Tilth index: an approach to optimize tillage in rice–wheat system

This study was conducted to determine a tilth index from tillage induced soil physical properties and grain yield to optimize tillage in rice–wheat system. The experiment was conducted in a silty clay loam (Aquic hapludoll) associated with a shallow water table fluctuating between 0.02 and 0.96 m from the surface. Tillage treatments for rice were puddling by four passes of rotary puddler (PR), reduced puddling (ReP), conventional puddling (CP) and direct seeding without puddling (DSWP) in four replications. Tillage treatments for wheat were zero tillage (ZT) and conventional tillage (CT) superimposed over the plots of rice tillage treatments. Measurements were made of puddling index and specific volume (only in the rice season), bulk density, saturated hydraulic conductivity, infiltration rate, plasticity index, porosity and organic carbon in the rice and wheat seasons. Rice yield in the PR plots was highest and statistically equal to that in the ReP plots but wheat yield was highest in the DSWP plots under ZT condition and was statistically equal to that in the ReP plots.Tilth index (TI) was determined in two ways: one by the model suggested by Singh et al. [Trans. ASAE 35 (6) (1992) 1777] and the second by a proposed regression model. The proposed regression model utilizes soil physical properties having significant influence on crop yield. As per the Singh et al. model, wheat yield increased linearly with increasing TI from 0.75 to 0.89 but rice yield decreased with increasing TI from 0.67 to 0.81. Both TI and its relation with rice yield were contrary to their observations. The proposed regression model showed a value of TI in the range of 0.74–0.87 for rice soils and 0.86–1.0 for wheat soils as indicators of TI for optimum yields of rice and wheat. A high TI corresponds to low tillage both for rice and wheat. The optimum yield with minimum tillage operations coincided with TI obtained in ReP plots of rice and in ZT plots of wheat under ReP conditions. Results thus show that the quality of soil puddle obtained by half the efforts in PR and CP was sufficient for optimum yields of rice. Similarly, wheat sowing by zero-till drill in such a reduced puddling plots of rice was sufficient for optimum yields of wheat in Tarai soils associated with shallow water tables. The proposed regression model is simple and compatible to use in the existing crop growth models, such as in DSSAT 3.5, with suitable alterations.     

Soil quality effects of tillage and residue under rice–wheat cropping on a Vertisol in India

Soil quality in rice (Oryza sativa L.)–wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cropping systems is governed primarily by the tillage practices used to fulfill the contrasting soil physical and hydrological requirements of the two crops. The objective of this study was to develop a soil quality index (SQI) based on bulk density (BD), penetration resistance (PR), water stable aggregates (WSA) and soil organic matter (OM) to evaluate this important cropping system on a Vertisol in India. Regression analysis between crop yield and SQI values for various tillage and crop residue management treatments indicated SQI values of 0.84–0.92, 0.88–0.93 and 0.86–0.92 were optimum for rice, wheat and the combined system (rice + wheat), respectively. The maximum yields for rice and wheat were 5806 and 1825 kg ha⁻¹ occurred at SQI values of 0.85 and 0.99, respectively. Using zero tillage (ZT) for wheat had a positive effect on soil quality regardless of the treatments used for rice. Regression analyses to predict sustainability of the various tillage and crop residue treatments showed that as puddling intensity for rice increased, sustainability without returning crop residues decreased from 6 to 1 years. When residue was returned, the time for sustainable productivity increased from 6 to 15 years for direct seeded rice, 5 to 11 years with low-intensity puddling (P₁) and 1 to 8 years for high-intensity (P₂) puddling. For sustainability and productivity, the best practice for this or similar Vertisols in India would be direct seeding of rice with conventional tillage and residues returned.     

Soil quality response to tillage and crop residue removal under subarctic conditions

Little is known about the long-term effects of tillage and crop residue management on soil quality and organic matter conservation in subarctic regions. Therefore, we quantified wet aggregate stability, bulk density, pH, total organic C and N, inorganic N, microbial biomass C and N, microbial biomass C:N ratio, microbial quotient, and potential C and N mineralization for a tillage/crop residue management study in central Alaska. Soil from no-till (NT), disked once each spring (DO), and disked twice (DT, spring and fall) treatments was sampled to 20 cm depth in spring and fall of the 16th and 17th years of the study. Crop residues were either retained or removed after harvest each year. Reducing tillage intensity had greater impact on most soil properties than removing crop residues with the most notable effects in the top 10 cm. Bulk density was the only indicator that showed significant differences for the 10–20 cm depth, with values of 0.74 Mg m⁻³ in the surface 10 cm in NT compared to 0.86 in DT and 1.22 Mg m⁻³ in NT compared to 1.31 in DT for the 10–20 cm depth. Wet aggregate stability ranged from 10% in DT to 20% in NT. Use of NT or DO conserved soil organic matter more than DT. Compared to measurements made in the 3rd and 4th years of the study, the DT treatment lost almost 20% of the soil organic matter. Retaining crop residues on the soil conserved about 650 g m⁻² greater C than removing all residues each year. Soil microbial biomass C and mineralizable C were highest in NT, but the microbial C quotient, which averaged only 0.9%, was not affected by tillage or crop residue treatment. Microbial biomass C:N ratio was 11.3 in DT and 14.4 in the NT, indicating an increasing predominance of fungi with decreasing tillage intensity. Barley grain yield, which averaged 1980 kg ha⁻¹ over the entire 17 years of the study, was highest in DO and not significantly different between NT and DT, but weeds were a serious problem in NT. Reduced tillage can improve important soil quality indicators and conserve organic matter, but long-term NT may not be feasible in the subarctic because of weed problems and build up of surface organic matter.     

Influence of tillage and plant residue management on respiration of a Florida Everglades Histosol

Subsidence of drained, high organic matter Histosols in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) is a concern for the sustainability of crop production in southern Florida. Histosol subsidence is primarily due to oxidation of organic matter by aerobic microorganisms, but far less is known about the influence of agricultural practices. The use of shallow tillage, as opposed to deep tillage, combined with proper plant residue management, may help to reduce the present rate of subsidence and soil CO₂ emissions. The present study was conducted on a Lauderhill soil (euic, hyperthermic, Lithic Haplosaprist) previously cropped in sugarcane (Saccharum spp.). The objectives were to (1) determine the effects of tillage depth on short-term CO₂ losses in a herbicide-killed weedy residue covered field and another field kept fallow without residue cover, and (2) compare soil respiration measurements made with two different dynamic closed-system portable chamber techniques. Four tillage practices common to the EAA were used to produce soil disturbance ranging in depth from approximately 20 to 300 mm. These practices included switch plowing, disk harrowing, and single and multiple tine cultivation. Twenty-four hours after tillage, cumulative CO₂ loss from the deepest tillage treatment (switch plow; 300 mm deep) was as much as 33 times greater than that from the no-till (control) treatment. Cumulative CO₂ loss following intermediate tillage (disk harrow; 78–145 mm deep) was as much as 2.3-fold greater than the no-till treatment, but shallower tillage (tine cultivation; 20–41 mm deep) was generally not different. Short-term tillage-induced CO₂ loss was primarily related to soil moisture content and soil porosity. Soil respiration measurements made with the two chamber techniques agreed well with each other except for the deepest tillage treatment, where the larger chamber measured CO₂ flux that was approximately 10 times greater than for the smaller chamber. Results indicate that minimum or no-tillage may reduce short-term tillage-induced CO₂ emissions on organic soils, thus minimizing soil subsidence.     

Soil microbial dynamics in maize-growing soil under different tillage and residue management systems

The long-term impact of tillage and residue management on soil microorganisms was studied over the growing season in a sandy loam to loamy sand soil of southwestern Quebec, growing maize (Zea mays L.) monoculture. Tillage and residue treatments were first imposed on plots in fall 1991. Treatments consisted of no till, reduced tillage, and conventional tillage with crop residues either removed from (−R) or retained on (+R) experimental plots, laid out in a randomized complete block design. Soil microbial biomass carbon (SMB-C), soil microbial biomass nitrogen (SMB-N) and phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) contents were measured four times, at two depths (0-10 and 10-20 cm), over the 2001 growing season. Sample times were: May 7 (preplanting), June 25, July 16, and September 29 (prior to corn harvest). The effect of time was of a greater magnitude than those attributed to tillage or residue treatments. While SMB-C showed little seasonal change (160 μg C g⁻¹ soil), SMB-N was responsive to post-emergence mineral nitrogen fertilization, and PLFA analysis showed an increase in fungi and total PLFA throughout the season. PLFA profiles showed better distinction between sampling time and depth, than between treatments. The effect of residue was more pronounced than that of tillage, with increased SMB-C and SMB-N (61 and 96%) in +R plots compared to −R plots. This study illustrated that measuring soil quality based on soil microbial components must take into account seasonal changes in soil physical and chemical conditions.     

Alternative tillage and crop residue management in wheat after rice in sandy loam soils of Indo-Gangetic plains

A 3-year field study was conducted to evaluate the effect of three tillage practices (conventional, zero and reduced/strip) with two nitrogen levels (120 and 150 kg N ha⁻¹) applied in primary strips and three crop residue management practices (removal, burning and incorporation) in secondary strips in wheat after rice. Reduced tillage resulted in significantly higher overall mean wheat yield (5.10 Mg ha⁻¹) compared to conventional (4.60 Mg ha⁻¹) and zero tillage (4.75 Mg ha⁻¹). Residue incorporation resulted in highest mean yield (5.86 Mg ha⁻¹) during third year. Maximum mean yield (6.1 Mg ha⁻¹) was obtained in reduced tillage followed by conventional tillage (5.8 Mg ha⁻¹) under residue incorporation in third year. The weed dry weight recorded at 30 days after sowing was highest (0.3 Mg ha⁻¹) under zero tillage and lowest under conventional tillage (0.16 Mg ha⁻¹). Among crop residue management practices, the highest dry weight of weeds (0.22 Mg ha⁻¹) was recorded under residue incorporation. The highest infiltration rate (1.50 cm h⁻¹) was recorded in residue incorporation followed by residue burning (1.44 cm h⁻¹) whereas; the lowest (0.75 cm h⁻¹) in zero tillage. Soil bulk density was the highest (1.69 Mg m⁻³) under zero tillage and the lowest in residue incorporation (1.59 Mg m⁻³). There were no changes in soil available P and K after each crop sequence in relation to tillage practices during first 2 years. Higher organic carbon (5.1–5.4 g kg⁻¹) was measured under zero tillage compared to other treatments. Residue incorporation increased soil organic carbon and available P while higher available K was monitored in burning treatment during the third year. These results suggest that reduced tillage and in situ incorporation of crop residues at 5 Mg ha⁻¹ along with 150 kg N ha⁻¹ were optimum to achieve higher yield of wheat after rice in sandy loam soils of Indo-Gangetic plains of India.     

Influence of tillage on crop residue cover, soil properties and yield components of cowpea in derived savannah ectones of Nigeria

The effects of five tillage treatments: no tillage (NT), disc harrowing (DH), mouldboard ploughing followed by disc harrowing (MPH), disc ploughing followed by disc harrowing (DPH), and disc ploughing followed by two passes of disc harrowing (DPHH) on crop residue cover, soil properties and some yield parameters of cowpea were investigated for a derived savannah ectone soil. The residue left on the soil surface for NT, DH, and MPH is not significantly different. The NT left 32.1 and 44.3% more residue on the soil surface than the DPH and DPHH treatments, respectively. The NT treatment had least average value of soil bulk density of 1.01 g/cm³. The mean soil bulk densities for the DH, MPH, DPH and DPHH vary between 1.20 and 1.35 g/cm³. The soil moisture content decreased with increasing soil depth. At the soil depth of 10–30 cm, the cone penetration resistance at NT was 1.18 MPa compared with 0.92 MPa for the DH treatment, although these were not significant (p≤0.05). The tillage treatments had a significant effect on grain yield, mass of leaves and stems, root length density, and number of pods per plant of cowpea except on the germination count. DH and NT treatments gave different grain yield and number of pods per plant but these values were not statistically different and represent the highest grain yield and number of pods per plant among the other treatments were considered. The root zone exploration revealed highest root density at shallow depths with the DH and MPH treatments.     

轮耕对土壤物理性状和冬小麦产量的影响

针对华北地区土壤连续单一耕作存在的主要问题,进行了土壤轮耕效应的研究。试验选择冬小麦夏玉米玉两熟区连续5 a免耕田,设置免耕、翻耕和旋耕3种轮耕处理（即免耕一免耕,免耕一翻耕和免耕一旋耕）,冬小麦播种前进行耕作处理。研究结果表明：多年免耕后进行土壤耕作（翻耕、旋耕）可以显著降低土壤体积质量;旋耕显著降低0～10 cm土壤体积质量,翻耕则降低0～20 cm体积质量;随时间变化各处理土壤体积质量差异逐渐降低。翻耕、旋耕均显著增加了0～10 cm土壤总孔隙,同时翻耕显著增加了10～20 cm土壤总孔隙;翻耕、旋耕显著提高了5～10 cm毛管孔隙。0～10 cm土壤饱和导水率表现为旋耕＞翻耕＞免耕,翻耕、旋耕在5%水平上显著高于免耕;10～20、20～30 cm土层均表现为翻耕＞旋耕＞免耕,且10～20 cm翻耕5%水平上显著高于免耕;饱和导水率与体积质量呈显著线性负相关。翻耕、旋耕有效穗数与免耕相比分别提高了24.1%、22.3%;冬小麦的实际产量表现为：旋耕＞翻耕＞免耕,翻耕、旋耕分别比免耕增产11.8%、16.9%。总之,长期免耕后进行土壤耕作有利于改善土壤物理性状,提高作物产量。     

Evaluation of precision land leveling and double zero-till systems in the rice–wheat rotation: Water use, productivity, profitability and soil physical properties

In recent years conventional production technologies in the rice–wheat (RW) system have been leading to deterioration of soil health and declining farm profitability due to high inputs of water and labour. Conservation agriculture (CA)-based resource-conserving technologies (RCTs) vis-à-vis zero-till (ZT), raised-bed planting and direct-seeded rice (DSR) have shown promise as alternatives to conventional production technologies to overcome these problems. The integration of CA-based RCTs with precision agriculture (PA)-based technologies in a systems perspective could provide a better option for sustainable RW production systems. In this study we attempted to evaluate conservation and precision agriculture (CPA)-based RCTs as a double-ZT system integrated with laser-assisted precision land leveling (PLL) in the RW system. A field experiment was conducted in the western IGP for 2 years to evaluate various tillage and crop establishment methods under PLL and traditional land leveling (TLL) practices to improve water productivity, economic profitability and soil physical quality. Irrespective of tillage and crop establishment methods (TCE), PLL improved RW system productivity by 7.4% in year 2 as compared to traditional land leveling. Total irrigation water savings under PLL versus TLL were 12–14% in rice and 10–13% in wheat. PLL improved RW system profitability by US$113 ha⁻¹ (year 1) to $175 ha⁻¹ (year 2). Yields were higher in conventionally transplanted rice followed by direct-drill-seeded rice after ZT. In wheat, yields were higher in ZT when followed by DSR than in the conventional-till (CT) system. RW system productivity under double ZT was equivalent to that of the conventional method. Among different TCE, conventional puddled-transplanted rice-CT wheat required 12–33% more water than other TCE techniques. Compared with CT systems, double ZT consumed 12–20% less water with almost equal system productivity and demonstrated higher water productivity. The CT system had higher bulk density and penetration resistance in 10–15 and 15–20 cm soil layers due to compaction caused by the repeated wet tillage in rice. The steady-state infiltration rate and soil aggregation (>0.25 mm) were higher under permanent beds and double ZT and lower in the CT system. Under CT, soil aggregation was static across seasons, whereas it improved under double no-till and permanent beds. Similarly, mean weight diameter of aggregates was higher under double ZT and permanent beds and increased over time. The study reveals that to sustain the RW system, CPA-based RCTs could be more viable options: however, the long-term effects of these alternative technologies need to be studied under varying agro-ecologies.     

Long-term effects of fertilizer managements on crop yields and organic carbon storage of a typical rice–wheat agroecosystem of China

The present paper summarizes the results from a long-term experiment setup in 1980 in the Taihu Lake region, China, to address the yield sustainability, the dynamic changes of soil organic carbon (SOC) storage, and soil fertility in the rice–wheat ecosystem. Treatments in three replicates comprising manure-treated and chemical fertilizer-treated groups (two factors), each having seven sub-treatments of different combinations of inorganic nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and rice straw, were randomly distributed. Results showed that the treatments of manure (pig manure from 1980 to 1996 and oil rape cake thereafter) + N + P + K (MNPK) and chemical fertilizer + N + P + K (CNPK) produced the highest and the most stable yields for both rice and wheat within the respective fertilizer treatment group. Potassium fertilization was necessary for yield sustainability in the ecosystem. Treatments of straw (as rice straw) + N (CRN) and manure + straw + N (MRN) produced more stable yield of rice but less stable of wheat. It was therefore recommended that straw should be only incorporated during the rice season. SOC contents in all treatments showed increasing trends over the period, even in the control treatment. Predicted SOC in chemical fertilizer-treated plots (mostly yet attainable) ranged from 16 to 18 g C kg⁻¹, indicating the high carbon (C) sequestration potential of the soil as compared to the initial SOC. SOC in manure- or straw-treated plots ranged from 17 to 19 g C kg⁻¹, which had been attained roughly 10 years after the experiment was initiated. Nutrient balance sheet showed that there was P surplus in all P-treated plots and a steady increase in Olsen-P over a 24-year period in 0–15 cm soil, which contributed little to crop yield increases. It was therefore suggested that P fertilization rate should be decreased to 30–40 kg P ha⁻¹ year⁻¹. Comparison of yields among the treatments showed that wheat was more responsive to P fertilizer than rice. Thus P fertilizer should be preferably applied to wheat. Soil pH decrease was significant over the 24-year period and was not correlated with fertilizer treatments. The overall recommendation is to incorporate straw at 4,500 kg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ during the rice season only, with additional 190 kg N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹, 30–40 kg P ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ mainly during the rice season, and 150–160 kg K ha⁻¹ year⁻¹. Further research on the unusual P supply capacity of the soil is needed.     

Effect of tillage systems and polyacrylamide on soil physical properties and wheat grain yield in arid regions differing in fine soil particles

A field study was performed for two consecutive seasons to evaluate the effect of polyacrylamide (PAM), tillage systems and particle size on soil physical properties and wheat grain yield. The PAM rates were 0, 10 and 20 kg ha^?1 while the tillage treatments included no-tillage (NT), moldboard plowing (CT1), and chisel plowing (CT2). Soil fine particles size of two locations were A (25.2 silt + clay) and B (38.5 silt + clay). Location B reported higher organic matter and total porosity while lower in bulk density. The CT1 and NT treatments denoted better soil organic matter percentage. The CT1 presented maximum infiltration rate compared to other tillage systems. No tillage showed better soil water contents while the minimum was in CT1 of location A and CT2 of location B. Increasing the PAM rate increased total porosity, infiltration rate and soil water content while decreased soil bulk density. Possibly, the presence of compacted layer in location A hindered the effect of PAM. At location B, the CT2 with PAM of 20 kg ha^?1 had the highest grain yield compared to other tillage systems. The PAM is beneficial for soil and water conservation and can be used in agriculture.     

麦稻轮作下耕作模式对土壤理化性质和作物产量的影响

为了探明不同耕作模式对土壤理化性质和作物产量的影响,采用田间定位试验方法,于2007-2010连续4a在麦稻轮作制下开展了本试验研究。结果表明,免耕提高了耕层土壤体积质量,降低了土壤含水率。但是免耕土壤表层(0～10cm)的体积质量仍在作物适宜生长的范围内,并未对作物的生长产生不利影响。免耕促进了土壤有机质和全氮在表层土壤的富集。0～10cm土层有机质和全氮含量比翻耕处理显著增加,而>10～20cm土层上述养分含量明显低于翻耕处理。小麦季免耕土壤的碱解氮、速效磷和速效钾含量的变化趋势与有机质和全氮含量相似,而水稻季免耕处理整个耕层土壤碱解氮、速效磷和速效钾含量均低于翻耕处理。免耕显著的提高了小麦产量,但降低了水稻产量,起主要作用的产量构成因素是小麦和水稻的有效穗数。整个轮作周期的作物产量以小麦免耕水稻翻耕模式的产量较高,比小麦翻耕水稻免耕模式产量增加了5.70%。     

Influence of wheat residue management on irrigated corn grain production in a reduced tillage system

Management of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) residues for corn (Zea mays L.) planting is an important issue in southern parts of Iran where these two irrigated crops are consecutively grown. Concerns have been raised in recent years over the burning of the crop residues by farmers in these areas. A 2-year (2001–2002) field experiment was conducted as a randomized complete block design with three replications. The treatments consisted of irrigated corn planted, after burning wheat residues followed by conventional tillage (CT), after residue removal followed by CT, after soil incorporation of 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% of residue followed by chisel plow, disk harrow, and row crop planter equipped with row cleaner. The CT operations consisted of mollboard plowing followed by two times disk harrowing. Treatments had significant effects on corn grain yield, biological yield, and leaf area index. The highest grain yield (15.73 t ha⁻¹) and grains per ear (709.3) were obtained when 25–50% of wheat residues were soil incorporated and the seeds were sown with planter equipped with row cleaner in both years as compared with conventional tillage practices. It is recommended that complete residue removal or burning should be avoided; hence for successful corn production after wheat, residue management techniques that reduce residue level in the row area should be implemented.     

Influence of tillage, crop rotation and nitrogen fertilization on soil organic matter and nitrogen under rain-fed Mediterranean conditions

The long-term effects of cropping systems and management practices on soil properties provide essential information for assessing sustainability and environmental impact. Field experiments were undertaken in southern Spain to evaluate the long-term effects of tillage, crop rotation and nitrogen (N) fertilization on the organic matter (OM) and mineral nitrogen (N_min) contents of soil in a rain-fed Mediterranean agricultural system over a 6-year period. Tillage treatments included no tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT), crop rotations were of 2 yr with wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)-sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) (WS), wheat-chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) (WP), wheat-faba bean (Vicia faba L.) (WB), wheat-fallow (WF), and in addition, continuous wheat (CW). Nitrogen fertilizer rates were 50, 100, and 150 kg N ha⁻¹. A split-split plot design with four replications was used. Soil samples were collected from a depth of 90 cm at the beginning of the experiment and 6 yr later. Soil samples were also collected from a depth of 30 cm after 4 yr. These samples, like those obtained at the beginning of the experiment, were subjected to comprehensive physico-chemical analyses. The soil samples that were collected 6 yr later were analyzed for OM, NH₄⁺---N and NO₃⁻---N at the 0–30, 30–60 and 60–90 cm soil depths. The tillage method did not influence the OM or N_min contents of the soil, nor did legume rotations increase the OM content of soil relative to CW. A longer period may have been required for differences between treatments to be observed owing to the small amount of crop residue that is returned to soil under rain-fed conditions of semi-arid climates. The WF rotation did not raise the N_min content of the soil relative to the other rotations. The consistent significant interaction between tillage and crop rotation testifies to the differential effect of the management system on the OM content and N status of the soil. The ammonium levels clearly exceeded those of NO₃⁻---N throughout the soil profile. The high N_min content of the soils reveals the presence of abundant N resources that should be borne in mind in establishing N fertilization schemes for crops under highly variable climatic conditions including scant rainfall such as those of the Mediterranean region.     

The effects of long-term conservation tillage, crop residues and P fertilizer on soil conditions and responses of summer and winter crops on an Andosol in Japan

A field experiment was conducted from 1983 to 1992 in Tsukuba, Japan to investigate the effects of tillage on soil conditions and crop growth in a light-colored Andosol. Three tillage methods (NT: no-tillage, RT: no-tillage for summer cropping and moldboard plowing for winter cropping, and CT: conventional rotary tillage to a depth of 15 cm) were employed in combination with crop residue application (+R, −R) and fused magnesium phosphate (FMP) fertilization (+P, −P). Under the combination of NT and +R, diurnal variation of soil temperature at a depth of 5 cm was smaller during the summer cropping season and soil temperature in the daytime was lower during the winter cropping season than under CT. Soil inorganic N concentration at a depth of 0–30 cm was +R > −R and NT > RT > CT. The early growth of summer crops was accelerated under NT in comparison with CT, and yields were higher under NT and RT in comparison with CT. On the other hand, winter crop yields were significantly reduced under NT, while they were still higher under RT in comparison with CT. Yields were higher with +R and +P application, respectively, and these effects were more pronounced in winter cropping. The positive effect of FMP fertilization was greater in combination with NT, and that of residue treatment was greater in combination with RT and NT than with CT. In conclusion, the best tillage practice for Andosols on the Kanto Plain is RT, i.e. a combination of NT for summer cropping and CT for winter cropping. The application of NT for winter cropping is not recommended, although the application of phosphate and crop residues could reduce the risk of yield reduction, because of improved soil nutrient status and moderation of diurnal soil temperature.     

Effect of different tillage systems on soil properties and wheat yield in Middle Anatolia

Field experiments were conducted on a clay soil in entisol to determine the effect of different tillage tools on soil properties, emergence rate index and yield of wheat in Middle Anatolia. There were four different tillage treatments: mouldboard ploughing followed by disc harrowing twice; rotary tillage twice; stubble cultivator followed by a disc harrowing; heavy globe disc twice. The smallest aggregate mean weight diameters and surface roughness were produced by rotary tillage. Decreasing mean weight diameter decreased the surface roughness. There was a significant (P < 0.01) effect of the four different tillage systems on moisture content, bulk density, penetration resistance, aggregate mean weight diameter and surface roughness. Tillage systems had a significant effect on emergence rate and yield of wheat. Emergence rate index and yield of wheat varied from 15.24 to 18.88 and from 3065 kg ha⁻¹ to 4265 kg ha⁻¹, respectively. The greatest emergence rate index and yield were obtained with stubble cultivator followed by disc harrowing treatment.     

Straw management and tillage effects on soil water storage under field conditions

Abstract. A two year field study was conducted to evaluate the effects of straw management and tillage on the soil profile (1.5m) water storage, nature of the moisture profile, infiltration and sorptivity as influenced by rainfall, evaporativity (E₀) and soil texture. The straw mulch treatment stored more moisture under low E₀ rainy conditions in three coarse to medium textured soils. Straw incorporation treatment was better under low E₀ rain free conditions, as well as under high E₀ rainy conditions in the two coarser textured soils. In the coarsest textured soil, tillage and straw mulching were not effective in maintaining greater soil water storage under high E₀ because of the very open nature of the soil. The soil moisture profiles showed a sharper increase in water content below the tilled layer in the tillage and straw- incorporation treatments than the untreated and straw mulch treatments. Tillage and straw incorporation treatments increased the sorptivity of the soil compared with untreated and straw mulch treatments respectively. The results of this study suggest that when selecting a suitable soil water conservation practice to increase water storage in the soil profile, information on soil texture and weather (rain and evaporativity) must be considered.     

Long-term impact of reduced tillage and residue management on soil carbon stabilization: Implications for conservation agriculture on contrasting soils

Residue retention and reduced tillage are both conservation agricultural management options that may enhance soil organic carbon (SOC) stabilization in tropical soils. Therefore, we evaluated the effects of long-term tillage and residue management on SOC dynamics in a Chromic Luvisol (red clay soil) and Areni-Gleyic Luvisol (sandy soil) in Zimbabwe. At the time of sampling the soils had been under conventional tillage (CT), mulch ripping (MR), clean ripping (CR) and tied ridging (TR) for 9 years. Soil was fully dispersed and separated into 212–2000 μm (coarse sand), 53–212 μm (fine sand), 20–53 μm (coarse silt), 5–20 μm (fine silt) and 0–5 μm (clay) size fractions. The whole soil and size fractions were analyzed for C content. Conventional tillage treatments had the least amount of SOC, with 14.9 mg C g⁻¹ soil and 4.2 mg C g⁻¹ soil for the red clay and sandy soils, respectively. The highest SOC content was 6.8 mg C g⁻¹ soil in the sandy soil under MR, whereas for the red clay soil, TR had the highest SOC content of 20.4 mg C g⁻¹ soil. Organic C in the size fractions increased with decreasing size of the fractions. In both soils, the smallest response to management was observed in the clay size fractions, confirming that this size fraction is the most stable. The coarse sand-size fraction was most responsive to management in the sandy soil where MR had 42% more organic C than CR, suggesting that SOC contents of this fraction are predominantly controlled by amounts of C input. In contrast, the fine sand fraction was the most responsive fraction in the red clay soil with a 66% greater C content in the TR than CT. This result suggests that tillage disturbance is the dominant factor reducing C stabilization in a clayey soil, probably by reducing C stabilization within microaggregates. In conclusion, developing viable conservation agriculture practices to optimize SOC contents and long-term agroecosystem sustainability should prioritize the maintenance of C inputs (e.g. residue retention) to coarse textured soils, but should focus on the reduction of SOC decomposition (e.g. through reduced tillage) in fine textured soils.     

A new index to assess soil quality and sustainability of wheat-based cropping systems

Sustainability index was calculated to assess soil quality under the influence of different fertilizer management practices. It is based on the area of the triangle in which nutrient index, microbial index and crop index of soil represented the three vertices of a triangle. Nutrient index reflected the nutrient status of soil and was calculated from the measurements of various soil chemical parameters. Microbial index was calculated by determining various soil microbial and biochemical activities and crop index by measuring of crop yield parameters. Eighteen soil indicators were determined to assess nutrient index, microbial index and crop index in order to compare the effect of different sources of nutrients such as green manure, farmyard manure and chemical fertilizer in a rice/corn–wheat rotation. The indices were applied to assess the sustainability of five field experiments with respect to the different fertilizer treatments. The long-term application of organic manures in rice/corn–wheat cropping system increased the index value because it increased the nutrient index, microbial index and crop index of soils. The use of only chemical fertilizers in the rice–wheat cropping system resulted in poor soil microbial index and crop index. In corn–wheat system, additional application of FYM at 10 t ha^–1 before sowing corn made the system more sustainable than application of 100%NPK; the sustainability index values were 2.43 (the highest for this system) and 0.93, respectively.     

Soil CO2 emission and its relationship to soil properties under different tillage systems

There is a lack of understanding as to which soil property is the most important at regulating the temporal variability of soil CO₂ emissions on China’s Loess Plateau. The objective of this study was to evaluate the CO₂ emissions and their relationships to certain soil properties in a winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) field subject to no-till (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) practices. The CO₂ emissions were signi?cantly higher in the CT (257.6 mg CO₂ m^?2 h^?1), compared with the NT (143.8 mg CO₂ m^?2 h^?1), treatment. Soil organic matter content and carbon stock were 8% and 14% higher, respectively, in the NT, compared with the CT, treatment. Regression analyses between the CO₂ emissions and soil properties, including soil temperature and carbon stock, explained up to 88% and 60% of the temporal variability in CO₂ emissions in the NT and CT treatments, respectively. Linear correlations between the soil temperature and CO₂ emissions were recorded in both the NT and CT treatments. Soil temperature was the most important factor in terms of understanding the temporal variability in CO₂ emissions in wheat fields of the study area.