Maize cultivation boosts erosion, fertility problems in Czech fields

Growing maize in the Czech Republic for bio fuels is causing serious erosion of the soil because the crop is so demanding and fails to retain rainwater, the Mladá Fronta Dnes daily reported on Wednesday. Some farmers have taken to dub the crop ‘the syphilis of Czech fields,’ because of the damage. The problem is at its worst in South Moravia and the Vysočina region according to a state agency dealing with soil quality. One problem is that many Czech farmers rent land for cultivation and have no long term interest in preserving its fertility.