27 November 2000 Soils conference to plot directions for New Century

The answer will be in the soil, the atmosphere, management practices and other related places when 300 delegates gather at Lincoln University for a major international soil science conference over 3-8 December.

It's the 2nd Joint Conference of the New Zealand and Australian Soil Science Societies and its aim is to shape the role of soil science for the century ahead.

Delegates from throughout Australasia, South-East Asia and the Pacific will be joined by others from Europe and North America and will include representatives from universities, Crown Research Institutes, Cooperative Research Centres, Australia's CSIRO, analytical services, the fertiliser industry, regional councils, and agricultural, horticultural and forestry businesses.

Titled "SOIL 2000 – New Horizons For A New Century", the conference will explore directions for future research and the increasing links between soil science and other scientific disciplines. It will also pay particular attention to the work of young scientists.

Through scientific papers and a range of field trips the conference will profile the latest research on soils. This will include environmental issues such as greenhouse gas emissions from soil in New Zealand, and waste and pesticide management; soil management issues for dairy farmers, viticulturists and vegetable producers; and attention to the often overlooked issue of urban soils and their management.

"Soil is the basis of New Zealand's agricultural, horticultural and forestry industries and a key element in maintaining the country's clean green image," says Dr Prue Williams of Crop and Food Research Ltd, a member of the organising committee.

"For long-term profitability and sustainability the soil resource must be carefully managed. We must understand the resource, maintain its quality and avoid where possible environmental problems of erosion, acidity, salinity, structural degradation, organic matter decline and fertility depletion.

"This conference will cover all these issues and help us lift our vision to the long-term and the whole century ahead.

"Technology will change many features of the way we currently manage our primary industries and the challenge is to maintain and safeguard their production as the lifeblood of our economy. Healthy soil is pivotal to that production."

Sponsors of the conference are AGMARDT, Ravensdown Fertiliser Co­-operative Ltd, Landcare Research, Agriculture New Zealand, HortResearch and Lincoln International Ltd.

Dr Prue Williams, Team Leader, Crop Systems & Environment, NZ Institute for Crop & Food Research Ltd, Lincoln, Canterbury, New Zealand

Ian Collins, Journalist, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand