5-m depth. The surface residue pool was initialised at 1 t/ha wheat straw. The percentage soil organic carbon was 0.58 % in 0–0.15-m soil depth

(Fig. 2), representing 9.18 t/ha organic carbon (OC) or 1 % soil organic selleck kinase inhibitor matter. After each cycle of the rotation, the soil water content was set to ‘air dry’ in 0–0.3-m depth on 19 June, and, subsequently, in 0–0.45-m depth on 4 July, which was necessary to account for soil evaporation from soil cracks, which is not explicitly simulated in APSIM (Moeller et al. 2007). Because the starting conditions (i.e. amount of surface residues, soil mineral N and soil water) were the same in all simulation scenarios, we discounted the start-up season (1979–1980) in subsequent analyses. Thus, there were 12 years of wheat data and 13 years of chickpea data in each scenario. Appendix B: Gross Mdm2 inhibitor margin calculations We assumed the use of advanced technology and that all machinery, except a combine for harvesting, was owned by the farmer. In all our calculations, the Syrian Pound was converted to € at 70 SYP = 1 € (OANDA 2009). The price of 1 tonne of wheat grain was € 217 and the price of 1 tonne of chickpea grain was € 354 (Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform 2000). The price of 1 tonne of wheat and chickpea straw was € 29 and € 14, respectively (Pape-Christiansen 2001). Variable costs included the costs of machinery use (diesel only), seed, pesticide and fertiliser (Table 3).

The cost of 1 l of diesel was € 0.11 (Atiya 2008). The harvest costs were 10 % of the gross revenue from grain sales (Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform 2000). Table 3 Summary of variable costs used this website in the calculation of the gross margin for one hectare of wheat and chickpea Item €/ha Comments/specifications Agricultural inputsa  Wheat seeds incl. treatment (160 kg/ha) 65 Wheat only  Chickpea seeds incl. treatment (80 kg/ha) 19 Chickpea only  Phosphorus

fertiliser (15 kgP/ha; 23 % P) 4    Nitrogen fertiliser (50 kg N/ha; 46 % N) 13 Wheat only; 50 kg N/ha were applied in the reference scenario  Herbicide, single application 5 Conventional tillage: one application; no-tillage: four applications  Fungicide, single application 2 Applied once  Insecticide, single application 7 Applied once in chickpea only Operation of owned machinery (diesel cost only)b  Mouldboard plough 3.8 Conventional tillage only; www.selleckchem.com/products/epz015666.html working width: 0.7 m; working resistance: heavy  Combined harrowing and sowing 1.2 Conventional tillage only; working width: 2 m; working resistance: light  Direct seeding 0.6 No-tillage only; working width: 3 m; working resistance: light  Fertilisation (N and P) 2.1 Working width: 12 m; single application  Spraying (herbicide, fungicide and insecticide) 1.2 Working width: 12 m; single application  Straw removal 0.3 Conventional tillage only, except when wheat stubble was burned; working width: 5.75 m; trailer capacity: 1.