Conservation Tillage Methods Research Articles

Soil water repellency and its importance for the climate-smart sustainable management of fen peatland soils in Central Poland

The paper aims to assess potential soil water repellency (SWR) in the surface layers of long-term agricultural fen soils. Furthermore, we attempt to enhance our understanding of the links between selected soil properties (e.g., secondary transformation, total organic carbon (TOC) content) and SWR in differently used (grasslands and arable lands) fen soils in the temperate climate zone. The study was conducted in the Grójec Valley, Central Poland. The soil samples for laboratory analyses were collected in June 2022 from 64 sampling points – 56 grassland and 8 arable sites. We found that secondary soil transformation (mursh forming process) was significantly positively correlated with SWR – determined by MED (molarity of ethanol droplet) and WDPT (water drop penetration time) methods (r = 0.42 and r = 0.40, p < 0.05) only in the organic samples (i.e., mursh). The significant positive correlation between SWR and TOC content (r = 0.73 (MED) and r = 0.74 (WDPT), p < 0.05) indicates that, as well as organic matter depletion, there was a decrease in the water repellency of the studied soils. Our results indicate that study fen sites should be rewetted, and that the implementation of the paludiculture must take place in the near future. At a minimum, further arable cultivation of organic soils should be avoided, as they are the most vulnerable to secondary transformation and exhibit high SWR values. Furthermore, in the case of crop production on post-organic soils, it is recommended that the conservation tillage method is applied to prevent further depletion of soil organic matter content.

Tillage practices on soil penetration resistance, soil infiltration, percolation and yield of rice (Oryza sativa) in rice-based cropping system

The experiment was conducted during 2019–23 at Tamil Nadu Rice Research Institute (Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore), Aduthurai, Tamil Nadu to analyse the effect of conservation tillage methods on bulk density, soil penetration resistance and soil infiltration rate of clay soil and rice yield in rice-based cropping system. Experiment consisted of three tillage practices, viz. conventional tillage/puddling (CT); zero tillage (ZT); and minimal tillage/dry ploughing (MT) and two rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars (ADT 43 and CORH 3), replicated four times. The result of the study revealed that the bulk density was significantly lower with zero tillage due to presence of crop residues and addition of organic matter. The mean infiltration rate under zero tillage was 0.16 cm/h as compared to puddling (0.14 cm/h) and dry ploughing (0.20 cm/h). The study further showed that the mean soil percolation rate was significantly altered by the tillage methods and soil percolation rate was 0.12 cm/h in zero tillage as compared to puddling (0.10 cm/h) and dry ploughing (0.16 cm/h). In contrary to the other physical properties, the soil penetration resistance was in the order of dry ploughing&gt;zero tillage&gt;puddling. The mean soil penetration resistance under zero tillage was reduced from 690–500 Kpa, 740–600 Kpa and 760–620 Kpa respectively at 0–5, 5–10 and 10–15 cm depth as compared to puddling. The results further indicated that the yield parameters and rice did not differ among the different tillage practices.

Assessing the Impact of Tillage Methods on Soil Moisture Content and Crop Yield in Hungary

A decline in rainfall as a source of agricultural water has affected and will continue to affect sustainable crop production globally including in Hungary. Conservation of the greatest water reservoir is important for the sustainable development of agriculture in Hungary. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the different tillage methods on soil moisture content, grain yield, and root weight of wheat (Triticum aestivum) and sunflower (Helianthus annuus) under rainfed conditions. A field study was conducted at the Józsefmajor Experimental and Training Farm (JM) of the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences near Hatvan. The experiment consisted of six tillage treatments: disking (D, 16 cm), shallow cultivation (SC, 20 cm), no-till (NT), deep cultivation (DC, 25 cm), loosening (L, 45 cm), and plowing (P, 30 cm). Soil moisture content (SMC) was measured monthly, and grain yield and root weight were measured at the end of the cropping period. Our results showed no significant difference in SMC between conservation and conventional tillage methods in 2018. However, in 2021, greater SMC was significantly conserved under NT compared to P. Regarding the sampling date, a significant increase in moisture with time was observed. A significantly lower SMC was observed on 3 June 2019 between L and D. while on the 9 September 2020, SMC significantly differed between P and all the other treatments (D, SC, NT, DC, and L). Interestingly in 2018, SMC was significantly lower at 10–20 cm depth between L and D. Notably the effect of depth on SMC was observed as moisture significantly increased with increasing depth in all tillage treatments. Root weight was greatest at DC (1.54 t ha−1) in 2018 and under L (3.89 t ha−1) in 2021. Similarly, wheat grain yield was greatest at DC (2.48 t ha−1) in 2018, while sunflower yield in 2021 was greatest at L (3.86 t ha−1). It is comprehensible that conservation tillage methods such as L and NT can increase SMC and grain yield.

Long‐term effects of management practices on soil water, yield and water use of dryland wheat: A global meta‐analysis

AbstractSoil water conservation in dryland agriculture mainly depends on precipitation. We chose 35 long‐term experiments and analysed the data by using meta‐analysis to check how fallow management methods affect soil water storage of dryland winter wheat planting (SWS), precipitation storage efficiency (PSE), crop yield and water use efficiency (WUE). No‐tillage (NT), compared to conventional tillage (CT) in the fallow period, increased PSE, SWS, grain yield and WUE by 32.9%, 27.1%, 30.5% and 22.6%, respectively. Reduced tillage (RT) and subsoil tillage (ST) increased PSE by 15.2% and 11.7%, SWS by 17.4% and 15.0% and grain yield by 15.5 and 13.8%, respectively, but these had a non‐significant effect on WUE. The conservation tillage methods interacted significantly with the residue management and fallow mulching practices. Compared to CT, the conservation tillage methods with fallow mulching increased PSE, SWS, grain yield and WUE, but the growing of cover crops (designated as biological mulching) decreased PSE, SWS and grain yield by 17.3%, 13.0% and 32.0%, and had a non‐significant impact on WUE. Under the condition of straw mulching, NT increased PSE, SWS, grain yield and WUE by 43.7%, 38.1%, 40.6% and 42.9%, respectively, compared to CT. NT and RT increased the PSE, SWS and WUE, under normal mean annual precipitation (MAP), however, ST increased these observations under wet MAP, compared to CT. The effects of tillage methods varied with soil texture, and they were highly interrelated with water conservation, wheat yield and water use. We conclude that compared to conventional tillage, the conservation tillage methods increased soil water conservation during the fallow period, which increased wheat yield and water use. Moreover, NT with or without residue retention increased the fallow water conservation and wheat yield. Crop residues should be retained while applying RT and ST to grow winter wheat in dryland regions.

The Role of Climate Change Perceptions in Sustainable Agricultural Development: Evidence from Conservation Tillage Technology Adoption in Northern China

Encouraging the use of conservation tillage technology is a highly effective approach to safeguarding soil health, improving the environment, and promoting sustainable agricultural development. With the mounting concerns surrounding climate change, developing conservation tillage methods that facilitate sustainable agricultural growth has become an imperative both in China and around the world. While it is widely recognized that adapting to climate change is crucial in agriculture, there is limited research on evaluating the risks, discovering resilience, measuring farmers’ perceptions on climate change, and exploring how tillage technology can be adjusted in the context of small-scale farming in China to foster sustainable development. Using research data from smallholder farmers in the Shaanxi and Shanxi provinces of China, this paper aims to explore the impact of climate change perceptions on farmers’ adoption of conservation tillage technologies based on an ordered Probit model. We found that farmers tend to refrain from embracing conservation tillage technology due to the presence of unclear and conflicting perceptions regarding climate change. Focus on short-term profitability and inadequate preparation hinder them from prioritizing adaptation. We recognized several measures that could help farmers adapt and thrive within the agricultural sector. Furthermore, we have validated the need for self-system moderation in promoting farmers’ adoption of conservation tillage technology. By utilizing such tools and resources, farmers can comprehend the gravity of climate change’s impact on agricultural productivity and, more importantly, channel their efforts towards fortifying resilience to extreme weather conditions and long-term climate risks, thus fortifying agricultural sustainability.

Comparison of Different Soil Tillage Methods for Sustainable Agriculture in the Transition Climate Zone in Terms of Seedbed Quality and Green Grass Yield of Triticale-Vetch Mixture

In the research conducted under the conditions of Tokat, silage triticale-vetch mixture-second crop silage corn rotation was applied. The study used four different tillage methods to compare the quality and product yield of the seedbed prepared for silage triticale-vetch mixture. Conventional tillage method (M1), conservation tillage method (M2), reduced tillage method (M3), and direct sowing (M4) methods were applied. Seedbed quality: It was evaluated regarding soil moisture content, bulk density, penetration resistance, degree of soil fragmentation, and surface roughness for depths of 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm. The effect of soil tillage methods on porosity, surface roughness, and green grass yield were statistically insignificant. Although there were statistical differences between the methods regarding soil moisture content (MC), bulk density (BD), penetration resistance (PR), and mean weight diameter values (MWD), the values are within the limit values determined for plant growth. However, crop yield is the same between soil tillage methods. This result shows that alternative tillage methods are applicable when evaluated in sustainable agriculture, which does not create a statistically significant difference in crop yield compared to conventional tillage.

Influence of tillage methods and soil crust breakers on cotton seedling emergence in silty-loam soil

Soil crusting is a common problem that affects crop emergence and growth worldwide across different soil and climate conditions. This study aimed to investigate the impact of various tillage methods on soil crust formation and assess the effectiveness of soil crust breakers in enhancing cotton seedling emergence. The research was conducted on Silty-Loam soil, examining the impact of four tillage methods: Method A, a conventional tillage approach employing a moldboard plow, disc harrow, and roller; Method B, a conservation tillage method involving a chisel plow, disc harrow and roller; Method C, another conventional tillage method utilizing a chisel plow, powered rotary tiller, and roller; and Method D, another conservation tillage approach utilizing a disc harrow and roller. Two types of crust breakers, a rolling type, and a skid blade type, were tested. The results showed significant variations in soil crusting hardness among the tillage methods, with conservation tillage methods B and D being the most effective in reducing penetration resistance. The post-crust-breaking penetration resistance declined, decreasing from 305 to 408 kPa in the control plots to 60–93 kPa in the treated plots. Breaking the soil crust with the crust breakers considerably reduced penetration resistance, improving soil conditions for seedling emergence and root growth. Seedling emergence was significantly influenced by tillage methods, with conservation tillage methods B and D promoting the highest emergence rates. The mean percent emergence of subplots (with crust breaker applications) was 77.8% when the chisel plow, disc harrow, and roller were applied (Method B) and 78.2% when the disc harrow and roller were applied for tillage (Method D). The percentage of emerged cotton seedlings in the control plots ranged from 51.1% to 86.2%, with the tillage method order of C < A < B < D. However, the soil crust-breaking treatments were effective in increasing the percentage of emerged cotton seedlings for all tillage methods. The rolling-type crust breaker was particularly effective in breaking the crust and enhancing emergence for methods A and C. It increased the emergence percentage by 27.1% for method A and 34% for method C. The study also revealed that the hardness of the soil crust significantly affected emergence time and emergence rate index. Harder soil crusts resulted in longer mean emergence times and lower emergence rate indices. The conventional tillage method involved a chisel plow, powered rotary tiller, and roller, contributing to a harder soil crust with the highest penetration resistance recorded at 408 kPa for the control plot (without soil crust breaking). This resulted in the longest emergence time of 9.8 days and the lowest emergence rate index of 0.38 seedlings/m·day. However, after the soil crust-breaking treatment, the differences in emergence time and emergence rate indices among different tillage methods and crust breakers became statistically insignificant (P>0.05).

Effects of Conservation Tillage Method, Phosphorus Level, and Variety on Soil Organic Carbon and Cowpea Performance at Minna in Nigeria’s Southern Guinea Savanna

The study was carried out at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Federal University of Technology Minna, Gidan Kwano Campus in Latitude 9° 41' N, Longitude 6° 31' E, and Altitude 258.5 m above sea level. This study was conducted across 2 seasons within the cropping season of 2017 to determine the effects of tillage method, phosphorus level, and cowpea variety on soil organic carbon and cowpea performance in Minna. The experiment was therefore a 3x3x3 factorial arrangement in a split-plot design with tillage methods (zero, reduced, and manual ridging) and cowpea varieties (IT93K-452-1, IT99K-573-1-1, and IT90K-277-2) forming the main plot while phosphorus levels (0 P kg ha-1, 30 P kg ha-1, and 60 P kg ha-1) formed the sub-plot with 3 replicates. Results obtained revealed that soil organic carbon was not significantly affected by tillage method and phosphorus level alone, regardless of the planting season. Cowpea variety alone significantly affected organic carbon only in the late planting season. Zero tillage, 60 kg P ha-1, and IT93K-452-1 produced the highest soil organic carbon content, respectively. In the early season, N fixed was highest (0.98 g plant-1) when cowpea was fertilized with 60 Kg P ha-1 under zero tillage. The closest to this value (0.92 g plant-1) was recorded in the late season when 60 kg P ha-1 was supplied to cowpea under manual tillage. Regardless of the planting season and varietal difference, cowpea recorded the highest N fixed when fertilized with 60 kg P ha-1. Across varieties, cowpea fixed more N under zero tillage than the other tillage methods, especially in the early season. In the late season, only IT90K-277-2 fixed N (0.49 g plant-1) under zero tillage that was statistically not different from the highest N fixed due to manual tillage of soil under the cultivation of IT93K-452-1 and IT99K-573-1-1 (0.62 g plant-1, respectively). In the early season, IT99K-573-1-1 cultivated under zero tillage produced the highest grain yield (404.11 kg ha-1). Fodder yield followed a different trend compared to grain yield. In the early planting season, cowpea fertilized with 60 kg P ha-1 produced the highest fodder yield, while in the late season, the application of 30 kg P ha-1 produced the highest fodder yield. Regardless of the planting season, grain yield was highest when IT99K-573-1-1 was fertilized with 60 kg P ha-1. Averagely, soil organic carbon content, N fixed, and grain yield values were highest during the late planting than the early planting season. The reverse was, however, the case for fodder yield, seedling emergence, root length, root, and shoot biomass, respectively. For the best performance in cowpea production, farmers are encouraged to plant IT99K-573-1-1 on zero-tilled soil with phosphorus application at the rate of 60 kg ha-1. IT90K-277-2, which is the most genetically stable variety across seasons, will be most ideal in controlling negative climate change and should therefore be considered for further investigations.

No-tillage enhances soil water storage, grain yield and water use efficiency in dryland wheat (Triticum aestivum) and maize (Zea mays) cropping systems: a global meta-analysis.

Climate change significantly affects crop production and is a threat to global food security. Conventional tillage (CT) is the primary tillage practice in rain-fed areas to conserve soil moisture. Despite previous research on the effect of tillage methods on different cropping systems, a comparison of tillage methods on soil water storage, crop yield and crop water use in wheat (Triticum aestivum ) and maize (Zea mays ) under different soil textures, precipitation and temperature patterns is needed. We reviewed 119 published articles and used meta-analysis to assess the effects of three conservation tillage practices (NT, no-tillage; RT, reduced tillage; ST, subsoil tillage), on precipitation storage efficiency (PSE), soil water storage at crop planting (SWSp), grain yield, evapotranspiration (ET) and water use efficiency (WUE) under varying precipitation and temperature patterns and soil textures in dryland wheat and maize, with CT as the control treatment. Conservation tillage methods increased PSE, SWSp, grain yield, ET and WUE in both winter wheat-fallow and spring maize cropping systems. More precipitation water was conserved in fine-textured soils than in medium-textured and coarse-textured soils, which improved ET. Conservation tillage increased soil water conservation and yield under high mean annual precipitation (MAP) and moderate mean annual temperature (MAT) conditions in winter wheat. However, soil water conservation and yield were greater under MAP <400mm and moderate MAT. We conclude that conservation tillage could be promising for increasing precipitation storage, soil water conservation and crop yield in regions with medium to low MAPs and medium to high MATs.

Design and Experimental Analysis of Straw Suction Unit on Straw Cover Weight Detection Machine

In response to the issues of high cost, limited detection accuracy, and significant measurement errors inherent in conventional manual techniques used to measure straw cover weight under the conservation tillage method, a dedicated straw cover weight detection machine was developed in the current study. This machine included a critical straw suction device that utilizes negative pressure to collect straw within a defined area. The efficiency of straw collection is affected by suction chamber structural parameters and transport pressure. With crushed corn straw as the research subject, the theoretical calculation of straw suspension velocity was used to determine the wind duct diameter, perform the initial design of the suction chamber structure, and select the appropriate fan. After conducting preliminary experiments, single-factor optimization tests, and orthogonal rotation experiments, we analyzed the flow field distribution patterns and identified the critical parameters for the straw cover weight suction unit. We found that the fan should operate at a speed of 2900 r/min, the diameter of the straw outlet should be 200 mm, the vertical height of the suction chamber should be 536 mm, and the bottom diameter of the suction chamber should be 800 mm. The optimization results were validated through simulation tests and bench tests, yielding an average near-ground airflow velocity of vj = 9.03 m/s and an average outlet airflow velocity of vo = 34.27 m/s, meeting the basic requirements of the suction unit. This study could provide a new approach and technical support for the automated detection of straw cover weight in conservation tillage areas.

Soil organic carbon sequestration and modeling under conservation tillage and cropping systems in a rainfed agriculture

Conservation agriculture is a well-established method for promoting carbon sequestration and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but little is known about how it affects subtropical dryland farming systems. The goal of this study was to evaluate the potential of conservation agriculture in Pakistan's subtropical dryland to reduce atmospheric CO2 enrichment and alter soil organic carbon fractions. In a field experiment, fallow-wheat (farmers' practice) and the conservation tillage methods minimum tillage (MT), reduced tillage (RT), and zero tillage (ZT) were compared to conventional tillage (CT) in the main plots and the cropping systems sorghum-wheat (S-W) and mungbean-wheat (M-W) to fallow-wheat (F-W) in the sub-plots. Multiple assessments taken over a two-year period revealed that CT plots lacked greater soil organic carbon and its fractions than ZT and RT plots. In comparison to CT, ZT, and RT exhibited higher average total organic carbon (TOC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), particulate organic carbon (POC), and mineral-associated organic carbon (MOC) concentrations, respectively, of 1.43% and 1.31%, 4.61% and 2.83%, 2.42% and 1.97%, and 1.66% and 1.76%. In comparison to the S-W cropping system, the F-W and M-W cropping systems showed increased MBC and MOC, but POC and TOC were little impacted. The maximum TOC (0.589% and 0.589%), MBC (0.021% and 0.021%), POC (0.195% and 0.192%), and MOC (0.489% and 0.485%) were found in the combinations of ZT with F-W and M-W. Regardless of the cropping systems, cumulative CO2 flow was lowest in ZT plots compared to the other tillage techniques. The CENTURY model confirmed that the use of continuous tillage is a major threat to both soil fertility and production. The study, therefore, concludes that ZT and RT systems in particular are potential possibilities for carbon sequestration in subtropical dryland soils for CO2 reduction.

COMPARATIVE EFFECT OF INTEGRATED FERTILIZATION APPROACHES ON SOIL HEALTH AND CROP PRODUCTIVITY OF WHEAT (TRITICUM AESTIVUM L.) UNDER DIFFERENT TILLAGE SYSTEMS

The study was conducted at Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan to monitor the impact assessment of tillage systems on soil health indicators by integrating organic and inorganic resources to sustain wheat production in arid and semi-arid conditions i.e. high temperature and low rainfall. The field experiment was conducted in 2019-20 and carried out in alkaline soil (pH 8.2) with low organic matter (0.45%) to grow wheat after rice and treatments were arranged in randomized complete block design. Farmyard manure (FYM 20.5 Mg/ha), rice crop residues application (CRA 100%) and chemical fertilizers (CF) N-P-K 100-80-60 kg/ha, respectively were used under conventional and conservation tillage systems. During this research different growth and yield parameters were noted and evaluated the level of N, P, K and organic matter contents from soil and plant at the harvest. The results indicated that the combined application of FYM and CRA with CF improved the chlorophyll contents (20% in conventional tillage and 39% in conservation tillage) which helped in nutrient translocation (N, P, K) and increased growth, biological and grain yield by improving soil organic carbon (SOC) and organic matter contents in soil. Growth parameter i.e. germination percentage upto 64%, plant height 27% and spike length upto 35% were increased by T7 . The conservation tillage method was the best where we used T7 i.e. CF + 25% FYM + 50% CRA, and CF + 50% FYM + 25% CRA by conserving moisture and built OM (0.90%), soil organic carbon (0.49%) and mineral nutrition in soil as well as in wheat leaves. It is concluded that the integrated use of organic and inorganic resources are helpful for sustainable wheat production by enhancing fertilizer use efficiency (FUE) to improve soil health especially in arid to semi-arid climate conditions in alkaline soil.

Effect of Locally Adapted Conservation Tillage on Runoff, Soil Erosion, and Agronomic Performance in Semiarid Rain-Fed Farming in Ethiopia

An on-farm field experiment on a locally adapted conservation tillage method was undertaken to evaluate its effect on soil erosion, surface runoff, and agronomic parameters. It was conducted on five farmer fields with 3–14% slopes in the Rift Valley and the Eastern escarpment of Ethiopia’s central highlands region for two cropping seasons. The treatments were conventional tillage (CT), repeated ploughing performed with a traditional ox-drawn plough named ‘Maresha’, and minimized contour ploughing (MT) at most twice with a locally adapted sweep-like attachment assembled to Maresha. Surface runoff and soil loss in the MT system were 30 to 60% and 49 to 76% lower than those in the CT system on 3 to 14% slopes, respectively. Despite the wide variation in surface runoff, limited differences in soil water content for the depth from 0 to 20 cm were observed between the treatments. Significant differences (p &lt; 0.05) in grain yields (kg ha−1) of 246 and 323 in the 1st and 2nd growing seasons, respectively, were recorded between the MT and CT treatments. The results of this study demonstrated that the MT system can significantly reduce surface runoff and soil loss while improving crop yields in rainfed smallholder farming systems of Ethiopia.

Long-term subsoiling and straw return increase soil organic carbon fractions and crop yield

Conservation tillage has been adopted worldwide as an attractive alternative to conventional tillage. However, suitable conservation tillage for increasing soil organic carbon (SOC) and crop yield simultaneously is still limited. Two conservation tillage methods, subsoiling to the 40 cm depth (ST) and no-tillage (NT), were combined with three straw return treatments (i.e., no return [−0], return of whole wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) straw and 1 m high maize (<i>Zea mays</i> L.) stubble [−1], and return of whole wheat and maize straw [-a]) to study their impacts on SOC content, labile C fractions, and crop yields, with conventional tillage (CT) used as a control in a 15-year field experiment. Subsoiling with 1 m high maize stubble return (ST–1) increased the mean annual grain yields by 18% and the mean SOC content by 39% at the 0 to 100 cm depth compared with conventional tillage with no maize straw return (CT–0) in 2016 and 2017. The mean SOC at the 0 to 100 cm depth of the NT treatment was lower than those of ST and CT because of the reduced transformation from straw to SOC and labile C fractions. One meter high maize stubble return can maintain high SOC content, C fractions, and crop yield compared with whole maize straw return. Thus, subsoiling combined with 1 m high maize stubble return was an effective conservation tillage to increase the SOC content and crop yield.

Effects of Traditional Tillage, Conserved Tillage and No Tillage Methods and Some Allelopathic Practices on Weed Growth in Organic Vineyards

This study was carried out to determine the effects of some tillage methods; it included conventional tillage and conservation tillage with some weed control applications on weed manifestation in organic vineyards. The organic vineyard experiment area was designed as main and sub-plots. The effects of some methods of conventional tillage, no-tillage, and conservation tillage on weed coverage, densities, fresh weight, and dry weight were determined in the organic vineyard experiment area. These tillage methods were applied in the main plots. A chisel and heavy-duty disk harrow were used for conservation tillage methods. The plough and disc harrow were also applied as conventional methods. Other allelopathic methods (olive mill wastewater, radish (Raphanus sativus L.), and broccoli (Brassica oleracea L.) were applied as sub-plots in the experiment area. As a result of the statistical analysis of the values obtained in the study, the most effective method, the application of the plough and disc harrow, was determined for weed coverage and fresh and dry weight weeds in the main plots. The olive mill wastewater was also determined as the most effective application in the sub-plots. In terms of grape yield, the most effective method in the main plots was the plough + disc harrow application (6.8068 kg vinestock‒1). The planting of broccoli (6.4485 kg vinestock‒1) was determined as the most effective sub-plot application for grape yield.

Effects of Continuous Ridge Tillage at Two Fertilizer Depths on Microbial Community Structure and Rice Yield

Ridge tillage at two fertilizer depths is a new type of conservation tillage method that was previously shown to substantially improve rice yield. This study aimed to compare the effects of continuous ridge tillage at two fertilizer depths (L treatment) with those of conventional cultivation (P treatment) on bacterial and fungal diversity in the rice root zone and study the correlation between microorganisms and yield components. At the mature stage, the yield and yield components of rice plants were compared. Test soil (0–20 cm) with continuous tillage for 3 years was used for high-throughput sequencing to analyze the microbial community structure in the root–soil of the two treatments. We found that the L treatment increased soil nutrient content and improved soil physical properties, which altered the composition of the microbial community. The bacterial ACE and Chao indices in the L treatment increased by 1.46% and 1.83%, respectively, and the fungal ACE and Chao indices increased by 5.25% and 5.49%, compared with the P treatment, respectively. The average theoretical yield under the L treatment was 9781.51 kg/ha, which was 19.23% higher than that under the P treatment. Continuous ridge tillage at two fertilizer depths can provide a better soil environment for rice growth and increase the yield.

Evaluation of Conservation Tillage Methods for Soil Moisture Conservation and Maize Grain Yield in Low Moisture Areas of SNNPR, Ethiopia

Conservation tillage is a promising tillage practice for enhancing soil moisture conservation. The objective of the study is to evaluate conservation tillage methods on soil moisture and maize grain yield in Silte and Gurage zone of Ethiopia. No tillage, one-time tillage, two times tillage, and conventional tillage methods were evaluated. The treatments were laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications for three consecutive years (2018–2020). Besides soil moisture data, selected physical and chemical soil properties were collected. Economic analysis was also computed for each tillage method to select cost effective conservation tillage methods. The result reveals, conservation tillage methods had better soil infiltration and soil moisture content relative to conventional tillage. There was no significant difference between treatments in soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, and phosphorus in the top 10 cm in the Mareko site. However, except for phosphorus, significant differences (p < 0.05) between treatments in soil organic carbon and nitrogen were detected in the 10–20 cm depth. The maize yield and yield components are significantly affected by treatments at the Mareko site and not significant at Mito. The results support that conservation tillage tested in this study could contribute to the improvement of soil properties and maize yield in study sites.

Improvement of soil aggregate-associated carbon sequestration capacity after 14 years of conservation tillage

Summary The North China Plain is an important summer maize/winter wheat rotation area. However, over the years, continued intensive tillage has destroyed the soil aggregate accelerating the mineralization and decomposition of soil organic carbon (SOC), which plays an important role in soil quality, as increased organic carbon storage improves soil fertility and crop yields. Thus, the objective of this study was to explore the comprehensive impact of tillage methods on soil aggregates, aggregate-associated SOC, and carbon sequestration capacity under a regime of straw return. In 2002, we started a 14-year long-term tillage experiment; then in 2016–2017, we tested the following tillage methods, zero tillage (ZT), rotary tillage (RT), subsoiling (SS), and conventional tillage (CT). The results showed that in the 0–10 cm soil layer, tillage methods significantly reduced the proportion of aggregates in the order of 2–0.25 &gt; 5–2 &gt; 0.25–0.053 mm. Additionally, conservation tillage (i.e., SS and ZT) significantly increased the percentage of macroaggregates (0–40 cm) and their SOC content, compared to CT. Additionally, the contribution rate of macroaggregates to SOC was 17.2% and 30.6% higher under SS and ZT than under CT, respectively. Conservation tillage methods improved the carbon sequestration capacity of soil aggregates. Our study provides a theoretical basis for the development of more suitable tillage methods. Furthermore, long-term conservation tillage seemingly protected large aggregates and, SOC, whereby carbon sequestration was enhanced and soil carbon emissions were effectively reduced.

Effects of conservation tillage, phosphorus and variety on selected soil physical properties and cowpea productivity at Minna in Nigeria’s Southern Guinea Savanna

This study was conducted to evaluate the influence of conservation tillage, inorganic phosphorus fertilizer and variety on soil physical properties and cowpea productivity at Minna in the Southern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria. Three tillage practices (zero, reduced and ridged), three phosphorus rates (0, 30 and 60 kg P2O5 ha-1) and three cowpea varieties (IT93K-452-1, IT99K-573-1-1 and IT90K277-2) were factorially combined and laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications. Two crops of cowpea were cultivated sequentially. Soil and crop indices used for the evaluation were soil bulk density, soil organic carbon content, mean weight diameter, soil moisture content, haulm yield and grain yield. Conservation tillage significantly affected the four soil indices while phosphorus rates significantly affected soil organic carbon content, mean weight diameter and soil moisture content. There was varietal effect on soil organic carbon content and soil moisture content. Conservation tillage methods influenced haulm yield significantly but had no significant effect on grain yield. Phosphorus application and variety, on the other hand, significantly affected both haulm and grain yields. Notably, in the early harvest, application of 60 kg P2O5 ha-1 raised haulm yield from 2,489 kg ha-1 (untreated control) to 5,482 kg ha-1 , and grain yield from 614 kg ha-1 (untreated control) to 1,440 kg ha-1 , representing 120% and 135% increments for haulm and grain yields respectively. Farmers are advised to combine either zero or reduced tillage with 60 kg P2O5 ha-1 and IT99K573-1-1 for maximum haulm and grain yields.

Conservation tillage methods affect soil water use and spring maize yield in a semi-humid drought-prone area of China

In the arid areas of Northwest China, water has become a key limiting factor for agricultural development, so conservation tillage management has become an important measure to improve water use efficiency and crop yield. Our experiment, conducted from 2015 to 2018, explored the effects of conventional flat planting with no mulch (NP), with straw mulch (SM), and with plastic mulch (PM); and also ridge and furrow planting without mulch (RF) and ridge-furrow planting with plastic film and straw mulch (RFPFM) on soil nutrients, soil water storage, water use efficiency, and crop yield when compared with traditional no mulch and no fertilization cultivation (CK). Four years of experiments showed that compared to CK, SM and RFPFM had significantly increased soil surface nutrient content and increased organic matter content, and the water depletion during the maize growth period of the NP, SM, PM, RF, and RFPFM treatments increased by 9.7%, 0.6%, 8.6%, 4.4%, and 14.2%, respectively. For four years, the average spring maize yields of the NP, SM, PM, RF, and RFPFM treatments increased by 36%, 87%, 115%, 40%, and 119%, compared to those of CK. The PM and RFPFM treatments' water use efficiencies were significantly different from those of the other treatments and the basic decreasing trend of water use efficiency was RFPFM > PM > SM > RF > NP > CK. In summary, we showed that because ridge-furrow planting with plastic film mulch improved both soil nutrients and crop yields, it is a preferred cultivation method for agricultural water utilization in arid areas.