September 30, 2009
US study finds rising corn planting increases water pollution
More fertilisers and pesticides will enter waters near fields if farmers boost their corn acreage to meet demand for corn-based ethanol, according to a study by Purdue University researchers.
Indiana water sources near fields where farmers planted corn year after year had higher levels of nitrogen, fungicides and phosphorus than waters near fields where crops were rotated between corn and soy, the study said.
The researchers concluded that moving from corn-soy crop rotations to continuous corn plantings worsens erosion and allows more fungicides and phosphorus to enter nearby surface waters.
Nitrogen and fungicides are used more heavily on corn crops than soy fields.
