Strip Tillage Research Articles

JUSTIFICATION OF CONSTRUCTION AND TECHNOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF THE STRIP-TILL SECTION FOR STRIP TILLAGE WITH THE APPLICATION OF FERTILIZERS

The STRiP-TiLL technology came from the USA, where at a certain stage, as a result of changes in the external environment, it was formed from the technology of direct seeding, or No-Till. This tillage technology is most suitable for row crops. Yes, it was primarily developed in North America specifically for corn. Gradually, it proved itself well during the cultivation of other row crops, in particular, sunflower, soybean, sugar beet, etc. Strip cultivation, as a resource-saving technology with the prospect of its application in arid conditions, is quite promising in the cultivation of industrial crops. The key principles of implementing the strip-till technology are the separate type of its application, i.e. the formation of strips and sowing are spread over time, or combined - when the processes of forming strips and sowing are carried out simultaneously. World agricultural engineering offers various technical and technological solutions for the implementation of strip-till technology, based on the application of the principles of separate and combined methods of implementing this technology, in which they use: in the first version - separate machines for forming strips and sowing, in the second - about combine them into one unit and use one universal unit. One of the features of strip tillage is the possibility of using various chemicals and mineral fertilizers at the same time as sowing seeds, which makes it possible to make the fertilizing process quite precise and targeted, placing active substances right near the roots of the plants. Strip-Till allows you to integrate oxygen into the soil with part of the fertilizers when plants with a short growing cycle are planted. This improves plant development by eliminating stress. Passing the rollers on both sides of the seed line eliminates the air pocket left by the paws, promoting ideal plant growth. Loosening only the seed line limits or eliminates inter-row weed growth while creating a water storage area that will percolate to the roots of the harvested plants.

Changes in Microbial Community and Activity of Chernozem Soil under Different Management Systems in a Long-Term Field Experiment in Hungary

The effects of intensive and reduced tillage, fertilization, and irrigation on soil chemical and microbiological parameters were studied in a long-term field experiment in Hungary. The treatments were plowing tillage, ripper tillage, strip tillage; control (without fertilization), NPK fertilization (N: 160 kg/ha; P: 26 kg/ha; K: 74 kg/ha); and non-irrigation and irrigation. Soil samples were collected through maize monoculture in the fall of 2021 in the 30th year of the experiment. The soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, soil microbial biomass (based on PLFA analysis), and soil enzyme activity were observed to be significantly high in the strip tillage plots, but were lower in the ripper tillage plots, and even lower in the plowing tillage plots. The fungal, arbuscular mycorrhiza fungal, and bacterial biomasses were significantly higher in the strip tillage and ripper tillage plots compared to the plowing tillage plots. The strip tillage treatment was found to be the most favorable cultivation method for improving the microbial biomass and activity of Chernozem soil, followed by the ripper tillage and plowing tillage treatments. The long-term use of chemical fertilizers greatly reduced the soil microbial biomass and negatively impacted the soil microbial community, leading to a decrease in fungi and Gram-negative bacteria. The ratio of cyclopropyl PLFA precursors to cyclopropyl PLFAs, as a “stress factor”, indicated the most stressful bacterial environment was that found in the fertilized, non-irrigated plowed soil.

Strip tillage promotes crop yield in comparison with no tillage based on a meta-analysis

Conservation tillage (e.g. no tillage, minimum tillage) is regarded as an effective way to maintain sustainable crop productivity and improve soil quality globally. However, the claim that conservation tillage could improve crop yield are still controversial. It is hypothesized that whether conservation tillage increase crop yield in comparison with conventional tillage (CT) depends on the different conservation tillage practices, for example, no tillage (NT) and strip tillage (ST), and different variables including in agronomic managements, climate conditions, and soil properties. Herein, a meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate how tillage practices affect crop yield and which factors dominate yield performance mostly. Based on the 53 published articles with 290 paired-comparisons across the world, the effects of ST vs. CT and ST vs. NT on crop yield were conducted. It was showed that crop yield under ST had an increasing trend compared to that under CT and NT. Especially, ST significantly increased crop yield by 4.81% in contrast with NT, which indicated that ST might be a promising practice of conservation tillage in terms of crop yield. Under the agronomic managements of continuous cropping, multiple cropping, graminaceous crops, and straw removing, ST significantly increased crop yields by 5.40%, 10.29%, 7.66%, and 7.60% compared to NT, respectively. ST achieved significantly higher crop yield by 5.68% on average and 11.63% as compared to NT under all soil texture and neutral soil. Concerning the climate conditions, crop yield significantly increased by 3.64% under ST as compared to NT in cooler area where mean annual temperature (MAT) was lower than 10°C. Importance analysis indicated that cropping system and MAT were the key factors affecting the performance of tillage practice on crop yield. Overall, present study revealed that ST might be a favorable conservation tillage practice in continuous and multiple cropping systems with graminaceous crop (e.g. maize) in cooler (MAT <10℃) region in terms of yield promotion. This meta-analysis study demonstrated the importance of conservation tillage optimization for food safety and sustainable development of agriculture.

Characterization of soil pores in strip-tilled and conventionally-tilled soil using X-ray computed tomography

Changes in soil pore size distribution and connectivity can affect contaminant transport. Climate, soil type, and agricultural management practices can influence these characteristics. Conservation tillage practices, such as strip tillage, have been promoted as agricultural management practices that can help reduce soil erosion and nutrient loss in runoff. However, limited information exists in the literature on the effect of strip tillage on soil pore characteristics. Thus, the objective of this research study was to assess the effects of different tillage practices i.e., conventional tillage (CT) vs. strip tillage (ST), on soil pore properties and quantify change in soil pore characteristics as a function of season. Undisturbed cylindrical soil columns (150 mm diameter and 640 mm length) were collected from a field in Alabama, USA planted with cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) under ST and CT treatments during two seasons i.e., fall 2021 and spring 2022. Soil cores were collected from CT and ST portions of the field, in the fall, following cotton harvest and before planting a cover crop (season 1), and in the spring, after the cover crop had matured (season 2). X-ray computed tomography was used to scan the soil cores and quantify soil pore characteristics. Results show that the ST treatment had significantly (p < 0.05) greater macroporosity values, network density, macropore length density, and interconnectivity compared to the CT in season 1. This was attributed to ST being a minimally disturbed treatment: thereby, it has a better chance of preserving cracks and biological activity as compared to CT, which is more prone to destruction of large macropores. The pore properties also showed a drastic decrease in values during season 2, especially for the top 200 mm of the soil profile in response to rainfall induced soil reconsolidation in both the tillage systems. Overall, this study showed that pore morphology can be affected by tillage and seasonal aspects associated with them.

Strip Tillage in Sugarcane Cropping: Physical Attributes and Operational Performance

Objetivo: Objetivou-se avaliar o preparo do solo em faixas na cultura da cana-de-açúcar sob os atributos físicos do solo, biometria da cultura e o desempenho dos conjuntos mecanizados em Neossolo Quartzarênico Órtico típico. Referencial teórico: O preparo de solo consiste na etapa mais importante da instalação do canavial. Esse processo visa proporcionar condições físicas adequadas ao solo, com benefícios ao desenvolvimento e longevidade da cultura. Método: Foram feitos dois tratamentos (T1 e T2), em que T1 utilizou-se o canteirizador customizado com hastes subsoladoras e enxada rotativa e em T2, grade de discos + subsolador convencional provido de rolo destorroador. O delineamento foi em blocos casualizados e os dados submetidos à análise de variância aplicando-se o teste de Tukey a 5% de probabilidade. A estabilidade do processo com relação à biometria, foi complementada pelo Controle Estatístico de Processo (CEP) por meio das cartas de controle a partir dos limites inferior (LIC) e superior (LSC). Resultados e conclusão: O T1 melhora a estrutura e o perfil do solo até 0,285 m, quando comparado ao T2. O desempenho operacional foi melhor nos conjuntos mecanizados do T2. A qualidade física do solo no T1 proporciona melhor desenvolvimento da cana-de- açúcar. Implicações da pesquisa: a pesquisa demonstrou a importância da adequação de maquinário agrícola para aumentar a qualidade física do solo. Originalidade/valor: com este estudo é possível difundir para a comunidade científica e produtora métodos de melhoria da qualidade física do solo.

Effect of plastic mulch and strip tillage on soil hydrothermal characteristics and potato cultivation in the Bogura district of Bangladesh

AbstractFuture periods with limited water resources in Bangladesh will need the use of effective water‐saving technology, such as mulching, to increase potato production in a sustainable way. This study investigated the effect of plastic mulch on soil hydrothermal status and its consequent effect on potato production over 2 years in field experiments in Bogura, Bangladesh. We cultivated potato under four treatments: two coloured (black and blue) plastic mulches, strip tillage and no mulch. The black plastic mulch raised the soil temperature by 1.2–2.4°C in the early growth stages and by 0.4–1.2°C in the later growth stages compared to the no‐mulch treatment. This mulch raised soil moisture by 5.1–15.9% and reduced weed growth by 91% compared to no mulch. The nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium contents of the soil were significantly higher under the mulching treatments compared to no mulch. When compared to the blue and no‐mulch treatments, black mulch provided 31–34% and 45–48% more tuber yield of potato, respectively, which significantly improved the economic benefits under mulching treatments. Black plastic mulch is therefore suggested as a workable adaptation approach to increase potato production under limited water resources in northern Bangladesh and elsewhere with similar agroclimatic conditions.

УДОСКОНАЛЕННЯ ТЕХНІКО-ТЕХНОЛОГІЧНИХ РІШЕНЬ СМУГОВОГО ОБРОБІТКУ ГРУНТУ

The article presents the results of studies of the strip tillage system and crop sowing in the three-field crop rotation “corn-corn-soybean”, the principles of the technological process have been formed, the initial requirements for the parameters of the strips, the quality of sowing crops in the crop rotation (corn and soybeans) have been prepared, technical and technological methods have been improved the solution of sowing in strips with a significant content of plant residues and the technical and economic advantages of strip tillage are substantiated. The purpose of the research is to substantiate the expediency, to improve the technical and technological solutions and methods of implementation of the strip tillage technology in short-rotation grain crop rotation, and to determine their effectiveness. Methods and materials. The study of the effectiveness of strip tillage was carried out on the short-rotational crop rotation “corn-corn-soybean”, with a total area of 21 hectares at the scientific research ground of L. Pogorilyy UkrNDIPVT. Agricultural machinery is generally accepted for the zone of the right-bank forest-steppe, except for the studied factors: A - tillage; B – mineral fertilizers; C is a predecessor culture. Field experiments, observations, and records were carried out according to the methods of B. Dospehov and V. Yeshchenko. The «Belarus MTZ 1025» tractor and the 4-row «STA-4» unit were used to form the strips, which allows for the arrangement of sections, their movement along the beam of the frame for cutting strips with a row spacing of 70 cm and 90 cm and applying fertilizers to each strip. Corn was sown with a row spacing of 70 cm along the path, and soybeans (with a row spacing of 45 cm) were sown on the sides of the deep loosener pass line with a step of 90 cm. Results. The short-rotation 3-field crop rotation “corn-corn-soybean” provides an increase in productivity with a narrow set of crops with a wide-row sowing method, which are combined in the crop rotation as good predecessors and belong to different taxonomic groups. The effectiveness of the proposed technical-technological solutions of strip tillage and sowing compared to traditional technology is determined by the reduction of used resources due to the smaller number of technological operations, fuel consumption, and increased productivity. Indicators of the structure of the biological yield of corn proved the advantage of strip cultivation over plowing: grain yield is higher by 17-21% (depending on the year). It is substantiated that the design parameters of the unit for forming strips should ensure the straightness of their cutting at a sufficient working speed and the preservation of unloosened strips for moving (without slipping) the wheels of the traction tractor; the seeder must ensure high-quality sowing of seeds on backgrounds with a large content of plant residues, the technological ability of conversion to the required width of rows, which is the basis for improving the progressive direction of growing corn and soybeans in short-rotation crop rotation. Conclusions. Grounded prospects for the implementation of strip tillage technology in short-rotation crop rotation and the feasibility of its implementation in the forest-steppe zone of Ukraine using the example of corn and soybeans. Emphasis is placed on the sources of efficiency and the main recommendations for machine complexes for resource-saving technologies for growing grain crops in small and medium-sized farms are outlined. Keywords: crop short-rotation, strip tillage, technical and technological solutions, agricultural machines, soybean, corn, productivity, crop yield.

Analysis of the moisture supply conditions of grain crops during the sowing period

Annotation Purpose. To determine the state of moisture supply of grain crops during the sowing period. Methods. Analytical, monographic, graphic. Results. The content of productive moisture in the upper layer up to 20 cm of the main soils during the period of sowing grain crops in the main soil and climatic zones of Ukraine was determined. Conclusions 1. According to the results of the analysis of literary sources, it was established that during the sowing period of winter grain crops (on the example of winter wheat), the moisture supply of the soils of Ukraine is insufficient (from 2 to 11 mm), in contrast to spring grain crops (on the example of spring barley). 2. It was established that the use of zero and strip tillage and sowing technologies (No-till and Strip-till) gives the greatest moisture-saving effect, ensuring the preservation of plant remains on the surface of the soil to protect it from overheating and loss of moisture. Keywords: moisture supply, grain crops, productive moisture, technical means for sowing.

Stubble potato planter for sustainable farming

This article presents an examination of fundamental technologies employed in agricultural crop cultivation, leading to the proposal of a strip tillage technique that integrates fertilizer application and potato planting in fields previously cultivated with winter crops, early vegetables, and intermediate crops. The article further discusses the design and technological process of a stubble potato planter, which facilitates the simultaneous execution of strip tillage, fertilization, and potato planting. The proposed technology and planter design aim to enhance the efficiency and productivity of agricultural practices.

Effect of conservation tillage on soil and water conservation, yield and yield components of Maize (Zea mays L.) in South Ari District, Southern Ethiopia

Reduced tillage is one of the options to combat land degradation problems. The study aims to examine the impacts of tillage practices on selected soil physicochemical properties, soil loss, and maize yield and yield components. Four treatments—zero, twice, and strip tillage—as well as farmers' practices, were set up in a randomized complete block design with five replications. Then, soil moisture, soil loss, and yield and yield components of maize data were collected. The findings show that, when compared to conventional tillage, conservation tillage improves soil moisture and decreases soil loss during and after crop development. The study found that implementing reduced, or zero tillage practices resulted in higher maize yields and long-term economic benefits for farmers compared to conventional and strip tillage practices. In addition, the current research demonstrated that, in comparison to strip tillage and conventional tillage, adopting reduced tillage and zero tillage increased maize yield and yield components with greater long-term economic benefits to farmers. The current findings also showed that adopting reduced tillage and zero tillage boosted maize yield and yield components, with higher economic benefits to farmers in the long run as compared to strip tillage and conventional tillage. Although zero tillage attributed to less grain yield, it resulted in higher economic benefits to farmers and saved 44.84% of soil loss relative to conventional tillage. The outcome of the economic evaluation unequivocally demonstrated that reduced tillage is the best approach, but zero tillage, strip tillage, and reduced tillage are all superior and advised for farmers. Hence, farmers can use either zero tillage or reduced tillage, depending on their investment capital. But to get considerable changes in soil and water balances, other soil physicochemical properties, and crop yield. Similar studies must be carried out on permanent field plots for longer than 2 years in the future.

Experimental research on vertical straw cleaning and soil tillage device based on Soil-Straw composite model

Strip tillage is a necessary technical means to solve blockage problems during the no-tillage sowing process under the condition of total straw return to the field. However, the large amount of straw on the surface, thick stems, and slow decomposition make it difficult for the traditional straw wheel structure to effectively clean the straw out of the operating area. Based on the distribution of straw and soil characteristics on the no-tillage surface, a Soil-Straw composite model is established using the discrete element method (DEM) for undisturbed soil under straw coverage conditions. The relative error of its bonding parameters is 7.9 %, which can accurately predict the mechanical behavior of soil contact components. A vertical rotation-based straw strip cleaning and soil tillage method is proposed, and three vertical straw strip cleaning and soil tillage devices combining spring teeth (ST) and rake teeth (RT) were designed. The reasonable operating parameters are determined through trajectory analysis, with a forward velocity of 1.67 m/s and a rotational velocity of 300 r/min. Based on the Soil-Straw composite model, the combination of three ST and RT types is studied using DEM-MFBD coupled simulation technology. Regarding the straw cleaning rate, the straw cleaning rates of STb-RTb and STc-RTc are 96.66 % and 96.99 %, respectively, meeting the operational requirements. The field test results showed that the straw cleaning and soil fragmentation rates of the STc-RTc combination were 97.7 % and 96.4 %. The bench test and field test verification show that the DEM-MFBD coupled simulation technology based on the Soil-Straw model can predict the operating quality and deformation stress of the machine. This study provides a new solution for a wide range of straw cleaning in straw-covered areas.

Techniques for Conservation Tillage under 15–25% Slope: Soil and Water Conservation, Maize Yield and Yield Components in Basketo Zone, Southern Ethiopia

In steeply sloping regions of Ethiopia, water erosion is the primary cause of soil erosion and land degradation. Poor management of watersheds, inappropriate farming practices, and heavy rainfall all contribute to a continuous process of soil nutrient depletion in mountainous places. A quick loss of soil organic matter, soil deterioration, and a decline in environmental quality could result from the main farmer practice restrictions during plowing. To maintain agricultural productivity and environmental quality, a better farming system is therefore a significant method. This study was conducted in 3 farmer’s fields to investigate the significance of different cultivation practices on soil loss and maize yield under a slope of 19 % during cropping season in 2016 and 2018 at Motkesa Kebele of Basketo Zone, southern Ethiopia. The trial was laid out using a randomized complete block design through four treatments replicated three times on run-off plots. Experimental treatments used in the area were (strip tillage, zero tillage, reduced tillage and farmer practice) with maize planting at a spacing of 25cm by 75cm between plants and between rows respectively. According to the research result zero tillage decreased mean soil loss by 70% -74 % compared with conventional tillage (P &lt; 0.05) and zero tillage has a great potential of controlling soil erosion on steep lands. Additionally, zero tillage was effective in conserving soil moisture increased (36-42%) compared with conventional tillage practices. According to the results of our research data, we advise that in smallholder household farms, the implementation of conservation agriculture has a cost-effective production management method, saves raw materials, increases yield, and reduces manual labor. Further studies are also encouraged in the same agroecology to promote the conservation agriculture system.&#x0D; Keywords: Conservation tillage; maize yield and yield components; soil moisture, soil loss

Dicamba-Based Herbicide Programs, Cropping Sequences, Tillage Types in Cotton – Profitability and Risk Efficiency Analysis

Herbicide-resistant weeds threaten cotton production, and herbicides alone are not a sustainable remedy. Field trials at two locations, College Station and Thrall, Texas (2019-21), assessed dicamba-based herbicide programs in various crop sequences and tillage systems to identify sustainable weed management recommendations based on weed control and partial net returns. The study showed no-till cover cropping and conventional tillage had the highest aggregate partial net returns at College Station and Thrall, respectively. A cotton:sorghum:cotton rotation provided significantly higher partial net returns (&gt;$450 ha-1) compared to continuous cotton only at Thrall. Partial net returns were significantly higher in a low input herbicide program (LI) compared to a high input herbicide program (HI) from 2019-21 only at Thrall. Herbicide programs showed a high degree of overlap and were indistinct in all tillage types at College Station based on CDFs graphs. Low input under cotton:sorghum:cotton rotation showed 100% probability of higher partial net returns compared to continuous cotton in all tillage types at Thrall. Stoplight charts showed LI provided greater than 50% probability of partial net returns greater than $1,066 ha-1 across tillage types at College Station. In Thrall, LI under cotton:sorghum:cotton rotation offered 88% and 26% probability of partial net returns above $1,066 ha-1 in conventional and strip tillage, respectively. Higher partial net returns for LI were mostly attributed to cost savings from using inexpensive herbicides rather than higher yields. Therefore, using less expensive herbicide programs and crop rotation appeared to be the most risk efficient strategy for managing weeds in irrigated and dryland cotton production.

Long‐term integration of bahiagrass into a cover‐cropped and strip‐tilled peanut–cotton rotation has a limited effect on soil carbon and other soil properties

AbstractIntegrating a perennial forage grass like bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flugge) into the traditional rotation of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) and peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) increases yields and reduces irrigation needs in the Southeast United States. However, the long‐term effects of this sod‐based rotation (SBR) on soil properties remain unclear. Eighteen years after establishing SBR and the traditional rotation, we collected samples to a depth of 120 cm in 30‐cm increments and measured soil carbon and other soil properties (e.g., Mehlich‐extractable nutrients). Soil C was 6% higher with SBR in the top 30 cm of soil after 18 years, with no impact on soil C in deeper soil layers. Similarly, there was no effect of SBR on other soil properties (soil texture, pH, and Mehlich‐extractable P and Mg), except for lower soil K in SBR. Our results indicate a limited effect of SBR on soil C and other properties in this system where SBR is not grazed and where strip tillage and cover cropping were implemented in both rotations.

ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY OF SOYBEAN PRODUCTION DEPENDING ON SOIL TILLAGE SYSTEM

The aim of the study was to evaluate the economic efficiency of soybean cultivars at different soil tillage system (ploughing method, reduced tillage, strip tillage). The study was based on the results of a five-year (2016-2020) field study, conducted at the Agricultural Experimental Station in Kępa Puławy (farm in Osiny), belonging to the Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation in Puławy. In the scheme of trial two cultivars of soybean: Aldana (000 – early) and Merlin (00-mid-early) were used. The strip-till system brought the highest value of harvested soybean seeds of Merlin cultivar – 6,262 PLN/ha (mean in 2016-2020). The high value was also obtained under full ploughing system (6,251 PLN/ha). The highest profitability of soybean cultivation determined based relation production value of seeds to direct cost was obtained under strip-tillage system (mean for two cultivars – 1.68). In direct cost structure the highest percentage had seeds material cost. The gross margin was determined as an indicator of economic efficiency. The economic effectiveness of cultivation of two soybean cultivars was evaluated from the perspective of utilizing the basic factors of production – land. Analysis showed that the highest level of gross margin determined on based the difference of production seeds value, direct cost and indirect cost was obtained in soybean cultivation under strip-tillage system. The profitability index was also determined as the relation of production value of soybean seeds to direct costs. The level of the gross margin was more impacted by the level of the obtained yield and the cost of agrotechnical treatments than by the level of other direct costs.

Herbicide programs, cropping sequences, and tillage-types: a systems approach for managing Amaranthus palmeri in dicamba-resistant cotton

Herbicide-resistant Amaranthus palmeri poses a significant threat to cotton production in the US. Tillage, cover crops, crop rotations, and dicamba-based herbicide programs can individually provide effective control of A. palmeri, but there is a lack of research evaluating the above tactics in a system for its long-term management. Field trials were conducted near College Station and Thrall, TX (2019–2021) to evaluate the efficacy of dicamba-based herbicide programs under multiple cropping sequences and tillage types in a systems approach for A. palmeri control in dicamba-resistant cotton. The experimental design used was a split–split plot design. The main plots were no-till cover cropping, strip tillage, and conventional tillage. The subplots were cotton:cotton:cotton (CCC) and cotton:sorghum:cotton (CSC) sequences for 3 years within each tillage type, and sub-subplots were a weedy check (WC), a weed-free check (WF), a low-input program without residual herbicides (LI), and a high-input program with residual herbicides (HI). Using HI under the CSC sequence was the only system that provided &amp;gt;90% control of A. palmeri for 3 years across all tillage types and locations. By 2021, A. palmeri densities in the CSC sequence at College Station (4,156 plants ha−1) and Thrall (4,006 plants ha−1) are significantly low compared to the CCC sequence (31,364 and 9,867 plants ha−1, respectively) when averaged across other factors. Similarly, A. palmeri densities in HI at College Station (9,867 plants ha−1) and Thrall (1,016 plants ha−1) are significantly low compared to LI (25,653 and 13,365 plants ha−1, respectively) when averaged across other factors. We also observed that the CSC sequence reduced A. palmeri seed bank by at least 40% compared to the CCC sequence at both College Station and Thrall when averaged across other factors. Over 3 years, we did not observe significant differences between LI and HI for cotton yields at College Station (1,715–3,636 kg ha−1) and Thrall (1,569−1,989 kg ha−1). However, rotating cotton with sorghum during 2020 improved cotton yields by 39% under no-till cover cropping in 2021 at Thrall. These results indicate that using dicamba-based herbicide programs with residual herbicides and implementing crop rotations can effectively manage A. palmeri in terms of seasonal control, densities, and seed bank buildup across tillage types and environments.

Root growth, root senescence and root system architecture in maize under conservative strip tillage system

Root growth, root senescence and root system architecture in maize under conservative strip tillage system

Effect of long‐term strip tillage on soil macropore structure in cool black soil region of Northeast China

AbstractSoil pore structure is essential for storing and transporting water, and it can be affected by different tillage practices. Strip tillage (ST) is an innovative technology aimed at addressing the challenge of reduced crop yield caused by no‐tillage (NT) in the cool black soil region of Northeast China. Nevertheless, what remains unclear is the influence of ST on soil pore structure in the cool black soil region. After conducting a 14‐year long‐term positioning experiment, this study investigated the variations in spatial distribution patterns of soil macropores under ST practice using X‐ray computed microtomography (μCT). The research also examined, the response of soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil bulk density to ST compared to conventional tillage (CT). This finding revealed that ST significantly increased the macroporosity (&gt;25 μm) at 0–20 cm depths in comparison with CT. The detailed analysis of soil pore size distribution revealed a significant increase in macroporosity of the &gt;2000 μm pore sizes in 0–10 cm layer by 144.79% because of ST. Furthermore, ST significantly increased pore connectivity at the 0–10 cm depth by 3.37% and pore fractal dimension at the 10–20 cm depth by 13.42%. Meanwhile, there was a significant correlation among the changes in soil bulk density, SOC content, macroporosity, pore connectivity, and pore tortuosity, indicating soil bulk density and SOC have a substantial impact on the pore structure. Overall, the implementation of ST leads to a significant enhancement in soil pore structure, improving the understanding of the regulatory mechanism of ST in the cool black soil region of Northeast China. This research aids in advancing the conservation and sustainable utilization of black soil.

Cultivation of Crops in Strip-Till Technology and Microgranulated Fertilisers Containing a Gelling Agent as a Farming Response to Climate Change

Climatic and soil conditions are changing in response to the increasing human impact. This requires the introduction of low-cost, low-emission, but effective technologies in the field cultivation of crops, in turn requiring and justifying research in this area. In laboratory tests and field studies, the production and environmental effects of strip-till and the application of microgranular fertilisers with a gelling component were determined (and, in particular, their use in combination as a plant cultivation technology). These effects were measured in terms of soil properties, the biomass production, and the yields of maize (Zea mays L.), spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), and winter rape (Brassica napus L.). Fertiliser microgranules with a gelling agent absorbed water in the amount of 118.6–124.7% of fertiliser mass and increased the volumetric moisture content of the soil in the layer in which they were applied (0–7.5 cm) by 3.0–3.9 percentage points compared to the soil moisture without fertiliser. Strip tillage with the application of fertilisers with a gelling agent significantly increased the amount of water in the soil during the sowing period for winter and spring plants and reduced the CO2 emissions from the soil relative to the conventional tillage without microgranular fertiliser. The biomass of maize, spring barley, and winter rape before flowering, as well as the yields of these plants, were higher when cultivated using strip-till and fertilisers with gelling agents than when ploughed with a mouldboard plough without the use of microgranulated fertilisers. This technology also increased the number of microorganisms, including bacteria, actinobacteria, and filamentous fungi in the soil after harvesting compared to the unfertilised, ploughed soil. Strip tillage and microgranulated fertilisers containing a gelling agent can thus reduce the environmental pressure exerted by agriculture and reduce the risk of climate change, as well as being a way of adapting agriculture to climate change.

Investigating the Impact of Tillage and Crop Rotation on the Prevalence of phlD-Carrying Pseudomonas Potentially Involved in Disease Suppression.

Winter oilseed rape (OSR) is becoming an increasingly popular crop in rotations as it provides a cash crop and reduces the incidence of take-all fungal disease (caused by Gaeumannomyces graminis) in subsequent wheat production. The exact mechanism of this inhibition of fungal pathogens is not fully understood; however, the selective recruitment of bacterial groups with the ability to suppress pathogen growth and reproduction is thought to play a role. Here we examine the effect of tillage practice on the proliferation of microbes that possess the phlD gene involved in the production of the antifungal compound 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol (2,4-DAPG), in the rhizospheres of both winter oilseed rape and winter wheat grown in rotation over a two-year period. The results showed that conservation strip tillage led to a significantly greater phlD gene copy number, both in the soil and in the roots, of oilseed rape and wheat crops, whereas crop rotation of oilseed rape and wheat did not increase the phlD gene copy number in winter wheat.