Barley yield and weed development as affected by crop sequence and tillage systems in a semi‐arid environment

Abstract

In order to monitor barley and weed development on a loamy sand soil subjected to different agronomic practices, field experiments were conducted for three growing seasons (1992–95) in a semi‐arid agrosystem in central Spain. For eight years, independent plots were managed with three crop sequences: barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)?vetch (Vicia sativa L.); barley? sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.); and a barley monoculture. In all cases, two tillage systems were implemented: no‐tillage and conventional tillage. In the years with standard rainfall (400 mm) an improvement in growth‐related cultivation variables and yield components of barley were observed in plots under barley?vetch rotation and/or conventional tillage. In drier conditions (<350 mm) the growth rate, crop yield and yield components of barley tended to improve under the no‐tillage system. Barley?vetch rotation and/or conventional tillage increased nitrate‐nitrogen (NO₃‐N) content in barley plants. Similar results were found for the concentrations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg). In addition, the plots under crop rotation showed a weed biomass with a high concentration of N, K, and Ca in comparison with plots under monoculture. The lack of spring herbicide treatment in the no‐tillage plots led to a 3‐fold increase in weed density compared with the plots under conventional tillage.     

Long‐term effects of cropped vs. fallow and fertilizer amendments on soil organic matter I. Organic carbon

A long‐term field experiment, conducted since 1962 in Gumpenstein (Austria) on a Dystric Cambisol, was used for the present investigation. We combined a physical fractionation procedure with the determination of natural abundance of ¹³C and FT‐IR spectroscopy to study the influence of fertilizer amendments (organic manure and mineral fertilizers) and management practices (fallow vs. cropped) on changes in organic carbon (OC) associated with different particle‐size fractions. The OC content in bulk soil decreased or was not affected by slurry+straw, PK, and NPK treatments in both fallow and cropped plots after 28 and 38 yr of treatment. However, OC in plots receiving organic manures increased depending on the quality of the organic manures applied. The ranking among the different treatments under both fallow and cropped plots was: animal manure (liquid) > animal manure (solid) > cattle slurry = slurry+straw = PK = NPK. Results showed that the two types of management practices, fallow (non‐tilled) vs. cropped (tilled) had effects on OC concentrations. Comparing the OC contribution of particle‐size fractions to the total OC amount revealed the following ranking: silt > clay > fine sand > coarse sand except in the plots receiving solid or liquid animal manure. Size fractions within treatments showed larger variations of ¹³C abundances than bulk samples between treatments. The natural abundances of ¹³C increased especially in cropped (and tilled) plots. It was shown by cluster analysis that FT‐IR spectra differentiated between the different treatments originating from different land management practices. The present study revealed that below‐ground C deposition by agricultural plants can hardly compensate the C losses due to tillage.     

Improvement of rice (Oryza sativa L.) growth in upland conditions with deep tillage and mulch

The productivity of upland rice in Japan as well as in the world is low and unstable owing to scarce and unpredictable rainfall. The objective of this study was to examine whether agronomic methods could enhance grain yield of upland rice. Four field experiments were conducted from 2001 to 2003 in Nishitokyo, Japan, under upland conditions with different water supplies, in order to quantify the effects of deep tillage combined with deep placement of manure (50-cm depth), straw mulch (6 t ha⁻¹), or their combinations on the growth and grain yield of rice. Mulch kept surface soil moisture higher than without mulch even at reproductive stage, and it increased yield to the greatest extent under the most favourable conditions with much rainfall before heading (i.e., 2003). Deep tillage with deep placement of manure induced deep root proliferation and higher nitrogen uptake, increasing biomass production, and panicle number, and consequently grain yield was enhanced under the two lowest yielding environments with less rainfall before heading. Rice plants with deep tillage with deep manure application without mulch tended to have lower leaf water potential and higher diffusion resistance during drought, and negative effects on grain filling and harvest index in some experiments compared with the control. When deep tillage with deep placement of manure was combined with mulching in two experiments in 2002 and 2003, grain yield always enhanced compared with the control (P < 0.10, 6.0 t ha⁻¹ versus 5.4 t ha⁻¹ on average), suggesting their synergetic mechanisms for yield increase and stabilization. The results showed that deep tillage or mulching can improve grain yield of rice under drought-prone rainfed upland conditions in a temperate climate on an Andosol, and their combination had more consistent and greater positive effects.     

Crop yield and soil fertility response to reduced tillage under organic management

Conservation tillage (no-till and reduced tillage) brings many benefits with respect to soil fertility and energy use, but it also has drawbacks regarding the need for synthetic fertilizers and herbicides. Our objective was to adapt reduced tillage to organic farming by quantifying effects of tillage (plough versus chisel), fertilization (slurry versus manure compost) and biodynamic preparations (with versus without) on soil fertility indicators and crop yield. The experiment was initiated in 2002 on a Stagnic Eutric Cambisol (45% clay content) near Frick (Switzerland) where the average annual precipitation is 1000 mm. This report focuses on the conversion period and examines changes as tillage intensity was reduced. Soil samples were taken from the 0–10 and 10–20 cm depths and analysed for soil organic carbon (C_org), microbial biomass (C_mic), dehydrogenase activity (DHA) and earthworm density and biomass. Among the components tested, only tillage had any influence on these soil fertility indicators. C_org in the 0–10 cm soil layer increased by 7.4% (1.5 g C_org kg⁻¹ soil, p < 0.001) with reduced tillage between 2002 and 2005, but remained constant with conventional tillage. Similarly, C_mic was 28% higher and DHA 27% (p < 0.001) higher with reduced than with conventional tillage in the soil layer 0–10 cm. In the 10–20 cm layer, there were no significant differences for these soil parameters between the tillage treatments. Tillage had no significant effect on total earthworm density and biomass. The abundance of endogeic, horizontally burrowing adult earthworms was 70% higher under reduced than conventional tillage but their biomass was 53% lower with reduced tillage. Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and spelt (Triticum spelta L.) yield decreased by 14% (p < 0.001) and 8% (p < 0.05), respectively, with reduced tillage, but sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) yield was slightly higher with reduced tillage. Slurry fertilization enhanced wheat yield by 5% (p < 0.001) compared to compost fertilization. Overall, C_org, C_mic, and DHA improved and yields showed only a small reduction with reduced tillage under organic management, but long-term effects such as weed competition remain unknown.     

Soil loss and run‐off characteristics under different soil amendments and cropping systems in the semi‐deciduous forest zone of Ghana

Soil erosion is a major constraint to crop production on smallholder arable lands in Sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA). Although different agronomic and mechanical measures have been proposed to minimize soil loss in the region and elsewhere, soil management practices involving biochar‐inorganic inputs interactions under common cropping systems within the framework of climate‐smart agriculture, have been little studied. This study aimed to assess the effect of different soil and crop management practices on soil loss characteristics under selected cropping systems, typical of the sub‐region. A two‐factor field experiment was conducted on run‐off plots under different soil amendments over three consecutive cropping seasons in the semi‐deciduous forest zone of Ghana. The treatments, consisting of three soil amendments (inorganic fertilizer, biochar, inorganic fertilizer + biochar and control) and four cropping systems (maize, soyabean, cowpea, maize intercropped with soyabean) constituted the sub‐plot and main plot factors, respectively. A bare plot was included as a soil erosion check. Seasonal soil loss was greater on the bare plots, which ranged from 9.75–14.5 Mg ha^?1. For individual crops grown alone, soil loss was 31%–40% less under cowpea than under maize. The soil management options, in addition to their direct role in plant nutrition, contributed to significant (p < 0.05) reductions in soil loss. The least soil loss (1.23–2.66 Mg ha^?1) was observed under NPK fertilizer + biochar treatment (NPK + BC) over the three consecutive cropping seasons. Biochar in combination with NPK fertilizer improved soil moisture content under cowpea crops and produced considerably smaller bulk density values than most other treatments. The NPK + BC consistently outperformed the separate mineral fertilizer and biochar treatments in biomass yield under all cropping systems. Biochar associated with inorganic fertilizers gave economic returns with value–cost ratio (VCR) > 2 under soyabean cropping system but had VCR < 2 under all other cropping systems. The study showed that biochar/NPK interactions could be exploited in minimizing soil loss from arable lands in SSA.     

Can conservation tillage and residue management enhance energy use efficiency and sustainability of rice-pea system in the Eastern Himalayas?

ABSTRACT

Low productivity and energy use efficiency (EUE) of rice farming are the major concerns for agricultural sustainability in the Eastern Himalayan region of India. A field experiment on rice (Oryza sativa L.)-pea (Pisum sativum L) system was conducted for three consecutive years during 2012–15 in lowland ecosystem to assess the direct and residual impact of tillage and residue management (RM) practises on productivity and sustainability. Significantly higher grain yield of rice was achieved under no-till (NT) than minimum tillage (MT) and conventional tillage (CT). Among RM practises, 50% NPK + green leaf manure, 50% NPK + weed biomass and 50% NPK + in-situ residue retention recorded significantly higher mean grain yields than application of 50% NPK and 100% NPK without residues. Residual effect of MT in preceding rice gave significantly higher green pod yield of succeeding pea than NT and CT. The system EUE was significantly higher under MT (rice)-NT (pea) compared to those of NT-NT and CT-NT systems. The sustainable yield index of rice and pea was maximum under MT-NT followed by NT-NT. Thus, NT/MT with suitable RM practises is a pertinent strategy for sustainable productivity of rice-pea system in the Eastern Himalayas and in similar adjoining regions.     

Growth and yield of paddy rice as affected by tillage and nitrogen levels

Although tropical wetlands are rapidly being developed for the needed increase in rice (Oryza sativa L.) production, knowledge is still limited concerning the optimum soil and crop management practices. A study was thus carried out to evaluate the effects of different tillage systems on the growth and yield of paddy rice, grain yield response to N applications, and weed control. Five experiments were conducted for three consecutive seasons on hydromorphic soils (loamy and sandy loamy, mixed, isohyperthermic Aeric Tropaqualfs) at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, comparing the effects of zero tillage (without dry tillage and puddling) and conventional tillage (dry tillage and puddling) at two or more N levels. In two of the above experiments the effects of either two moisture regimens or chemical versus manual weed control were also evaluated.In four experiments there were no statistically significant differences in grain yield between zero-tillage plots sprayed with paraquat and conventional-tillage plots. Only in Experiment 2 did zero-tillage (with paraquat) plots give a significantly lower yield than conventional-tillage plots (5200 versus 5580 kg ha^?1, respectively) but the difference could be explained by greater rat damage in the former. The highly significant response in grain yield to N applications in all five experiments was statistically similar under both tillage systems. The continuous flooding treatment (Experiment 1) gave better weed control and higher grain yield than the saturation moisture regime (6150 versus 5420 kg ha^?1 grain yield). In zero-tillage plots where weeds were slashed before transplanting (Experiment 2), grain yield was lower and the weed growth greater than in zero-tillage and low N level. Satisfactory weed control was obtained with paraquat and continuous flooding.     

Effectiveness of tropical grass species as sediment filters in the riparian zone of Lake Victoria

The effectiveness of tropical grass species in strips of different length in trapping sediment from cropland was assessed, and the influence of filter length was determined. The assessment was made under natural rainfall which induced sheet and rill erosion in run‐off plots and then using simulated run‐off which caused concentrated erosion. The evaluated grasses were elephant grass, lemon grass, paspalum and sugarcane. Run‐off plots were on a 10% slope in a randomized complete block design replicated three times. Filter lengths were 2.5, 5 and 10 m against a 10‐m‐long sediment source area planted with maize on a clay loam soil. The results show that sediment trapping effectiveness (TE) increases nonlinearly with increasing filter length for all grasses. Under natural rainfall, more than 70% of sediment was trapped in the first 5 m, and lengthening the strip to 10 m only resulted in a marginal increase in TE. With concentrated run‐off, more than 70% of sediment was trapped in the first 5 m and lengthening the strip to 10 m resulted in a significant increase in TE. Paspalum and lemon grass performed significantly better than other grasses (P < 0.05), owing to their spreading growth pattern over the soil surface. Paspalum also has the highest root density in the upper 0.3‐m layer of the soil followed by lemon grass, hence offering the greatest resistance to erosion from concentrated flow. The results demonstrate that tropical grass filter strips provide a viable means for reducing the sediment flux from cropland.     

Run-off transport of herbicides during natural and simulated rainfall and its reduction by vegetated filter strips

The efficiency of filter strips in protecting watercourses against herbicides in run‐off was evaluated in field experiments in western Germany. Surface run‐off caused by natural rainfall and related transport of metolachlor, terbuthylazine and pendimethalin were measured on plots of 40 m length without filter strips (F0), and after passing over three types of herbicide‐untreated field margin: 12 m conservation headland (CH12), 6 m (GF6) and 12 m grass strips (GF12). Run‐off was also measured after simulated rainfall on 7 m long plots without (F0) and with 3 m grass strips (GF3). All three herbicides were transported both in dissolved and in adsorbed forms; the partitioning depended on their water solubility with metolachlor and terbuthylazine mainly translocated in dissolved form (F0: highest mean concentrations for a natural run‐off event 721 and 220 μg L^?1, respectively). Pendimethalin was predominantly transported in adsorbed form (maximum mean concentration 11.2 μg L^?1). In the sediment, the highest mean herbicide contents in a single natural event (F0) accounted for 2294 μg kg^?1 (metolachlor), 1317 μg kg^?1 (terbuthylazine) and 5648 μg kg^?1 (pendimethalin). The proportions of applied herbicide translocated were 0.3% (metolachlor), 0.2% (terbuthylazine) and 0.06% (pendimethalin; F0, natural rainfall). The extent of herbicide transport decreased with time but within this trend soil sealing, soil moisture and amount and intensity of rainfall increased losses. Compared with the F0 plots, the reduction of herbicide translocation after natural rainfall reached 80–83% (CH12), 80–88% (GF6) and >99% (GF12) over the 3‐year period. The 12 m grass strips allowed only one extreme run‐off event to pass through, thus providing a highly effective watercourse protection against herbicide pollution.     

Weed levels did not alter rice grain yield response to nitrogen

Abstract

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) research field plots are likely to have nearly complete weed control whereas normal farmer field‐grown rice often have considerably greater weed populations. Consequently, a disparity might exist between nitrogen (N) requirements for producing maximum yields, in weedy (such as in some farmer fields) versus weed‐free rice (such as field research plots). We conducted a 2‐year field study at Keiser, AR. Using paired plots, we compared weed control effects, at several preflood ? rates (0–112 kg ? ha^‐1) on yield, yield components, harvest index and weed weights. Rice yield responses to preflood ? fertilization were similar with and without weed pressure. Consequently, ? fertilization recommendations based on research plots with little or no weed pressure are valid for research plots and grower fields with much greater levels of weed pressure.     

Organic and urea nitrogen fertilizer effects on rapeseed and wild mustard competition

The competitive effects of wild mustard on rapeseed with organic amendments and urea alone or combined were studied for 2 years. Treatments consisted of three Sinapis arvensis densities and fertilizer treatments of composted cattle manure, composted municipal waste, urea nitrogen, a combination CCM+urea, a combination of CMW+urea, and a control. Weed growth was stronger in urea fertilizer and with combined organic amendments than in organic amendments alone. However, application of organic amendments could increase weed competitive ability. In the first year, urea fertilizer alone and combined with organic amendments led to the greatest rapeseed yield, but in the following year, organic amendments alone were able to increase rapeseed yield approximately equal to urea fertilizer and combined with organic amendments. Application of organic amendments alone or combined with N fertilizer could be an efficient method to increase soil productivity.     

The effect of organic and chemical fertilizers on oilseed rape productivity and weed competition in short rotation

Abstract

A two-year field experiment was conducted to investigate the impact of short crop rotation and organic amendments on rapeseed yield under weed competition conditions. The primary experimental plots consisted of either triticale or pea as a prior crop, consisting of four subplots with either 25 tons of composted cattle manure (CCM), 150?kg urea N ha^?1 (N), 25 tons composted cattle manure + 75?kg urea N ha^?1 (CCM?+?N), or no urea N or manure added as the control (C0). Rapeseed seed yield was not significantly affected by previous crops, except for rapeseed grown after pea which had slightly higher seed yield (2058?kg ha^?1) than those grown after triticale (1942?kg ha^?1). Plants that received CCM?+?N produced the highest amount of seed yield (2447?kg ha^?1), but were not significantly different from plants that received just urea N (2218?kg ha^?1). Weeds gained more biomass when the previous crop was pea compared to those whose previous crop was triticale. Weeds in plots that received CCM?+?N produced the greatest biomass, followed by N, and CCM plots, respectively.     

Long‐term effects of cropped vs. fallow and fertilizer amendments on soil organic matter II. Nitrogen

The present study evaluated the effect of fertilizer amendments (organic manure and mineral fertilizers), management practices (fallow and untilled vs. cropped and tilled) on changes of N in bulk soil and N associated with different particle‐size fractions. The long‐term field experiment was conducted since 1962 in Gumpenstein, Austria, on a Dystric Cambisol. The N content of the topsoils changed distinctively during 28 and 38 yr of treatments under both fallow and cropped management practices. Highest increase in total N content was found in animal‐manure (liquid)‐treated plots. The remaining ranking was: animal manure (solid) > cattle slurry > half cattle slurry + straw = PK = NPK. Quite short N‐half‐life values of around 2 yr were found for the cattle‐slurry application, while animal manure exhibited longer N‐half‐lives of around 8 yr. Crop removal of N and mineralization losses in cropped plots obviously were higher than N losses from the bare soil plots lacking a plant cover to keep N in the system. This was confirmed by a consistent shift in the natural ¹⁵N abundances. Comparing the mean N contribution of particle‐size fractions to the total N amounts revealed the following ranking after 28 and 38 yr of different treatments: silt > clay > fine sand > coarse sand, with small exceptions. Particle‐size separates showed more significant responses to changes in the N dynamics of the system due to the various treatments than the bulk soil and can be regarded as the better indicators in this respect.     

Assessment of co‐blending water treatment residual with dairy manure to reduce phosphorus concentrations in run‐off in Northern Ireland

Losses of phosphorus (P) to water that follow manure applications can be high while water treatment residuals (WTR) have an appreciable capacity to sorb soluble P which is an important risk factor in determining the susceptibility of manure P to run‐off losses. The objective of this study was to assess whether co‐blending WTR with dairy cow manure prior to surface application would reduce P concentrations in run‐off from grassland. An alum‐derived WTR was collected from a water treatment works (WTW), dried and characterized for its phosphorus sorption capacity (PSC) based on oxalate‐extractable Al and Fe. Multipoint P sorption isotherms were used to calculate the Langmuir P sorption maximum (P_max) and equilibrium P concentration (EPC₀). The WTR contained 170 g Al_ox/kg and 2.2 g Fe_ox/kg with a nominal long‐term PSC of 118 g/kg. Following a 6 day incubation of WTR, the Langmuir P_max was 82.6 g/kg and the EPC₀ of 0.13 mg P/L. Laboratory incubations of manure co‐blended with WTR indicated that 144 g WTR/kg dry matter (DM) manure significantly lowered (P < 0.001) manure WSP by 71.5 ± 16.6% after 108 h, but lower WTR mixing rates of 72 and 36 g WTR/kg had no statistical effect on manure WSP. Results from a field experiment using simulated rain on 0.5‐m² grassland plots showed no significant effect on run‐off P 2 days after applying 50 m³/ha of 6% DM manure co‐blended WTR at rates of 150 and 250 g WTR/kg.     

苏打盐碱水灌溉的土壤添加石膏肥和有机肥后水溶性碳和微生物碳研究

Microbial biomass carbon (MBC), a small fraction of soil organic matter, has a rapid turnover rate and is a reservoir of labile nutrients. The water-extractable carbon pools provide a fairly good estimate of labile C present in soil and can be easily quantified. Changes in soil MBC and water-extractable organic carbon pools were studied in a 14-year long-term experiment in plots of rice-wheat rotation irrigated with canal water (CW), sodic water (SW, 10-12.5 mmol c L-1 residual sodium carbonate), and SW amended with gypsum with or without application of organic amendments including farmyard manure (FYM), green manure (GM), and wheat straw (WS). Irrigation with SW increased soil exchangeable sodium percentage by more than 13 times compared to irrigation with CW. Sodic water irrigation significantly decreased hot water-extractable organic carbon (HWOC) from 330 to 286 mg kg-1 soil and cold water-extractable organic carbon (CWOC) from 53 to 22 mg kg-1 soil in the top 0-7.5 cm soil layer. In the lower soil layer (7.5-15 cm), reduction in HWOC was not significant. Application of gypsum alone resulted in a decrease in HWOC in the SW plots, whereas an increase was recorded in the SW plots with application of both gypsum and organic amendments in both the soil layers. Nevertheless, application of gypsum and organic amendments increased the mean CWOC as compared with application of gypsum alone. CWOC was significantly correlated with MBC but did not truly reflect the changes in MBC in the treatments with gypsum and organic amendments applied. For the treatments without organic amendments, HWOC was negatively correlated with MBC (r = 0.57*) in the 0-7.5 cm soil layer, whereas for the treatments with organic amendments, both were positively correlated. Irrigation with SW significantly reduced the rice yield by 3 t ha-1 and the yield of rice and wheat by 5 t ha-1 as compared to irrigation with canal water. Application of amendments significantly increased rice and wheat yields. Both the rice yield and the yield of rice and wheat were significantly correlated with MBC (r = 0.49**-0.56**, n = 60). HWOC did not exhibit any relation with the crop yields under the treatments without organic amendments; however, CWOC showed a positive but weak correlation with the crop yields. Therefore, we found that under sodic water irrigation, HWOC or CWOC in the soils was not related to MBC.     

Type and time of autumn tillage with and without herbicides at reduced rates in southern Sweden: 1. Yields and weed quantity

Environmental as well as economic incentives support the use of integrated weed management (IWM) systems for crop production. In order to reduce the input of agrochemicals for weed control, it may be possible to combine reduced doses of herbicides with appropriate tillage strategies and still maintain acceptable weed population levels. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficiency of different tillage strategies, with and without herbicides at 50% of normal rates, on weed populations and crop yields. The influences of type and time of stubble cultivation, harrowing and mouldboard ploughing were followed in eight long-term field trials in southern Sweden from 1988 until the spring of 1994. The crop rotations were dominated by spring-sown oats (Avena sativa L.) and barley (Hordeum distichon L.). Although significant site-by-year-by-treatment interactions were found, certain trends in influences of tillage on weeds and yields were identified. Weed density and weight often decreased in the order: stubble cultivation without ploughing > solely ploughing > stubble cultivation succeeded by ploughing. Grain yields of oats and barley varied 6–50% among tillage systems and the highest yields were often obtained in plots where ploughing succeeded stubble cultivation. Effects of tillage on weeds or yields were usually not influenced by herbicide application. Although only subnormal herbicide rates were used, weed density and weight were mostly reduced by 70–90%, while yields increased by 10–20%. In the spring of 1994, 1 year after the last herbicide application, densities of annual broad-leaved weeds were 40–65% lower in plots previously treated by herbicides than in non-treated plots, and differences among tillage systems were still significant. This study shows the advantage of combining herbicides at reduced rates with stubble cultivation and ploughing.     

Crop yields and nutrient uptake by rainfed wheat and mungbean as affected by tillage,fertilization, and weeding

Field experiments were conducted on rainfed wheat and mungbean for two consecutive seasons on a Udic Ustocrept to evaluate the effect of tillage techniques, fertilization, and weeding on crop yields and nutrient uptake. Tillage techniques were conventional, zero, and deep tillage. Fertilizer treatments consisted of a control, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilizer, and farmyard manure plus fertilizer. Grain yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was 2,404 kg/ha under conventional tillage, 2,008 kg/ha under zero tillage, and 2,839 kg/ha under deep tillage. Total dry matter of wheat was 7,612 kg/ha under deep tillage, 6,671 kg/ha under conventional tillage, and 6,016 kg/ha under zero tillage. Fertilizer application increased wheat grain yield by 112% and total dry matter by 150% over the control. Weed biomass of wheat was 57% greater under zero tillage than under conventional tillage. Mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) grain yield was 371 kg/ha under conventional tillage, 248 kg/ha under zero tillage, and 367 kg/ha under deep tillage. Mungbean total dry matter yield was 2,018 kg/ha under deep tillage, 1,814 kg/ha under conventional, and 1,143 kg/ha under zero tillage. Dry weed biomass in mungbean was 38% greater under zero tillage and 6% lesser under deep tillage than that of conventional tillage. Nitrogen and P uptake by weeds was greater under zero tillage compared with conventional and deep tillage.     

Tillage effects on soil aggregation,organic carbon fractions and grain yield in Eum‐Orthic Anthrosol of a winter wheat–maize double‐cropping system,Northwest China

Conservation tillage has been applied in vast semi‐arid regions of the Guanzhong Plain, Northwest China. The tillage effects on soil aggregation, organic carbon (OC) stabilization and grain yield on this plain have not been fully elucidated. A 9‐year field experiment was established from 2002 on a silty clay loam soil (Eum‐Orthic Anthrosol) growing winter wheat–maize in a double‐cropping system. Six conservation tillage treatments were applied by different combinations of rotary tillage (RT), subsoiling (SS) and no‐till (NT), with or without finely chopped straw retention. Conventional tillage (CT) acted as the control. Results showed that in the surface (0–10 cm) soil, the proportion of water‐stable aggregates (WSA) <0.05 mm was 18% less while that for WSA >2 mm was 98% more under NT treatments compared with CT. Additionally, the oxidizable OC content in WSA 0.25–2 mm was 27% greater under NT treatments compared with CT. The OC stocks increased under SS by 17%, RT by 16% and NT by 15% relative to CT. Grain yield (wheat + maize) showed similar increasing trends in all the tillage treatments compared with CT. Both OC stocks and grain yield were larger in treatments with than without straw retentions. These results indicate that NT is beneficial for OC accumulation in WSA but is limited in its ability to improve soil structure in this region. SS plus straw retention (fine‐chopped or as a mulch) is an effective practice to improve soil structural stability, OC accumulation and soil productivity of Eum‐Orthic Anthrosols in Northwest China.     

Three hydro‐seeding revegetation techniques for soil erosion control on anthropic steep slopes

Erosion control at low–medium radioactive waste disposal sites is an important concern. A study was carried out in El Cabril (Córdoba, Spain) on two 40 per cent anthropic steep slopes in order to test the effectiveness of hydro‐seeding techniques for controlling soil erosion. Two groups of 10 m × 3 m plots were established. The treatments tested were: hydro‐seeding with the application of vegetal mulch (VM); hydro‐seeding with added humic acids (HA); hydro‐seeding with vegetal mulch and humic acids added (VM + HA); and a control without hydro‐seeding or soil amendment (C). Fifteen run‐off producing rainfall events were recorded during the study period, with intensities ranging between 2 mm h⁻¹ and 33·6 mm h⁻¹. All treatments significantly reduced runoff and soil loss (p < 0·05). The VM+HA treatment was the most effective, reducing 98·5 per cent of total soil loss. The HA treatment (97·1 per cent reduction) was also more effective than the VM treatment (94·8 per cent reduction). A great reduction in runoff and sediment yield was observed in the treated plots during the first stages after hydro‐seeding. This result may be attributed to the combined effect of: (a) the protection against raindrop impact due to the application of straw and mulch to the soil surface, and (b) a general improvement in the soil's structure brought by the organic amendments. Seven months after hydro‐seeding, an increase in the density of the plant cover could be added to the beneficial effects mentioned above. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Impact of tillage and crop establishment methods on crop yields,profitability and soil physical properties in rice–wheat system of Indo‐Gangetic Plains of India

Conservation agriculture (CA) based on best‐bet crop management practices may increase crop and water productivity, as well as conserve and sustain soil health and natural resources. In a 2‐year study, we assessed the effects of tillage and crop establishment (TCE) methods on productivity, profitability and soil physical properties in a rice–wheat (RW) system. The six TCE treatments were used to study the impact, which are puddled transplanted rice followed by conventionally tilled wheat (CTPR–CTW), direct‐seeded rice on the flat followed by zero‐till wheat (CTDSR–ZTW), zero‐till direct‐seeded rice with residue followed by zero‐till wheat with residue (ZTDSR+R–ZTW+R), transplanted rice after rotavator puddling followed by zero‐till wheat (RTTPR–ZTW), transplanted rice after rotavator puddling followed by rotary till wheat (RTTPR–RTW) and farmer practice rice–wheat (FP–RW). Result of the study revealed that mean rice yield was not significantly affected by different TCE methods. Wheat planted with ZTDSR+R–ZTW+R gave 30% larger grain yield than FP‐RW. Overall, among all the TCE treatments, the RW system yields and net returns were maximum under ZTDSR+R–ZTW+R. The fastest mean infiltration rate (0.10 cm hr^–1) was registered in ZTDSR+R–ZTW+R plots, whereas the slowest was in FP‐RW plots (0.05 cm hr^–1). Bulk density at 15–20 cm soil depth was least in ZTDSR+R–ZTW+R (1.70 Mg m^–3) and greatest in FP‐RW (1.73 Mg m^–3). Results from this study revealed that conventionally tilled (CT) and transplanting of rice could be successfully replaced by adoption of the profitable double ZT–RW system.