Thematic evolution of ISTRO: transition in scientific issues and research focus from 1955 to 2000

The International Soil and Tillage Research Organization (ISTRO) was initiated in 1955 as an activity of the World Ploughing Organization holding the world ploughing contests. The membership of ISTRO has grown from a dozen agricultural engineers and soil scientists in western Europe in the 1950s to 450 members from around the world in 2000. Thematic evolution of ISTRO has addressed four distinct but inter-related issues: (i) ploughing, mechanization and energy/power requirements during the 1950s and 1960s; (ii) reduced or conservation tillage and mulch farming during the 1970s, and soil compaction, soil strength and soil tilth during the 1980s; (iii) agricultural sustainability and soil quality in the 1990s; (iv) greenhouse effect, environment quality and modeling in the year 2000 and beyond. The ISTRO and its members will continue to play an important role in meeting the ever-increasing food demand of the growing human population of the world without jeopardizing soil and water resources that are already under great stress. A possible future strategy lies in understanding the processes and establishing the cause–effect relationship which create synergistic effects in enhancing productivity per unit input of land, labor, energy and time.