Organic wheat performance following conventional and non-inversion tillage systems

Abstract

Field trials were conducted from October 2010 to August 2012 on land registered with the Soil Association, UK, for organic production on the Royal Agricultural University's Harnhill Manor Farm near Cirencester, UK, to compare the effects of conventional tillage (CT) involving maximum soil manipulation and 0% soil surface plant residues against conservation tillage strategy including low residue non-inversion tillage (LRNiT) involving minimal soil movements and 30% soil surface plant residues and also high residue non-inversion tillage (HRNiT) with least soil movements and maximum (>50%) retention of soil surface plant residues on organic winter and spring wheat performance. Establishment, growth and the yield response of organic winter and spring wheat for the three cultivation systems were assessed to determine the influence of these tillage treatments. Results showed that the plant establishment and tillers were significantly higher in CT than LRNiT and HRNiT in both cropping seasons. The total number of shoots, ear numbers, dry matter yield, 1000 grain weights and grain yield were significantly higher in the CT and LRNiT than HRNiT for winter wheat, whilst they were significantly higher in the CT than LRNiT or HRNiT for spring wheat. Crop establishment, growth and yield response were influenced by the weather conditions beyond the tillage treatments for the spring wheat compared with the winter wheat. On the basis of these results, a better alternative for CT could be LRNiT for winter wheat. Conversely, for spring wheat, CT had better crop establishment, growth and yield than other forms of cultivation.