Conservation agriculture as a sustainable option for the central Mexican highlands

Tropical highlands of the world are densely populated and intensively cropped. Agricultural sustainability problems resulting from soil erosion and fertility decline have arisen all over this agro-ecological zone. Based on selected soil quality indicators, i.e. time-to-pond, aggregate distribution and stability (expressed as the mean weight diameter (MWD) for dry and wet sieving, respectively) and soil moisture, from a representative long-term sustainability trial initiated in 1991 in Central Mexico (2240 masl; 19.31°N, 98.50°W; Cumulic Phaeozem), some insights into the feasibility of conservation agriculture (CA) as part of a sustainable production system in the tropical highlands are given. Zero tillage plots with crop residue removal showed low aggregate distribution (average MWD = 1.34 mm) and stability (average MWD = 0.99 mm) resulting in top layer slaking, increased erosion and low time-to-pond values. Retaining the residue in the field with zero tillage avoided the above-mentioned negative evolution for both aggregate distribution as stability (average MWD = 2.77 and 1.51 mm, respectively) and even improved the physical conditions of the soil as compared to conventional practice. Throughout the growing season the lowest soil moisture content was found in zero tillage without residue (average over the entire growing season = 20.5% volumetric moisture content), the highest in zero tillage with residue retention (average = 29.7%) while conventional tillage had intermediate soil moisture values (average = 27.4%). Zero tillage without residue retention had most days of soil moisture values under permanent wilting point, while zero tillage with residue retention had the least. Taking into account these results, zero tillage with residue retention can clearly be a part of an integrated watershed management scheme towards sustainable agriculture in the tropical highlands. It is clear that to develop new management practices to improve water use, reduce erosion and enhance human labor/animal power focus must be on the use of conservation agriculture both for rainfed as well as irrigated production systems and be fine tuned for each system.     

Field application of PAM as an amendment in deep-tilled US southeastern coastal plain soils

In sandy soils of the southeastern USA coastal plains, crop production is limited by low water holding capacity and compacted soil layers that reduce root growth and productivity. Polyacrylamide (PAM) was added to sandy coastal plain soils to improve physical properties and yield. Soils were amended with linear and cross-linked PAMs. Treatments and controls included the following: (1) spraying a 600 mg kg⁻¹ solution of linear PAM behind a subsoil shank at a rate of 3.93 kg ha⁻¹, (2) spraying a 100 mg kg⁻¹ solution at 0.66 kg ha⁻¹, (3) spraying only water at 13.1 m³ ha⁻¹, (4) dropping a dry PAM powder formulation (3005 KB) behind a subsoil shank at 300 kg ha⁻¹, (5) dropping another dry PAM powder formulation (3005 K2) at 230 kg ha⁻¹, (6) dropping a dry PAM powder formulation 3005 K2 at a lower rate of 55 kg ha⁻¹, (7) applying nothing behind a subsoil shank, and (8) not subsoiling. In each of the 3 years of the experiment, new sets of treatments were set up while the old ones were maintained to look at longevity of the PAM effect. Though treatment effects were dominated by the tillage, the cross-linked PAMs were the only treatments more effective than tillage alone. The cross-linked PAMs may have been more effective because we could add more in dry form than in the spray form. The effect diminished with time similar to or faster than the results seen in tillage only. Though some PAM applications may have reduced cone indices, yields were not affected.     

Effect of long-term conservation tillage on soil biochemical properties in Mediterranean Spanish areas

In semi-arid Mediterranean areas, studies of the performance of conservation tillage systems have largely demonstrated advantages in crop yield, soil water storage and soil protection against wind and water erosion. However, little attention has been given to interactions between soil biochemical properties under different tillage practices. Biochemical properties are useful tools to assess changes caused by different soil tillage systems in long-term field experiments. This study deals with the effect of long-term tillage practices (reduced tillage and no-tillage vs. traditional tillage) on soil chemical properties and microbial functions in three different sites of Spain (two of them located in the Northeast and one in the Southwest) under semi-arid Mediterranean conditions. Soil biological status, as index of soil quality, was evaluated by measuring microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and dehydrogenase (an oxidoreductase) and protease (a hydrolase) activities at three soil depths (0–5, 5–10 and 10–25 cm). In the three experimental areas, increases in soil organic matter content, MBC and enzymatic activities were found at the superficial layers of soil under conservation tillage (reduced tillage and no-tillage) in comparison with traditional tillage. Values of the stratification ratio of some biochemical properties were significantly correlated with yield production in Northeast sites.Conservation tillage has proven to be an effective strategy to improve soil quality and fertility in Mediterranean areas of Spain.     

耕作方式对耕层土壤结构性能及有机碳含量的影响

为了寻求能够提高土壤结构稳定性的耕作模式,在陇中黄土高原半干旱区连续7年的定位试验研究基础上,采用常规分析方法(湿筛法、重铬酸钾容量法、环刀法),研究了不同耕作方式对耕层土壤结构性能及有机碳含量的影响.结果表明:与传统耕作(T)相比,免耕无覆盖(NT)、传统耕作+秸秆还田(TS)和免耕+秸秆覆盖(NTS)3种保护性耕作方式均能不同程度地增加耕层土壤的有机碳和不同粒径水稳性团聚体的含量,其中免耕+秸秆覆盖(NTS)处理效果最佳.在0～10 cm土层中,NTS处理的土壤容重低、孔隙度大,土壤结构得到了较大改善.不同耕作方式下0～5 cm、5～10 cm和10～30 cm土层粒径1～0.5 mm水稳性团聚体的含量最高,粒径>0.25 mm水稳性团聚体含量与有机碳含量和孔隙度呈显著正相关,与容重呈显著负相关.     

施用双孢蘑菇菌渣条件下不同开垦年限土壤理化性质与养分特性变化

为了探讨菌渣长期利用对农田生态环境的影响并提供环境影响评价依据,通过比较不同开垦年限（2、3、4、6及10年）土壤理化性质及养分特性的变化,研究连续使用双孢菌渣对土壤理化特性的影响。结果表明：施用菌渣对荒漠土壤的理化性质和养分含量有显著影响,但是菌渣连续施用对不同种植年限的玉米地土壤理化性质、有机质、N、P、K的影响程度不相同。开垦后施用菌渣年限越长,土壤含盐量越高;有机质含量呈现增长的趋势,水解氮和有效磷则表现出一定的波动性;全钾、全磷含量在2~6年内维持不变,全氮含量在施肥的6年内逐年下降;土壤全盐与全磷、全钾和有机质极显著相关;开垦利用及与之相联系的灌溉影响土壤C,N养分含量的变化;同时也发现氮素消耗量较大,不能满足作物生长需要,需要补充无机氮肥。     

耕作方式对潮土有机碳及碳库管理指数的影响

为了探明华北潮土区农田耕作方式对土壤有机碳库及碳库管理指数的影响,应用田间试验,研究撂荒、翻耕、免耕和旋耕4种方式下,耕层(0~20 cm)土壤总有机碳和不同态活性有机碳含量的变化,对比分析不同耕作方式对土壤碳库管理指数的影响。结果表明：免耕和旋耕均有利于土壤有机碳累积,与撂荒相比,免耕和旋耕处理土壤总有机碳含量分别增加26.42%和12.52%;土壤活性有机碳对不同耕作措施的响应不同,与撂荒相比,翻耕、免耕和旋耕处理,土壤易氧化有机碳含量分别提高23.72%,44.34%和27.84%,水溶性有机碳含量分别降低了24.11%,24.56%和43.89%。土壤微生物量碳含量仅在免耕方式下提高了109%,其他耕作方式下没有显著变化;免耕、旋耕和翻耕处理下,土壤碳库活度、碳库指数均显著增加,碳库管理指数分别比撂荒处理提高47.82%,27.18%和30.47%,可见耕作对优化土壤碳库管理具有显著促进作用。     

土壤宏观力学结构与精准耕作

土壤宏观力学结构是土壤结构体概念的延伸,在尺度上高于土壤团聚体结构1－2个数量级,且具有更高的时空动态特征,其内容涉及土壤物理组构、力学评价指标、力学发生机理及力学应用4个方面,是精准耕作研究的理论依据。评价土壤宏观力学结构的指标包括抗剪强度、圆锥贯入阻力、平板下陷量和断裂强度等,而弹塑性力学、断裂与破碎力学和土壤流变学模型决定着结构动态的发生机理。土壤精准耕作通过对土壤宏观力学结构的测试、评价及模型描述,建立结构动态与外加机械力模式和强度指标之间的关系,运用精准技术手段实现土壤结构、作物秸秆、种子和水肥的精确调控与投放,改善土壤耕性、增强土壤结构力稳性、提高车辆通过性、增大土壤承载力、同时优化土壤－作物－水肥系统和土壤－机器系统。     

休闲期耕作对旱地小麦土壤水分、花后脯氨酸积累 及籽粒蛋白质积累的影响

【目的】研究休闲期不同时间耕作对土壤水分、花后旗叶和籽粒脯氨酸积累、籽粒蛋白质积累的影响,旨在探索休闲期一次性耕作的蓄水保墒技术,为旱地小麦高产、优质提供理论依据。【方法】采用大田试验设定前茬小麦收获后15 d、45 d两个时期,深翻、深松两种耕作方式（以未耕作为对照）,研究其对播前0-300 cm土壤蓄水量,花后旗叶和籽粒脯氨酸含量、谷氨酰胺合成酶（GS）、谷氨酸脱氢酶（GDH）活性动态变化,籽粒蛋白质含量动态变化的影响及花后脯氨酸含量与两种氮代谢酶活性的关系。【结果】休闲期深翻或深松均可提高旱地小麦播前0-300 cm土壤蓄水量,且欠水年效果明显,以前茬小麦收获后45 d深翻效果较好。休闲期耕作降低了花后旗叶脯氨酸含量、花后5-15 d籽粒脯氨酸含量、旗叶和籽粒GDH活性,提高了籽粒GS活性、籽粒蛋白质产量。但耕作时间在不同降雨年型对旗叶GS活性、籽粒蛋白质含量的影响存在差异,在欠水年,休闲期耕作降低了旗叶GS活性、籽粒蛋白质含量;在丰水年,麦收后15 d耕作降低了旗叶GS活性、籽粒蛋白质含量,而麦收后45 d耕作则相反。休闲期耕作条件下,旱地小麦播前土壤蓄水量与籽粒脯氨酸含量的相关性高于与旗叶脯氨酸含量的相关性。前茬小麦收获后15 d耕作条件下,旗叶脯氨酸含量与旗叶GDH活性相关性较大,籽粒脯氨酸含量与旗叶GS活性相关性较大;前茬小麦收获后45 d耕作条件下,旗叶脯氨酸含量与籽粒GDH活性相关性较大,而籽粒脯氨酸含量与两种酶活性无显著相关性。【结论】休闲期耕作有利于蓄水保墒,且欠水年效果较明显,有利于降低花后旗叶脯氨酸含量及灌浆前期籽粒脯氨酸含量,减缓花后小麦干旱胁迫,由于脯氨酸含量与两种氮代谢酶有一定相关性,从而影响籽粒蛋白质积累。休闲期耕作的时间对土壤水分、花后脯氨酸积累、籽粒蛋白质积累有较大的调控效应,且以休闲期等雨后耕作有利于籽粒蛋白质形成,深翻效果较好。     

The impact of management on weeds and aquatic plant communities in Hungarian rice crops

This study assessed the cultural and weed management factors influencing the weed communities of Hungarian rice fields. Hungary is situated at the northern limit of rice production with a history of about 300 years of rice culture. We surveyed the weed flora and 25 background variables in 100 active rice fields. Using a minimal adequate model containing 11 terms, 48.5% of the total variation in weed species data could be explained. The net effects of nine variables on species composition were significant. Crop cover was found to be the most important explanatory variable, which was followed by the herbicides penoxsulam and azimsulfuron, tillage depth, phosphorous and potassium fertilisers, years after last rotation, water depth in May, sowing type, pendimethalin and water conductivity. Filamentous algae, as the most abundant group of weeds, were positively associated with deep tillage, deep water and surface sowing. Echinochloa crus‐galli, one of the most troublesome grass weeds, was associated with low rice cover, shallow water and later years after crop rotation, while weedy rice favoured high crop cover, deep water and soil sowing. These findings can be used to design improved weed management strategies. The occurrence of red list species and charophytes in diverse micro‐mosaic patterns deserves attention from a conservation perspective, as well. The maintenance of these unique charophyte communities can be facilitated by shallow tillage without soil inversion.     

Identifying the effect of density dependence,agricultural practices and climate variables on the long‐term dynamics of weed populations

Quantifying the impacts of climate change on weed populations requires an understanding of the relative contributions of endogenous and exogenous factors on their numerical fluctuations. Here, we have used long‐term data (26 years) of seven weed species growing in a cereal–legume rotation from a locality in central Spain to determine the importance of endogenous (density dependence) and exogenous (tillage system, crop rotation, temperature and precipitation) factors. Density dependence was the main driver of the population dynamics studied, and it was exhibited more frequently under zero tillage (86% of the species) than under minimum tillage (57% of the species). Our results confirmed previous findings and provided stronger support for density dependence under zero tillage than under minimum tillage. Under the latter, temperature negatively affected the population growth rate of Descurainia sophia and positively Atriplex patula. We found no effect of either precipitation or crop rotation on population dynamics. Our findings could underpin an awareness campaign aimed at farmers to prevent them from drawing unwarranted conclusions regarding the efficacy of the particular control method used in a given year.