Conservation tillage vs. conventional tillage: long-term effects on yields in continental, sub-humid Central Europe, Hungary

An understanding of long-term tillage and straw management impact on soil structure and productivity is necessary for the further development of conservation tillage practice in dryland farming areas. Data from a 15-year field experiment conducted in Shanxi, on the loess plateau of northern China, were used to compare the long-term effects of no-till and residue cover (NTSC) with conventional tillage (CT) in a winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) monoculture. Long-term CT and straw removal resulted in poor soil structure and low productivity. Mean soil bulk density in NTSC was 1.5% less than in CT and capillary porosity (<60 μm) 3.2% greater. Water stability of macro-aggregates >2 mm was much greater for NTSC in the 0–0.20 m profile. Soil organic matter and total N and P were 27.9%, 25.6%, and 4.4% greater in NTSC, respectively, and earthworms (19/m2) were found only in the no tillage treatment. Crop yield and water use efficiency tended to be higher under NTSC than under CT, especially in the years of low rainfall, suggesting that the change in soil structure has provided a better environment for crop development. Our 15-year experimental data indicate that NTSC is a more sustainable farming system, which can improve soil structure, and increase productivity with positive environmental impacts in the rainfed dryland farming areas of northern China.

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Long-term effects of conservation tillage on soil erosion in Central Europe: A random forest-based approach

Soil and Tillage Research ◽

10.1016/j.still.2021.104959 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 209 ◽

pp. 104959

Author(s):

Balázs Madarász ◽

Gergely Jakab ◽

Zoltán Szalai ◽

Katalin Juhos ◽

Zsolt Kotroczó ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Random Forest ◽

Soil Erosion ◽

Central Europe ◽

Conservation Tillage ◽

Long Term Effects

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Long Term Effects of Ploughing and Conservation Tillage Methods on Earthworm Abundance and Crumb Ratio

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy10101552 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (10) ◽

pp. 1552 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Igor Dekemati ◽

Barbara Simon ◽

Igor Bogunovic ◽

Ivica Kisic ◽

Katalin Kassai ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Water Content ◽

Water Conservation ◽

Conservation Tillage ◽

Soil Tillage ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

No Till ◽

Cover Ratio ◽

One Year ◽

Tillage Methods

In addition to the dry (D) and rainy (R) seasons, a combination of the two i.e., rainy-dry (RD) and dry-rainy (DR), can also be observed in one year. The effects of the dry (D) and rainy (R) on soil are known, hence we hypothesized that the effects of the rainy-dry (RD) and dry-rainy (DR) periods on soil may differ from the former assessments. The aim of the study is to investigate the effect of six tillage treatments (ploughing—P, disk tillage—DT, loosening—L, tine tillage (a deeper—T and a shallower—ST) and no-till—NT) on earthworm abundance and crumb ratio during a long-term research (16 years) on Chernozems. The results related to the four year-groups (D, R, RD, and DR) with different residue cover. Seven degrees of cover ratio (between 12.5% and 62.5%) were selected on stubbles. Higher cover ratio (≥52.5%) improved water conservation, increased earthworm abundance (31 and 41 ind m–2) and crumb (78 and 82%) ratio (p < 0.01). R year came first in the rank of water content and earthworm abundance and DR proved to be more favorable for crumb formation. Considering the rank of soil tillage treatments, ST takes first place in evaluation of soil water content (SWC) and crumb ratio, and NT for earthworm abundance.

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Comparison of soil CO2 emissions from three different tillage methods on chernozem soil

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-14675 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Márton Dencső ◽

Ágota Horel ◽

Zsófia Bakacsi ◽

Eszter Tóth

Keyword(s):

Greenhouse Gas Emission ◽

Environmental Parameters ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

No Tillage ◽

Chernozem Soil ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Tillage Practices ◽

The Difference ◽

Tillage Methods

Tillage practices influence soil CO2 emissions, hence many research investigate the long-term effects of conservation and conventional tillage methods e.g. ploughing and no-tillage on soil greenhouse gas emission.The experiment site is an 18-years-old long-term tillage trial established on chernozem soil. During 2020, we took weekly CO2 emission measurements in the mouldboard ploughing (MP), no-tillage (NT), and shallow cultivation (SC) treatments Tillage depth was 26-30 cm, 12-16 cm and 0 cm in the cases of MP, SC and NT respectively. The experiment was under wither oat cultivation.We investigated the similarity in the CO2 emission trends of SC to MP or NT treatments. Besides CO2 emission measurements, we also monitored environmental parameters such as soil temperature (Ts) and soil water content (SWC) in each treatment.During the investigated year (2020 January - December) SC had higher annual mean CO2 emission (0.115&#177;0.083 mg m-2 s-1) compared to MP (0.099&#177;0.089 mg m-2 s-1) and lower compared to NT (0.119&#177;0.100 mg m-2 s-1). The difference of the CO2 emissions was significant between SC and MP (p<0.05); however, it was not significant between SC and NT (p>0.05) treatments. The Ts dependency of CO2 emission was moderate in all treatments. CO2 emissions were moderately depended on SWC in MP and SC, and there was no correlation between these parameters in NT.The annual mean CO2 emission of the SC treatment was more similar to the NT, than to the MP treatment.

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Influence of conservation tillage practices on soil properties and crop yields for maize and wheat cultivation in Beijing, China

Soil Research ◽

10.1071/sr08110 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 47 (4) ◽

pp. 362 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Xirui Zhang ◽

Hongwen Li ◽

Jin He ◽

Qingjie Wang ◽

Mohammad H. Golabi

Keyword(s):

Soil Properties ◽

Crop Yields ◽

Conservation Tillage ◽

Soil Depth ◽

Chemical Properties ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

Production Costs ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Available N ◽

Beijing Area

Conservation tillage is becoming increasingly attractive to farmers because it involves lower production costs than does conventional tillage. The long-term effects of sub-soiling tillage (ST), no tillage (NT), and conventional tillage (CT) on soil properties and crop yields were investigated over an 8-year period (2000–07). The study was conducted in a 2-crop-a-year region (Daxing) and a 1-crop-a-year region (Changping) of the Beijing area in China. At 0–0.30 m soil depth, water stability of macro-aggregates (>0.25 mm) was much greater for ST (22.1%) and NT (12.0%) than for CT in Daxing, and the improvements in Changping were 18.9% and 9.5%, respectively. ST and NT significantly (P < 0.05) improved aeration porosity by 14.5% and 10.6%, respectively, at Daxing and by 17.0% and 8.6% at Changping compared with CT treatment. Soil bulk density after 8 years was 0.8–1.5% lower in ST and NT treatments than in CT at both sites. Soil organic matter and available N and P followed the same order ST ≈ NT > CT at both sites. Consequently, crop yields in ST and NT plots were higher than in CT plots due to improved soil physical and chemical properties. Within the conservation tillage treatments, despite similar economic benefit, the effects on crop yields for ST were better than for NT. Mean (2000–07) crop yields for ST were 0.2% and 1.5% higher than for NT at Daxing and Changping, respectively. We therefore conclude that ST is the most suitable conservation tillage practice for annual 2-crop-a-year and 1-crop-a-year regions in the Beijing area.

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Effect of different straw management practices on yields of continuous spring barely

Plant Soil and Environment ◽

10.17221/4204-pse ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 48 (No. 1) ◽

pp. 27-32 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

B. Procházková ◽

J. Málek ◽

J. Dovrtěl

Keyword(s):

Management Practices ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

Soil Tillage ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Straw Management ◽

Straw Burning ◽

Straw Incorporation ◽

Yield Trends

Field experiments were conducted in the maize-growing region on heavy gleic fluvisol from 1974 to 2000. Three variants of straw management (straw harvested, incorporated into soil and burned), two variants of soil tillage (conventional plough tillage to 0.22 m, shallow disc tillage to 0.12–0.15 m) and three variants of fertilization (30, 60 and 90 kg N.ha–1) were studied. After conventional tillage, the highest yield was obtained in the variant with burned straw (5.50 t.ha–1), followed by the variant with straw incorporated into soil (5.40 t.ha–1) and the lowest after harvested straw (5.01 t.ha–1). At shallow tillage, lower yields were assessed in all variants of straw management in comparison with conventional tillage (after straw burning 5.07 t.ha–1, incorporation into soil 4.66 t.ha–1 and harvest 4.54 t.ha–1). The ranking of variants was identical to that in inversion tillage; however, the yield increased more after straw burning in comparison with its incorporation into soil. Yields increased regularly along with increasing rates of nitrogen. If long-term effects of straw incorporation on yields and yield trends were evaluated (in comparison with straw harvest), statistically significant decrease in yields was assessed after shallow in contrast with increase in yields after deeper straw incorporation.

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Increase in maize yield and soil aggregate-associated carbon in North China due to long-term conservation tillage

Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1017/s001447972100020x ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-12

Author(s):

Ying Shen ◽

Tingting Zhang ◽

Jichao Cui ◽

Siyu Chen ◽

Huifang Han ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Economic Benefit ◽

North China ◽

Microbial Biomass Carbon ◽

Conservation Tillage ◽

Maize Yield ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

Soil Aggregate ◽

The North ◽

The Impact

Summary The North China Plain (NCP) is an important agricultural area, where conventional tillage (CT) is used year-round. However, long-term CT has damaged the soil structure, threatening agricultural sustainability. Since 2002, we have conducted a long-term tillage experiment in the NCP to explore the effects of different types of tillage on soil and crop yield. As part of long-term conservation tillage, we conducted a 2-year study in 2016/2017 to determine the impact of no tillage (NT), subsoiling (SS), rotary tillage (RT) and CT on soil aggregate distribution, aggregate-associated organic carbon (AOC), aggregate-associated microbial biomass carbon (AMBC), and maize yield. Compared to CT, NT increased the content of macro-aggregates (+4.8%), aggregate-AOC (+8.3%), and aggregate-AMBC (+18.3%), but decreased maize yield (−11.5%). SS increased the contents of macro-aggregates (+5%), aggregate-AOC (+14.7%), and aggregate-AMBC (+16%); although the yield increase was not significant (+0.22%), it had the highest economic benefit among the four tillage measures. RT had no significant advantage when considering the above soil variables; moreover, it reduced maize yield by 16.1% compared with CT. Overall, SS is a suitable tillage measure to improve soil macro-aggregate content, carbon content, yield, and economic benefit in the NCP area.

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Long-term conservation tillage in potato rotations in Atlantic Canada: Potato productivity, tuber quality and nutrient content

Canadian Journal of Plant Science ◽

10.4141/cjps08073 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 89 (2) ◽

pp. 273-280 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

M. R. Carter ◽

J. B. Sanderson ◽

R. D. Peters

Keyword(s):

Sandy Loam ◽

Conservation Tillage ◽

Potato Crop ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

Potato Yield ◽

Tuber Quality ◽

Surface Residue ◽

Eastern Canada ◽

Tillage System

Conservation tillage in combination with mulches in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) farming systems can maintain crop productivity and improve soil properties, in comparison with conventional tillage systems. However, information is needed on the long-term influence of such practices on potato crop parameters. A study was initiated in 1994 on a Charlottetown fine sandy loam (Orthic Podzol) in Prince Edward Island to assess the feasibility of using conservation tillage practices in combination with crop residue mulches (after the potato harvest) on potato production in two different potato rotations: a 2-yr barley-potato rotation and a clover-based 3-yr (barley-red clover -potato) rotation. In the conservation tillage system, the primary tillage event was moved from the autumn to spring and the degree and depth of tillage were reduced by replacing the conventional mouldboard plough (20 cm depth) with a shallow (15 cm depth) one-pass chisel plough just prior to potato planting. Potato yield and tuber quality, surface residue levels after potato planting, and tuber mineral content were evaluated from 2000 to 2007. Adoption of conservation tillage over the long-term did not adversely influence total or marketable potato yield, or tuber quality. The clover-based 3-yr rotation, compared with the 2-yr rotation, had little effect on total potato yield (42 vs. 44 Mg ha-1), but produced significantly higher marketable tuber yields (38 vs. 32 Mg ha-1), for four of the eight yrs of the study. The conservation tillage system, for both rotations, provided relatively high surface residue levels (>30%) after potato planting, compared with the bare soil surface in the conventional tillage system. Nutrient and trace element contents in tuber dry matter were similar between conservation and conventional tillage. Tuber uptake of nitrogen and other nutrients were slightly greater under the 3-yr, compared with the 2-yr rotation, and associated with tuber dry-matter yield differences. The results of the 14-yr study confirm the conclusions of previous short-term studies that a reduction in depth and intensity of tillage for potato culture is yield neutral, and a viable alternative to conventional tillage systems for potato production on sandy loams in eastern Canada. Key words: Conservation tillage, potato, crop rotation, fine sandy loam, crop yield, surface residue, eastern Canada

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Long-term effects of conventional tillage and no-tillage on saturated and near-saturated hydraulic conductivity – Can their prediction be improved by pore metrics obtained with X-ray CT?

Geoderma ◽

10.1016/j.geoderma.2019.114082 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 361 ◽

pp. 114082 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Steffen Schlüter ◽

Lukas Albrecht ◽

Kai Schwärzel ◽

Janis Kreiselmeier

Keyword(s):

Hydraulic Conductivity ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity ◽

No Tillage ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

X Ray

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Effect of Tillage Systems on Physical Properties of a Clay Loam Soil under Oats

Agriculture ◽

10.3390/agriculture9030062 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 62 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Karen Ordoñez-Morales ◽

Martin Cadena-Zapata ◽

Alejandro Zermeño-González ◽

Santos Campos-Magaña

Keyword(s):

Soil Properties ◽

Environmental Conditions ◽

Conservation Tillage ◽

Pore Space ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

Clay Loam ◽

Clay Loam Soil ◽

Tillage Systems ◽

Loam Soil

In many regions, conservation tillage has been shown to contribute to preserving soil properties. However, in order to promote this practice in new areas, it is necessary to generate information about its results in local environmental conditions. Our objective was to study the effect of No Tillage (NT), Vertical Tillage (VT) and Conventional Tillage (CT) on physical soil properties of a clay loam soil and on yields (Avena sativa L.), in a semiarid area of Mexico. From 2013 to 2016 an experiment was conducted in random blocks, with the three tillage systems as treatments. Four variables were measured; bulk density (Bd), pore space (P), hydraulic conductivity (Ks) and crop yield. Our results did show scarce differences between the tillage systems. Values ranged between 1.21 g cm−3 to 1.39 g cm−3 for Bd, 45% to 55% for P, and 4.29 mm h−1 to 13.61 mm h−1 for Ks. Although differences were not significant among treatments, Bd decreased 6.7% for CT, 5.6% for NT and 0.7% for VT. P increased 6% for CT, 5% for NT and 0.5% for VT. Ks for CT decreased 6% more than for NT and VT. Average yield was 13% less in NT compared to CT and VT. A long-term investigation is needed in order to determine the effects of tillage methods, in our particular environmental conditions.

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