Maize growth responses to deep tillage, straw mulching and farmyard manure in coarse textured soils of N.W. India

Abstract. The effects of deep tillage, straw mulching and farmyard manure on maize growth in loamy sand and sandy loam soils were studied in experiments lasting three years. Treatments included all combinations of conventional tillage (10 cm deep) and deep tillage (35–40 cm deep), two farmyard manure rates (0 and 15 t/ha) and two mulch rates (0 and 6 t/ha), replicated three times in a randomixed block design.
Deep tillage decreased soil strength and caused deeper and denser rooting. Mulching decreased maximum soil temperature and kept the surface layers wetter resulting in better root growth. Farmyard manure also improved root growth, and the crop then extracted soil water more efficiently. All three treatments increased grain yield in the loamy sand, but in the sandy loam only tillage and farmyard manure increased yields significantly. Deep tillage and straw mulch effects varied with soil type and amount of rainfall in the growing season. In the loamy sand the mean responses to deep tillage and mulching were largest in a dry year. A tillage-mulch interaction was significant in the loamy sand.     

Tillage, mulch and irrigation effects on corn (Zea mays L.) in relation to evaporative demand

The effects of deep tillage, straw mulching, and irrigation on corn (Zea mays L.) yield on a loamy sand (mixed, hyperthermic, Typic Ustipsamment) were studied for early (high evaporativity) and normally sown (relatively low evaporativity) crop for 3 years in a semi-arid sub-tropical monsoon region at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India. Treatments included all combinations of two tillage systems (conventional tillage — harrowing the soil to a 10-cm depth; deep tillage — chiselling 40 cm deep, 35–40 cm apart), two irrigation regimes (75 mm irrigation when net open pan evaporation accumulated to 75 mm or 50 mm), and two straw mulch rates (0 and 6 Mg ha⁻¹).

Deep tillage significantly reduced soil strength (cone index) and caused deeper and denser rooting than conventional tillage, more so in the dry season and with the infrequent irrigation regime than in the wet season and frequent irrigation regime. Mulch also improved rooting by influencing the hydrothermal regime of the soil. Better rooting with deep tillage and/or mulch helped the crop to extract stored soil water more efficiently, which was reflected in a favourable plant water status (indicated by canopy temperature). Averaged across years, irrigation, and mulch, deep tillage increased grain yield by 1.6 Mg ha⁻¹ for the early season and 0.5 Mg ha⁻¹ for the normal season crop over the yield of 2.0 Mg ha⁻¹ achieved with conventional tillage regardless of season. Yield increase with mulching was also greater for the early season crop. Crop response to deep tillage and mulching was generally linked to the interplay between water supply (rain + irrigation) and demand (seasonal evaporativity) during the growing season. Increasing irrigation frequency increased crop yield when evaporativity exceeded rainfall early in the growing season. The results show that higher corn yields on coarse-textured soils in these regions may be achieved by advancing the seeding time and by using a proper combination of deep tillage, mulch, and irrigation.     

Soil macropore dynamics affected by tillage and irrigation for a silty loam alluvial soil in southern Portugal

Soil tillage can have a significant effect on soil porosity and water infiltration. This study reports field measurements of near saturated hydraulic conductivity in an undisturbed soil under two tillage treatments, conventional tillage (CT) and minimum tillage (MT). The objective was to determine effective macro and mesoporosities, porosity dynamics during the irrigation season, and their contribution to water flow. Field observations were performed during the 1998 maize (Zea mays L.) cropping season in an Eutric Fluvisol with a silty loam texture, located in the Sorraia River Watershed in the south of Portugal. Infiltration measurements were done with a tension infiltrometer. At each location an infiltration sequence was performed corresponding to water tensions (φ) of 0, 3, 6 and 15 cm. Five sets of infiltration measurements were taken in both treatments in the top soil layer between May and September. One set of measurements was done at the depth of 30 cm at the bottom of the plowed layer in the CT plot. After 5 years of continuous tillage treatments the results show that regardless of the tillage treatment, saturated conductivity values K(φ₀) were several times larger than near saturation conductivity K(φ₃). This indicates that subsurface networks of water conducting soil pores can exist in both CT and MT maize production systems. In CT, the moldboard plow created macro and mesoporosity in the top soil layer while breaking pore continuity at 30 cm depth. This porosity was partially disrupted by the first irrigation, resulting in a significant decrease of 45% in the macropore contribution to flow. Later in the season, the irrigation effect was overlaid by the root development effect creating new channels or continuity between existing pores. In MT macroporosity contribution to flow did not show significant differences in time, representing 85% of the total flow. In both the treatments, macropores were the main contributing pores to the total flow, in spite of the very low macroporosity volumes.     

A study of some tillage practices for sustainable crop production in India

Soil tilth has been defined in terms of a ‘Physical Index’ based on the product of the ratings of eight physical properties — soil depth, bulk density, available water storage capacity, cumulative infiltration or apparent hydraulic conductivity, aggregation or organic matter, non-capillary pore space, water table depth and slope. The Physical Index and a tillage guide were used to identify the tillage requirements of different soils varying in texture from loamy sand to clay in the semi-arid tropics. The physical index was 0.389 for a loamy sand, 0.518 for a black clay loam and 0.540 for a red sandy loam soil and the cumulative rating indices in summer and winter seasons were 45 and 44 for loamy sand, 52 and 51 for red sandy loam and 54 and 52 for black clay loam soils, respectively. The compaction of the loamy sand by eight passes of a 490 kg tractor-driven roller (0.75 m diameter and 1.00 m length) increased the physical index to 0.658 and chiselling of the red sandy loam and black clay loam increased the physical indices to 0.686 and 0.729, respectively. The grain yields of rainfed pearl millet and guar and irrigated pearl millet, wheat and barley increased significantly over the control (no compaction) yields by compaction.

The chiselling of the soils varying in texture from loamy sand to clay at 50 to 120-cm intervals up to 30–40 cm depth, depending upon the row spacing of seedlines and depth of the high mechanical impedance layer, increased the grain yields of rainfed and irrigated maize on alluvial loamy sand, rainfed maize on alluvial sandy loam and red sandy loam, rainfed sorghum on red sandy loam and black clay loam, irrigated sorghum on black clay loam and rainfed black gram on red sandy loam, pod yield of rainfed groundnut, tuber yield of irrigated tapioca and fresh fruit yield of rainfed tomato on red sandy loam and sugarcane yield on black clay soil, significantly over the yields of no-chiselling systems of tillage such as disc harrow and country plough.     

Effects of residue management and controlled traffic on carbon dioxide and water loss

Management of crop residues and soil organic matter is of primary importance in maintaining soil fertility and productivity and in minimizing agricultural impact on the environment. Our objective was to determine the effects of traffic and tillage on short-term carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water (H₂O) fluxes from a representative soil in the southeastern Coastal Plain (USA). The study was conducted on a Norfolk loamy sand (FAO classification, Luxic Ferralsols; USDA classification, fine-loamy siliceous, thermic Typic Kandiudults) cropped to a corn (Zea mays L.) — soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr) rotation with a crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.) winter cover crop for eight years. Experimental variables were with and without traffic under conventional tillage (CT) (disk harrow twice, chisel plow, field cultivator) and no tillage (NT) arranged in a split-plot design with four replicates. A wide-frame tractive vehicle enabled tillage without wheel traffic. Short-term CO₂ and H₂O fluxes were measured with a large portable chamber. Gas exchange measurements were made on both CT and NT at various times associated with tillage and irrigation events. Tillage-induced CO₂ and H₂O fluxes were larger than corresponding fluxes from untilled soil. Irrigation caused the CO₂ fluxes to increase rapidly from both tillage systems, suggesting that soil gas fluxes were initially limited by lack of water. Tillage-induced CO₂ and H₂O fluxes were consistently higher than under NT. Cumulative CO₂ flux from CT at the end of 80 h was nearly three times larger than from NT while the corresponding H₂O loss was 1.6 times larger. Traffic had no significant effects on the magnitude of CO₂ fluxes, possibly reflecting this soil’s natural tendency to reconsolidate. The immediate impact of intensive surface tillage of sandy soils on gaseous carbon loss was larger than traffic effects and suggests a need to develop new management practices for enhanced soil carbon and water management for these sensitive soils.     

Soil CO2 flux from a norfolk loamy sand after 25 years of conventional and conservation tillage

Tillage affects the ability of coarse-textured soils of the southeastern USA to sequester C. Our objectives were to compare tillage methods for soil CO₂ flux, and determine if chemical or physical properties after 25 years of conventional or conservation tillage correlated with flux rates. Data were collected for several weeks during June and July in 2003, October and November in 2003, and April to July in 2004 from a tillage study established in 1978 on a Norfolk loamy sand (fine-loamy, kaolinitic, thermic Typic Kandiudults). Conventional tillage consisted of disking to a depth of approximately 15 cm followed by smoothing with an S-tined harrow equipped with rolling baskets. Conservation tillage consisted of direct seeding into surface residues. Flux rates in conservation tillage averaged 0.84 g CO₂ m⁻² h⁻¹ in Summer 2003, 0.36 g CO₂ m⁻² h⁻¹ in Fall 2003, 0.46 g CO₂ m⁻² h⁻¹ in Spring 2004, and 0.86 g CO₂ m⁻² h⁻¹ in Summer 2004. Flux rates from conventional tillage were greater for most measurement times. Conversely, water content of the surface soil layer (6.5 cm) was almost always higher with conservation tillage. Soil CO₂ flux was highly correlated with soil water content only in conventional tillage. In conservation tillage, no significant correlations occurred between soil CO₂ flux and soil N, C, C:N ratio, pH, bulk density, sand fraction, or clay fraction of the surface 7.5 cm. In conventional tillage, sand fraction was positively correlated, while bulk density and clay fraction were negatively correlated with soil CO₂ flux rate, but only when the soil was moist. Long-term conservation tillage management resulted in more uniform within- and across-season soil CO₂ flux rates that were less affected by precipitation events.     

Effect of deep tillage on soil physical properties and maize yields on coarse textured soils

The effects of deep tillage on soil physical properties and maize yields were evaluated on a loamy sand soil in which the bulk density distribution did not show a distinct root-limiting soil zone. Sub-soiling, mould-board ploughing and deep digging to 45 cm were compared with conventional tillage with and without irrigation. The tillage operations slightly decreased the bulk density of soil at all working depths. Sub-soiling and deep digging decreased the soil penetration resistance in the 20–40-cm layer to one-tenth of that in the control. They induced deeper and greater rooting and increased profile water use compared with conventional tillage. Sub-soiling, mould-board ploughing and deep digging increased plant height by 30–35 cm and yielded 80–100% more stover and 70–350% more grain than the control in different experiments.     

Impact of tillage on maize rooting in a Cambisol and Luvisol in Switzerland

Soil conditions under no-tillage (NT) are often unfavorable for the growth of maize roots in comparison to conventional tillage (CT). In 1997 and 1999, the impacts of tillage on the morphology and spatial distribution of maize (Zea mays L.) roots at anthesis were investigated in a 5-year field trial at two sites (loamy silt and sandy loam soils) in the Swiss midlands. Four soil cores, perpendicular to the maize row, were taken to a depth of 100 cm in each plot; the root length density (RLD), the mean root diameter (MD), and the relative length per diameter-class distribution (LDD) of the roots were determined.

Roots were longer and thinner in 1999 than in 1997. The RLD was significantly higher and the MD was smaller on the loamy silt than on the sandy loam. The RLD and MD decreased with the distance from the plant row. Most of the maize roots, about 80% of the total root length, were in the layer from 0 to 40 cm, with maximum values from 5 to 10 cm; the thickest roots were in the soil layer from 10 to 50 cm. Significant differences in RLD with increasing distance from the row of plants were found in the top 30 cm.

Averaged over the whole soil profile, RLD was higher and MD was smaller under CT than under NT. The impact of tillage on RLD and MD interacted with spatial factors and years. Within the soil profile, RLD was significantly higher under NT than under CT at a depth of 5 cm, whereas it was higher under CT than under NT below 10 cm. Below 50 cm, there was no difference in RLD between the tillage systems. In a horizontal direction, MD was consistently higher in the row and lower in the mid-row under NT than under CT.

Our results show that differences in maize root growth between tillage systems, which were reported in previous studies, persist until anthesis. The accumulation of maize roots near the soil surface in NT suggests that subsurface-banding of starter fertilizer is a more efficient way of applying fertilizer (particularly immobile nutrients such as phosphorus) compared with broadcasting in order to supply sufficient nutrients for NT maize.     

Stratification of nutrients in soil for different tillage regimes and cotton rotations

Crop management practices, especially tillage and rotation, can impact soil nutrient stratification, crop growth, and yield. The objectives of this study were to determine the soil-profile distribution of plant-available nutrients in four depth intervals from 0 to 90 cm for different cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) cropping systems, tillage regimes, and N fertilization rates in a south-central Texas silty clay loam soil after 5 years of treatment imposition. Distribution of nutrients in the soil profile varied between cropping systems (continuous cotton monoculture and cotton–corn (Zea mays L.) rotation), conventional (CT) and reduced tillage (RT), and N fertilization rates (0, 80, and 160 kg N ha⁻¹). Plant-available P showed the greatest stratification and was 426% higher at 0–15 cm than at 60–90 cm, while SO₄ had the greatest increase (42%) with depth. The percentage decrease from 0–15 to 60–90 cm was 47% and 147% for NO₃ and K, and 76%, 12%, 43%, and 232% for Mn, Fe, Cu, and Zn, respectively. In contrast, Ca and Mg concentrations increased 22% and 15%, respectively, from 0–15 to 60–90 cm. Increasing the N fertilization rate increased plant-available NO₃ and SO₄ but decreased K, Fe, Cu, and Zn concentrations. Inclusion of corn in rotation with cotton decreased plant-available Mn, Fe, and Cu from 15 to 90 cm relative to continuous cotton at 160 kg N ha⁻¹. For unfertilized soil, rotation increased micronutrient concentrations at 15–60 cm compared to continuous cotton. On average, CT cotton–corn had significantly lower K, Ca, Mg, Na, and SO₄ concentrations than CT continuous cotton. Reduced tillage and diversified cropping systems altered the distribution of plant-available nutrients in soil relative to CT and continuous cotton. In fact, RT increased plant-available P and NO₃ in surface soil, which may have contributed to higher lint yields than CT continuous cotton.     

设施土壤有机氮组分及番茄产量对水氮调控的响应

【目的】酸解铵态氮和酸解氨基酸氮是土壤有机氮的主要组分,可表征土壤的供氮能力,并在氮素矿化、固定、迁移以及为植物生长供氮过程中起到至关重要的作用。研究水、氮调控下设施土壤有机氮组分和番茄产量的相互关系,为评价设施土壤肥力变化和制定科学合理的水、氮管理措施提供科学依据。【方法】田间定位试验在沈阳农业大学的温室内进行了5年,供试作物为番茄,栽培垄上覆盖薄膜,打孔移栽番茄幼苗,膜下滴灌。定位试验三个氮肥处理为施N75、300、525kg/hm^2,记为N1、N2和N3;三个灌水量为25、35和45kPa灌水下限(灌水始点土壤水吸力),记为W1、W2和W3,共9个肥水处理组合。在试验第五年番茄生长期(2016年4—8月)调查了番茄产量及其构成,在休闲期(2016年9月)测定0—10、10—20和20—30cm土层土壤有机氮组分、有机碳和全氮含量。【结果】9个处理中,土壤全氮、有机碳和除酸解氨基糖氮外的有机氮组分含量均随土层深度的增加而降低,且0—10、10—20和20—30cm土层间含量差异显著(P<0.05)。三个土层中酸解总氮占土壤全氮的66.0%、64.6%和55.2%,是土壤有机氮的主要存在形态。土壤酸解总氮中各组分含量及其所占比例的大小顺序为酸解氨基酸氮、酸解铵态氮>酸解未知态氮>酸解氨基糖氮。灌水下限和施氮量对番茄产量及单果重的影响均达极显著水平(P<0.01),水氮交互效应也达显著水平(P<0.05)。休闲期土壤酸解铵态氮与番茄产量间显著负相关(P<0.05)。番茄产量W1N2(25kPa+N300kg/hm^2)、W2N1(35kPa+N75kg/hm^2)和W1N1(25kPa+75kg/hm^2)处理间差异不显著。【结论】灌水和施氮量及其交互效应对各土层土壤全氮、酸解总氮、酸解铵态氮和酸解氨基酸氮的影响均达到极显著水平(P<0.01),而对土壤有机碳的影响不显著(P>0.05)。相同施氮量下,0—30cm土层酸解铵态氮和0—20cm土层酸解氨基酸氮含量均在土壤水吸力维持在35~6kPa范围内达最高值,此土壤水分含量下的0—20cm土层酸解氨基酸氮含量在施N75kg/hm^2时达到最大值。从节水减氮和番茄产量的角度考虑,控制土壤水吸力不低于35kPa、每季随水施N75kg/hm^2为供试番茄生产条件下最佳的水、氮组合量。     

Effects of tillage and nitrogen management on soil chemical and physical properties after 23 years of continuous sorghum

Long-term tillage and nitrogen (N) management practices can have a profound impact on soil properties and nutrient availability. A great deal of research evaluating tillage and N applications on soil chemical properties has been conducted with continuous corn (Zea Mays L.) throughout the Midwest, but not on continuous grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench). The objective of this experiment was to examine the long-term effects of tillage and nitrogen applications on soil physical and chemical properties at different depths after 23 years of continuous sorghum under no-till (NT) and conventional till (CT) (fall chisel-field cultivation prior to planting) systems. Ammonium nitrate (AN), urea, and a slow release form of urea were surface broadcast at rates of 34, 67, and 135 kg N ha⁻¹. Soil samples were taken to a depth of 15 cm and separated into 2.5 cm increments. As a result of lime applied to the soil surface, soil pH in the NT and CT plots decreased with depth, ranging from 6.9 to 5.7 in the NT plots and from 6.5 to 5.9 in the CT plots. Bray-1 extractable P and NH₄OAc extractable K was 20 and 49 mg kg⁻¹ higher, respectively, in the surface 2.5 cm of NT compared to CT. Extractable Ca was not greatly influenced by tillage but extractable Mg was higher for CT compared to NT below 2.5 cm. Organic carbon (OC) under NT was significantly higher in the surface 7.5 cm of soil compared to CT. Averaged across N rates, NT had 2.7 Mg ha⁻¹ more C than CT in the surface 7.5 cm of soil. Bulk density (Δ_b) of the CT was lower at 1.07 g cm⁻³ while Δ_b of NT plots was 1.13 g cm⁻³. This study demonstrated the effect tillage has on the distribution and concentration of certain chemical soil properties.     

沟头高度和土壤质地对细沟溯源侵蚀特征和形态发育的影响

沟头溯源侵蚀是黄土高原主要的侵蚀方式之一。为研究细沟沟头高度和土壤质地对侵蚀产沙、沟头溯源侵蚀过程及沟道形态发育的影响,该研究采用不同沟头高度的沟头,在室内进行了一系列冲刷试验(流量为2、4和6 L/min)。结果表明:1)随着沟头高度的增加,产沙率增加,土壤流失过程的波动程度也增加,且越易被侵蚀;2)对比不同土壤质地,总体上,壤质砂土的产沙率和溯源侵蚀速率大于粉砂质壤土。当沟头高度为15 cm、流量为6 L/min时,壤质砂土的沟头溯源侵蚀速率最大,为19.45 cm/min;3)粉砂质壤土土壤下切深度较深,更易发生下切侵蚀,壤质砂土土壤沟道横截面宽深比最大值是粉砂质壤土土壤的3倍多,且沟头溯源侵蚀累积距离为75cm时沟道横截面宽深比值较小,更易发生侧向侵蚀;4)4个细沟形态地形子参数(起伏度、粗糙度、切割深度和坡度)与产沙量有较好的线性线相关关系(R2≥0.48),沟头侵蚀下的微地形可以在一定程度上反映产沙量的大小,进而估算产沙量。研究结果可为黄土高原细沟侵蚀下的水土保持措施提供参考依据。     

Effects of N placement,carbon distribution and temperature on N2O emissions in clay loam and loamy sand soils

Changes in the profile distribution of soil C stocks for conventional versus no‐tillage can affect N₂O losses. Uncertainty remains whether deep N placement into a wetter layer in humid areas would affect N₂O losses. This study evaluated the effects of soil carbon profile distribution (inverted, normal), depth of nitrogen placement (5 cm, 15 cm), temperature (10, 20 and 30 °C) and soil texture (clay loam, loamy sand) on N₂O emissions from soil cores in a 216‐h incubation after simulated rainfall. N₂O losses were larger from the clay loam than from the loamy sand, and cumulative N₂O emissions from the inverted profile, with greater C levels at depth, were more than those from the profile with more C near the upper surface. Cumulative N₂O losses from the inverted clay loam profile with deep N placement (1.16 mg N per kg dry soil; 0.71% of applied N) on average were almost double those in the loamy sand (0.62 mg N per kg dry soil; 0.42%). The smallest N₂O losses were measured from the profiles with more C close to the upper surface with a shallow placement of N for the clay loam (0.19 mg N per kg dry soil; 0.12%) and loamy sand (0.33 mg N per kg dry soil; 0.23%). An exponential relationship between N₂O fluxes and temperature was measured. We conclude that large N₂O losses may occur under the combination of greater soil C content at deeper layers (ploughed soils) and moist profiles after N application (humid regions). Deep N placement appears to aggravate rather than ameliorate these concerns.     

长期保护性耕作可提高表层土壤碳氮含量和根际土壤酶活性

【目的】 研究不同长期耕作措施对作物根际和非根际土壤碳氮元素含量和土壤酶活性的影响,以及土壤碳氮元素与碳氮转化相关酶之间的相互联系,对认识土壤酶响应土壤碳氮变化的机制和选择合理有效的耕作技术具有重要的理论和实践意义。 【方法】 长期耕作试验始于1999年,位于河南孟津县,属于黄土高原东部边缘,土层深厚 (50—100 m),土壤类型是壤质黄绵土。试验处理有草地 (GL)、传统耕作 (CT)、免耕覆盖 (NT)、深松覆盖 (SM),于2016年采集根际土和非根际土0—20 cm、20—40 cm,分析了土壤总碳、有机碳和总氮含量,以及β-葡萄糖苷酶 (BG)、β-纤维二糖苷酶 (CBH)、β-木糖苷酶 (BXYL)、乙酰氨基葡萄糖苷酶 (NAG) 和亮氨酸氨基肽酶 (LAP) 的活性,并进行了土壤碳氮元素含量与酶活性的相关性分析。 【结果】 1) 与传统耕作相比,免耕和深松显著提高了根际和非根际0—20 cm土壤的总碳、有机碳和总氮含量,显著降低了非根际20—40 cm土壤的总碳、有机碳和总氮含量。草地显著提高了根际土壤总碳、有机碳和总氮含量,显著提高了非根际0—20 cm土壤的有机碳含量,显著降低了非根际土壤的总碳含量和非根际20—40 cm土壤中的有机碳含量。深松显著降低了作物根际和非根际土壤C/N,免耕和草地处理显著降低了作物非根际20—40 cm土壤中的C/N,但草地处理显著提高了作物非根际0—20 cm土壤C/N。2) 与传统耕作相比,草地、免耕和深松显著提高了根际土壤中β-葡萄糖苷酶、β-纤维二糖苷酶、β-木糖苷酶和乙酰氨基葡萄糖苷酶的活性。草地显著提高了根际土壤的亮氨酸氨基肽酶活性,免耕和深松显著降低了根际土壤的亮氨酸氨基肽酶活性。3) 碳氮转化相关酶之间均存在正相关关系 (除β-纤维二糖苷酶与亮氨酸氨基肽酶之间)。碳氮转化相关酶与土壤总碳、总氮和有机碳之间均存在正相关关系 (除亮氨酸氨基肽酶与总碳之间),与C/N之间均存在负相关关系。 【结论】 土壤碳氮转化酶之间存在相互促进的关系,共同参与土壤碳氮的转化。长期保护性耕作 (免耕和深松) 可以有效提高土壤表层的总碳、有机碳和总氮含量,提高根际土壤酶活性,有利于营养元素 (有机质、碳氮元素) 的循环转化和作物的吸收利用,以深松效果最好,免耕次之。      

小麦-玉米轮作体系不同旋耕和深耕管理对潮土微生物量碳氮与酶活性的影响

【目的】通过研究黄淮平原潮土区两年不同轮耕模式下土壤微生物量碳氮、酶活性的差异和变化特征,为该地区选择适宜的耕作制度提供理论依据。【方法】2016-2018年采用裂区设计进行田间小麦–玉米轮作系统下的轮耕试验。主处理为小麦季旋耕(RT)和深耕(DT),3个副处理为玉米季免耕(NT)、行间深松(SBR)、行内深松(SIR),共6个处理。2017、2018年玉米收获后,每10 cm一个层次,测定了0-50 cm土层土壤有机质、全氮、速效养分、微生物量碳(SMBC)、微生物量氮(SMBN)和脲酶、蔗糖酶、中性磷酸酶活性。【结果】各处理土壤有机质、全氮、速效养分、SMBC、SMBN及酶活性均随土层深度的增加而降低,40-50cm土层不受耕作方式的影响。小麦季深耕和玉米季深松对表层土壤有机质和全氮影响不明显,但显著提高了深层土壤有机质和全氮含量。小麦季旋耕显著增加了玉米季0-10 cm土层中速效养分含量,而小麦季深耕条件下的DT-SBR和DT-SIR处理则显著增加了20-40 cm土层中的速效养分含量。在0-20 cm土层,小麦季旋耕条件下的RT-NT、RT-SBR和RT-SIR处理的SMBC明显高于小麦季深耕条件下的DT-NT、DT-SBR和DT-SIR处理,但在20-40 cm土层,SMBC和SMBN均表现为小麦季深耕处理显著高于旋耕处理,且以DT-SIR处理SMBC (67.99 mg/kg)和SMBN (45.96 mg/kg)最高。小麦季深耕处理提高了深层(30-40 cm)土壤微生物量氮/全氮值,但降低了表层(0-20 cm)土壤中的微生物熵。玉米季深松处理(RT-SBR、RT-SIR、DT-SBR和DT-SIR)较免耕处理(RT-NT和DT-NT)均提高了土壤酶活性,其中,在0-20 cm土层,RT-SBR和RT-SIR处理土壤脲酶活、蔗糖酶和中性磷酸酶活性较高;而DT-SBR和DT-SIR处理则提高了深层(20-40 cm)土壤中这三种酶的活性。【结论】在本试验期内,小麦季旋耕–玉米季深松处理(RT-SBR和RT-SIR)能明显提高0-10 cm土壤速效养分含量、0-20 cm土壤微生物量碳含量,而小麦季深耕–玉米季深松处理(DT-SBR和DT-SIR)则提升了20-40 cm土层土壤有机质、全氮、速效养分、微生物量碳和氮含量;小麦季深耕处理提高了深层(30-40 cm)微生物量氮/全氮比,但降低了表层(0-20 cm)土壤微生物熵。     

不同气候和施肥条件下保护性耕作对农田土壤碳氮储量的影响

【目的】 土壤有机碳氮是影响土壤肥力与作物产量的重要物质,而耕作是影响土壤碳氮储量的重要因素。通过分析不同耕作措施对我国东北、华北地区农田土壤碳氮储量的影响,为优化农田耕作管理、实现固碳减排、保护土壤提供科学依据。 【方法】 基于山西寿阳 (SSY)、山西临汾 (SLF)、河北廊坊 (HLF) 和吉林公主岭 (GZL) 四个长期定位试验,选择传统耕作 (CT)、免耕 (NTN) 和浅旋耕 (NTD) 三个耕作处理,分析了0—80 cm土壤剖面有机碳、氮的储量分布。 【结果】 1) 与传统耕作相比,浅旋耕显著降低褐土 (寿阳) 容重,免耕增加黑土 (公主岭) 容重,保护性耕作对沙性土 (临汾) 和潮土 (廊坊) 的影响很小。2) 耕作影响0—60 cm土壤有机碳储量。与传统耕作处理相比,黑土 (公主岭) 采用免耕和浅旋耕可显著提高0—60 cm土壤中的有机碳含量;免耕可提高褐土 (寿阳)0—50 cm的有机碳含量;沙性土 (临汾)、潮土 (廊坊) 免耕由于表层秸秆覆盖可提高0—15 cm土壤有机碳含量,但降低15—50 cm层土壤碳储量;潮土 (廊坊)15—60 cm土层,浅旋耕可增加土壤有机碳储量,而免耕则相反。3) 免耕处理的潮土 (廊坊) 土壤氮储量比传统耕作高出260 kg/hm2,差异不显著;黑土 (公主岭) 免耕和浅旋耕土壤氮储量则分别高出112 kg/hm2和207 kg/hm2,差异显著,保护性耕作降低临汾和寿阳1 m深土壤的氮储量。4) 保护性耕作加剧了0—20 cm沙性土和潮土壤氮储量的分层,对黑土 (公主岭) 和褐土 (寿阳) 土壤碳储量的层间分布影响很小。 【结论】 耕作影响0—60 cm土壤有机碳储量,免耕可以增加褐土的碳储量和潮土的氮储量,免耕和浅旋耕配合秸秆覆盖可显著增加黑土的碳、氮储量。因此,免耕适用于褐土和潮土,免耕和浅旋耕适用于黑土,沙性土采用保护性耕作的效果不显著。      

土壤质地和灌水器材料对负压灌溉出水流量及土壤水运移的影响

负压灌溉法是一种新近提出的节水灌溉技术,灌溉时供水水头为“负值”,即灌溉水源高程低于灌水器高程。不同材料灌水器和土壤质地是影响灌溉系统出水流量及土壤水运移的重要因素。该文研究了在高程差H为-0.5 m情况下两种灌水器及两种质地土壤对两者的影响。结果表明：灌水器相同时,累计入渗量、水平和垂直最大湿润距离随时间呈幂函数关系变化;在历时相同时黏壤土较砂壤土大;湿润体近似为六分之一的竖直椭球体,但黏壤土水平与垂直最大湿润距离之比大于砂壤土。土壤质地相同时,纤维灌水器较陶土灌水器出水流量高。试验结果进一步证明了负压灌溉的可行性,并为确定负压灌溉系统应用范围及规划设计过程中灌水器选择提供了依据。     

Simulating nitrate retention in soils and the effect of catch crop use and rooting pattern under the climatic conditions of Northern Europe

This model analysis of catch crop effects on nitrate retention covered three soil texture classes (sand, loamy sand, sandy loam) and three precipitation regimes in a temperate climate representative of northern Europe (annual precipitation 709–1026 mm) for a period of 43 years. Simulations were made with two catch crops (ryegrass and Brassica) with different rooting depths, and soil N effects in the next spring were analysed to 0.25, 0.75 and 2.0 m depth to represent the catch crop effect on following crops with different rooting depths. Nitrate retained without a catch crop was generally located in deeper soil layers. In the low precipitation regime the overall fraction of nitrate retained in the 0–2.0 m soil profile was 0.23 for the sandy soil, 0.69 for the loamy sand and 0.81 for the sandy loam. Ryegrass reduced leaching losses much less efficiently than Brassica, which depleted nitrate in the 0–0.75 m soil layer more completely, but also in the deeper soil layer, which the ryegrass could not reach. A positive N effect (N_eff, spring mineral N availability after catch crop compared with bare soil) was found in the 0–0.25 m layer (that is shallow rooting depth of a subsequent main crop) in all three soil texture classes, with on average 10 kg N/ha for ryegrass and 34 kg N/ha for Brassica. Considering the whole soil profile (0–2.0 m deep rooting of next crop), a positive N_eff was found in the sand whereas generally a negative N_eff was found in the loamy sand and especially the sandy loam. The simulations showed that for shallow‐rooted crops, catch crop N_eff values were always positive, whereas N_eff for deeper‐rooted crops depended strongly on soil type and annual variations in precipitations. These results are crucial both for farmers crop rotation planning and for design of appropriate catch crop strategies with the aim of protecting the aquatic environment.     

Tillage systems for a cotton–peanut rotation with winter-annual grazing: Impacts on soil carbon, nitrogen and physical properties

Integrating livestock with cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) and peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) production systems by grazing winter-annuals can offer additional income for producers provided it does not result in yield-limiting soil compaction. We conducted a 3-year field study on a Dothan loamy sand (fine-loamy, kaolinitic, thermic plinthic kandiudults) in southern Alabama, USA to determine the influence of tillage system prior to cotton–peanut planting on soil properties following winter-annual grazing. Two winter-annual forages [oat (Avena sativa L.) and annual ryegrass (Lolium mutiflorum L.)] and four tillage practices [chisel + disk, non-inversion deep tillage (paratill) with and without disking and no-till] were evaluated in a strip-plot design of four replications. We evaluated cone index, bulk density, infiltration, soil organic carbon (SOC), and total nitrogen (N). Paratilling prior to cotton or peanut planting, especially without surface soil tillage, reduced compaction initially to 40 cm and residually to 30 cm through the grazing period in winter. There were no significant differences in cone index, bulk density, or infiltration between forage species. No-tillage resulted in the greatest bulk density (1.65 Mg m⁻³) and lowest infiltration (36% of water applied), while paratilling increased infiltration in no-tillage to 83%. After 3 years, paratilling increased SOC 38% and N 56% near the soil surface (0–5 cm), as compared to concentrations at the beginning of the experiment, suggesting an improvement in soil quality. For coastal plain soils, integrating winter-annual grazing in a cotton–peanut rotation using a conservation tillage system of non-inversion deep tillage (paratill) with no surface tillage can improve soil quality by reducing cone index, increasing infiltration, and increasing SOC in the soil surface.     

Long-term impact of conservation tillage on stratification ratio of soil organic carbon and loss of total and active CaCO3

Under semi-arid conditions, the properties of many soils are influenced by the presence of organic matter and calcium carbonate (CaCO₃). However, the influence of different tillage systems on the development of these properties has scarcely been studied under semi-arid Mediterranean conditions. We studied the effect of long-term conservation tillage (CT) and traditional tillage (TT) on the stratification ratio of soil organic carbon and on CaCO₃ content. The study was conducted in a wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)–sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) crop rotation established in 1991 under rainfed conditions in Southwestern Spain. As is traditional in this area, wheat was fertilised, but sunflower was not. Conservation tillage was characterised by reduced number of tillage operations and leaving crop residues on the soil surface, while TT was with mouldboard ploughing. Stratification ratio of soil organic C was calculated from C contents in the 0–5 and 5–10 cm soil layers divided by that in the 25–40 cm. Stratification ratio of soil organic C under the CT (>2) was significantly greater than under TT (<2); values >2 indicating better soil quality. Our results show a loss of CaCO₃ under both tillage systems. However, the loss of CaCO₃ was significantly higher under TT than under CT. Also, P and K accumulated in the soil surface and stratification ratio for both nutrients was greater in CT than in TT.