Dryland farming

The dryland farming is a form of economic field, which is operated in areas with less rainfall than rainfed agriculture. The adapted to the criteria selected plants meet their water needs entirely on rainfall and soil moisture stored.

In most cases, a moisture gradient between humidity and soil and between Earth's surface and ground water is formed. The soil moisture approaches to the moisture content of the air. At night, the earth's surface cools, moisture can condense as dew or diffuses directly into the ground.

Some of the rainwater is stored in tanks, containers, or sludge tank. The term dryland is insofar misleading. Rather, it is expressed with the fact that no additional irrigation occurs. From dryland is spoken only in arid or semi-arid areas. The average rainfall per year is at least 400-500 mm, the rainfall may stop over longer periods (sometimes several years).

In southern Europe, particularly in Spain and Italy, and was this kind of field farming has traditionally. Especially cereals such as barley and millet, as well as olive, almond and carob trees are well adapted to the dry climate. Other areas where dryland farming is operated, are, inter alia, the Great Plains, the steppes in the south of Russia and Argentina, as well as large parts of Africa.