Effects Of Long-term Tillage Practices Research Articles

Effects of long-term tillage practices on the stability of soil aggregates and organic carbon in black soil farmland.

We examined the effects of different tillage practices on plough layer soil structure and organic carbon stabilization in black soil farmland with a long-term positioning platform. The wet-sieving method and infrared spectroscopy method were used to investigate the impacts of conventional tillage (CT), no-tillage (NT), sub-soiling tillage (ST), and moldboard plowing tillage (MP) on soil aggregates distribution and organic carbon characteristics in 0-40 cm soil layers. Compared to CT, both NT and ST treatments significantly increased the proportion of large macroaggregates (>2 mm) in the topsoil layer (0-20 cm)and that of small macroaggregates (0.25-2 mm) in the subsoil layer (20-40 cm) for NT, ST, and MP. NT, ST, and MP treatments resulted in higher mean weight dia-meter (MWD) and mean geometric diameter (GMD) of soil aggregates in both the topsoil and subsoil layers. NT treatment improved organic carbon contents in bulk soil and large macroaggregates in the topsoil layer, while ST and MP enhanced organic carbon contents in bulk soil and large macroaggregates in the subsoil layer. The contribution rate of small macroaggregates organic carbon content to the total was between 68.9% and 83.4%. Furthermore, the organic carbon chemical stabilization of soil body and aggregates increased in the topsoil and subsoil layers under NT treatment compared to others. The MWD had a positive correlation with the organic carbon content and chemical stability of soil body and small macroaggregates. These findings offered a theoretical basis for understanding the impacts of different tillage practices on the stability of soil aggregate and organic carbon in black soil region.

Effect of Long-Term Tillage Practices on Runoff and Soil Erosion in Sloping Croplands of Himalaya, India

Slopy agricultural lands are more susceptible to soil erosion and hence are priority sites for the application of protective soil management practices. A conservation agriculture field experiment was established at a 6% field slope in 2011 at the ICAR-IISWC Research Farm, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, which is situated in the Northwestern Himalayan Region, India. The objective of this study was to experimentally determine the long-term effects of tillage practices on runoff and soil erosion. The tillage practices opted for were conventional tillage (CT), minimum tillage (MT), and zero tillage (ZT). Event-based runoff and soil loss were monitored during three monsoon seasons (June to September) from 2018 to 2020. Results showed lower runoff and soil loss in the ZT plot than in CT and MT plots. CT produced 1.51 and 2.53 times higher runoff than MT and ZT, respectively. Moreover, this increased runoff generated 1.84 and 5.10 times higher soil erosion in CT than in MT and ZT, respectively. The extreme rainfall events being less than 10% generated 54.93%, 57.35%, and 63.43% of the total runoff volume which resulted in 82.08%, 85.49%, and 91.00% of the total soil loss in CT, MT, and ZT plots, respectively. For the same amount of rainfall, the reduction in soil loss was 39% and 68% in the CT and ZT plots, respectively, at the highest growth stage in comparison to the initial crop growth stage. The values of runoff reduction benefit (RRB) and sediment reduction benefit (SRB) showed a reduction in runoff (63.53%) and soil loss (80.39%) in the CT. Results concluded that conservation tillage reduced runoff and soil loss significantly even in extreme rainfall events.

Immediate and long-term effects of tillage practices with crop residue on soil water and organic carbon storage changes under a wheat-maize cropping system

Reasonable tillage management benefits soil structure optimization and agricultural sustainability. However, the differences of immediate (i.e. changes between post- and pre- tillage) and long-term effects (i.e. changes between treatments after certain years) under different tillage practices is often neglected. This study involved a 16-year field experiment including three tillage practices (plow tillage, PT; subsoiling tillage, ST and rotary tillage, RT) and two crop residue management practices (no residue return and all residue return). Those immediate and long-term effects on soil physical properties and soil organic carbon were investigated. For the immediate effects after tillage, the soil water storage under PT, ST, and RT decreased by 5.8%, 4.0%, and 3.2%, respectively; while those under residue return and no residue return decreased by 3.9% and 4.6%, respectively. Under the same conditions, ST was more beneficial to reduce soil penetration resistance. The soil bulk density post-tillage was significantly lower than that pre-tillage at 0–10 cm soil depth, meanwhile the soil bulk density at 10–40 cm soil depth was generally decreased after tillage practice under ST treatment. For the long-term effects, the penetration resistance at 10–50 cm soil depth and the soil bulk density at 10–30 cm soil depth were lower under the ST treatment than those under PT and RT treatments. Additionally, residue return was beneficial for soil water storage, soil bulk density, and soil organic carbon storage. Overall, both for the immediate and long-term effects, subsoiling tillage with residue return significantly increased soil water storage, total porosity, soil organic carbon storage and crop yields, while decreased soil bulk density and penetration resistance.

Effects of long-term tillage practices on the quality of soil under winter wheat

These studies were done in 2013–2016 on the effects of two tillage systems on the quality of a loamy sand soil (Eutric Fluvisol) and were based on a field experiment started in 2002. Winter wheat was grown in conventional tillage (CT) with mouldboard ploughing (inversion) tillage; and reduced (non-inversion) tillage (RT) based on soil crushing-loosening equipment and a rigid-tine cultivator. Chopped wheat straw was used as mulch in both treatments. The physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil were investigated. RT increased soil bulk density in the 0–5 cm and 5–10 cm depth layers in comparison with CT. The greatest content of soil organic carbon (SOC) was found in the 0–5 cm layer under RT. The BIOLOG EcoPlate System showed that soil under RT had a greater metabolic activity and diversity of microbial communities than soil under CT. RT improved the quality of the surface soil as shown by the greater content of SOC and microbial activity measured in terms of dehydrogenases. However, the mean yields of winter wheat under RT and CT were similar. This suggests that the effects of increased bulk density (BD) on yield can be compensated by the effects of the improved microbial status.

Effects of long term tillage practices on photosynthetic characteristics and grain yield of wheat

A field experiment was conducted to study the effects of long-term tillage practices on photosynthetic characteristics of flag leaf, dry matter accumulation and its allocation, and grain yield, with a wheat cultivar, Jimai 22, in both 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 growing seasons. Four tillage practices, namely rotary tillage (R), plowing (P), strip rotary tillage and subsoiling at an interval of 2 years (SRS), and rotary tillage and subsoiling at an interval of 2 years (RS), were conducted in field for 9 years since 2007. The results showed that the net photosynthetic rate (Pn), transpiration rate (Tr), and stomatal conductance (gs) of flag leaves under SRS treatment were significantly higher than those of other treatments from 21 to 35 days after anthesis. The SRS treatment had higher average photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) capture ratio than RS and P treatments, while the lowest values were found under R treatment during grain-filling stage. Compared with the other treatments, the plants of SRS treatment had the highest accumulation of dry matter at maturity, the highest allocation of dry matter in grains, and the highest contribution ratio of dry matter from vegetative organs to grains after anthesis. The grain yield and water use efficiency of SRS treatment were significantly higher than those of the other treatments, and the water consumption amount of SRS treatment was significantly higher than that of both R and P treatments, with no significant difference from the RS treatment. Under the current experimental condition, it was suggested that SRS would be the most effective tillage practice to increase both grain yield and water use efficiency for winter wheat production.

Long-term impact of tillage practices and phosphorus fertilization on soil phosphorus forms as determined by p nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Conservation tillage practices have become increasingly common in recent years to reduce soil erosion, improve water conservation, and increase soil organic matter. Research suggests that conservation tillage can stratify soil test phosphorus (P), but little is known about the effects on soil organic P. This study was conducted to assess the long-term effects of tillage practices (no-till [NT] and mouldboard plowing) and P fertilization (0 and 35 kg P ha) on the distribution of P species in the soil profile. Soil samples from a long-term corn-soybean rotation experiment in Québec, Canada, were collected from three depths (0-5, 5-10, and 10-20 cm). These samples were analyzed for total P (TP), total C (TC), total N (TN), pH, and Mehlich-3 P (PM3); P forms were characterized with solution phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (P-NMR). Results showed a stratification of TP, TC, TN, pH, PM3, and Mehlich-3-extractable aluminum and magnesium under NT management. The PM3 and orthophosphate concentrations were greater at the soil surface (0-5 cm) of the NT-P (soil treatment with 35 kg P ha) treatment. Organic P forms (orthophosphate monoesters, especially -IP, and nucleotides) had accumulated in the deep layer of NT treatment possibly due to preferential movement. We found evidence that the NT system and P fertilization changed the distribution of P forms along the soil profile, potentially increasing soluble inorganic P loss in surface runoff and organic P in drainage and decreasing bioavailability of inorganic and organic P in deeper soil layers.

Long-term tillage effects on soil carbon storage and carbon dioxide emissions in continuous corn cropping system from an alfisol in Ohio

The experiment designed to quantify the effects of long-term tillage practices on soil organic carbon (SOC) storage and CO 2 emissions, was conducted on long-term tillage and continuous corn ( Zea mays L.). The experimental plots were established in 1962 on a Crosby silt loam (fine, mixed, mesic Aeric Ochraqualf) in Ohio. It consisted of moldboard plow till (MT) chisel till (CT), and no-till (NT) laid out in a randomized block design with four replications. After 43 yrs of continuous corn, the pool of SOC in the top 30 cm depth was significantly greater under NT (80.0 ± 3.7 Mg C ha −1) than under CT (45.3 ± 1.7 Mg C ha −1) and MT (44.8 ± 3.7 Mg C ha −1). A large proportion (68–74%) of SOC, in the 0–30 cm depth originated from corn residues (C4-C). On average, MT, CT and NT treatments sequestered C4-C in the top 30 cm at a rate of 0.73, 0.71 and 1.37 Mg ha −1 yr −1. The average daily CO 2 fluxes (g CO 2-C m −2 d −1) were greater under MT (2.14) and CT (2.07) than under NT (1.61). In addition, the daily CO 2 fluxes were highest in summer (2.62–3.77 g CO 2-C m −2 d −1), the lowest in winter (0.75–0.87 g CO 2-C m −2 d −1), and were positively correlated with air ( R 2 = 0.78, P < 0.01) and soil temperatures in the top 20 cm ( R 2 = 0.76, P < 0.01) and negatively with soil water content ( R 2 = 0.57, P < 0.05). Tillage management had a significant influence on average daily CO 2 fluxes during summer and autumn but not during winter and spring. Annual CO 2 emissions calculated by extrapolating daily CO 2 fluxes were significantly higher under MT (6.6 ± 0.3 Mg CO 2-C ha −1 yr −1) and CT (6.2 ± 0.4 Mg CO 2-C ha −1 yr −1) than under NT (5.5 ± 0.5 Mg CO 2-C ha −1 yr −1; LSD = 0.25 Mg CO 2-C ha −1 yr −1). These results indicated that, during the growing season, NT reduced CO 2 emissions by an average of 0.7 and 0.6 Mg C ha −1 yr −1 compared to MT and CT, respectively.

Evaluating energy efficiency of site-specific tillage in maize in NE Italy

This paper examine the efficiency of energy use of three conservation tillage practices (SST – sub-soil tillage; MT – minimum tillage; and NT – no tillage) performed within two management zones, previously identified in a field according to the stability of yield variability. Experiments were carried out in 2003 in NE Italy, on a farm near Rovigo, on a 8-ha field with clay soil, in maize (Zea mays, L.). The purpose of the paper is (i) to investigate the energy variability due to these tillage practices performed spatially within two management zones and (ii) to analyze the long-term energetic efficiency for each tillage practice. The energy balance was highest for SST with respect to MT and NT, due to labor and fuel consumption rates. The energy balance was influenced by the spatial pattern of yield, with appreciable differences between practices in terms of both the conversion index of energy for tillage (9.0, 12.6 and 22.8GJha−1 for SST, MT and NT, respectively) and the energy use efficiency for tillage (8.0, 11.6, 21.8GJha−1 for SST, MT and NT, respectively). Based on the simulated data and the calibration results, SALUS model proved to be a good tool for analyzing long-term effects of tillage practices on yield. The NT treatment showed the best efficiency over years, due to the low inputs in comparison with the output level.

Long-Term Effects of Tillage on Physicochemical Properties of Modified Andisol of Northeast Honshu Island

Many reports suggest that tillage practices affect crop growth by altering soil properties. However, there is a paucity of information on long-term effects of tillage practices on the properties of modified Andisol in colder region. This study compared the effects of zero tillage (NTg) with continuous fodder crop, zero tillage (NTa) with continuous orchard, conventional tillage (CT) with sweet potato and corn (in summer), and wheat, barley, rye and colza (in winter), and puddling (P) with continuous rice on some selected physical and chemical properties of sandy clay pumice Andisol of colder climate. Mean dry bulk density was 0.92 Mg m−3 for CT, compared with 1.14 Mg m−3 for NTg, 1.16 Mg m−3 for NTa and 1.21 Mg m−3 for P. Total porosity was 63.75% for CT, compared with 55.16% for NTg, 53.72% for NTa and 52.24% for P. Highest content of organic matter (OM) was found in NT compared to other practices. On the other hand, soil pH and electrical conductivity (EC) were significantly lower under NT than other practices. The tillage had significant effects on soil hardness at different matric suction. Gaseous phase was greatest in CT soils, compared with NTa soils, and P soils. Mean solid phase was 44.84%, 45.29%, 47.46% and 36.25%, while liquid phase was 45.50%, 46.06%, 51.21% and 31.65% under NTg, NTa, P, and CT, respectively. Conventional tillage held highest moisture at 0 pF. On the other hand, puddled soil showed highest moisture retention capacities between 1.5 and 7.0 pF than zero tillage and conventional tillage. Gravitational water (GW) and gravitational capillary water (GCW) contents was highest while capillary water (CW), shrinkage water (SW) and hygroscopic water (HW) contents were lowest under CT. Gravitational drainage (GD) and non-easily available water (NEAW) were significantly lowest and easily available water (EAW), total available water (TAW) and non-available water (NAW) were significantly highest under puddling condition compared to other tillage systems. Highest content of boron (B) was found in NT compared to other practices. On the other hand, sulfur (S) and manganese (Mn) were significantly lowest under NT than other practices. Tillage practices had no significant effect on zinc (Zn) content. Compared with CT and P, the use of NT may result in soils having different soil physical and chemical properties, because the soil matrix undergoes fewer disturbances with NT.