Soil quality regeneration by grass-clover leys in arable rotations compared to permanent grassland: Effects on wheat yield and resilience to drought and flooding

Production functions to explain regional wheat yields have not been studied extensively in the Canadian prairies. The objective of this study is to employ a Just-Pope production function to examine the relationship between fertilizer inputs, soil quality, biodiversity indicators, cultivars qualifying for Plant Breeders' Rights (PBR), and climatic conditions on the mean and variance of spring wheat yields. Using regional-level wheat data from Manitoba, Canada, model results show nitrogen fertilizer, temporal diversity, and PBR wheat cultivars are associated with increased yield variance. Mean wheat yield is reduced by the proportion of land in wheat, the interaction of growing temperature and precipitation, and spatial diversity. By contrast, higher soil quality and PBR wheat cultivars increase mean yield. The wheat yield increases attributed to PBR range from 37.2 (1.4%) to 54.5 kg/ha (2.0%). Plant Breeders' Rights may have enhanced royalties from increased certified seed sales, but the benefits in terms of higher wheat yield or lower yield variability are limited. Future research is required to understand the interactive effects of fertilization practices, genetic diversity, and environmental conditions on regional wheat yield stability.

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Assessing the Influence of Soil Quality on Rainfed Wheat Yield

Agriculture ◽

10.3390/agriculture10100469 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (10) ◽

pp. 469

Author(s):

Kamal Nabiollahi ◽

Eskandari Heshmat ◽

Amir Mosavi ◽

Ruth Kerry ◽

Mojtaba Zeraatpisheh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Assessment ◽

Soil Quality ◽

Agricultural Land ◽

Crop Yields ◽

Wheat Yield ◽

Data Set ◽

Study Region ◽

Soil Quality Assessment ◽

Rainfed Wheat

Soil quality assessment based on crop yields and identification of key indicators of it can be used for better management of agricultural production. In the current research, the weighted additive soil quality index (SQIw), factor analysis (FA), and multiple linear regression (MLR) are used to assess the soil quality of rainfed winter wheat fields with two soil orders on 53.20 km2 of agricultural land in western Iran. A total of 18 soil quality indicators were determined for 100 soil samples (0–20 cm depth) from two soil orders (Inceptisols and Entisols). The soil properties measured were: pH, soil texture, organic carbon (OC), cation exchange capacity (CEC), electrical conductivity (EC), soil microbial respiration (SMR), carbonate calcium equivalent (CCE), soil porosity (SP), bulk density (BD), exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP), mean weight diameter (MWD), available potassium (AK), total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorus (AP), available Fe (AFe), available Zn (AZn), available Mn (AMn), and available Cu (ACu). Wheat grain yield for all of the 100 sampling sites was also gathered. The SQIw was calculated using two weighting methods (FA and MLR) and maps were created using a digital soil mapping framework. The soil indicators determined for the minimum data set (MDS) were AK, clay, CEC, AP, SMR, and sand. The correlation between the MLR weighting technique (SQIw-M) and the rainfed wheat yield (r = 0.62) was slightly larger than that the correlation of yield with the FA weighted technique (SQIw-F) (r = 0.58). Results showed that the means of both SQIw-M and SQIw-F and rainfed wheat yield for Inceptisols were higher than for Entisols, although these differences were not statistically significant. Both SQIw-M and SQIw-F showed that areas with Entisols had lower proportions of good soil quality grades (Grades I and II), and higher proportions of poor soil quality grades (Grades IV and V) compared to Inceptisols. Based on these results, soil type must be considered for soil quality assessment in future studies to maintain and enhance soil quality and sustainable production. The overall soil quality of the study region was of poor and moderate grades. To improve soil quality, it is therefore recommended that effective practices such as the implementation of scientifically integrated nutrient management involving the combined use of organic and inorganic fertilizers in rainfed wheat fields should be promoted.

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Degradation of soil quality by the waste leachate in a Mediterranean semi-arid ecosystem

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-90699-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Sh. Yeilagi ◽

Salar Rezapour ◽

F. Asadzadeh

Keyword(s):

Soil Quality ◽

Quality Index ◽

Crop Yields ◽

Wheat Yield ◽

Sensitivity Index ◽

Soil Quality Index ◽

Data Set ◽

Total N ◽

Quality Degradation ◽

Waste Leachate

AbstractThe assessment of soil quality indices in waste leachate-affected soils is vital to understand the threats of land quality degradation and how to control it. In this respect, a study was conducted on the effects of uncontrolled landfill leachate on soil quality index (SQI) in calcareous agricultural lands using 28 soil variables. Using the total data set (TDS) and minimum data set (MDS) approaches, the SQI was compared between leachate-affected soils (LAS) and control soils by the integrated quality index (IQI) and nemoro quality index (NQI) methods. The results revealed that LAS were significantly enriched by soil salinity-sodicity indices including electrical conductivity (EC), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), and exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP), fertility indices including total N, available P and K, organic carbon, and cation exchange capacity (CEC), exchangeable cations (Ca, Mg, K, and Na), the available and total fractions of heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, Ni). After the leachate got its way into the soil, the values of IQI and NQI were dropped ranging 5–16% and 6.5–13% for the TDS approach and 5–15.2% and 7.5–12.2 for the MDS approach, respectively. Clearly, the data showed that soil quality degradation was encouraged and stimulated by the leachate. Among the different models of SQI applied in the present study, IQI determined by MDS was the optimal model to estimate soil quality and predict crop yields given the analysis of the correlations among the SQI models, the correlations between the SQI models and wheat yield, and sensitivity index values.

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Long-term Impact of Cyclic Use of Sodic and Canal Water for Irrigation on Soil Quality and Wheat Yield in Cotton-Wheat Cropping System

Journal of the Indian Society of Soil Science ◽

10.5958/0974-0228.2019.00004.5 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 67 (1) ◽

pp. 34

Author(s):

O.P. Choudhary ◽

Meenakshi Bhalla ◽

Sandeep Sharma ◽

Rakesh Sharda ◽

Manpreet Singh Mavi

Keyword(s):

Soil Quality ◽

Wheat Yield ◽

Cropping System ◽

Canal Water ◽

Long Term Impact

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EFFECTS OF SUNFLOWER ON SOIL QUALITY INDICATORS AND SUBSEQUENT WHEAT YIELD

Soil Science ◽

10.1097/00010694-200006000-00007 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 165 (6) ◽

pp. 516-522 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

R. A. Bowman ◽

D. C. Nielsen ◽

M. F. Vigil ◽

R. M. Aiken

Keyword(s):

Soil Quality ◽

Quality Indicators ◽

Wheat Yield ◽

Soil Quality Indicators

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FIELD EVALUATION OF SOIL AND WHEAT RESPONSES TO COMBINED APPLICATION OF HARDWOOD BIOCHAR AND INORGANIC FERTILIZERS IN ACIDIC SANDY LOAM SOIL

Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1017/s0014479717000205 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 54 (4) ◽

pp. 507-519 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

BANASHREE SARMA ◽

NIRMALI GOGOI ◽

MADHURI BHARALI ◽

PRIYANKA MALI

Keyword(s):

Soil Quality ◽

Sandy Loam ◽

Wheat Yield ◽

Sandy Loam Soil ◽

Soil Parameters ◽

N Recovery ◽

Data Set ◽

Inorganic Fertilizers ◽

Loam Soil ◽

The Impact

SUMMARYBiochar application appears to be a promising method to improve soil physicochemical and biological properties by increasing soil carbon. Along with the influence of hardwood biochar on wheat growth, yield and soil quality for a period of two years, this study also evaluates the major soil parameters to be taken as minimum data set while assessing the impact of hardwood biochar in an acidic sandy loam soil. Five fertilizer treatments combining inorganic fertilizers and biochar were applied: unfertilized control (T1); 100% NPK (T2); 5 Mg ha−1 biochar (T3); 100% NPK + 5 Mg ha−1 biochar (T4); and 50% N + 100% PK + 5 Mg ha−1 biochar (T5). Biochar application (T3 vs. T1; T4 and T5 vs. T2) significantly increased leaf chlorophyll content, net photosynthesis rate, leaf N concentration and above and below-ground biomass, with improved wheat yield and grain quality (total grain protein and carbohydrate). Soil pH, water-holding capacity, available nutrients (N, P and K), organic carbon and its fractions also enhanced in biochar applied plots with reduced bulk density. Increased activities of soil enzymes urease, phosphatase, dehydrogenase, fluorescein di-acetate and arylsulphatase were recorded in biochar treatment along with significant increase in N recovery index (22%) and agronomic efficiency (40%). Multivariate analysis identified activity of phosphatase, pH and humic acid to fulvic acid ratio as the indicators to explain the total variance from biochar addition in acidic sandy loam soil under wheat cultivation. Soil quality index showed a significant improvement when biochar was added with reduced N doses (T5). This study confirms the efficacy of biochar as a soil conditioner when applied with reduced N fertilizer and would be a sustainable option to improve wheat production and soil quality in acidic sandy loam soils of northeast India.

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Productivity and Topsoil Quality of Young and Old Permanent Grassland: An On-Farm Comparison

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12072600 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (7) ◽

pp. 2600

Author(s):

Goaitske Iepema ◽

Joachim G. C. Deru ◽

Jaap Bloem ◽

Nyncke Hoekstra ◽

Ron de Goede ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Quality ◽

Phleum Pratense ◽

Organic N ◽

Grassland Soil ◽

Organic C ◽

Permanent Grassland ◽

The North ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Potentially Mineralizable N ◽

On Farm

Renewing agricultural grasslands for improved yields and forage quality generally involves eliminating standing vegetation with herbicides, ploughing and reseeding. However, grassland renewal may negatively affect soil quality and related ecosystem services. On clay soil in the north of the Netherlands, we measured grass productivity and soil chemical parameters of ‘young’ (5–15 years since last grassland renewal) and ‘old’ (>20 years since last grassland renewal) permanent grasslands, located as pairs at 10 different dairy farms. We found no significant difference with old permanent grassland in herbage dry matter yield and fertilizer nitrogen (N) response, whereas herbage N yield was lower in young permanent grassland. Moreover, the young grassland soil contained less soil organic matter (SOM), soil organic carbon (C) and soil organic N compared to the old grassland soil. Grass productivity was positively correlated with SOM and related parameters such as soil organic C, soil organic N and potentially mineralizable N. We conclude that on clay soils with 70% desirable grasses (i.e., Lolium perenne and Phleum pratense) or more, the presumed yield benefit of grassland renewal is offset by a loss of soil quality (SOM and N-total). The current practice of renewing grassland after 10 years without considering the botanical composition, is counter-productive and not sustainable.

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The effect of digestate, cattle slurry and mineral fertilization on the winter wheat yield and soil quality parameters

Plant Soil and Environment ◽

10.17221/530/2015-pse ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 61 (No. 11) ◽

pp. 522-527 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

T. Šimon ◽

E. Kunzová ◽

M. Friedlová

Keyword(s):

Winter Wheat ◽

Soil Quality ◽

Wheat Yield ◽

Quality Parameters ◽

Cattle Slurry ◽

Mineral Fertilization ◽

Winter Wheat Yield

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Preliminary Effects of Crop Residue Management on Soil Quality and Crop Production under Different Soil Management Regimes in Corn-Wheat Rotation Systems

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11020302 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 302

Author(s):

Morad Mirzaei ◽

Manouchehr Gorji Anari ◽

Ehsan Razavy-Toosi ◽

Hossein Asadi ◽

Ebrahim Moghiseh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Properties ◽

Soil Quality ◽

Crop Residue ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Crop Residues ◽

Soil Depth ◽

Wheat Yield ◽

Water Infiltration ◽

Residue Management ◽

Ct System

Strategic management of crop residues is essential to enhance soil quality for sustainable agriculture. However, little is known about the specific amounts of crop residues needed to improve soil quality characteristics which are key to develop economic plans. In this study, we investigated the effects of applying crop residue at five rates, including 100% (R100), 75% (R75), 50% (R50), 25% (R25), and 0% (R0), on wheat yield and soil properties. Field experiments were conducted for two cropping seasons in a wheat-corn rotation under conventional (CT) and no-till (NT) systems to observe the first results obtained during short-term periods (one-year application). During the study, the wheat and corn fields were irrigated. Application of plant residue resulted in increased soil organic carbon (SOC) and available nutrients and improved soil physical properties, i.e., aggregates mean weight diameter in wet (MWDw) and dry (MWDd) conditions, water-stable aggregates (WSA), dry-stable aggregates, (DSA), soil water infiltration (SWI), soil available water (SAW), and yield of wheat and corn. The effects were stronger at higher residue application rates. In the CT system, compared to R0, R100 resulted in the highest increase equal to 38, 29, 23, 34, 35, 41, and 11% for SOC, MWDw, MWDd, WSA, DSA, SAW, and wheat grain yield, respectively. This was equivalent to 28, 19.5, 19, 37, 44, 52, and 6% for the NT system, respectively. Generally, the NT system resulted in a stratification of the soil properties within 0–10 cm compared to 10–20 cm soil depth, but a uniform distribution for both depths under CT system. Overall, these results show that crop residue application can improve soil quality and yield in cereal production systems under semi-arid conditions during the first year of application. It will be key to monitor these changes in along-term field studies.

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