Conventional Tillage To No-till Research Articles

Study of energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in corn production systems: influence of different tillage systems and use of fertilizer

ABSTRACTThis study was carried out to evaluate the energy flow, GHG emissions, and global warming potential (GWP) in corn production in western Iran. The Data was collected by split plot Design based on randomized complete block design with four replications. The treatments consisted of a combination of three levels of the main tillage factor including conventional tillage (CT), minimum tillage (MT), no-tillage (NT), and three levels of chemical fertilizer including no fertilizer or N0P0K0 (NPK)0, N50P50K50 (NPK)50 and N100P100K100 (NPK)100. The results of this study showed that the total input energy in CT systems, MT, and NT was 56113.24, 51403.70, and 49144.45 MJ ha−1, respectively. The output energy in this tillage systems was 111989.11, 113312.80 and 109516.68 MJ ha−1 respectively. By reducing the rate of fertilizer, the amount of input and output energy was decreased. The NT and MT systems had higher energy efficiency than the CT one. Energy efficiency in (NPK)0, (NPK)50 and (NPK)100 was calculated to be 2.62, 2.53, and 1.88, respectively. The highest amounts of CO2, N2O, and CH4 were observed in corn production with CT systems. In no-fertilization treatments, GHG emissions were also lower. Moreover, the results showed that by decreasing tillage and increasing amount of fertilizer, GWP decreased. According to the results of this study, changing the practice of tillage from CT to MT and reducing fertilizer amount could increase energy efficiency in the region and reduce GHG emissions.

Effects of different tillage patterns on soil properties, maize yield and water use efficiency in Weibei Highland, China.

An eight-year field experiment of straw returning was conducted on dark loessial soil in Weibei Highland to investigate the effects of tillage patterns on soil aggregate, soil organic carbon (SOC), corn yield and soil water use efficiency (WUE). There were six tillage patterns, including conventional tillage (CT/CT), no-tillage (NT/NT), subsoiling tillage (ST/ST), no-tillage/subsoiling tillage (NT/ST), conventional tillage/no-tillage (CT/NT) and conventional tillage/subsoiling tillage (CT/ST). The results showed that compared with CT/CT, the patterns of NT/NT, ST/ST and the rotational tillage patterns (NT/ST, CT/NT and CT/ST) decreased the mean mass diameter of soil mechanical stable aggregate. The patterns of NT/NT, ST/ST and NT/ST increased the content of soil water-stable aggregate with the particle size >0.25 mm (WR0.25) and their mean mass diameter, especially in the depth of 20-50 cm. These patterns reduced the proportion of aggregate destruction (PAD). Compared with CT/CT, the patterns of NT/ST, CT/NT, NT/NT and ST/ST increased the content of SOC in 0-10 cm soil layer. The content of SOC decreased as the increases of soil depth for all tillage patterns, but the decrease in SOC of three single tillage patterns (ST/ST, NT/NT and CT/CT) was larger than that of three rotational tillage patterns. Compared with CT/CT, the other five tillage patterns increased soil water storage in 0-200 cm soil profile, crop yield and WUE in maize. The yield and WUE in NT/ST pattern were significantly increased by 15.1% and 27.5%, respectively. Both corn yield and WUE were significantly and positively correlated with soil water storage in 0-200 cm soil profile in field during the cropping and fallow periods. Moreover, soil water storage during the cropping period was positively correlated with WR0.25, but negatively correlated with PAD in 0-50 cm soil layer. Particularly, maize yield, WUE and soil water storage during the cropping period were closely related to WR0.25 in 20-50 cm soil layer and PAD. Both WUE and soil water storage during the cropping period was correlated with the SOC content in 0-10 cm soil layer. With respect to the soil properties, crop yield and WUE, the tillage pattern of NT/ST was the best stratety in dark loessial soil for spring maize growth in Weibei Highland.

Switching from conventional tillage to no-tillage: Soil N availability, N uptake, 15N fertilizer recovery, and grain yield of durum wheat

This 2-year study, performed in a typical Mediterranean environment on three soil types (two Inceptisols and one Vertisol), aimed to improve understanding of the factors that play a major role in determining crop response when soil management shifts from conventional tillage (CT) to no-tillage (NT). The effects of NT on the soil nitrogen (N) availability, N uptake, 15N fertilizer recovery, and grain yield of durum wheat were evaluated in comparison to CT under five different N fertilization rates (0, 40, 80, 120, and 160 kg N ha−1).Compared to CT, NT negatively affected grain yield in one of the two years but only in the two Inceptisols. On average, a considerable grain yield advantage of CT over NT (approximately +0.6 Mg ha−1 of grain) was observed with no N fertilization. This benefit decreased progressively when N fertilizer rate increased to the point that at 120 kg ha−1 of N applied differences between CT and NT were negligible. The differences between the two tillage systems in both grain yield and N uptake were attributable more to differences in the native soil mineral N (that materialized already during the vegetative phase of the crop cycle) than to differences between CT plants and NT plants in efficiency in taking up N from fertilizer. The differences between CT and NT for many of the traits observed in durum wheat plants increased with decreasing soil fertility and in particular with decreasing soil total N. In conclusion, the shift from CT to NT, which should be accompanied in any case by an increase in the N fertilization rate to take into account the reduction in soil N available for the crop, was less problematic in the Vertisol, which is more fertile and better structured than the two Inceptisols.

Characterization of a Brazilian clayey soil submitted to conventional and no-tillage management practices using pore size distribution analysis

In this paper is presented the use of soil water retention curves (SWRC) to investigate modifications in pore size distribution (PSD) of a Rhodic Ferralsol submitted to two different long term management practices: no-tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT). Soils from both treatments were investigated in 3 different depths, 0–10, 10–20, and 20–30cm and matric potential values that varied from 0 to −780kPa. The obtained results showed trimodal PSDs for both treatments, indicating well structured soils. The obtained results suggested that soil under conventional tillage CT and no-tillage NT: (a) first, have modified their structure depending on the treatment they were submitted; (b) second, have their macroporosity reduced to larger depths; and (c) third, have their microporosity largely altered, mainly at the surface, presenting the soil under NT a large microporosity for all investigated depths.

An Agronomic and Economic Comparison of the Wheat-Corn-Fallow and Wheat-Sorghum-Fallow Rotations

Winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] in the central and southern Great Plains are often grown in a 3-yr wheat-sorghum-fallow (WSF) rotation. Corn (Zea mays L.) can be substituted for sorghum in northern areas but is believed to lack sufficient drought and heat tolerance for southwest Kansas and areas further south. However, interest in dryland corn is increasing. We conducted a study from 1992 through 1995 near Garden City, KS, to compare wheat-corn-fallow (WCF) and WSF. Four tillage systems were compared: all conventional tillage (CT); all reduced tillage (RT); all no-tillage (NT); and a CT wheat, NT corn or sorghum combination (CNT). Wheat yields were unaffected by rotation and tillage. Corn yielded more than sorghum in 12 of 16 tillage x year combinations, primarily due to above average precipitation. Corn yields were increased by RT and NT in 3 of 4 yr whereas they increased sorghum yields in only 1 yr. Average returns from WCF were $31.22/acre per yr, whereas those from WSF were $19.79/acre per yr. Returns of WCF exceeded WSF returns in 10 of 16 tillage × year combinations. Average income for CNT in WCF exceeded incomes from CT, RT, and NT by $6, $7.16, and $11.90/acre per yr, respectively. The CNT system in WSF produced $3.79/acre per yr more than RT and $6.14/acre per yr more than NT, but $5.84/acre per yr less than CT. Under the conditions of this study, WCF was superior to WSF in terms of yield and return. The CNT system- usually produced more return, particularly in WCF.