厄尔尼诺/拉尼娜事件对陕西省榆林地区气候的影响

通过对陕西省榆林地区近56a来气象资料、历史资料的搜集和整理,研究了厄尔尼诺/拉尼娜(ElNino/Southern Oscillation,ENSO)事件对榆林地区气候与气象灾害的影响,分析了降水及气温变化的周期性。结果表明,1954年以来,榆林地区气候变暖变干趋势显著。1954年以来榆林地区年均温平均升高了0.025℃/a,年降水量递减率为1.740mm/a;厄尔尼诺年气温高出正常年份0.12℃,拉尼娜事件发生年年平均气温较正常年份平均气温没明显变化。厄尔尼诺事件年榆林地区降水呈现明显的减少趋势,比正常年份减少了8mm。拉尼娜事件年对榆林地区降水增加也有一定影响,平均增加3mm/a。榆林地区气温与降水量存在3a为主的短周期和20a为主的长周期。ENSO暖事件对榆林地区气候特别是气象灾害的影响比ENSO冷事件更为显著和强烈,厄尔尼诺年榆林地区易于发生高温干旱灾害。     

厄尔尼诺/拉尼娜事件对山西省北部地区气候的影响

通过对山西省北部50a来气象资料的搜集和整理,研究了厄尔尼诺/拉尼娜(El Nino—SouthernOscillation,ENSO)事件对山西省北部地区气候的影响。结果表明,大同、朔州、忻州地区厄尔尼诺事件发生年降水减少,平均气温降低,与正常年份相比年降水量分别减少了46.86,46.44和80.96mm,年平均气温分别降低了0.03,0.17和0.22℃;拉尼娜年降水减少,平均气温降低,与正常年份相比年降水量分别减少了21.27,26.32和25.30mm,平均气温分别降低了0.03,0.18和0.04℃,厄尔尼诺事件年平均气温变化与黄土高原相反。ENSO暖事件对山西省北部地区气温的影响具有从大同向朔州和忻州依次逐渐增强的特点,表明随着纬度的降低厄尔尼诺事件对气温的影响增强,对降水也有类似的影响。ENSO暖事件年发生旱灾的可能性较大,通常会给山西省北部地区的工农业生产带来不利影响。     

1951-2016年ENSO事件对登陆中国热带气旋的影响

利用1951-2016年登陆中国热带气旋数据资料和1951-2016年ENSO特征值数据资料,采用线性趋势及相关分析法研究了ENSO事件对登陆中国热带气旋的影响。结果表明:（1）厄尔尼诺现象登陆中的热带气旋频数少于拉尼娜现象,ENSO事件时期登陆中国热带气旋频数比非ENSO事件时期少且强度明显偏弱;（2）时间跨度上,厄尔尼诺年初旋登陆时间偏晚,拉尼娜年初旋登陆时间最早,中国热带气旋登陆时间集中在7-9月份;（3）登陆中国的热带气旋与海平面温度SST距平值、MEI指数均呈现极显著相关关系,与南方涛动指数SOI呈现显著相关关系。ENSO事件的发生都有效的减少了登陆中国热带气旋频数,正常年份应做好热带气旋登陆中国的预报工作,减少灾难的发生。     

Climate variability and crop production in Tanzania

Improved understanding of the influence of climate on agricultural production is needed to cope with expected changes in temperature and precipitation, and an increasing number of undernourished people in food insecure regions. Many studies have shown the importance of seasonal climatic means in explaining crop yields. However, climate variability is expected to increase in some regions and have significant consequences on food production beyond the impacts of changes in climatic means. Here, we examined the relationship between seasonal climate and crop yields in Tanzania, focusing on maize, sorghum and rice. The impacts of both seasonal means and variability on yields were measured at the subnational scale using various statistical methods and climate data. The results indicate that both intra- and interseasonal changes in temperature and precipitation influence cereal yields in Tanzania. Seasonal temperature increases have the most important impact on yields. This study shows that in Tanzania, by 2050, projected seasonal temperature increases by 2 °C reduce average maize, sorghum, and rice yields by 13%, 8.8%, and 7.6% respectively. Potential changes in seasonal total precipitation as well as intra-seasonal temperature and precipitation variability may also impact crop yields by 2050, albeit to a lesser extent. A 20% increase in intra-seasonal precipitation variability reduces agricultural yields by 4.2%, 7.2%, and 7.6% respectively for maize, sorghum, and rice. Using our preferred model, we show that we underestimate the climatic impacts by 2050 on crop yields in Tanzania by 3.6%, 8.9%, and 28.6% for maize, sorghum and rice respectively if we focus only on climatic means and ignore climate variability. This study highlights that, in addition to shifts in growing season means, changes in intra-seasonal variability of weather may be important for future yields in Tanzania. Additionally, we argue for a need to invest in improving the climate records in these regions to enhance our understanding of these relationships.     

Quasi-biennial corn yield cycles in Iowa

Quasi-biennial cycles are often reported in climate studies. The interannual El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) are two phenomena containing quasi-periodicities of approximately 2.5 and 2.2 years. It is known that ENSO affects corn yield through weather patterns, NAO affects surface temperature and cloudiness, and surface temperature, rainfall, and radiation affect corn yield. However, a quasi-biennial pattern in corn yield and the combined effect of several climate signals on long-term U.S. corn yield are not known. Here we show statistically significant 2–3 year periods in long-term corn yield from one of the world's most important corn producing regions. High (low) yields are due in part to high (low) surface radiation and low (high) temperature early in the corn growing season coupled with sufficient (insufficient) rainfall later in the growing season. A statistical model we developed using three climate indices accounts for 54% of the interannual variation in Iowa corn yield. The most significant periodicities found in the model's spectrum are similar to the quasi-biennial periodicities in observed corn yield. We classify Iowa corn yield from several regional datasets (1960–2006) for ‘low yield’ and ‘high yield’ conditions as predicted by the model. The difference between observed corn yields for ‘high’ and ‘low’ yielding years was 19% (p = 0.0001). The results demonstrate a quasi-biennial pattern in long-term Iowa corn yield related to large-scale climate variability. This knowledge could lead to models that help guide springtime agricultural management decisions that improve profitability and reduce nitrate flux to groundwater, streams, rivers, and coastal oceans.     

厄尔尼诺/拉尼娜事件对山西省南部地区气候的影响

根据1961年以来的气温和降水资料,结合小波分析和发生的厄尔尼诺/拉尼娜事件,分析了1961年以来山西省南部地区气温和降水的变化趋势、周期以及厄尔尼诺/拉尼娜(El Nino/Southern Oscillation,ENSO)事件对山西省南部地区气温、降水量以及旱涝灾害的影响。研究结果表明,1961年以来山西省南部年平均气温总体呈波动式上升,上升速率为0.34℃/10a,而年平均降水量总体呈下降趋势,下降速率为23.4mm/10a。小波周期分析显示,山西省南部气温变化的周期约为3,8,20和25a,降水量变化的周期约为3和7a。厄尔尼诺年山西省南部年平均气温升高,降水量显著减少,而拉尼娜年气温下降,降水量略有增加。该区在厄尔尼诺年易发生旱灾,而拉尼娜年易发生涝灾,且旱涝灾害多分别发生在连续性的厄尔尼诺年和拉尼娜年。     

Compost,Manure and Synthetic Fertilizer Influences Crop Yields,Soil Properties,Nitrate Leaching and Crop Nutrient Content

From 1993 to 2001, a maize-vegetable-wheat rotation was compared using either 1) composts, 2) manure, or 3) synthetic fertilizer for nitrogen nutrient input. From 1993 to 1998, red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) and crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.) were used as an annual winter legume cover crop prior to maize production. From 1999 to 2001, hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth.) served as the legume green manure nitrogen (N) source for maize. In this rotation, wheat depended entirely on residual N that remained in the soil after maize and vegetable (pepper and potato) production. Vegetables received either compost, manure, or fertilizer N inputs. Raw dairy manure stimulated the highest overall maize yields of 7,395 kg/ha (approximately 140 bushels per acre). This exceeded the Berks County mean yield of about 107 bushels per acre from 1994 to 2001. When hairy vetch replaced clover as the winter green manure cover crop, maize yields rose in three of the four treatments (approximately 500-1,300 kg/ha, or 10-24 bu/a). Hairy vetch cover cropping also resulted in a 9-25 % increase in wheat yields in the compost treatments compared to clover cover cropping. Hairy vetch cover crops increased both maize and wheat grain protein contents about 16 to 20% compared to the clover cover crop. Compost was superior to conventional synthetic fertilizer and raw dairy manure in 1) building soil nutrient levels, 2) providing residual nutrient support to wheat production, and 3) reducing nutrient losses to ground and surface waters. After 9 years, soil carbon (C) and soil N remained unchanged or declined slightly in the synthetic fertilizer treatment, but increased with use of compost amendments by 16-27% for C and by 13-16% for N. However, with hairy vetch cover crops, N leaching increased 4 times when compared to clover cover crops. September was the highest month for nitrate leaching, combining high rainfall with a lack of active cash crop or cover crop growth to use residual N. Broiler litter leaf compost (BLLC) showed the lowest nitrate leaching of all the nutrient amendments tested (P= 0.05).     

新疆参考作物蒸散发趋势转折与大尺度气候变率的关系

参考作物蒸散发(reference crop evapotranspiration,ET₀)能够全面反映一个地区的蒸散发能力,在农业高效节水灌溉等领域得到了广泛应用。近年来大多数研究通常将ET₀与局地气象因子的变化进行敏感性分析,忽略了大尺度气候变率对ET₀的遥相关影响。该研究基于新疆地区84个气象站点的逐日气象资料和气候变率指数,采用多元线性回归和Cramer’s突变检验等方法,探究了厄尔尼诺南方涛动(El Nino-Southern Oscillation,ENSO)、印度洋偶极子(Indian Ocean Dipole,IOD)、太平洋年代际振荡(Pacific Decadal Oscillation,PDO)和北大西洋多年代际振荡(Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation,AMO)等大尺度气候变率与新疆地区ET₀趋势转折的关系。结果表明：1960—2020年ET₀总体呈下降趋势,平均递减率为0.75 mm/a;1998年为ET₀     

渭河流域降雨与降雨侵蚀力变化的原因分析

研究降雨与降雨侵蚀力的时空变化特征及其原因对流域土壤侵蚀监测、评估、预报和治理具有重要意义。以干旱半干旱的渭河流域为研究对象,采用Mann-Kendall检验分析了降雨与降雨侵蚀力的变化趋势;采用启发式分割法对流域降雨量与降雨侵蚀力进行了变异诊断;采用交叉小波分析探究了ENSO(厄尔尼诺—南方涛动)、北极涛动、太阳黑子与降雨以及降雨侵蚀力的联系。结果表明:(1)降雨和降雨侵蚀力均呈下降趋势;(2)华山站和西吉站的降雨量存在变异点,华山站和临洮站的降雨侵蚀力存在变异点,渭河流域部分站点的雨量和雨力的一致性被破坏;(3)ENSO、北极涛动、太阳黑子可能会影响降雨与降雨侵蚀力的产生,其中太阳黑子的影响最强,ENSO次之,北极涛动最弱。研究结果有助于指导渭河流域黄土高原地区的农业生产、水土保持建设和生态修复等工作。     

Agricultural impacts of large-scale variability of the West African monsoon

Agriculture in the Sudano-Sahelian zone is heavily dependent on the seasonal characteristics of rainfall. This study seeks to characterise components of regional climatic variability and their impact on simulated, attainable, plot level yields of millet. First we describe at a regional scale two main events in the seasonal pattern of the monsoon over West Africa by using a daily rainfall dataset over the 1968–1990 period, that is, (i) the onset of the summer monsoon characterised by an abrupt northward shift of the ITCZ from 5°N to 10°N around 24 June, and (ii) large and coherent intra-seasonal rainfall fluctuations at two different time scales, around 15 and 40 days. Second, we investigate the impact of these regional phenomena on local crop yields using SARRAH, a crop model simulating attainable yield, i.e. water and climate limited but not nutrient limited yield, by means of sensitivity analyses. The response of attainable yield to sowing date is studied for 19 years of the 1968–1990 period for a 90-day millet crop at Niamey. The results indicate that information on regional climate dynamics might help improve crop production locally. It is shown that the regional onset of the monsoon is very close to the ideal sowing date, derived from simulations, at Niamey and that simulated yields are much higher for these dates than for those identified with the traditional rule based on local rainfall. Taking into account the regional onset of monsoon thus seems to improve the relationship between water available and water used by the plant, and thus seems to potentially increase crop water use. Where attainable, simulated yields using the monsoon onset criterion are low, they are generally caused by intra-seasonal dry spells that have differential impact depending on phenological stage of the crop.     

农业技术和气候变化对农作物产量和蒸散量的影响

随着农业生产条件的改善、品种改进和有利的气象条件的变化, 世界各地的作物产量得到大幅度提高, 但作物的蒸散量却未出现大幅度提高。本文以石家庄气象站1955~2007 年的气象资料为基础, 分析了河北省冬小麦和夏玉米生长期间主要气象因素变化, 结合中国科学院栾城农业生态系统试验站长期定位灌溉试验的研究结果, 分析了农业生产条件和气象因子变化对冬小麦和夏玉米产量及耗水量的影响。结果表明,1955~2007 年冬小麦和夏玉米生长季的气象因子发生了变化, 日照时数、相对湿度、风速、气温日较差显著降低, 最低气温、平均气温和积温显著升高, 气象因子的变化对作物总蒸散量未产生明显影响, 但由于降水减少,作物生长期间的灌溉需水量呈增加趋势。长期灌溉试验结果表明, 随着农业生产条件的变化和品种的改良, 冬小麦和夏玉米的产量不断增加, 而耗水量的增加幅度小于产量增加幅度, 夏玉米的耗水量呈稳定状态。节水技术的推广和应用对维持耗水量稳定起着非常关键的作用。     

Comparing the value of Southern Oscillation Index-based climate forecast methods for Canadian and US wheat producers

Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) based forecasting methods are compared to determine which method is more valuable to Canadian and US wheat producers. Using decision theory approach to valuing information, the more commonly used three-phase method of El Niño, La Niña, and other is compared to a five-phase system. Because of differences in growing season and yearly SOI classification schemes, two different three-phase methods are used. The five-phase system is based on the level and rate of change of the SOI over a 2 month period. Phases are consistently negative, consistently positive, rapidly falling, rapidly rising, and near zero. As expected, results vary by the method used. Winter wheat producers in Illinois place no value on either of the SOI-based forecasting systems. Producers at seven of the 13 sites prefer the five-phase method over either of the three-phase method (spring wheat producers in Manitoba, Alberta, North Dakota and South Dakota, along with winter wheat producers in Oklahoma, Texas, and Washington). The value of the five-phase approach is up to 70 times more valuable than the three-phase approach. Producers growing spring wheat in Saskatchewan and Montana, along with winter wheat producers in Ohio and Kansas value the three-phase approach more than the five-phase. In this case, the value of the three-phase system is up to two times more valuable than the five-phase system. Depending on expected price and region, the values of the SOI-based forecasts range from 0 to 22% of the value of perfect forecasts. In both absolute and percentage of perfect forecasts, producers in Oklahoma, Texas, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and South Dakota value either system more than producers in the remaining regions. Economic value and distributional aspects of the value of climate forecasts have implications for producers, policy makers, and meteorologists. Finally, the results clearly suggest all producers will not prefer one forecast type. Forecasts need to be tailored to specific regions.     

Effects of interannual climate variability and climate change on rice yield in Java, Indonesia

About 60% of the nearly 40 x 106 t of rice produced in Indonesia are from the island of Java. However, the rice self-sufficiency that has been attained and maintained since 1984 could be threatened by changing climate, and has been affected by the climate variability effects of the El Nino/Southern Oscillation phenomenon. To aid policy makers and planners in formulating strategic policy options, the effects of recurring droughts and possible climate change on rice yields were studied using climate and crop models. Three models were used to simulate climate change: those of the Goddard Institute for Space Studies, Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, and the United Kingdom Meteorological Office. Several climate scenarios were generated for Ngawi, in East Java, and Sukamandi, in West Java. These models indicate that doubling greenhouse gases would increase solar radiation by 1.2–2.1%, minimum and maximum temperatures by 7.6–16.8°C, and precipitation by 20.5–91.7%. The Goddard Institute for Space Studies transient climate change scenarios indicate that maximum and minimum temperatures would increase by 3.5 and 4.9%, respectively, in 2010, 6.9 and 9.8%, respectively, in 2030, and 11.1 and 15.7%, respectively, in 2050. The rainfall Agrotechnology Transfer crop model slightly under-predicts lowland rice yields of several experimental plots in three sites in Java and one site in Sumatra, but the results are almost equal to or a little higher than farm level yields. Nevertheless, the simulation outputs and experimental plots yields are closely related with a coefficient of determination value of 87%. Changes in climate in the decades of 2010, 2030, and 2050 could drastically reduce rice yield: the rice yield is estimated to decrease by about 1 % annually in East Java and less in West Java. Currently, the rice yields in dry     

作物长势监测系统(CGMS)在黑龙江省的应用

利用黑龙江省实测气象资料以及玉米、大豆、水稻和春小麦的实测资料对作物生长监测预报模式(CGMS)中四大主要作物的重要参数进行修正和参数分区处理,并利用不同模型对各县(市)2003年的作物产量进行了监测预报,检验分析结果证明预报效果较好,准确度较高,CGMS在黑龙江省粮食监测和预报中具有理论研究和实际应用价值。     

基于DNDC模型的东北地区春玉米农田固碳减排措施研究

春玉米是我国东北地区主要粮食作物,但由于连年耕作和氮肥的高投入,春玉米农田也可能成为重要的温室气体排放源。因此,通过优化田间管理措施在保证作物产量的同时实现固碳减排,对于春玉米种植系统的可持续发展具有重要意义。过程模型（Denitrification Decomposition, DNDC）是评估固碳减排措施的有效工具,本研究在对DNDC模型进行验证的基础上,应用模型研究不同施氮和秸秆还田措施对东北地区春玉米农田固碳和氧化亚氮（N2O）排放的长期综合影响。模型验证结果表明,DNDC模拟的不同处理下土壤呼吸季节总量、 N2O排放季节总量和春玉米产量与田间观测结果较一致;同时模型也能较好地模拟不同处理下土壤呼吸和N2O排放季节变化动态。这表明DNDC模型能较理想地模拟不同施氮和秸秆还田措施对春玉米农田土壤呼吸、 N2O排放和作物产量的影响。利用模型综合分析不同管理情景对产量和土壤固碳减排的长期影响,结果表明: 1）与当地农民习惯施肥相比,优化施氮措施不会明显影响作物产量,能减少N2O排放,且对土壤固碳影响很小,因而能降低温室气体净排放,但净排放降低幅度有限（8%~13%）; 2）在优化施氮措施的同时秸秆还田能在保障供试农田春玉米产量的同时大幅度减少春玉米种植系统温室气体净排放,甚至可能将供试农田由温室气体排放源转变为温室气体吸收汇。本研究结果可为优化管理措施实现春玉米种植系统固碳减排提供科学依据。     

数值模拟气候情景下未来30年内蒙古三种主要粮食作物的单产趋势预估

基于内蒙古10个盟（市）农区58个气象站1961-2010年降水和气温日资料,38个旗（县）1961-2008年小麦、1979-2008年玉米和马铃薯单产资料,用自然对数曲线模拟作物趋势产量,并从单产序列中剥离气象单产。多元线性回归分析表明,大部盟（市）3种主要粮食作物的气象单产与生长季降水量和气温变化存在显著相关关系（P〈0.05）。利用PRECIS区域气候模式在SRES（A1B、A2和B2）和国家气候中心CMIP5数值气候模式对未来30a（2011-2040）10个盟（市）3种作物生长季平均气温、积温和降水量的模拟结果,采用多元线性回归模型预测各盟（市）作物的气象单产。结果显示,大部盟（市）气象单产总体呈增长趋势,预计未来30a全区平均小麦气象单产将增加179.0kg/hm2,玉米和马铃薯的增幅分别为51.6和50.7kg/hm2。叠加趋势产量后,小麦预计约增产1221.4kg/hm2,玉米和马铃薯预计约增产2121.1和1008.0kg/hm2。研究结果可为应对未来气候变化、确定粮食生产发展战略提供参考依据。     

多模式集合模拟气候变化对玉米产量的影响

气候模式驱动作物模型是气候变化影响评估的主要手段。但是,单一气候模式输出和作物模型的结构差异使得研究结果存在不确定性。多模式集合的概率预估可以有效减少研究结果的不确定性。为此,本文利用1981—2009年东北地区海伦、长岭、本溪3地区农业气象站的历史气象资料和玉米作物数据,分别建立了作物统计模型并验证了APSIM机理模型在研究区域的适用性。在此基础上,与CMIP5在RCP4.5情景下的8个全球模式结合,尝试基于多模式集合评估了未来2010—2039年时段和2040—2069年时段气候变化对玉米产量的可能影响(相对于1976—2005年基准时段)。研究结果表明,APSIM模型对玉米生长发育和产量形成有很好的模拟能力。玉米生育期的模拟误差(RMSE)为3~4 d,产量的RMSE为0.6~0.8 t?hm~(-2)。建立的产量统计模型表明,玉米出苗阶段(5月中旬)的温度增加对产量增加有积极作用,而开花到成熟阶段(7月中旬到9月上旬)的温度和降水的增加、光照的不足均不利于产量增加。与1976—2005年基准时段相比,气候因素影响下2010—2039年玉米产量减少3.8%(海伦)~7.4%(本溪),减产的概率为64%(长岭)~73%(本溪);2040—2069年时段减产6.4%(海伦)~10.5%(本溪),减产的概率为74%(海伦)~83%(本溪)。未来2010—2039年时段和2040—2069年时段基于机理模型模拟的产量降低分别为6.6%(海伦)~8.9%(本溪)和9.7%(海伦)~13.7%(本溪),均高于相应时段基于统计模型得到的0.9%(海伦)~6.0%(本溪)和2.0%(长岭)~7.3%(本溪)减产结果。     

Conservation tillage for maize production in the U.S. southeastern coastal plain

Eight conservation tillage methods were evaluated for maize (Zea mays L.) production and were related to water conserved, soil strength, plant stand, plant nutrient status, and methods of managing crop residues on Norfolk loamy sands (Typic Paleudults) in the U.S. southeastern coastal plain. This study summarizes 10 site-years of data collected from 1978 through 1982.

Seasonal soil-water balance and crop residue management largely determined the success of maize production under conservation tillage. Autumn subsoiling increased winter forage and maize production under both conventional and conservation tillage. When early-season rainfall was limited, water extraction by a winter cover crop or winter weeds often reduced early-season growth and yield of maize under conservation tillage. For adequate stands, increased seeding rates and effective weed-, rodent-, bird- and insect-control were all necessary.

Under adequate water regimes, conventional tillage resulted in greater yields at low levels of nitrogen, but maximum yields occurred regardless of tillage system, when 200 kg ha⁻¹ were applied. Conventionally-tilled maize generally resulted in higher yields than conservation tillage production. The only significant increase for conservation tillage occurred under non-irrigated conditions in 1981 during severe drought. The interactive soil and climatic factors which have impact on conservation tillage in this physiographic region were identified.     

ENSO classification indices and summer crop yields in the Southeastern USA

This research uses a quantitative methodology for directly comparing the responses of observed crop yields in the SE USA to ENSO phenomena classified using dissimilar ENSO indices. ENSO condition has been related to agricultural yields in many parts of the world. It has been generally recognized that the strongest effects on spring and summer crops occur during the boreal winter, and therefore most directly affect spring-summer field crops in the southern hemisphere. However, some ENSO effects on northern hemisphere spring and summer crops have been found, particularly when researchers have used sub-annual indicators of ENSO conditions that, unlike annual ENSO indices, distinguish between continuity and change prior to or during the crop season. To evaluate the utility of such sub-annual ENSO indicators for agriculture in the SE USA, a tercile-based scoring system was devised to compare four distinct ENSO indices: three monthly ENSO indices and the JMA annual ENSO index. Each index was scored in its ability to predict crop yields differing from the historically normal tercile for corn (Zea mays L.), cotton (Gossypiumhirsutum L.), and peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.). Annual crop yield data were used from selected counties in five Southeastern USA states. No geographic differentiation among the data was included in the analysis. This aggregation of county data increased the sample size for each crop, to address the limitation of a short time-series (47 years) distributed among up to 9 ENSO categories. Statistical significance was compared using contingency tables and the Fisher exact test. Peanut and corn yield response matched best to the Multivariate ENSO Index (MEI) and cotton, to the Oceanic Niño Index (ONI). The MEI and ONI are quantitative indices, while the lower-scoring JMA and Modified-JMA indices are categorical. Therefore, future efforts may reduce the focus on categorical (Niño, Niña, Neutral) classification, and explore the response of crop yields to quantitative ENSO data.     

Tillage methods and soil and water conservation in Australia

Tillage in Australia has evolved from ‘imported’ European practices to tillage systems more in tune with ‘older’ fragile soils and more severe climatic conditions. Cereal yields are commonly limited by water supply and the native fertility of many soils is poor. Crop/pasture rotations involving pasture legumes have been the mainstay of cereal production in the winter rainfall areas while production in much of the summer rainfall area has relied more on exploiting native fertility. Soil erosion and structural decline are still considered major issues facing long-term production. The general trend in tillage methods is for less tillage and greater retention of crop residues for soil and water conservation.

Tillage experiments have shown that management strategies involving retention of crop residues (stubble), reduced tillage and crop rotation can reduce erosion and improve yield. Results from experimentation are highly variable, both in magnitude and direction of responses to tillage treatments. Much of this variation is due to variation in seasonal conditions. Simulation models are being used to examine management options and to design experiments based on a knowledge of climate variability and physical and biological processes.