Comparison of soil chemical properties, enzyme activities, levels of biomass N and aggregate stability in the soil profile under conventional and no-tillage in Canterbury, New Zealand

In Morocco, agriculture is an important sector of the economy, accounting for 15 to 20% of Gross Domestic Product. However, it has faced several challenges: intensive tillage of land that has accelerated water erosion, seriously threatening water and soil potential, low plant cover density and misuse of traditional agricultural practices, causing a decrease in organic matter levels and destroying aggregate stability. Climate change is making water and soil management in agriculture more and more complicated. The major challenge for Moroccan agriculture is to increase agricultural production while preserving natural resources. The objective of our study is to evaluate the effect of no tillage (NT) on the physico- chemical properties of soil in the El Koudia experimental station, Rabat, Morocco. The crop is durum wheat, Arrehane variety. Soil samples are pre-dried, ground and screened to 0.2mm for organic matter (OM) analysis and 2mm for the remainder of the analyses. Plugs, canned, are then sintered, screened and dried for structural stability tests. The results show that no tillage (NT) favours the accumulation of surface OM, particularly at the 0-5cm horizon unlike conventional tillage (CT). The NT promotes structural stability, with a mean weight diameter (MWD) = 0.94mm for the NT compared to 0.83mm for the CT. These results show that soils ploughed in CT are more exposed to erosion degradation than soils not ploughed (NT). In addition, NT preserves soil moisture and promotes additional water retention of 5 to 10%.

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Effects of Shallow-deep Drainage Ditch on Soil Chemical Properties and Soil Enzyme Activities in Sanhu Farm

IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science ◽

10.1088/1755-1315/178/1/012045 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 178 ◽

pp. 012045

Author(s):

Wenchao Zhang ◽

Fahu Li ◽

Jianqiang Zhu ◽

Xinguo Zhou

Keyword(s):

Enzyme Activities ◽

Chemical Properties ◽

Soil Enzyme ◽

Soil Chemical Properties ◽

Soil Enzyme Activities ◽

Drainage Ditch ◽

Deep Drainage

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Farm systems, soil chemical properties, and clay dispersion in watershed áreas

Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira ◽

10.1590/s1678-3921.pab2020.v55.01279 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 55 ◽

Author(s):

Amanda Letícia Pit Nunes ◽

Glassys Louise de Souza Cortez ◽

Thadeu Rodrigues Melo ◽

Alex Figueiredo ◽

Cassio Alexandre Rolan Wandscheer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Organic Carbon ◽

Soil Depth ◽

Chemical Properties ◽

Soil Disturbance ◽

Soil Chemical Properties ◽

No Tillage ◽

Conventional System ◽

Clay Dispersion ◽

Farm Systems ◽

Tillage System

Abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of different farm systems on clay dispersion and its relationship with soil chemical properties and the no-tillage system participatory quality index (IQP), in watershed areas in the west of the state of Paraná, Brazil. The farm systems evaluated were: no-tillage; no-tillage with crop succession; no-tillage with soil disturbance; and conventional system. In addition, the farm systems were evaluated for their IQP. Soil samples were collected at 0.0-0.20-m soil depth, in 40 agricultural areas and in 6 native forests considered as references. The degree of clay dispersion, total organic carbon, pH (CaCl2), exchangeable potassium (K+), available phosphorus (P), exchangeable calcium and magnesium (Ca2++Mg2+), and potential acidity (H+Al3+) were determined. A linear multiple regression model was fitted by the method of least squares. The averages of clay dispersion degree per watershed were compared at 5% probability. The farm systems were compared by Scott-Knott’s test. Soil chemical properties showed a higher influence on clay dispersion than the different farm systems assessed. The no-tillage system alone showed the highest content of organic carbon, which was similar to those of the native areas. The conventional system and the no-tillage system with soil disturbance showed a lower IQP and a higher degree of clay dispersion than the areas with the no-tillage system alone. The IQP allows distinguishing the conventional system from the no-tillage system.

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