Fallow management, soil water, plant-available soil nitrogen and grain sorghum production in south west Queensland

1992 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 473 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Gibson ◽  
BJ Radford ◽  
RGH Nielsen
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Nitrate Nitrogen ◽  
Soil Nitrate ◽  
Zero Tillage ◽  
Fallow Management ◽  
South West ◽  
Primary Tillage ◽  
Grain Nitrogen ◽  
Texture Contrast ◽  
Gypsum Application

The effects of tillage frequency (conventional, reduced and zero), primary tillage implement (disc, blade and chisel plough), stubble management (retention and removal), gypsum application, and paraplowing were examined with respect to soil water storage, soil nitrate accumulation, crop establishment, crop growth, grain yield and grain nitrogen content for 4 successive sorghum crops on a sodic, texture-contrast soil in south west Queensland. Retention of sorghum stubble (v. removal) produced an increase in mean yield of sorghum grain of 393 kg/ha, due to increased soil water extraction and increased water use efficiency by the following crop. The highest mean yield occurred after reduced blade tillage with stubble retained. Zero tillage with stubble removed gave the lowest mean grain yield. Zero tillage always had the lowest quantity of soil nitrate-nitrogen at sowing. In one fallow, increased aggressiveness of primary tillage (disc v. blade plough) increased the quantity of nitrate-nitrogen in the top 60 cm of soil at sowing. These effects on available soil nitrogen did not result in corresponding differences in grain nitrogen content. Results indicate that for optimum fallow management on this texture-contrast soil in south west Queensland, sorghum residues should be retained, tillage frequency should be reduced, but not to zero, blade ploughing should be preferred to discing, and gypsum application should not be practised.

Zero tillage and nitrogen fertiliser application in wheat and barley on a Vertosol in a marginal cropping area of south-west Queensland

2007 ◽  
Vol 47 (8) ◽  
pp. 965 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. A. Thomas ◽  
R. C. Dalal ◽  
E. J. Weston ◽  
C. J. Holmes ◽  
A. J. King ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Water Storage ◽  
Soil Water Storage ◽  
Zero Tillage ◽  
Gross Margin ◽  
Winter Cereal ◽  
South West ◽  
Cereal Production ◽  
Fallow Soil ◽  
Fertiliser Application

Winter cereal cropping is marginal in south-west Queensland because of low and variable rainfall and declining soil fertility. Increasing the soil water storage and the efficiency of water and nitrogen (N) use is essential for sustainable cereal production. The effect of zero tillage and N fertiliser application on these factors was evaluated in wheat and barley from 1996 to 2001 on a grey Vertosol. Annual rainfall was above average in 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999 and below average in 2000 and 2001. Due to drought, no crop was grown in the 2000 winter cropping season. Zero tillage improved fallow soil water storage by a mean value of 20 mm over 4 years, compared with conventional tillage. However, mean grain yield and gross margin of wheat were similar under conventional and zero tillage. Wheat grain yield and/or grain protein increased with N fertiliser application in all years, resulting in an increase in mean gross margin over 5 years from $86/ha, with no N fertiliser applied, to $250/ha, with N applied to target ≥13% grain protein. A similar increase in gross margin occurred in barley where N fertiliser was applied to target malting grade. The highest N fertiliser application rate in wheat resulted in a residual benefit to soil N supply for the following crop. This study has shown that profitable responses to N fertiliser addition in wheat and barley can be obtained on long-term cultivated Vertosols in south-west Queensland when soil water reserves at sowing are at least 60% of plant available water capacity, or rainfall during the growing season is above average. An integrative benchmark for improved N fertiliser management appears to be the gross margin/water use of ~$1/ha.mm. Greater fallow soil water storage or crop water use efficiency under zero tillage has the potential to improve winter cereal production in drier growing seasons than experienced during the period of this study.

Mechanisms of interference between hay-scented fern and black cherry

1993 ◽  
Vol 23 (10) ◽  
pp. 2059-2069 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen B. Horsley
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Nitrogen ◽  
Nitrate Nitrogen ◽  
Soil Phosphorus ◽  
Photon Flux ◽  
Black Cherry ◽  
Soil Nitrate ◽  
Tree Roots ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Overstory Tree

Hay-scented fern (Dennstaedtiapunctilobula Michx.) interferes with establishment of black cherry (Prunusserotina Ehrh.) in the Allegheny hardwood forest of Pennsylvania. In stands where fern cover is dense, black cherry seeds germinate, but seedlings do not become established. Allelopathy was eliminated as the cause of interference in previous work; the present studies evaluated the resources of soil water, soil phosphorus, soil nitrogen, and light. The impact of hay-scented fern on the level of each resource, the availability of each resource to black cherry seedlings, and the growth response of black cherry seedlings to changes in resource availability were evaluated. Hay-scented fern had little effect on soil moisture levels, nor did it affect plant availability of soil water. The level of soil phosphorus was not reduced by the presence of hay-scented fern nor was phosphorus availability to black cherry seedlings less when they grew with fern. Both the speed and degree of mycorrhizal infection and the foliar phosphorus concentrations were similar in seedlings growing with or without fern cover. Hay-scented fern had no effect on rates of ammonium- or nitrate-nitrogen production nor was the soil concentration of ammonium affected. The presence of hay-scented fern significantly reduced the soil nitrate-nitrogen concentration in the first year after a shelterwood seed cut, but not in the second. Overstory tree roots were more important than hay-scented fern in removing soil nitrate. Availability of soil nitrogen was unaffected by the presence of hay-scented fern or overstory tree roots. Black cherry seedlings grew more where ferns were absent, regardless of whether overstory tree roots were present or absent. Competitive reduction in light was the key mechanism of fern interference with black cherry. Hay-scented fern caused dramatic reductions in both the photon flux density and the ratio of red to far-red light beneath it. Black cherry seedlings survived and grew poorly in the presence of fern foliage shade. Survival and growth similar to that above fern could be restored by restraining fern foliage, allowing light to reach black cherry seedlings from above.

Modeling the Effects of Crop Rotation and Tillage on Sugarbeet Yield and Soil Nitrate Using RZWQM2

2021 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 461-474
Author(s):  
Mohammad J. Anar ◽  
Zhulu Lin ◽  
Liwang Ma ◽  
Amitava Chatterjee
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Crop Rotation ◽  
Crop Yield ◽  
Crop Rotations ◽  
Biofuel Production ◽  
List Type ◽  
Soil Nitrate ◽  
N Losses ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Tillage Operations

HighlightsFour crop growth modules in RZWQM2 were calibrated for four sugarbeet rotation sequences.Sugarbeet following wheat had a slightly higher yield (3% to 6.5%).Moldboard plow increased sugarbeet yield by 1% to 2%.The difference in N losses under different crop rotations and tillage operations was negligible.Abstract. Sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris) is considered to be one of the most viable alternatives to corn for biofuel production as it may be qualified as the feedstock for advanced biofuels (reducing greenhouse gas emission by 50%) under the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007. Because sugarbeet production is affected by crop rotation and tillage through optimal use of soil water and nutrients, simulation of these effects will help in making proper management decisions. In this study, the CSM-CERES-Beet, CSM-CERES-Maize, CROPSIM-Wheat, and CROPGRO-Soybean models included in the RZWQM2 were calibrated against experimental field data of crop yield, soil water, and soil nitrate from the North Dakota State University Carrington Research Extension Center from 2014 to 2016. The models performed reasonably well in simulating crop yield, soil water, and nitrate (rRMSE = 0.055 to 2.773, d = 0.541 to 0.997). Simulation results identified a non-significant effect of crop rotation on sugarbeet yield, although sugarbeets following wheat resulted in 3% to 6.5% higher yields compared to other crops. Net mineralization and N uptake rates were slightly higher when sugarbeets followed wheat compared to the other crops. Seasonal N and water mass balances also showed lower N and water stresses when sugarbeets followed wheat. The effects of tillage operations on sugarbeet yield were also non-significant. The difference in the N losses to runoff and drainage from the sugarbeet fields under different crop rotations and tillage operations was negligible. As sugarbeet production may be expanded into nontraditional planting areas in the Red River Valley due to potential demand for biofuel production, our findings will help to assess the associated environmental impacts and identify suitable crop rotations and management scenarios in the region. Keywords: Biofuel, Crop rotation, RZWQM2, Sugarbeet, Tillage.

Nodulating and Non-Nodulating Soybean Rotation Influence on Soil Nitrate-Nitrogen and Water, and Sorghum Yield

2007 ◽  
Vol 99 (3) ◽  
pp. 599-606 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nanga Mady Kaye ◽  
Stephen C. Mason ◽  
Tomie D. Galusha ◽  
Martha Mamo
Keyword(s):  
Nitrate Nitrogen ◽  
Soil Nitrate

Economics of fertilizer-N management for zero-tillage continuous spring wheat in the Brown soil zone

1992 ◽  
Vol 72 (4) ◽  
pp. 981-995 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. P. Zentner ◽  
F. Selles ◽  
C. A. Campbell ◽  
K. Handford ◽  
B. G. McConkey
Keyword(s):  
Risk Aversion ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Spring Wheat ◽  
Triticum Aestivum L ◽  
Zero Tillage ◽  
Fertilizer N ◽  
Soil Zone ◽  
Medium Risk ◽  
N Management ◽  
Wheat Price

Optimum use of fertilizer inputs requires consideration of factors that influence plant response and those that govern the decisions of producers. The response of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to soil water and fertilizer N (FN) was assessed in a 9-yr zero-tillage study conducted on a medium-texture, Orthic Brown Chernozem at Swift Current, Saskatchewan. These data were used to assess the economic merit and risk considerations of alternative fertilizer-N management systems when combined with snow-trapping to enhance soil-water reserves. The fertilizer-N systems included rates from 0 to 100 kg ha−1; spring versus fall applications, and deep banding versus surface broadcasting. Tall trap strips of cereal stubble (40–60 cm tall by 90–120 cm wide, spaced every 6 m and running perpendicular to prevailing winds) were used for snow trapping and compared with stubble cut at a uniform standard height of 15–20 cm. The results showed that optimum fertilizer-N rates (FN) varied directly with soil-water (SW) reserves (available water in 0–120-cm depth measured in spring) and the probability distribution for 1 May to 31 July precipitation, and inversely with soil N (SN) (NO3 N in 0–60-cm depth measured in the previous fall), ratio of fertilizer-N cost to wheat price, and the level of risk aversion held by producers. The optimum FNs were highest for spring and fall banding; they were 3–14 kg ha−1 lower for spring broadcasting and 7–22 kg ha−1 lower with fall broadcasting. The optimum rates increased 3.7–5.7 kg N ha−1 for each 10-mm increase in SW, with the higher rates associated with high SN. The FNs declined 5 kg ha−1 for each additional year that the land was cropped continuously. For producers seeking to maximize expected profit or those with low risk aversion, the optimum FNs were considerably higher than those recommended by the Saskatchewan Soil Testing Laboratory (SSTL). In contrast, the FNs for producers with high risk aversion were generally lower than those of SSTL. The SSTL-recommended rates were most appropriate for producers with medium risk aversion. The study found no single combination of timing and method of fertilizer-N placement to be superior in all cases. Spring and fall banding generally provided higher net margins than broadcasting fertilizer N when SW and wheat prices were high, whereas spring broadcasting was best when SW and wheat prices were lower. The economic benefit from snow trapping averaged $9–$32 ha−1 depending on FN and wheat price; however, there was little benefit or a small loss in some years when infiltration of meltwater was low or winter snowfall was minimal.Key words: Yield, fertilizer N, soil water, optimum rates, riskiness, profit

Water and bromide movement in a Vertosol under four fallow management systems

Soil Research ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 75 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E. Turpin ◽  
J. P. Thompson ◽  
B. J. Bridge ◽  
D. Orange
Keyword(s):  
Water Movement ◽  
Conventional Tillage ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Zero Tillage ◽  
Tillage Systems ◽  
Fallow Management ◽  
Stubble Retention ◽  
Tracer Solution ◽  
Stubble Burning

Recent work on the Hermitage long-term fallow management found increased rates of anion movement under zero tillage systems compared with conventional tillage. Four separate experiments have been used to determine relative rates of water movement through different fallow management treatments on the Hermitage long-term fallow management trial and the causes of any differences. Photography of the aggregation patterns at the depth of tillage (approx. 15 cm) showed that conventional tillage combined with stubble burning has led to the formation of large massive peds up to 20 cm across below the tillage layer, whereas zero-tillage with stubble retention has maintained much smaller aggregates in this zone. Measurements of hydraulic conductivity at 15 cm under both dry and moist conditions indicated that, when the soil is dry and cracked, all tillage treatments have similar conductivities, but when the soil swells and cracks close, zero tillage–stubble retention maintains a greater volume of large pores and thereby greater conductivity. This effect was further demonstrated when a bromide tracer solution was applied to a relatively wet soil by ring infiltrometer, where only 15% of the solution moved below 15 cm in conventional tillage–stubble burning compared with 26% and 38% in zero tillage{stubble retention. In the final experiment, which followed the movement of surface applied bromide over a 6-month fallow, there were no significant differences in rates of leaching between management treatments.

The Effect of Human Activity on the Distribution of Soil Nitrate Nitrogen in Unsaturated Zone

2013 ◽  
Vol 790 ◽  
pp. 202-205
Author(s):  
Hui Yan Gao ◽  
Lu Hua Yang ◽  
Tian Li ◽  
Zi Peng Guo
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Nitrogen Content ◽  
Human Activity ◽  
Soil Profile ◽  
Nitrate Nitrogen ◽  
Root Zone ◽  
Deep Layer ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Growth Period ◽  
Soil Nitrate

Soil moisture and nitrate nitrogen were measured respectively in planting area and non-planting area in RANZHUANG experiment station from 2011 to 2012. The effect of human activity on soil moisture and nitrate nitrogen was analyzed. The results show that soil moisture content varies from 8.61% to 30.09% within 0~250cm depth and is tended to be stable below 250cm deep layer in non-planting area. The distribution of soil nitrate nitrogen is a single peak curve, the peak moves downward at a speed of 0.81cm/d in percolation of rainfall. Soil moisture varies form 21.23% to 41.67% within 0~400cm depth and is tended to be stable below 400cm deep layer in planting area. Nitrate nitrogen is mainly accumulated at 0~100cm deep soil layer in the wheat growth period. In the maize growth period, the distribution of nitrate nitrogen is double peak curve in 0~500cm soil profile. The upper peak occurs at 40~100cm soil layer, the peak of nitrate nitrogen content is between 26.7~54.6mg/kg; the lower emerges at 150~260cm soil profile, the value is between 36.7~106.36mg/kg. Deep percolation of the nitrate nitrogen is obvious due to unreasonable irrigation and fertilization. The nitrate nitrogen content accounts for 52.3% of the total nitrate nitrogen below the root zone soil, which is a potential contamination source of groundwater.

Following practices, soil water storage, plant-available soil nitrogen accumulation and wheat performance in South West Queensland

1992 ◽  
Vol 22 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 73-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
B.J. Radford ◽  
G. Gibson ◽  
R.G.H. Nielsen ◽  
D.G. Butler ◽  
G.D. Smith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Nitrogen ◽  
Water Storage ◽  
Soil Water Storage ◽  
Nitrogen Accumulation ◽  
South West
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