Research Links Organic Farming with Improved Drought Resilience in Crops

The University of Malaga in Spain published research showing that organic farming methods enrich specific groups of soil microorganisms over time that help crops better withstand drought conditions. Specifically, this research confirms that soils treated organically for decades favor the increase of bacteria, especially the genus Bacillus, which are characterized by being highly resilient to survive in extreme conditions and act as a ‘protective shield’ of plants. Researchers compared the rhizosphere in an avocado orchard managed organically for 20 years with the rhizosphere in a conventional avocado orchard and found important differences in their physicochemical properties that could be key for drought resilience.