Ridge tillage and contour natural grass barrier strips reduce tillage erosion

Large amounts of soil are eroded annually from tilled, hilly upland soils in the humid tropics. Awareness has been increasing that much of this erosion may be due to tillage operations rather than water-induced soil movement. This field study estimated soil translocation and tillage erosion for four tillage systems on Oxisols with slope gradients of 16–22% at Claveria, Misamis Oriental, Philippines. Soil movement was estimated using ‘soil movement tracers' (SMT) which consisted of painted 12-mm hexagonal steel nuts. The SMT were buried in three replicate plots of the following tillage treatments: (1) contour moldboard plowing in the open field (MP-open); (2) contour ridge tillage in the open field (RT-open); (3) contour moldboard plowing plus contour natural grass barrier strips (MP-strip); and (4) contour natural grass barrier strips plus ridge tillage (RT-strip). Two hundred SMT were placed at the 5-cm depth at 5-cm spacings on 10 rows and 20 columns in two microplots within each plot. The microplots were oriented with the boundaries running downslope and along the contour of each 8-m-wide × 38-m-long (downslope) tillage plot. After tilling the land for four successive corn (Zea mays L.) crops (20 tillage operations), the SMT were manually excavated and their positions recorded. Recovery of SMT ranged from 82% to 85%. Displacement of SMT was directly related to slope length, percent slope, and tillage method. Mean displacement distance of SMT during the four corn growing seasons was 3.3 m for MP-open, 1.8 m for RT-open, 1.5 m for the RT-strip, and 2.2 m for MP-strip. Based on tillage operations associated with two corn crops per year, mean annual soil flux was estimated to be 241, 131, 158 and 112 kg m⁻¹ for MP-open, RT-open MP-strip, and RT-strip, respectively. Compared to the mean annual soil loss for MP-open of 63 Mg ha⁻¹, soil loss was reduced by 30%, 45%, and 53% for the MP-strip, RT-open, and RT-strip systems, respectively. Both ridge tillage and natural grass barrier strips reduced soil displacement, soil translocation flux, and tillage erosion rates.     

Reassessment of tillage erosion rates by manual tillage on steep slopes in northern Thailand

Changing land-use practices in northern Thailand have increased tillage intensity. This study re-assesses the rate of tillage erosion by manual hoeing on steep slopes (17–82%) in northern Thailand. Previously collected soil translocation data during an on-farm tillage erosion experiment and additionally collected data during an on-farm tillage erosion survey have been analysed whereby a new calculation method (i.e. trapezoid tillage step) has been used. A comparison with previously collected data indicates that the trapezoid tillage step method and the tracer method are the most reliable methods to assess downslope translocation by manual tillage. Based on newly acquired understanding of the processes involved, soil fluxes by tillage erosion are quantified by linear functions for different slope gradient classes rather than one single diffusion-type equation for the whole slope range. For slope gradients smaller than 3%, soil fluxes are close to zero as farmers do not have a preferred tillage direction. For slope gradients between 3% and 70%, soil is tilled only in the downslope direction and soil fluxes range between 16 and 67 kg m⁻¹ tillage pass⁻¹. On slopes with gradients in excess of 70%, the angle of repose for soil clods is often exceeded resulting in a sliding down of the complete tilled top layer. These data are used to assess the soil flux for complete cropping cycles for the most dominant cropping systems in the highlands of northern Thailand: i.e. upland rice, maize, (soy) beans, cabbage and ginger. The on-site effects of tillage erosion will be very pronounced if parcels are short with respect to their slope length, cultivated for upland rice or cabbage, or when weed pressure is high. Tillage erosion results in a tillage step with low soil fertility and low infiltration capacity. Solutions to reduce tillage erosion intensity depend on the degree that tillage intensity can be reduced. This might happen by an improved weed management or by changing landuse to perrenial cropping. Other strategies are concentrating nutrients on the truncated hillslope sections and retaining soil on the field by vegetative buffers.     

Characterization of soil physical properties and organic matter under long-term primary tillage in a humid climate

Chisel ploughing is considered to be a potential conservation tillage method to replace mouldboard ploughing for annual crops in the cool-humid climate of eastern Canada. To assess possible changes in some soil physical and biological properties due to differences in annual primary tillage, a study was conducted for 9 years in Prince Edward Island on a Tignish loam, a well-drained Podzoluvisol, to characterize several mouldboard and chisel ploughing systems (at 25 cm), under conditions of similar crop productivity. The influence of primary tillage on the degree of soil loosening, soil permeability, and both organic matter distribution throughout the soil profile and organic matter content in soil particle size fractions was determined. At the time of tillage, chisel ploughing provided a coarser soil macrostructure than mouldboard ploughing. Mouldboard ploughing increased soil loosening at the lower depth of the tillage zone compared to chisel ploughing. These transient differences between primary tillage treatments had little effect on overall soil profile permeability and hydraulic properties of the tilled/non-tilled interface at the 15–30 cm soil depth. Although soil microbial biomass, on a volume basis, was increased by 30% at the 0–10 cm soil depth under chisel ploughing, no differences were evident between tillage systems over the total tillage depth. Mouldboard ploughing increased total orgainc carbon by 43% at the 20–30 cm soil depth, and the carbon and nitrogen in the organic matter fraction ≤ 53 μm by 18–44% at the 10–30 cm soil depth, compared to chisel ploughing.     

Soil erosion estimation in conservation tillage systems with poultry litter application using RUSLE 2.0 model

Soil erosion is a major threat to global economic and environmental sustainability. This study evaluated long-term effects of conservation tillage with poultry litter application on soil erosion estimates in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) plots using RUSLE 2.0 computer model. Treatments consisting of no-till, mulch-till, and conventional tillage systems, winter rye (Secale cereale L.) cover cropping and poultry litter, and ammonium nitrate sources of nitrogen were established at the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, Belle Mina, AL (34°41′N, 86°52′W), beginning fall 1996. Soil erosion estimates in cotton plots under conventional tillage system with winter rye cover cropping declined by 36% from 8.0 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ in 1997 to 5.1 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ in 2004. This result was largely attributed to cumulative effect of surface residue cover which increased by 17%, from 20% in 1997 to 37% in 2004. In conventional tillage without winter rye cover cropping, soil erosion estimates were 11.0 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ in 1997 and increased to 12.0 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ in 2004. In no-till system, soil erosion estimates generally remained stable over the study period, averaging 0.5 and 1.3 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹with and without winter rye cover cropping, respectively. This study shows that cover cropping is critical to reduce soil erosion and to increase the sustainability of cotton production in the southeast U.S. Application of N in the form of ammonium nitrate or poultry litter significantly increased cotton canopy cover and surface root biomass, which are desirable attributes for soil erosion reduction in cotton plots.     

河西绿洲灌区保护性耕作对土壤风蚀特征的影响

为研究河西绿洲灌区保护性耕作对土壤风蚀的影响,通过春小麦田间试验,设置免耕不覆盖、免耕秸秆覆盖、立茬和残茬压倒4种保护性耕作处理,以传统耕作为对照,分析了河西绿洲灌区不同保护性耕作措施对田间输沙量、风蚀深度、风蚀物粒径组成、风速的影响。结果表明：0~30 cm高度输沙量能敏感地反映不同耕作措施之间输沙量的差异。与传统耕作相比,免耕不覆盖、免耕秸秆覆盖、立茬和残茬压倒处理0~30 cm高度输沙量分别减少17.4%~46.7%、21.7%~45.2%、24.7%~48.2%和10.7%~42.4%。风蚀深度传统耕作为1.22~1.44 mm,4种保护性耕作处理均为0 mm。与传统耕作相比,保护性耕作处理风蚀物粒径组成无显著变化,但<0.063 mm细粒占比有减小趋势。立茬处理20 cm高度风速显著降低24.1%~39.5%,其他保护性耕作措施风速降低不显著。综上所述,河西绿洲灌区不同保护性耕作措施能不同程度地抑制土壤风蚀,立茬处理是相对较优的保护性耕作措施,适宜该地区推广应用。     

Impact of tillage and crop rotation on light fraction and intra-aggregate soil organic matter in two Oxisols

It is well known that no-tillage (NT) practices can promote greater stocks of soil organic matter (SOM) in the soil surface layer compared to conventional tillage (CT) by enhancing the physical protection of aggregate-associated C in temperate soils. However, this link between tillage, aggregation and SOM is less well established for tropical soils, such as Oxisols. The objective of this study was to investigate the underlying mechanisms of SOM stabilization in Oxisols as affected by different crop rotations and tillage regimes at two sites in southern Brazil. Soils were sampled from two agricultural experiment sites (Passo Fundo and Londrina) in southern Brazil, with treatments comparing different crop rotations under NT and CT management, and a reference soil under native vegetation (NV). Free light fraction (LF) and intra-aggregate particulate organic matter (iPOM) were isolated from slaking-resistant aggregates. Of the total C associated with aggregates, 79–90% was found in the mineral fraction, but there were no differences between NT and CT. In contrast, tillage drastically decreased LF-C concentrations in the 0–5 cm depth layer at both sites. In the same depth layer of NT systems at Londrina, the concentrations of iPOM-C were greater when a legume cover crop was included in the rotation. At Londrina, the order of total iPOM-C levels was generally NV > NT > CT in the 0–5 cm depth interval, but the difference between NT and CT was much less than in Passo Fundo. At Passo Fundo, the greatest concentrations and differences in concentrations across tillage treatments were found in the fine (53–250 μm) iPOM fractions occluded within microaggregates. In conclusion, even though no aggregate hierarchy exists in these Oxisols, our results corroborate the concept of a stabilization of POM-C within microaggregates in no-tillage systems, especially when green manures are included in the rotation.     

Wind tunnel simulation of ridge-tillage effects on soil erosion from cropland

In the arid and semi-arid regions, ridge tillage was often used as an alternative practice for wind erosion control on the croplands without sufficient crop residues left during the fallow period. Through wind tunnel experiments, wind erosion rate and vertical mass flux profile of blown sand under the simulated conditions of ridge tillage and flat tillage were studied in 15, 10, 10, 5, 3 min exposures at the wind velocities of 8, 10, 15, 20, 24 m s⁻¹, respectively. The results for the soil tested indicate that the mean rate of wind erosion under flat tillage was 129.89 g m⁻² min⁻¹, while that under ridge tillage were 20–60% less. Under ridge tillage with different structures, average wind erosion rate had a positive correlation with the spacing between adjacent ridges. For the same ridge height, average wind erosion rate decreased with increasing ratio between the height of ridge and the width of furrow. For the same ratio between the height of ridge and the width of furrow, average wind erosion rate increased with increasing height of ridge. Power function relationships were found between wind erosion rate and wind velocity on all the simulated tillage conditions. A wind velocity of 15 m s⁻¹ was the critical velocity, above which wind erosion rate increased rapidly for the soil and simulated tillage conditions tested. Compared with flat tillage, ridge tillage remarkably decreased wind erosion rates when wind velocities were beyond 15 m s⁻¹. Under ridge tillage, the total mass of sand transported at a height of 0–20 cm above soil surface (Q_0–20), and the fraction of that travelling at a height of 0–4 cm (Q_0–4/Q_0–20), were less man mat under flat tillage. For the same ridge height, Q_0–4/Q_0–20 increased with increasing ratio between the height of ridge and the width of furrow. For the same ratio between the height of ridge and the width of furrow, Q_0–4/Q_0–20 decreased with increasing height of the ridge. Sand transport rate under flat tillage decreased with increasing height by a negative exponential function, while negative linear functions were found under ridge tillage. Thus ridge tillage decreased the rate of wind erosion and sand transportation near soil surface, reduced the loss of soil nutrient caused by wind erosion and plant damage caused by blown sand abrasion, which make it an effective agricultural technology for wind erosion control in the arid and semi-arid regions.     

Assessment of tillage translocation and tillage erosion by hoeing on the steep land in hilly areas of Sichuan, China

Most of the tillage erosion studies have focused on the effect of tractor-plough tillage on soil translocation and soil loss. Only recently, have a few studies contributed to the understanding of tillage erosion by manual tillage. Furthermore, little is known about the impact of tillage erosion in hilly areas of the humid sub-tropics. This study on tillage erosion by hoeing was conducted on a purple soil (Regosols) of the steep land, in Jianyang County, Sichuan Province, southwestern China (30°24′N and 104°35′E) using the physical tracer method.

The effects of hoeing tillage on soil translocation on hillslopes are quite evident. The tillage transport coefficients were 26–38 kg m⁻¹ per tillage pass and 121–175 kg m⁻¹ per tillage pass respectively for k₃- and k₄-values. Given that there was a typical downslope parcel length of 15 m and two times of tillage per year in this area, the tillage erosion rates on the 4–43% hillslopes reached 48–151 Mg ha⁻¹ per year. The downslope soil translocation is closely related to slope gradient. Lateral soil translocation by such tillage is also obvious though it is lower than downslope soil translocation. Strong downslope translocation accounts for thin soil layers and the exposure of parent materials/rocks at the ridge tops and on convexities in the hilly areas. Deterioration in soil quality and therefore reduction in plant productivity due to tillage-induced erosion would be evident at the ridge tops and convex shoulders.     

Tillage erosion within potato production in Atlantic Canada: II: Erosivity of primary and secondary tillage operations

To date, tillage erosion experiments in Canada have only been conducted on conventionally tilled corn-based production systems in Ontario and conventionally tilled cereal-based production in Manitoba. Estimates and assumptions have been made for all other production systems. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the erosivity of primary and secondary tillage operations within conventional and conservation potato production systems used in Atlantic Canada. Regression analysis determined that a direct relationship exists between slope gradient and both the mean displacement distance of the tilled layer (T_L) and the mass of translocated soil (T_M) for the chisel plough (CP), mouldboard plough (MP) and offset disc (OD), but not for the vibrashank (VS). Overall, the potential for tillage erosion of the MP, CP, and OD was similar (1.8–1.9 kg m⁻¹ %⁻¹ pass⁻¹) and larger than that of the VS (0.3 kg m⁻¹ %⁻¹ pass⁻¹). The regression coefficients for each implement were improved after including slope curvature, and we recommend that curvature be included in any future tillage erosion modelling. Our results show that both residue management to control wind and water erosion and soil movement to control tillage erosion must be considered when choosing implements and developing best management practices with regards to reducing the negative impacts of total soil erosion on potato production systems in Atlantic Canada.     

长期保护性耕作对黄土高原旱地土壤肥力质量的影响

长期定位试验研究了黄土高原西部旱农区传统耕作措施和5种保护性耕作措施对豌豆-小麦(P→W)和小麦-豌豆(W→P)轮作序列的耕层土壤肥力质量的影响。结果表明,与传统耕作(T)处理相比,传统耕作秸秆还田(TS)和免耕秸秆覆盖(NTS)处理有机质含量分别提高11.61%～12.21%和12.13%～16.99%,全氮提高7.29%～8.42%和11.58%～12.95%,全磷提高10.35%～14.63%和13.79%～18.29%,全钾提高7.32%～7.51%和8.78%～9.15%,速效磷提高11.10%～12.41%和16.29%～20.99%,速效钾提高25.11%～43.26%和31.62%～44.22%,pH降低0.11～0.17个单位和0.09～0.16个单位。进一步利用加乘法则和加权综合法两种模型评价不同耕作方式下的土壤肥力质量,结果表明,土壤肥力质量指数排序为NTS处理TS处理NTP处理NT处理T处理TP处理(P→W轮作序列)和NTS处理TS处理NT处理NTP处理TP处理T处理(W→P轮作序列)。在黄土高原雨养农作系统中,实施免耕结合秸秆覆盖,对促进和维持土壤养分平衡,提高土壤肥力质量具有重要意义。     

紫色土坡地旋耕机耕作侵蚀特征

耕作侵蚀的过程机制和防治技术研究是我国现阶段水土保持科学与技术的重点研究领域,关于小型旋耕机耕作的土壤再分布过程和影响因素研究较少.应用磁性示踪法研究旋耕机等高耕作、向下耕作和向上耕作的土壤再分布模式和强度,查明耕作速度对旋耕机耕作侵蚀的影响.结果表明:不同耕作方向下旋耕机单次耕作过程中均引起土壤同时发生向上坡和向下坡移动,且均导致土壤发生向下坡净位移;不同耕作速度时等高耕作和向上耕作土壤净位移与坡度均呈显著正相关(P＜0.01),而向下耕作二者无显著相关性(P＞0.05);土壤净位移量表现为快挡等高耕作(11.53 kg/m)＞快挡向下耕作(11.40kg/m)＞快挡向上耕作(7.59kg/m)＞慢挡向下耕作(7.33 kg/m)＞慢挡等高耕作(6.87 kg/m)＞慢挡向上耕作(6.29 kg/m);快挡时上下坡交替耕作的耕作侵蚀速率小于等高耕作,但慢挡时二者相当.旋耕机耕作相比传统耕作机具的耕作侵蚀明显下降,其推广应用对于防治紫色土坡地耕作侵蚀和土壤退化有重要作用.     

不同坡度径流小区产流产沙监测结果初报

相同土壤在同一降雨条件下,影响土壤侵蚀的因素是地形及植被。用粮农组织推荐的径流小区观测方法,经过2年对不同坡度上同一耕作方法和同一作物的侵蚀测定表明:10°～24°之间随坡度增大土壤侵蚀量增加,24°～35°之间随坡度增加土壤侵蚀增加趋势不大;径流系数也有同样反映。洋芋是陕北的主要作物,但洋芋作物地中的水土流失量大于其它作物地,甚至在陡坡26°时大于对照裸地。水平沟耕作栽培是一种有效治理措施,它在微地形上改变了地面坡度及坡长,有明显的截流保持水土效益,2年试验结果比坡地传统耕作减少土壤流失量60.3%。     

紫色丘陵区坡耕地生物埂的土壤抗蚀性综合评价

本文以紫色丘陵区坡耕地生物埂为研究对象,采用野外调查与室内分析相结合的方法对紫色丘陵区坡耕地桑树埂、花椒埂、紫花苜蓿埂、自然生草(狗尾草为主)埂模式下的土壤抗蚀性进行综合评价。结果表明:1)生物埂能有效增加土壤含水率和土壤有机质含量,改良土壤结构,且木本埂(桑树埂和花椒埂)改良效果更好。2)在评价生物埂土壤抗蚀性的四大类指标当中,变异程度最大的是水稳性团粒类指标,变异范围为46.84%~22.81%,平均变异达31.10%;其次为微团聚体类指标,变异范围为41.08%~20.55%,平均变异达30.97%;变异程度最小的为有机质,平均变异17.11%。3)通过主成分分析,13个用于表征研究区土壤抗蚀性的指标可优化为0.5 mm水稳性团聚体含量、团聚体分散率、水稳性指数和0.001 mm的黏粒含量4个指标。4)4种坡耕地生物埂模式下土壤抗蚀性综合指数大小依次为花椒埂桑树埂紫花苜蓿埂自然生草埂,抗蚀性强弱表现为花椒埂桑树埂紫花苜蓿埂自然生草埂。研究结果可为完善不同保护性耕作模式下土壤抗蚀性评价指标体系和区域性土壤抗蚀性评价及坡耕地水土保持措施的选择提供依据。     

保护性耕作对太行山前平原土壤质量的影响

保护性耕作被认为是华北平原农业可持续发展的重要措施, 但目前缺乏这些措施对土壤质量影响的系统报道。本研究以长期定位试验为基础, 探讨了太行山前平原两熟制高产农田不同耕作措施对麦田土壤质量的影响。试验始于2001 年, 设置翻耕玉米秸秆不还田(非保护性耕作对照, CK)、翻耕玉米秸秆粉碎还田(CT)、旋耕玉米秸秆粉碎还田(RT)和免耕玉米秸秆直立还田(NT)4 个处理。2007 年冬小麦收获后分层测定土壤有机碳(soil organic carbon, SOC)含量、容重(ρ_b)、水稳性团聚体、水分特征曲线、饱和导水率(K_s)和微生物量碳氮。2008 年测定了剖面SOC 含量、ρ_b 和蚯蚓数量。结果表明, 连续多年保护性耕作后土壤剖面的SOC 储量无显著变化, 但保护性耕作(RT 和NT)下SOC 的层化比率(1.74~2.04)显著高于翻耕处理(CK 和CT, 1.37~1.45); 保护性耕作显著提高了表层微生物量碳、氮含量以及单位面积土壤中的蚯蚓数量。NT 处理导致耕层(0~20 cm)土壤ρ_b 增加, 但提高了土壤团聚体的稳定性。CK 和CT 处理显著增加了0~5 cm 土层裂隙(>500 μm)和传输孔隙(500~50 μm)的比例, 而NT 处理则增加储水孔隙(50~0.5 μm)的含量。另外, 保护性耕作提高了土壤的K_s、田间持水量和有效水含量。对土壤质量指标S 的分析结果表明, 实施保护性耕作后, 太行山前平原地区土壤质量总体上得到改善。     

Axle load and tillage effects on the shrinkage characteristics of a Mollic Ochraqualf in northwest Ohio

Cracking due to soil shrinkage is a complex process whose effect on soil properties, crop growth and water quality are not adequately understood. The intensity of cracking depends on soil characteristics and management. The effect of three axle loads and three tillage methods on shrinkage characteristics and cracking behavior were studied for a heavy-textured lake bed soil in northwest Ohio. The three axle load treatments were 0, 10 and 20 Mg, and the three tillage treatments were no till (NT), chisel plowing (CP) and moldboard plowing (MP). Cracking area increased from 1.75% in July to 12.27% in September, was maximum in the NT treatment, and increased with increase in axle load. The no till and 30 Mg axle load caused significantly higher cracking than other axle load and tillage treatment combinations. Shrinkage of compressed soil cores under laboratory conditions showed that a bulk density of 1.5 Mg/m³ had the lowest total shrinkage volume. A combination of no till and heavy axle load increased the cracking area and accentuated adverse effects on soil structure.     

耕作与施肥对旱地玉米田土壤耗水量和水分利用效率的影响

为探究保护性耕作与施肥对渭北旱地春玉米田土壤耗水量和水分利用效率的影响,达到高效生产的目的。于2013—2015年在渭北旱塬实施了春玉米耕作与施肥田间试验,共设置6种耕作与施肥处理:翻耕+低肥(A1)、免耕+高肥(A2)、深松+平衡施肥(A3)、翻耕+无肥(B1)、免耕+无肥(B2)和深松+无肥(B3),测定了春玉米休闲期与生育时期0~200 cm土层土壤蓄水量和收获时籽粒产量。结果表明:1)保护性耕作能显著提高旱地玉米田土壤蓄水保墒能力。与传统翻耕处理B1相比,休闲期,B2和B3播前土壤蓄水量分别提高23.39 mm和27.73 mm(P0.05);耕作处理区,B2和B3全生育期土壤蓄水量平均提高13.41 mm和15.70 mm;耕作施肥处理区,A2、A3土壤蓄水量较A1分别提高13.15 mm、19.54 mm。2)平衡施肥能有效提高玉米全生育期平均土壤蓄水量,与不施肥处理相比,全生育期土壤蓄水量平均提高6.79 mm(P0.05)。3)保护性耕作与施肥能提高玉米籽粒产量与水分利用效率。耕作无肥处理区,与B1比较,B3处理产量提高212~576 kg×hm~(-2),水分利用效率提高0.83~2.21 kg×hm~(-2)×mm~(-1);耕作施肥处理区,A3产量与水分利用效率提高最为显著,产量较A1提高659~1 495 kg×hm~(-2),水分利用效率提高0.65~3.82 kg×hm~(-2)×mm~(-1)(P0.05)。3种施肥方式下以氮、磷、钾平衡施肥产量与水分利用效率提高幅度最大。4)对耗水量与产量进行相关性分析发现,抽雄—灌浆生育阶段土壤耗水量与产量呈显著正相关,保护性耕作提高玉米生长初期土壤蓄水保墒能力,提高春玉米抽雄—灌浆期土壤水分,增加作物生长关键时期对水分的利用效率,利于玉米籽粒产量的提高。因此在渭北旱地春玉米田,深松与平衡施肥组合能提高春玉米产量与水分利用效率,是该地区玉米高效生产较为适宜的种植模式。     

Effect of tillage intensity on weed infestation in organic farming

Conservation tillage is not yet widely accepted by organic farmers because inversion tillage is considered to be necessary for weed control. Three long-term experiments were established with combinations of reduced and conventional plough tillage and stubble tillage to determine weed infestation levels in organic farming, i.e. herbicide application being excluded. Experiment 1 (with very low stocking density of perennial weeds) showed that in presence of primary tillage by mouldboard ploughing the number of annual weeds was nearly unaffected by the mode of stubble tillage. In experiment 2, however, with Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) being artificially established, thistle density was significantly affected by stubble tillage and by a perennial grass–clover forage crop. Experiment 3 combined two levels of stubble tillage (skimmer plough, no stubble tillage = control) with four implements of primary tillage in the order of decreasing operation depth (deep mouldboard plough, double-layer plough, shallow mouldboard plough or chisel plough). Primary tillage by chisel plough resulted in significantly highest annual weed density compared to all other treatments. The natural C. arvense infestation in experiment 3 showed highest shoot density in the “skimmer plough/chisel plough” treatment compared to the lowest infestation in the “skimmer plough/double-layer plough” treatment. The poor capacity of the chisel plough for weed control was also reflected by the soil seed bank (5500 m⁻² C. arvense seeds for chisel plough, <300 seeds for all other primary tillage). A reduced operation depth of the mouldboard plough (“shallow mouldboard plough”) seemed to have an insufficient effect in controlling C. arvense infestation as well. Stubble tillage by the skimmer plough in addition to nearly any primary tillage operation largely reduced both annual weeds and thistle shoots. Most effective in controlling C. arvense was also a biennial grass–clover mixture as part of the crop rotation.Double-layer ploughing is a compromise between soil inversion and soil loosening/cutting and can be regarded as a step towards conservation tillage. In terms of controlling annual weeds and C. arvense, the double-layer plough was not inferior to a deep mouldboard plough and seems to be suitable for weed control in organic farming. Tilling the stubble shallowly after harvest can support weed control in organic farming remarkably, particularly in reducing C. arvense. If no noxious, perennial weeds occur and primary tillage is done by soil inversion, an omission of stubble tillage can be taken into consideration.     

Determination of long-term erosion rates in vineyards of Navarre (Spain) using botanical benchmarks

Grape production is an ancient and important activity, particularly in Spain. Within this country, Navarre is one of the best vine-producing regions. Despite the importance of the vine crop, any quantification of soil erosion rates on a pluri-decennial scale under this world-wide land use is scant. Considering that in Navarre grafting in vines was made until the 1990s directly in the field, and almost at soil surface level, the quantification of erosion/sedimentation rates around a single plant can be performed by using the large, identifiable callus forming around the graft as a palaeo-surface marker. Moreover, by sampling a number of vines evenly spread over the field, an erosion/sedimentation pattern within the study vineyards can also be defined by data interpolation. Our purpose in this paper is thus (i) to assess the erosion rates of vineyards of different ages in a Mediterranean area using the aforementioned botanical signal i.e., grafting callus, and (ii) to determine the topographic changes caused by the erosion processes in these fields. Some vineyards affected by soil erosion were selected to carry out our experiments.