, were demonstrated. These are being used quite widely in Eastern Europe to measure the depth to which stresses are transmitted below vehicle wheels in the field.

Geographical and soil-type effects Several countries, especially in Eastern Europe, are adopting a "nationwide" approach to soil compaction research. It is impressive to learn that 600 field experiments on compaction have been undertaken in Sweden. Obviously many of such experiments are at an elementary level but the overall accumulation of information can be impressive. In Eastern Europe there is a strong interest in establishing critical bulk density conditions for crop growth over a wide range of soil types. There seems to be more interest in compaction, within the whole spectrum of crop production, rather than in the conduct of very detailed experiments on a limited number of sites, which tends to be the traditional approach in Western Europe. In eastern Germany the critical upper limit for bulk density has been established for all soil textures and is represented on a textural triangle diagram.

Specifications of traffic distribution It is becoming increasingly common to explain field traffic incidence in commercial production in terms of the area distribution (%) over the field of applied ground contact pressure for different operations and cumulative results for a series of operations. Variations in traffic management (such as effect of field shape, use of low ground pressure system) are studied in relation to traffic distribution. Quantification of field traffic in terms such as Mg

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k m ha-1 year-I is increasingly seen as useful in comparing intensities and distribution of traffic in commercial practice.

Tracked vehicles There was a reawakening of interest in tracked vehicles, especially the use of rubber-belt tracks following development work in USA, U K and Eastern Germany. It would seem that rubber-belt tracks should be retained as a possible option for compaction control, especially for high-draught situations. The value of wide-tracked rather than narrow-tracked vehicles to reduce compaction during reinstatement operations on opencast mining sites was reported.

Critical standards for vehicles Eastern and Northern Europe are much more concerned than Western Europe with possibilities of applying r e c o m m e n d e d standards to vehicles in an attempt to reduce compaction damage to the subsoil. Specifications, of widely different types, have been drawn up for Sweden, former East Germany and Ukraine as follows: ( 1 ) Sweden: 6 Mg on single axle, 8-10 Mg on tandem axle; (2) former East Germany: 1.5-2.5 Mg per wheel, depending on soil water content; (3) Ex-USSR: m a x i m u m stress 25-50 kPa at 50 cm depth (depending on soil water content). Unfortunately, the widespread implementation of such standards may well be delayed as a result of political changes in eastern Europe.

On-farm studies A presentation on the compaction problems in commercial production of a sensitive crop, such as pea, underlined the valuable information which can be gained from an observational approach on farmers' fields. A wide variation in chemical and physical data was reported for commercial pea crops in Sweden which suffered severe compaction-related growth and yield reduction during unusually wet periods in June 1990 and 1991.

Role of weather conditions Increasing evidence is becoming available to show that weather, in particular rainfall during the growing season, has a dominant role on the crop responses to applied compaction treatments. In North America the most serious reductions in yield as a result of subsoil compaction were found in Quebec (high rainfall area; average yield loss 12% over 6 years), whereas similar treatments in Minnesota and Wisconsin (lower rainfall area) resulted in average yield losses of only 1% over 4 years. It was of interest to note the progress made in Poland in modelling the effect of rainfall during the growing season on crop responses to compaction. However, under their climate, rainfall is always deficient and there was no indication of the depressed yields

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often observed in Quebec and Scotland on compacted soils attributable to high rainfall and aeration deficiency. Climate change studies may have a part to play in this topic. Environmental aspects The future financial support of farmers who follow environmentally acceptable methods of farming could involve a low compaction regime among the specifications. The recently published report funded by the UN Environmental Programme (on which some of the conference delegates served) drew attention to the problems of compaction as a widespread cause of soil degradation arising from the use of heavy machinery. Local excursions On Wednesday afternoon, a visit was made to Lahemaa National Park, a 60 000-ha, densely wooded area, situated about 60 km east of Tallinn on the Baltic Sea, and which houses a very interesting agricultural museum. Outside the buildings an impressive collection of historical farm tractors was examined. On Thursday afternoon a visit was made to the Estonian National Land Survey (ESTSURVEY) at Tallinn, which serves as land registry office. The Soil Science Department performs detailed soil surveys throughout Estonia and tries to estimate the value of land to help privatization of agriculture. During this visit, Dr. E. Nugis demonstrated his guttation diagnostical method, in which barley or rice seeds are planted in intact soil cores. The seedlings,

Fig. 5. Dr. Edvin Nugis demonstrating the guttation diagnosticalmethod with barley seedlings grown in intact soil cores of different soil bulk density.

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grown at high temperature and high humidity in a climate chamber, show a different rate of guttation according to differences in soil bulk density. The method allows for the establishment of critical values of soil bulk density for all soil types.

Conclusionsfrom thefinal plenary session ( 1 ) As clearly demonstrated during the conference, improved contacts, exchange of information and cooperation within our field of research between the previous "Eastern" and "Western", countries will be of great value for both sides and considerably improve the development of our research. (2) Soil compaction is a crucial factor with respect to the function of soils from a plant production point of view, from an economic point of view, and with regard to the sustainability and environmental effects of agricultural production. Most effects of compaction have a negative character, but recompaction of an over-loosened soil may be positive. Although soil structure deterioration and loss of porosity may be caused by natural factors, usually machinery-induced soil compaction is a major cause of such deterioration. ( 3 ) Since the compaction/loosening processes influence virtually all physical, chemical and biological properties and processes in the soil, compaction studies are very complex and, therefore, a comprehensive research programme is required. Because of the complexity of the problems, various approaches are required, including theoretical work and detailed laboratory studies, monitoring of mechanical, physical, chemical and biological parameters throughout the year, field experimentation and surveys, as well as the development of mechanistic or statistical models for individual processes or for the larger components of the machinery-soil-plant-atmosphere-environment system. Such studies are essential for our understanding of the whole agricultural ecosystem. (4) The aspects of soil compaction most extensively studied to date are the effects of machinery traffic on soil physical properties and crop growth. Although further detailed studies on these aspects are also required, more attention should be paid to the effects of compaction on soil chemical and biological properties and processes, on transport processes in soils, on soil flora and fauna and on environmental impacts of crop production, e.g. effects of compaction on the efficiency of plant nutrient utilization and risks of leaching. (5) In many studies on soil compaction a multidisciplinary approach is required, with participation of scientists specialized in soil mechanics, agricultural engineering, soil physics, soil chemistry and soil biology, crop production, ecology or environmental protection. A holistic approach should be strived at. As soon as sufficient data applicable to a certain region are available, efforts should be made to develop models for estimations of economic consequences of compaction. If possible, these estimations should include not

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Fig. 6. Flowers for Dr. Edvin Nugis, initiator and successful organizer of the Tallinn Conference.

only the short-term consequences on crop yields but also the effects on plant nutrient uptake and leaching, on sustainability of crop production, on draught requirement for tillage and on the need of tillage.

Follow-up Workshop As a follow-up to the Tallinn Conference, a workshop is being planned by ISTRO to be held at Wageningen, Netherlands, during 14-17 September 1993. The preliminary Organizing Committee consists of Prof.Dr. I. H~kansson (Uppsala, Sweden), Prof.Dr. R. Horn (Kiel, Germany), Prof.Ir. U.D. Perdok (Wageningen, Netherlands), Ir. C. van Ouwerkerk (Haren, Netherlands), Dr.Ir. F.G.J. Tijink (Wageningen, Netherlands) and Dr. B.D. Soane (Penicuik, UK). Emphasis will be given to the environmental aspects of compaction problems (e.g. loss of nitrogen to the atmosphere and to the ground water, erosion and influence on biological aspects of the soil). The opportunities for imposing vehicle standards, to minimize compaction problems on commercial farms, will also be considered as a means of reducing risks of environmental degradation. It is likely that attendance will be by invitation and be limited to about 50. The title of the workshop will be on the lines of "The effect of soil compaction on physical, chemical and biological factors in the environment". Further details will be distributed later. Communicated by: Dr. B.D. Soane (Penicuik, UK), Dr. I. Hhkansson (Uppsala, Sweden) and It. C. van Ouwerkerk (Haren, Netherlands).

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SHORTANDY SYMPOSIUM

International Symposium on "Conservation Tillage Practices for Grain Farming in Semi-Arid Regions", 7-9 July 1992, Shortandy, Kazakhstan The symposium was organized by Dr. M.K. Souleimenov, Director of the Kazakh Research Institute for Grain Farming, with assistance from Monsanto Chemical C o m p a n y and ISTRO. Approximately 100 scientists attended the symposium with the majority coming from the newly independent states of the Soviet Union--Russia, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan. Other countries represented at the s y m p o s i u m - - w i t h the n u m b e r of delegates given in parentheses--were Romania (one), USA (nine), the Netherlands (one), Syria (one), People's Republic of China (one) and Turkey (one). The conference activities took place at the conference center of the Kazakh Research Institute for Grain Farming in the town of Shortandy. Shortandy is located north of Tselinograd (renamed Akmola) in north central Kazakhstan. Conference participants were housed in dormitories and private homes.

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Fig. 7. Conference center at the Kazakh Research Institute for Grain Farming, Shortandy, Kazakhstan, where the International Symposium on "Conservation Tillage Practices for Grain Farming in Semi-AridRegions" ( 7-9 July 1992) was held.

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The conference Fourteen papers were presented at the symposium, with the presenters of the papers coming from seven different countries. The first paper of the symposium was delivered by Dr. M.K. Souleimenov and dealt with the development of soil conservation farming practices for the steppe region of northern Kazakhstan. Many of the lands currently being used for crop production are lands that produce only marginally and often are under severe wind erosion pressures. Dr. Souleimenov proposed that much of this marginal land be removed from production and returned to steppe conditions. Following this initial paper, two other papers were presented on the efficiency of clean fallow under steppe farming in western Siberia by Drs. Moshenko and Silantyhev and a paper on minimum conservation tillage for grain crops in the forest-steppe zone of western Siberia by Dr. Holmov. These three initial papers of the symposium were of particular interest to many of us from outside Russia and Kazakhstan because we have had so little exposure to agriculture in this part of the world. The second day of the symposium involved the presentation of papers from the USA and a single paper presented by Dr. Zuo Shuzhen from the People's Republic of China. Dr. P. Unger spoke on practices for soil and water conservation in the US Great Plains. He stressed that proper use of crop residues can have a major positive effect on water conservation, control of soil erosion by wind and water, and also on improving crop yields. Dr. P.W. Stahlman provided both an overview of agriculture in the Great Plains region of the USA plus some very practical advice on weed control in wheat production systems in semi-arid regions. The climate of much of Kazakhstan is very similar to that in the upper Great Plains region of the USA and K. Johnson from North Dakota, a state located in this region, gave a talk on "Dryland cereal grains production--a North Dakota perspective". The last paper of the day by Zuo Shuzhen provided information on zonal tillage for alleviating soilrelated constraints to grain production. Papers presented on the last day of the symposium dealt with modeling of soil fertility under semi-arid conditions, recent results in soil physics and pedology related to tillage in Romania, and soil conservation tillage for winter wheat grain production on chernozems in the arid regions of Middle Volga (Russia). All papers presented at the symposium were published in the Symposium Proceedings (see Reading Table, Souleimenov, 1992 ). The Symposium Proceedings also contain several papers by authors who were planning to participate, but were not able to attend.

Symposium excursions Each afternoon of the symposium, tours were organized for symposium delegates to observe first-hand farming methods in Kazakhstan. State farms

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are very large, often exceeding 25 000 ha in size and some twice as large as that. Large machinery is required to till the soil and we were given a demonstration of different types of tillage tools used for preparing the soil for grain production. The state farm, whose name translated into English was "Eighteen Years in Kazakhstan", was also the site of dinner that first evening. After our meal, we were led by Dr. Souleimenov in singing and learning folk songs from around the world. A visit to a virgin land reserve where some of the original Kazakh steppe had been protected was enjoyed the afternoon of the second day. To bring the steppe soils into production, a special type of plow was used which inverts the soil in two individual layers. The last day involved a visit to the state farm "Kazcik" where we met specialists and managers of several farms located in the Shortandy district. Weed control and the inability to obtain inputs for o p t i m u m crop production were a problem in many of the wheat and small grain fields we observed. Several issues came to the fore repeatedly during informal interaction that occurred during these excursions. Should the large state farms be converted to private farms? What is the best model to follow if this conversion were to proceed? How much land would an individual farmer need to make his farm an economically viable unit? What are the risks involved and how can they be overcome? What is the balance between proper concern for environmental protection and economic yield? Are economics and the environment mutually exclusive parameters when considering a crop production system? What kind of infrastructure is needed to support a m o v e m e n t from state farms to private farms? I found the discussions during the excursions to be most interesting and informative and the organizers of the symposium purposely planned on fostering as much interaction among symposium delegates as possible. As a resuit, I learned much more about agriculture and tillage in Kazakhstan than I would have if the symposium had been restricted to presentation of papers only. Cultural program The evening of the second day of the symposium was spent in the school building located in Shortandy. Dr. Souleimenov served as master of ceremonies during a cultural program in which native Kazakh dress was worn and folk songs sung. Again these songs were not restricted only to those of Kazakhstan, but folk songs from Russia and Ukraine were also performed. A barbecue of pork and beef kabobs was served in a beautiful outdoor setting the last evening of the symposium among a clearing of trees. After having met many new friends during the past 3 days, this barbecue provided a relaxed atmosphere to strengthen relationships. As part of the program we were

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Fig. 8. Native Kazakh dress exhibited at the cultural program during the International Symposium on "'Conservation Tillage Practices for Grain Farming in Semi-Arid Regions," Shortandy. Kazakhstan.

treated to songs and dance by students living in the Shortandy district and also had the privilege to interact with a large group of farm managers of state farms in the vicinity of Shortandy. Many questions by the symposium delegates were asked of these farm managers, related to how the state farms are operated, what was the opinion of the managers concerning moving to private ownership of farms, and crop management issues unique to the farms of that region. One added feature of the symposium, that permitted a great deal more cultural exchange than normally occurs, is that some of the symposium delegates were housed in private homes. This permitted a much freer exchange of information and ideas than if all housing was in dormitory rooms.

Post-symposium tour, 10-13 July 1992 The post-symposium tour took us to the famous Kazakh resort area of Borovoje which is filled with mountains, forests and lakes. The town of Shuchinsk is located near the resort where the symposium delegates were housed for several nights and is located approximately 200 km north of Shortandy. Part of the post-symposium tour involved additional visits to state farms, including a farm where tomatoes and cucumbers were being produced under glasshouse conditions. A second visit was to a state farm typical of many of the state farms visited during the symposium. This particular farm was 27 000 ha in size and farrowed 50 000 pigs each year. Approximately 50% of the feed

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used for the pigs was raised on the farm. As in many facilities where large numbers of animals are concentrated, manure disposal was a major problem. The farm employs slightly more than 1000 workers and the major crops are wheat (4700 ha), barley (4700 ha), and oats (300 ha). The remaining arable acres were used for hay production and pasture for a dairy located on the farm. Part of this particular state farm visit involved a meeting with farm managers and farm leaders in that district of Kazakhstan. Dr. P. Stahlman gave a brief overview of agricultural production practices in the Great Plains region of the USA and this time the questions were asked by the Kazakhs and directed to Dr. Stahlman and were about all aspects of agriculture in the USA. Again this was a very valuable time of information exchange and resulted in a better understanding of problems faced by agricultural producers in both Kazakhstan and the USA. One unique cultural site visited during the post-symposium tour included a memorial to Kubla Khan, a ruler of a vast ancient empire and a symbol of past Kazakh glory. This memorial is located near Lake Borovoje on the site where this famous Mongol leader would hold meetings with local officials. Warren A. Dick, ISTRO Secretary-General, Department of Agronomy, The Ohio State University, 1680 Madison Avenue, Wooster, OH 44691-4096, USA.

ISTRO WORKING GROUPS

ISTRO Working Group B Soil compaction by vehicles of high axle load The High Axle Load Working Group of ISTRO met during the International Conference on "Soil Compaction and Soil Management", 8-12 July 1992, at Tallinn, Estonia. Discussions were led by the new Chairman, Jan van den Akker (Wageningen, Netherlands). Most of the over 30 people who participated in this meeting came from eastern European countries and were not familiar with the Working Group. Inge H~kansson (Uppsala, Sweden) outlined the activities of the Working Group, including the series of 24 internationally planned experiments undertaken in seven countries on crop yield response to subsoil compaction caused by high-axle load machinery. Ward Voorhees (Morris, MN, USA) gave a summary of crop yield response on the experimental sites in North America, and related these to variation in soil texture. The on-going studies in both Sweden and Minnesota are emphasizing the economic consequences of soil compaction. Jan van den Akker presented an investigation in which stresses, compaction and increase in penetration resistance caused by a low ground pressure tire and a conventional tire were compared. The use of low ground

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pressure tires proved to be a good option for the prevention of soil degradation by excessive compaction and smearing of the soil. From the discussions that followed, two lines of thought with respect to the best way to prevent subsoil compaction evolved: ( 1 ) limit the axle load; (2) limit the ground contact pressure. The general opinion was that we need more data on how stresses are transmitted through a soil profile. It was suggested that future research should emphasize prevention of subsoil compaction rather than the effect of soil compaction on crop growth. Special attention should be given to a comparison between conventional tires, low ground pressure tires, and the new rubber-belt tracks. There was not complete agreement on what soil measurements to take, except that bulk density would not be sufficient. Jan van den Akker will prepare a discussion paper on relevant measurements. It was stated that it would be desirable to plan a coordinated international study to collect shear stress data on the sites of the original high-axle load study, and on new sites that represent a range of soil textures and soil moisture conditions. It would take 3-6 months for one person to get such a project organized. Money is needed for travel and equipment. Various sources of potential funding were suggested, but no action was taken. It was suggested that this working group should publicize the adverse effects that subsoil compaction can have on water quality and farm profitability. Thus, the following was accepted as a new main goal and project of the Working Group: "Prevention of overloading of the subsoil by high axle loads for a sustainable, multi-functional subsoil". Jan van den Akker will take steps to initiate this project and he will write a discussion paper on the new goals of the Working Group in preparation of a meeting at the 13th Conference of ISTRO, 30 July-8 August 1994, at/klborg, Denmark. Ward B. Voorhees, Secretary, USDA-ARS, North Iowa Avenue, Morris, MN 56267, USA.

ISTRO SIGNS AGREEMENT OF COOPERATION WITH THE RUSSIAN, UKRAINIAN AND KAZAKH ACADEMIES OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES

An ISTRO delegation composed of Dr. H. Dom~a! (Poland, ISTRO President-Elect), Ir. C. van Ouwerkerk (Netherlands, Chair of East-West Relations Committee of ISTRO), Dr. E. Nugis (Estonia, member of East-West Relations Committee of ISTRO ), Dr. J.K. Kouwenhoven (Netherlands, past Treasurer of ISTRO ), and Dr. W.A. Dick (USA, ISTRO Secretary-General ) visited Russia, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan from 24 June to 13 July 1992. The purpose of this trip was to strengthen relationships between scientists in these countries and ISTRO. Support for this trip was obtained from the home institutions of each member of the delegation and from the Academies of Agricultural Sciences in Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. For Ir. C. van Ouwer-

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Fig. 9. ISTRO delegationto Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. From left to right the members of the delegationare Ir. C. van Ouwerkerk,Dr. H. Dom~at, Dr. W.A. Dick, Dr. E. Nugis, and Dr. J.K. Kouwenhoven. kerk and Dr. W.A. Dick the trip was concluded by attending the International Symposium on "Conservation Tillage Practices for Grain Farming in SemiArid Regions", 7-9 July 1992, and the post-symposium tour, 10-13 July 1992, held in Kazakhstan. Dr. I.P. Makarov of the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Moscow, and Dr. A.P. Shcherbakov, Russian Research Institute of Farming Systems and Soil Erosion Control, Kursk, were our hosts during the first 6 days of our visit. The Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences is made up of 12 different branches: ( 1 ) plant breeding and industry; (2) plant protection; (3) land reclamation; (4) agroforestry; (5) animal husbandry; (6) veterinary medicine; (7) economics and management; (8) land reform and use; (9) farming mechanization and electrification; (10) processing and storage of agricultural products; ( 11 ) arable farming; (12) feed and forage production. We viewed several long-term tillage and rotation experiments while in Russia and also were privileged to visit the Steppe Museum founded by Prof. V.V. Alekhin located near Kursk, and the Steppe National Park, which was created in 1935 to protect some of the natural steppe region. The natural steppe is characterized by a large diversity in plant species. As many as 200 different plant species have been identified within a single square meter of steppe land. As the steppe lands were put under the plow and used for more extensive agriculture, wind and water erosion began to occur. Research on soil erosion

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Fig. 10. Dr. I.P. Makarov, Chairman of the Coordinating Council on Soil Tillage, Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and It. C. van Ouwerkerk, Chairman of the ISTRO East-West Relations Committee.

Fig. 1 I. Wind tunnel used to conduct wind erosion research, Kursk, Russia.

was a major emphasis at the Russian Research Institute of Farming Systems and Soil Erosion Control in Kursk and we observed very large-scale laboratory facilities to conduct such work.

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From Kursk we traveled to Kharkov, Ukraine where Dr. V.W. Medvedev served as our host. Ukraine is a rich agricultural country with 34 × 106 ha of arable land out of a total of 43 X 106 ha. The Ukrainian Research Institute of Soil Science and Agrochemistry consists of four departments: (1) soil science; (2) soil amelioration; (3) soil conservation; (4) agrochemistry. The chernozem soils are famous throughout the world for their fertility. We observed how the people of Ukraine cherish their highly fertile chernozem soils like a mother cherishes her children. Excursions to the Grakov Experimental Station of eastern Ukraine and the University of Kharkov were also undertaken. Soil erosion as a result of surface water flow was especially severe in the area of the Grakov Experimental Station and several crop production and soil management systems were being evaluated for their effectiveness in controlling soil erosion. A visit to the University of Kharkov, considered one of the premier agricultural universities in Ukraine, was enjoyed. The University of Kharkov offers three forms of degrees: ( 1 ) a 5-year degree primarily obtained on campus; (2) a work-study degree that takes 6-6.5 years to complete; (3) a postgraduate degree which enrolled approximately 1000 students. Cooperation between the Ukrainian Research Institute of Soil Science and Agrochemistry, and the University of Kharkov is very good, probably because many of the scientists at both institutions were trained at the university. In Kharkov the ISTRO agreement to establish close working relationships with soil tillage scientists in the Ukraine was signed by Drs. Medvedev, Kushnarev and Malienko. ISTRO also agreed to co-sponsor an international soil tillage conference, 23-27 August 1993, in Melitopol, Ukraine (see ISTRO DIARY). After traveling most of the night, Ir. C. van Ouwerkerk and Dr. W.A. Dick arrived in the early morning hours of 7 July in Shortandy, Kazakhstan, to attend the symposium on "Conservation Tillage Practices for Grain Farming in Semi-Arid Regions". In Shortandy, the agreement between ISTRO and the Kazakh Academy of Agricultural Sciences was signed by Dr. M.K. Souleimenov, Director of the Kazakh Research Institute for Grain Farming in Shortandy, Kazakhstan. Upon our return to Moscow, this agreement was signed by Dr. I.P. Makarov of the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences. The text of the agreement is provided below. The trip to Russia, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan is expected to yield much fruit as ISTRO becomes more active in these countries. ISTRO has already served as a source of information to individuals and organizations that have interest in pursuing scientific or commercial opportunities with colleagues in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Warren A. Dick, ISTRO Secretary-General, Department of Agronomy, The Ohio State University, 1680 Madison Avenue, Wooster, OH 44691-4096, USA.

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Fig. 12. Signing of the cooperative agreement between ISTRO and the Russian, Ukrainian, and Kazakh Academies of Agricultural Sciences in Kharkov, Ukraine. From left to right are Dr. A.S. Kushnarev, Dr. B.S. Nosko, Dr. A.M. Malienko, and Dr. H. Dom2at. AGREEMENT ON COOPERATION BETWEEN INTERNATIONAL SOIL TILLAGE RESEARCH ORGANIZATION (ISTRO) AND COORDINATING COUNCILS ON SOIL TILLAGE OF RUSSIAN ACADEMY OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES, UKRAINIAN ACADEMY OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES AND KAZAKH ACADEMY OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES

Text of the agreement between ISTRO and the Academies of Agricultural Sciences in Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan Representatives of ISTRO and Coordinating Councils, further termed as Parties, during meetings in Moscow, Kharkov and Shortandy from 24 June to 12 July 1992 agree on the following. I. Parties note that cooperation between ISTRO and Coordinating Councils of Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan in the field of soil tillage could be useful and effective for them. II. Starting from 1992, Parties will realize scientific cooperation according to mutually coordinated plans based on division of labor and cooperation as follows (on conditions of noncurrency exchange ): 1. Exchange of scientific information; members of Coordinating Councils express interest in exploring methods of receiving ISTRO publications. 2. Assistance in exchange of research fellows and specialists.

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3. Organization of joint scientific conferences, symposiums and workshops. 4. Invitations of scientists and specialists of the Parties to symposiums and congresses. 5. On mutual agreement Parties could determine other forms of cooperation. III. Parties consider the possibility of membership in ISTRO of Russian, Ukrainian and Kazakh organizations and scientists involved in soil tillage research. IV. Parties from ISTRO and from Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan express the wish to participate in the XIII International Conference of ISTRO in Denmark, in 1994. This agreement is made and signed in Russian and English languages in four copies, each of the texts being identical. Secretary-General of ISTRO Dr. Warren A. Dick Chairman of the ISTRO East-West Relations Committee Ir. C. van Ouwerkerk Vice-President of ISTRO Dr. H. Dom~at Chairman of Coordinating Council on Soil Tillage, Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences Dr. I.P. Makarov Director of Kazakh Research Institute for Grain Farming, Kazakh Academy of Agricultural Sciences Dr. M.K. Souleimenov Prospective group for the organization of Ukrainian ISTRO Branch: Director of Ukrainian Research Institute of Soil Science and Agrochemistry, Ukrainian Academy of Agrarian Sciences Dr. B.S. Nosko Deputy Director of Ukrainian Research Institute of Soil Science and Agrochemistry, Ukrainian Academy of Agricultural Sciences Dr. V.W. Medvedev

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Head of the Soil Tillage Department of the Ukrainian Research Institute of Agriculture of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences Dr. A.M. Malienko Head of the Department of Theoretical Mechanics of the Institute of Farm Mechanization Dr. S.A. Kushnarev.

SILVER ANNIVERSARY ISSUE OF SOIL & TILLAGE R E S E A R C H

Soil & Tillage Research reached a milestone when the 25th volume was published in 1992. This milestone is readily recognized when viewing the bright silver cover. Under the capable leadership of both past and present editors, Soil & Tillage Research has taken its place among the world's premier agricultural journals. Both the quality and quantity of papers published in the journal has steadily risen. This has prompted the publisher, Elsevier, to expand the number of issues published per year to 16. Soil & Tillage Research is a journal devoted to publication of the changes in physical, chemical and biological parameters of the soil environment brought about by soil tillage and field traffic, their effects on crop establishment, root development and plant growth and their interactions. Research on selection, adaptation or development of tillage systems (including reduced cultivation and direct drilling) suitable for specific conditions of soil, climate, relief, irrigation and drainage, on development of soil-working tools and traction devices, energy requirements and economic aspects of tillage are also published in the journal. In addition, research on soil deformation processes, measuring methods and mathematical modelling in connection with the soil-machine-plant system, and special attention to the role of tillage in weed, pest and disease control are included as material appropriate for the journal. ISTRO has had a special relationship with Soil & Tillage Research owing to its members actively publishing their results in the journal and by playing a role in the selection of the editors and the editorial board. ISTRO-INFO is also published as part of the journal and provides a means of communicating many ISTRO activities. ISTRO members are encouraged to publish their research results in Soil & Tillage Research. There are no page charges and authors can be sure of a wide audience and distribution. Papers for publication consideration should be submitted to: The Editorial Secretariat, P.O. Box 181, 1000 AD Amsterdam, Netherlands.

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ISTRO M E M B E R S H I P ( 18 June 1991-31 October 1992)

New members Adeoti, J.S., Dr. - - Department of Agricultural Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University, PMB 1044, Samaru, Zaria, Nigeria. Ahaneku, I.E., Mr. - - Department of Soil and Water Engineering, National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization, PMB 1525, Ilorin, Nigeria. Aiboni, V., Dr. - - Department of Agriculture, Bendel State University, P.O. Box 399, Ekpoma, Nigeria. Arnold, C.D., Dr. - - Ohio State University/Intern Program in Agricultural Engineering, c/o IPA, Room 113, Agriculture Administration Building, Columbus, OH 43210-1099, USA. Asadu, C.L.A., Dr. - - Department of Soil Science, University of Nigeria, N sukka, Nigeria. Biamah, E.K., Mr. - - Department of Agricultural Engineering, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 30197, Nairobi, Kenya. Buczynski, G., Dr. - - Department of Soil Tillage and Grassland Husbandry, Agricultural & Technological University, pl. L6dzki 3, 10-718 Olsztyn, Poland. Bujak, K., Prof.Dr. - - Agricultural University of Lublin, ul. Akademicka 13, 20-950 Lublin, Poland. Cameron, D.R., Dr. - - NORMAC A.E.S. Ltd., Box 880, Swift Current, Sask., S9H 3W8, Canada. Coulomb, Isabelle - - INRA Department of Agronomy, Laboratoire d'Agronomie, 78850 Thiverval-Grignon, France. Cogle, A.L., Dr. - - Resource Management Program, ICRISAT, PO Patancheru 502 324, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. Dawelbeit, M., Dr. - - Department of Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Research Corporation, P.O. Box 126, Medani, Sudan. Gil Ribes, J., M r . - ETSIAM, University of C6rdoba, P.O. Box 3048, 14080 C6rdoba, Spain. Gimenez, A. - - Marketing, Kverneland Pimsa SA, ZF Sector C, Calle F No. 28, 08004, Barcelona, Spain. Glavan, S., Prof.Dr. - - Agricultural Machinery Department, Technical University of Timisoara, Str Remus - Hr 14, 1900 Timisoara, Romania. Grath, T., M r . - Gullringsbolet, Agarp, 305 91 Halmstad, Sweden. Hulugalle, N.R., Dr. - - Cotton Research Station, New South Wales, Department of Agriculture, Narrabri 2390, Australia. Illanes, R., Mr. - - Department of Agriculture Mechanics and Agro-Industry Constructions, Agric. Engineering School, C6rdoba University, P.O. Box 3048, 14080 C6rdoba, Spain. Jedruszczak, M., Dr. - - Department of Agronomy, Agricultural University of Lublin, ul. Academicka 13, 20-934 Lublin, Poland. Karlsson, I., Dr. - - Department of Soil Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O.B. 7014, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden. Laryea, K.B., Dr. - - Resource Management Program, ICRISAT, P.O. Patancheru 502 324, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. Liczmar, M., Dr. - - Department of Soil Science and Environmental Protection, Agricultural University, ul. Grunwaldzka 53, 50-357 Wrodaw, Poland. Lipiec, J., Prof.Dr. - - Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Agrophysics, ul. Do~wiadczalna 4, 20-236, Lublin, Poland. Malienko, A., Dr. - - The Ukrainian Research Institute of Agriculture, Chabany, 255205, Kiev Region, Ukraine. Makarov, I.P., Prof. Dr. - - V.I. Lenin Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, B. Khariton yevski str., 21 B, 107-514 Moscow, Russia.

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Medvedev, V.V., Prof. Dr. - - Ukrainian Research Institute of Soil Science and Agrochemistry, Chaikovsky street, 4, Kharkov, 310024, Ukraine. Mollema, A., Ir. - - Erosion Research Centre, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, PMB 1526, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria. Musae, I., Prof. - - T h e Agricultural Institute, Department of General Agronomy, Tenjska Cesta, 54000 Osijek, Croatia. Napiorkowskik, J., Dr. - - Institute of Machinery and Agricultural Equipment, Agricultural and Technological University, K6rtowo B1 50, 10-736 Olsztyn, Poland. Nnabude, P.C., Mr. - - Department of Soil Science and Soil Survey, Anambra State Univ., Abakaliki Campus, P.M.B. 53, Abakaliki, Anambra State, Nigeria. Odunze, A.C., Mr. - - Department of Soil Science, Institute of Agricultural Research, Ahmadu Bello University, PMB 1044, Zaria, Nigeria. Puponin, A.I., Prof. Dr. - - Russian Ministry of Agriculture, Timir3~azevskaya 49, Agricultural Academy, Moscow, 127550, Russia. Roig, M., Mr. - - Kverneland Pimsa SA, ZF Sector C., Calle F No. 28, 08040, Barcelona, Spain. Stenberg, M., Mrs. - - Department of Soil Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7014, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden. Twum, F.G., Mr. - - Department of Agronomy, Soil Science, Tillage and Conservation, Kuban State University, Kalinina Street 13, P.O.B. 3, Krasnodar 44, Russia. Vine, P., Dr. - - Department of Physics, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Wesolowski, M., Prof. - Department of Agronomy, Agricultural University of Lublin, ul. Akademicka 13, 20-934 Lublin, Poland. Willcocks, T.J., Dr. - - Overseas Division, Silsoe Research Institute, Wrest Park, Silsoe, Bedford, MK45 4HS, UK. Zuo Shuzhen, Dr. - - Heilongjiang Institute of Agricultural Modernization, P.O. Box 402, Harbin 150040, People's Republic of China.

Changes and corrections Cass, A., Dr. - - Cooperative Research Centre for Soil and Land Management, Private Bag No. 2, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, Australia. Dexter, A.D., Dr. - - Mechanical Engineering Division, Silsoe Research Institute, Wrest Park, Silsoe, Bedford MK45 4HS, UK. Hansen, L., Dr. - - Vesterkobbel 6, 6280 Hojer, Denmark. Heinonen, R., Prof. Emeritus - - T661/Snkatu, 44-48, D 52, 00250 Helsinki 25, Finland. Huinink, J.T.M., Ir. - - National Reference Centre for Crop Production, Bureau of Soils, Water and Fertilizers, P.O.B. 474, 6710 Ede, Netherlands. Koeller, K., Prof. Dr. - - Institute for Agricultural Engineering in the Tropics and Subtropics, Universidit Hohenheim (495), P.O. Box 700562, 7000 Stuttgart 70, Germany. Rijk, P.M. It. - - c / o FMTC - - Maamoura, German Consulate, Alexandria, Egypt, P.O. Box 1148, 5300 Bonn, Germany. Van den Akker, J.J.H., Ir. - - The Winand Staring Centre for Integrated Land, Soil and Water Research, P.O. Box 125, 6700 AC Wageningen, Netherlands.

Changes in representation ISTVS European Office, Prof. Dr.-Ing. I.C. Schmid, Institut ftir Kraftfahrwesen und Holbenmaschinen, Universit~it der Bundeswehr Hamburg, Postfach 700822, Holstenhofweg 85, 2000 Hamburg, Germany (Tel. ( + 4 9 ) 4 0 6541 2728 and Fax: ( + 4 9 ) 4 0 653 0413).

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Zentrum fiir Agrarlandschafts- und Landnutzungsforschung (ZALF) or Centre for Research on Agricultural Landscapes and Land Use. This institute replaced Forschungszentrum f'tir Bodenfruchtbarkeit Mtincheberg (FZB). The new address is: Zentrum f'tir Agrarlandschafts- und Landnutzungsforschung (ZALF), Wilhelm-Pieck-Strasse 72, 1278 Mfincheberg, Germany. Netherlands Society of Soil Science, Dr. J.F.Th. Schoute, The Winand Staring Centre for Integrated Land, Soil and Water Research, P.O. Box 125, 6700 AC Wageningen, Netherlands.

Resigned Boersma, O.H., Mr. - The Winand Staring Centre for Integrated Land, Soil and Water Research, P.O. Box 125, 6700 AC, Wageningen, Netherlands. Fischer, G., Dr. - Hoechst Chemical, Department of Agricultural Development, Hessendam 13, 6234 Haffersgeim/Main, Germany. Jablonski, W., Mr. - Institute of Soil Cultivation and Fertilization, Soil Science Department, 55-230 Jelcz-Laskowice, Poland. Jankowski, K., Dr. - Teachers and Agricultural University, Department of Grassland, ul. Prusa 12, 08-110 Siedlce, Poland. Jurga, J., Dr. - Agricultural University of Szczecin, Institute of Agricultural Mechanization, Papie~a Pawta VI. Nr. l, 71-442 Szczecin, Poland. Kunze, A., Prof. Dr. - Research Centre for Soil' Fertility, Wilhelm Pieck-Strasse 72, 1278 M/incheberg, Germany. Landquist, B., Ms. - Swedish Sugar Company, Agricultural Engineering Department, P.O.B. 501,245 00 Staffanstorp, Sweden. Majewski, Z., Dr. - Agricultural University of Warsaw, Department of Agriculture and Forestry, ul. Ursynowska 166, 02-766 Warsaw, Poland. Oliver, G.J., Mr. - Agricultural Research Trust, Union Avenue, P.O.B. MP 84, Mount Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe. Radecki, A., Dr. - Agricultural University of Warsaw, Department of General Soil and Plant Management, ul. Rakowiecka 26/30, 02-528 Warsaw, Poland. Radomska, M., Prof. Dr. - Agricultural University of Krakow, Department of Production Technology, P.O.B. 248, 35-959 Rzesz6w, Poland. Sienkiewicz, J., Prof. Dr. - Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation, 55-230 Jelcz-Laskowice, Poland. Sperlingsson, C., Mr. - Swedish Sugar Company, Agricultural Engineering Department, P.O.B. 501,245 00 Staffanstorp, Sweden. Swedish Sugar Company, Agricultural Engineering Department, P.O.B. 501,245 00 Staffanstorp, Sweden. Stafford, J.V., Dr. - AFRC, Institute of of Engineering Research, Wrest Park, Silsoe, Bedford, MK45 4HS, UK. Taylor, J.H., Dr. - National Soil Dynamics Laboratory, P.O.B. 792, Auburn, AL 36831-4201, USA. Von P61gar, J., Mr. - Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O.B. 7014, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden. Wevers, J.D.A., Ir. - Institute for Rational Sugar Production, Agriculture Department, P.O.B. 32, 4600 AA Bergen op Zoom, Netherlands.

ISTRO DIARY

23-2 7 August 1993. International Conference on the "Protection of the Soil Environment by Avoidance of Compaction and Proper Soil Tillage", Meli-

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topoi, Ukraine. Sponsors include the Melitopol Farm Mechanization Institute, Mechanization Department of the Ukrainian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the Farm Mechanization and Electrification Institute (Kiev), the Ukrainian Research Institute of Soil Science and Agrochemistry (Kharkov), and ISTRO. Topics to be included as part of the conference include development of relevant tillage farm machinery, causes of erosion and compaction, soil mechanics, sociological aspects of erosion, amelioration of damaged soils, ecological and economic aspects related to soil erosion, and technologies to prevent soil erosion. The official language of the conference will be English. Information: Prof. A.S. Kushnarev, Head of the Department of Theoretical Mechanics, Institute of Farm Mechanization, Melitopol, Ukraine, and Ir. C. van Ouwerkerk, Chair of the East-West Relations Committee of ISTRO, Institute for Soil Fertility Research, P.O. Box 30003, 9750 Haren Gn, Netherlands. Fax: ( + 31 )50-33729 I. A post-conference tour (28 August-2 September 1993 ) is being planned for various regions of southern Ukraine.

20-24 September 1993. International Workshop on Quantitative Assessment of Soil Erosion, Moscow, Russia. Registration fee (including excursions), $120. Information: Dr. A.N. Gennadiev, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia or Dr. M.A. Nearing, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, West Lafayette, IN, USA. 7-11 February 1994. Second International Symposium on Sealing, Crusting and Hardsetting Soils: Productivity and Conservation, The University of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Information: Mr. Steven Raine, Soil Crusting Symposium, Continuing Professional Education, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld. 4072, Australia. 24-29 July 1994. 13th Conference of the International Soil Tillage Research Organization (ISTRO),/klborg, Denmark. Theme: Soil Tillage for Crop Production and Protection of the Environment. Information: ISTRO Conference 1994, Alborg Convention Bureau, IOsteraa 8, 9000 Alborg, Denmark. Tel: ( +45 )98-126355. Fax: ( +45 )98-166922. 29 August-1 September, 1994. XII C.I.G.R. World Congress and AgEng 94 Conference on Agricultural Engineering, Milano, Italy. Information: Prof. Luigi Bodria, AIGR - Via Celoria, 2-20133 Milano, Italy (Fax: (+39)226680322). ISTRO NEWS FROM...

Members of lSTRO Zuo Shuzhen, Director of Heilongjiang Tillage Society is a member of the Chinese Agrohistory Society and Chinese Soil Science Society. From 1988 to

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present she has been studying soil tillage techniques of water saving in Nanpi County, Hebei Province, and the theory of zonal tillage. Approximately 500 000 data on soil moisture, fertility, porosity, and temperature and physiological ecology of crops, microorganisms, etc. have been collected and testify to the effectiveness of the zonal tillage technique. Results indicate zonal tillage leads to early maturing and high yield of crops, fertilizer savings, and energy savings. Results of this work have been published in more than 49 papers and presented at eight national conferences, four international conferences, 15 provincial conferences and six meetings of the Chinese Academy of Science. Zonal tillage is now practiced on 600 000 ha in China. The importance of this work was recognized by the obtainment of a Second Class AgriTechnique Improvement Award from Heilongjiang Province in 1982 and a Third Class of Science-Technique Progress Award from Academia Sinica in 1985 and 1990. Donald C. Erbach, lead scientist in tillage research at the USDA-Agricultural Research Service, National Soil Tilth Laboratory, Ames, IA has been elected Director of the Publications Department of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers. He was installed at the Society's summer meeting in June 1992 and his term will run for 2 years. As Publications Director, Erbach will be responsible for development governing the Agricultural Engineering magazine and the Society's other technical and information publications. Er-

Fig. 13. Dr. Donald C. Erbach,Director of the PublicationsDepartment of the AmericanSociety of AgriculturalEngineers.

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bach is currently editor of the Power and Machinery Division of ASAE and Chair of the Society's Publication Review Committee. ASAE is a professional and technical organization of members worldwide who are dedicated to the advancement of engineering applicable to agriculture and other biological systems. The Society headquarters have its seat at 2950 Niles Road, P.O. Box 410, St. Joseph, MI 49085, USA.

New Members of lSTRO MrA. C. Odunze is a staffmember at the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Nigeria. He is involved in research, extension, and teaching activities. Research activities include studies of: ( 1 ) the effect(s) of different legume cover crops and live mulch materials on soil conditions and yield of maize in a savanna zone soil; (2) effect (s) of Stylosanthes hamata (cv. Verano ) on soil conditions in the central Northern Guniea Savanna of Nigeria; (3) cotton fruit shedding as related to soil moisture conditions; (4) effects of timing on ridge-tying at different locations in Nigeria; (5) population density, fertility level and water use efficiency of cotton. ISTRO INFORMS ABOUT ...

News of branches ISTRO East- West Relations Committee A meeting under the chairmanship of Ir. C. van Ouwerkerk (Netherlands) was held at the TaUinn Conference to explain the objectives and operation of the ISTRO East-West Relations Committee, which was established on 12 July 199 I, during the 6th General Assembly of ISTRO at Ibadan, Nigeria. The purpose of the Committee is to promote ISTRO in Central- and EastEuropean countries and in relevant countries in Asia, and to make it possible for interested tillage research workers to join ISTRO as active members, i.e. to participate in ISTRO Conferences, to publish papers in Soil & Tillage Research, to write short contributions for publication in ISTRO-INFO, and to send information about recent publications to be included in the Reading Table. Members of the Committee are: Dr. H.E. Jensen (Denmark), Dr. A. Canarache (Romania), Dr. H. Dom~at (Poland), Dr. M.K. Souleimenov (Kazakhstan), Dr. E. Nugis (Estonia), Dr. Chi Renli (People's Republic of China), Dr. M. Herman (Czech), Dr. M. Birk~is (Hungary), Dr. A.P. Shcherbakov (Russia) and Dr. V.W. Medvedev (Ukraine). The first person responsible for the actions of the East-West Relations Committee is the

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Chairman, Ir. C. van Ouwerkerk (Netherlands). The final responsibility lies with the Board of ISTRO. The main activity of the Committee is to stimulate the establishment of National Branches of ISTRO, as defined in ISTRO Bylaw I. For members of such Branches, the membership fee may be considerably lower than the regular fee for individual members (£ 11.00) and it may be paid in local currency to the Treasurer of the National Branch, who negotiates with the Treasurer of ISTRO about the amount to be transferred to the ISTRO bank account. National Branches have already been established in Poland (1991 ) and Romania (1992). It may be expected that Hungarian, Russian, Ukrainian, Kazakh and Chinese Branches of ISTRO will be established in the near future. Communicated by: Ir. C. van Ouwerkerk, Institute for Soil Fertility, P.O. Box 30003, 9750 RA Haren Gn, Netherlands.

News of related institutions and organizations Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR), Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria The IAR, Samaru, was established in 1922 and incorporated into the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1962. It is one of the institutions that make up the Agricultural Complex of Ahmadu Bello University. Its defined statutory function is to conduct research into the development of farming systems which involve crops of the Savanna Zones. Besides research, Ahmadu Bello University also carries out teaching and extension activities through the graduate level. It has several subprograms under eight major research programs. Four programs (cereals, legumes and oil seeds, fiber, and horticulture) carry out research on almost all crops of the savannaBboth arable and permanent crops. The remaining four programs (irrigation, farming systems, agricultural mechanization, and food science and technology) are supportive programs. IAR establishes cooperation with other national and international agricultural research institutes. The research and extension activities of IAR have resulted in substantial achievements in biotechnology, design and fabrication of prototype farm machinery and development of various farming systems for specific agroecological zones. These research and extension efforts of the institute have, over the years, earned it international accreditation and a reputation as an information bank for savanna agriculture. Its publications have been distributed to over 150 agro-allied establishments world wide. Communicated by: A.C. Odunze, Department of Soil Science, Institute of Agricultural Research, Ahmadu Bello University, PMB 1044, Zaria, Nigeria.

The International Secretariat for Research on the History of Agricultural Implements, Lyngby, Denmark The International Secretariat is an internationally recognized institution. It has always been a pioneer in the fostering of good working relations be-

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tween scholars and research workers from all over the world, independent of their political, religious or social background. Its international scientific journal Tools & Tillage gives numerous examples of successful international cooperation. The goals of the International Secretariat appeal very much to ISTRO and, expecially, to the recently established East-West Relations Committee, which aims at encouraging improved interaction between scientists conducting tillage research in Central- and Eastern Europe and their colleagues in the rest of the world. Tools & Tillage carries the subtitle "A journal on the history of implements of cultivation and other agricultural processes". However, it has published a great number of articles which show that so-called primitive or historical implements are, in fact, used daily by the greater part of the agricultural population in developing countries, i.e. by the majority of mankind. The same holds for historical agricultural practices, on which the International Secretariat has published several excellent books. From the start, in 1979, the Editors of Soil & Tillage Research have been in close contact with the Editors of Tools & Tillage and they were pleased to include the titles of relevant articles published in Tools & Tillage in the section "Reading Table" of ISTRO-INFO. As the charter editor of Soil & Tillage Research and former Secretary-General of ISTRO, I feel qualified to say that Tools & Tillage is a scientifically very high-ranking journal with a splendid layout and illustrations of top quality. In my opinion, Tools & Tillage is of utmost importance for tillage research workers, advisory services and manufacturers of tillage implements, especially in developing countries. Also for government decision makers and agencies aimed at international technical cooperation in these countries, Tools & Tillage contains a wealth of relevant information. Tools & Tillage appears in one issue (60 pages) per year; the subscription price is 85 Danish crowns. The address of the Editors is: International Secretariat on the History of Agricultural Implements, National Museum, Brede, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark. Communicatedby: Ir. C. van Ouwerkerk,Institute for Soil Fertility, P.O. Box 30003, 9750 RA Haren Gn, Netherlands.

Agrarian-Technical Committee of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences The annual conference of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences was held on 21-22 January 1992 at the University of Agricultural Sciences, Grd/5116, Hungary. Seventy-one lectures were presented in six different sections. Practical possibilities of reduced tillage and the problems and effects of soil compaction were discussed. However, the two main ideas of the conference were protection of the environment and quality in agriculture.

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Bab61na, Hungary was the site for the autumn 1991 Agricultural Show. This was the 1 lth time that Bab61na has hosted this show. Soil tillage equipment for large- and small-scale farmers was exhibited, including a Buffalo All-Flex type direct drill. Direct drilling is a new concept for Hungarian farmers, which shows promise for improving crop production. However, the cost of equipment is currently very high for most farmers, making purchase difficult. Communicated by: Dr. Tam,is Szalai, University of Agricultural Sciences, Institute of Crop Production, 2103 Grdrl16, Hungary.

Tillage Meeting Held in Romania More than 100 scientists, teachers, and managers of state farms in Romania gathered on 17-18 September 1992 in Cluj for a conference on minimum tillage. This conference was sponsored by the Board of State Farms and Cluj Agricultural University and was intended to provide an opportunity for discussion of recent results of long-term field experiments on minimum and notillage crop production practices. Also analyzed were data on various conservation tillage systems used on a larger scale than just for experimental purposes, from three state farms where soil and climate differ. A total of 18 papers were presented including items such as criteria of soil suitability for minimum tillage, effects of minimum tillage on soil properties and crop yields, minimum tillage as related to herbicides and weed control, energy balance and economic efficiency of minimum tillage, and perspectives of various minimum tillage systems under different conditions. A field trip to one of the state farms using conservation tillage provided a good opportunity for further discussion on some of these ideas. Results of the meeting are to be considered fruitful as, although there are enough experimental results, minimum tillage techniques are still scarcely applied in practice in Romania nowadays. Communicated by: Dr. A. Canarache, Research Institute for Soil Science and Agrochemistry, Bd. M~tr~ti 6 l, 71331 Bucharest, Romania.

New Institute Replaces "Forschungszentrumf~r Bodenfruchtbarkeit Miincheberg (FZB)"" On 1 January 1992, a new institute called "Zentrum ftir Agrarlandschaftsund Landnutzungsforschung (ZALF)" or "Centre for Research on Agricultural Landscapes and Land Use" began. This institute replaced Forschungszentrum f'tir Bodenfruchtbarkeit Miincheberg (FZB) which was closed on 3 December 1991. ZALF is organized into eight institutes as follows: ( 1 ) forest ecology; (2) ecophysiology of primary production (3); grassland and peat ecology; (4) soil research; (5) hydrology; (6) modeling of ecological and growth processes; (7) land use systems; (8) socioeconomy.

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The activities of the center are directed toward investigation of correlations between properties and damages on soils, water resources, and vegetative cover under current use as well as under changing usage conditions. Anyone interested in obtaining additional information on the new institute and its activities should write to the Director, Prof. Dr. K.H. Hartge. Communicatedby: Prof. Dr. K.H. Hartge, Zentrum f'tir Agrarlandschafts-und Landnutzungsforschung (ZALF), Wilhelm-Pieck-Strasse72, 1278 Miincheberg,Germany.

International Society for Terrain- Vehicle Systems (ISTVS) Beginning 1 January 1992, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ingobert C. Schmid assumed the duties as Deputy General Secretary for Europe. Prof. Schmid is head of the Automotive Engineering Institute at the University of the Federal Armed Forces in Hamburg. The new address of the European office is ISTVS European Office, Prof. Dr.-Ing. I.C. Schmid, Institut f'tir Kraftfahrwesen und Holbenmaschinen, Universit~it der Bundeswehr Hamburg, Postfach 700822, Holstenhofweg 85, 2000 Hamburg, Germany (Tel: ( + 49)40-6541-2728; Fax: (+49)40-653-0413).