Conservation tillage vs. conventional tillage: long-term effects on yields in continental, sub-humid Central Europe, Hungary

Abstract

The present study reports novel data concerning Conservation Tillage (CT) in the continental sub-humid climate zone in Central Europe (Hungary), an area which has been mostly neglected in the course of previous CT studies. The results of a 10-year (2003–2013) comparative study of mouldboard ploughing tillage (PT) and CT (no inversion, using a reduced number of tillage operations and leaving min. 30% crop residues on the soil surface) types are reported. Our extensive monitoring system has provided new and detailed information concerning technologies and yields both from the first, transitional period and, over the following years, of adapted technology. Our results suggest that tillage type was a more important factor in the question of yields than either the highly variable climate of the studied years, or the diverse slope conditions of the plots. During the first three years of technological changeover to CT (2003–2006), a decrease of 8.7% was measured, respective to PT. However, the next seven years (2007–2013) brought a 12.7% increase of CT yields. Our study revealed key factors in the initial reduction of crops during the technological change, and may accordingly serve as a guideline for the shortening or avoidance of decline in the transitional period.