Tillage, cover crops, and nitrogen fertilization effects on soil nitrogen and cotton and sorghum yields

Sustainable soil and crop management practices that reduce soil erosion and nitrogen (N) leaching, conserve soil organic matter, and optimize cotton and sorghum yields still remain a challenge. We examined the influence of three tillage practices (no-till, strip till and chisel till), four cover crops {legume [hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth)], nonlegume [rye (Secaele cereale L.)], vetch/rye biculture and winter weeds or no cover crop}, and three N fertilization rates (0, 60–65 and 120–130 kg N ha⁻¹) on soil inorganic N content at the 0–30 cm depth and yields and N uptake of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) and sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]. A field experiment was conducted on Dothan sandy loam (fine-loamy, siliceous, thermic, Plinthic Paleudults) from 1999 to 2002 in Georgia, USA. Nitrogen supplied by cover crops was greater with vetch and vetch/rye biculture than with rye and weeds. Soil inorganic N at the 0–10 and 10–30 cm depths increased with increasing N rate and were greater with vetch than with rye and weeds in April 2000 and 2002. Inorganic N at 0–10 cm was also greater with vetch than with rye in no-till, greater with vetch/rye than with rye and weeds in strip till, and greater with vetch than with rye and weeds in chisel till. In 2000, cotton lint yield and N uptake were greater in no-till with rye or 60 kg N ha⁻¹ than in other treatments, but biomass (stems + leaves) yield and N uptake were greater with vetch and vetch/rye than with rye or weeds, and greater with 60 and 120 than with 0 kg N ha⁻¹. In 2001, sorghum grain yield, biomass yield, and N uptake were greater in strip till and chisel till than in no-till, and greater in vetch and vetch/rye with or without N than in rye and weeds with 0 or 65 kg N ha⁻¹. In 2002, cotton lint yield and N uptake were greater in chisel till, rye and weeds with 0 or 60 kg N ha⁻¹ than in other treatments, but biomass N uptake was greater in vetch/rye with 60 kg N ha⁻¹ than in rye and weeds with 0 or 60 kg N ha⁻¹. Increased N supplied by hairy vetch or 120–130 kg N ha⁻¹ increased soil N availability, sorghum grain yield, cotton and sorghum biomass yields, and N uptake but decreased cotton lint yield and lint N uptake compared with rye, weeds or 0 kg N ha⁻¹. Cotton and sorghum yields and N uptake can be optimized and potentials for soil erosion and N leaching can be reduced by using conservation tillage, such as no-till or strip till, with vetch/rye biculture cover crop and 60–65 kg N ha⁻¹. The results can be applied in regions where cover crops can be grown in the winter to reduce soil erosion and N leaching and where tillage intensity and N fertilization rates can be minimized to reduce the costs of energy requirement for tillage and N fertilization while optimizing crop production.     

Long-term effect of tillage, crop rotation and N fertilization to wheat on gaseous emissions under rainfed Mediterranean conditions

A field study was conducted to assess the effect of N fertilizer application to wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), tillage system and crop rotation on total denitrification N losses, N₂O and CO₂ emissions under Mediterranean conditions in a long-term trial started 18 years ago on a Vertisol soil. The tillage system consisted of conventional tillage vs. no-tillage and the crop rotation system consisted of two different 2-years rotations: wheat–sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) (WS) and wheat–faba bean (Vicia faba L.) (WF). Fertilizer rates were 0 and 100 kg N ha⁻¹ applied to wheat splitted in two amendments of 50 kg N ha⁻¹ each. Two different fertilization systems were studied. In the old fertilized plots system fertilizer had been applied for 18 years since the beginning of the trial, and in the new fertilized plots system fertilizer was applied for the first time when this experiment was started. Measurements were carried out after fertilizer applications.

In the long term, continued fertilizer application produced a higher soil total N content. Nevertheless, no increase in denitrification potential, N₂O + N₂ production by denitrification, N₂O or CO₂ emissions was observed either by the recent application of N or by the continued application during 18 years. The soil presented a higher potential to denitrify up to N₂ than up to N₂O. So, denitrification was probably occurring mainly in the form of N₂, while N₂O emissions were occurring in a great manner by nitrification, both denitrification and nitrification occurring simultaneously at soil field capacity (60–70%) expressed as water filled pore space (WFPS). Conventional tillage induced an increase in soil total N content and in the potential to denitrify up to N₂ with respect to no-tillage. This higher potential was translated into higher N₂O + N₂ production by denitrification presumably stimulated in the short time by the higher available carbon provided by decomposing roots and by the subsequent creation of soil anaerobic microsites. Contrarily, no effect of tillage was observed on N₂O emissions because of being produced in an important manner by nitrification, which does not depend on carbon availability. The wheat–faba bean rotation induced higher soil nitrate contents than the wheat–sunflower, although the effect in the long time was not observed regarding soil total N content. The same as for the fertilizer effect, this increase in nitrate content was not followed by a higher denitrification potential or higher N₂O + N₂ production by denitrification because of the lack of organic matter, while an increase was observed in N₂O emissions.     

稻草还田与不同耕作方式对小麦出苗以及产量的影响

为了研究稻草还田与不耕作方式对小麦出苗以及产量的影响,通过小区试验研究稻草还田与不同耕作方式对小麦出苗率、出苗整齐度、均匀性、产量以及主要产量性状的影响。结果显示,稻草还田使小麦出苗率以及出苗均匀性下降;稻草还田条件下,免耕降低了出苗整齐度,旋耕、浅翻耕、深翻耕提高了出苗整齐度;稻草还田后影响小麦产量主要原因是小麦出苗率、出苗均匀性低;稻草还田后小麦出苗率变低、均匀性变差,通过影响小麦千粒重、有效穗数、每穗粒数而影响小麦产量。     

Fertilisation of irrigated maize with pig slurry combined with mineral nitrogen

Maize (Zea mays L.) is a very important crop in many of the irrigated areas of the Ebro Valley (NE Spain). Intensive pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) production is also an important economic activity in these areas, and the use of pig slurry (PS) as a fertiliser for maize is a common practise. From 2002 to 2005, we conducted a field trial with maize in which we compared the application of 0, 30 and 60 m³ ha⁻¹ of PS combined with 0, 100 and 200 kg ha⁻¹ of mineral N at sidedress. Yield, biomass and other related yield parameters differed from year to year and all of them were greatly influenced by soil NO₃⁻-N content before planting and by N (organic and/or mineral) fertilisation. All years average grain yield and biomass at maturity ranged from 9.3 and 18.9 Mg ha⁻¹ (0 PS, 0 mineral N) to 14.4 and 29.6 Mg ha⁻¹ (60 m³ ha⁻¹ of PS, 200 kg ha⁻¹of mineral N), respectively. Grain and total N biomass uptake average of the studied period ranged from 101 and 155 kg ha⁻¹ (0 PS, 0 mineral N) to 180 and 308 kg ha⁻¹ (60 m³ ha⁻¹ of PS, 200 kg ha⁻¹of mineral N), respectively. All years average soil NO₃⁻-N content before planting and after harvest were very high, and ranged from 138 and 75 kg ha⁻¹ (0 PS, 0 mineral N) to 367 and 457 kg ha⁻¹ (60 m³ ha⁻¹ of PS, 200 kg ha⁻¹of mineral N), respectively. The optimal N (organic and/or mineral) rate varied depending on the year and was influenced by the soil NO₃⁻-N content before planting. For this reason, soil NO₃⁻-N content before planting should be taken into account in order to improve N fertilisation recommendations. Moreover, the annual optimal N rates also gave the lowest soil NO₃⁻-N contents after harvest and the lowest N losses, as a consequence they also could be considered as the most environmentally friendly N rates.     

Delaying senescence of wheat with fungicides has interacting effects with cultivar on grain sulphur concentration but not with sulphur yield or nitrogen:sulphur ratios

Winter wheat was grown in three field experiments, each repeated over two or three seasons, to investigate effects of extending flag leaf life by fungicide application on the concentration, kg ha⁻¹ and mg grain⁻¹ of nitrogen (N) and sulphur (S) as well as N:S ratio and sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) sedimentation volume. The experiments involved up to six cultivars and different application rates, timings and frequencies of azoxystrobin and epoxiconazole. For every day the duration to 37% green flag leaf area (m) was extended, N yield was increased by 2.58 kg ha⁻¹, N per grain by 0.00957 mg, S yield by 0.186 kg ha⁻¹ and S per grain by 0.000718 mg. The N:S ratio decreased by 0.0135 per day. There was no evidence that these responses varied with cultivar. In contrast, the relationship between flag leaf life and N or S concentration interacted with cultivar. The N and S concentrations of Shamrock, the cultivar that suffered most from brown rust (Puccinia recondita), increased with the extension of flag leaf life whereas the concentrations of N and S in Malacca, a cultivar more susceptible to Septoria tritici, decreased as flag leaf senescence was delayed. This was because the relationships between m and N and S yields were much better conserved over cultivars than those between m and thousand grain weight (TGW) and grain yield ha⁻¹.     

Long-Term Effects of Fertilizers on the Soil Fertility and Productivity of a Rice–Wheat System

Rice–wheat cropping system to which graded levels of NPK fertilizers had been applied for 20 years were compared for yield trends, and changes in response function, soil organic-C and available N, P, K and S status. This study of system in which only chemical fertilizers had been used over a long period enabled long-term yield declines of rice and wheat at different levels and combinations of NPK fertilizers to be evaluated. The highest rate of yield decline in both rice and wheat was found when 120 kg ha⁻¹ N was applied alone. The lowest rate of decline was observed when all three nutrients (N, P and K) were applied, at 40, 35 and 33 kg ha⁻¹ for N, P and K, respectively, followed by 120, 35 and 33 kg ha⁻¹ (currently recommended levels). The yield response of rice and wheat to N fertilizer declined over the 20 years, with a higher rate of decline in wheat. In contrast, the response to applied P and K increased with time in both crops, with a higher response rate in wheat. With continuous application of N and P fertilizers, there was a marginal change in available N and K in the soil over time, but an approximately 3-fold increase in available P and an approximately 2-fold increase in available S were obtained by regular dressing of P fertilizer (SSP: 7 % P, 12 % S) over 20 years. The results revealed that balanced, high doses of NPK fertilizers are required to maintain soil fertility and raise grain yields.     

不同耕作方式对玉米田杂草发生规律及产量的影响

摘要：研究了小麦－玉米一年两熟制农田，在免耕覆盖麦秸、免耕、旋耕三种耕作方式下，玉米田杂草发生规律、喷施玉农乐对杂草的防除效果及对玉米产量的影响。结果表明：不同耕作方式杂草种类差异不大，免耕覆盖麦秸的杂草数量比免耕不覆盖的降低53％-82％，比旋耕的降低了62％-78％。玉农乐30g/hm2处理，免耕覆盖麦秸的防效最好，免耕不覆盖和旋耕田差异不大；玉米田免耕覆盖麦秸，能降低玉农乐的用药量。免耕覆盖麦秸玉米出苗率降低，但是穗粒数、百粒重及产量增加；玉农乐45-60g/hm2处理，不同耕作方式中其产量差异不大；玉农乐30g/hm2处理和对照小区的产量，免耕覆盖麦秸的最高。     

不同耕作方式对冬小麦产量及水分利用状况的影响

为探讨在冀中南山前平原小麦-玉米两熟区发展保护性耕作技术的可行性，于2003—2004年度，在藁城廉州镇，就免耕、深松耕、旋耕3种不同的耕作方式对冬小麦作物产量和田间土壤水分变化状况的关系进行了试验研究。通过对不同耕作方式下，小麦生育期田间苗情和成熟期产量性状调查结合定期的土壤水分测定分析，探明了不同耕作方式对小麦产量和水分利用状况的影响。结果表明，免耕和深松耕的耕作方式，有利于改善土体结构，增加土壤蓄水保墒性能，提高水分利用效率，节水、节本、增产增效明显，发展前景广阔。     

耕作方式对成都平原稻麦轮作系统吸收累积镉的影响

为研究不同耕作方式（翻耕、旋耕、免耕与秸秆还田）对成都平原水稻-小麦轮作系统吸收累积重金属Cd的影响,探讨Cd污染耕地最优的耕作方式,在轻度污染农田开展了2年定位试验,研究翻耕秸秆还田、翻耕无秸秆、旋耕秸秆还田、旋耕无秸秆、免耕秸秆还田和免耕无秸秆处理对作物产量以及收获物、秸秆和土壤中重金属Cd含量的影响。试验结果表明,与旋耕和免耕相比,翻耕处理能够显著降低小麦籽粒和水稻稻谷中的重金属Cd含量。相同耕作方式下,是否秸秆还田对小麦籽粒和水稻稻谷中的Cd含量影响不显著。在翻耕条件下,表层土壤有效Cd和总Cd含量、小麦和水稻秸秆中Cd含量均显著低于旋耕和免耕处理。因此,从保证作物产量和降低农产品Cd含量的角度出发,翻耕可作为成都平原轻中度Cd污染耕地水稻-小麦安全生产的一项有效技术措施。     

小麦-夏玉米周年耕作措施对夏玉米茎秆和穗部性状的影响

为了探索山东省半湿润易旱区夏玉米高产稳产适宜耕作措施,将冬小麦和夏玉米两季耕作技术作为一体,设置了10种周年耕作措施,比较分析不同耕作措施对夏玉米茎秆、穗部性状及产量的影响。耕作试验(一周年)结果表明,不同耕作措施对玉米株高和穗位高没有显著性影响,而对茎粗和穗高系数影响显著,其中对照即常规耕作方式(小麦旋耕+玉米直播+秸秆不还田)茎秆最细,穗高系数最高,而A1B1(1小麦旋耕+玉米旋耕+秸秆还田)、A2B2(1小麦免耕+玉米直播+秸秆还田)、A3B3(1小麦深松+玉米深松+秸秆还田)和A4B4(1小麦深耕+玉米深耕+秸秆还田)耕作处理间茎秆粗度均显著高于其他处理。与对照相比,各耕作措施显著增加了玉米穗行粒数和百粒重,秃顶长度减小,籽粒产量和生物量均显著增加,其中A1B1(1小麦旋耕+玉米旋耕+秸秆还田)耕作处理籽粒产量最高,比对照高35.83%。