Ants, Termites Can Boost Dryland Wheat Yields
Wednesday, April 13, 2011 - 11:50
in Earth & Climate
Ants and termites have a significant positive impact on crop yields in dryland agriculture, according to a paper published in Nature Communications. The authors say it is the first study to show a crop yield increase due to soil fauna in the field.Ants and termites perform the same ecosystem service functions in dryland agriculture that earthworms perform in cooler and wetter areas, but the potential for ants and termites to provide these benefits has received little attention until now, they state. Their studies on ants and termites in soil showed an average 36 per cent higher wheat crop yield under low tillage but otherwise conventional agricultural management. read more