Crop rotations compared with continuous canola and wheat for crop production and fertilizer use over 6 yr

2018 ◽  
Vol 98 (5) ◽  
pp. 1139-1149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kabal S. Gill

Local economic, logistic, soil, and weather conditions have made appropriate rotations vary from one area to another. Seed yield and fertilizer use in rotations were compared with continuous cropping for 6 yr in the southeast Peace region of Alberta, Canada. Canola (C) (Brassica napus L.), wheat (W) (Triticum aestivum L.), pea (P) (Pisum sativum L.), barley (B) (Hordeum vulgare L.), and flax (F) (Linum usitatissimum L.) were grown in 12 treatments [i.e., continuous canola (CC) and wheat (WW) and rotations of W–C, P–W–W, C–W–W, C–C–W, P–C–W, C–P–W, W–B–C, B–W–C, F–W–C, and F–C–W]. Canola yield increased with 1 or 2 yr breaks from canola. Within rotations, there was a trend to lower canola yield on canola stubble compared with other crop stubbles. Wheat yield was generally lower in WW than in rotations. Among rotations, wheat yield tended to be greater on pea stubble compared with canola, wheat, barley, and flax stubbles. Averaged over 2010–2015, the canola yield benefit from rotations was 0.632 Mg ha−1 (19.4%) over CC and the wheat yield benefit from rotations was 0.313 Mg ha−1 (7.2%) over WW. Nitrogen saving was observed when pea was included in rotation.

1987 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. P. SINGH ◽  
J. W. B. STEWART ◽  
R. E. KARAMANOS

Current criteria for predicting zinc (Zn) deficiency in Saskatchewan soils are based on DTPA-extractable Zn values. DTPA-extractable Zn levels in 12% of 1200 samples taken across Saskatchewan contained less than 0.5 mg Zn kg−1 soil and would be classified as potentially Zn deficient. However, 23 field trials in 1982, 1983 and 1984 with spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), lentils (Lens esculenta Moench.), peas (Pisum sativum L.), alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), corn (Zea mays L.) and flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) produced only one significant response to Zn fertilization. No yield benefits due to either annual or residual application of Zn fertilizer were obtained even on high lime soils or those containing DTPA-extractable Zn levels below 0.5 mg kg−1 soil. Hence, current soil criteria to identify Zn deficiencies under the prevailing cropping systems must be revised to reflect these findings. Key words: DTPA-extractable Zn, crop response, critical level


2008 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. HAKALA ◽  
A.O. HANNUKKALA ◽  
E. HUUSELA-VEISTOLA

A longer growing season and higher accumulated effective temperature sum (ETS) will improve crop production potential in Finland. The production potential of new or at present underutilised crops (e.g. maize (Zea mays L.), oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.), lucerne (Medicago sativa L.)) will improve and it will be possible to grow more productive varieties of the currently grown crops (spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), oats (Avena sativa L.)). Also cultivation of autumn sown crops could increase if winters become milder and shorter, promoting overwintering success. Climatic conditions may on the other hand become restrictive in many ways. For example, early season droughts could intensify because of higher temperatures and consequent higher evaporation rates. Current low winter temperatures and short growing season help restrict the development and spread of pests and pathogens, but this could change in the future. Longer growing seasons, warmer autumns and milder winters may initiate new problems with higher occurrences of weeds, pests and pathogens, including new types of viruses and virus vectors. Anoxia of overwintering crops caused by ice encasement, and physical damage caused by freezing and melting of water over the fields may also increase. In this study we identify the most likely changes in crop species and varieties in Finland and the pest and pathogen species that are most likely to create production problems as a result of climate change during this century.;


1991 ◽  
Vol 71 (2) ◽  
pp. 227-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. F. Nuttall ◽  
S. S. Malhi

Field experiments were conducted for 3 yr on a Black Chernozemic soil at Melfort in northeastern Saskatchewan to determine the yield response and N uptake of seven crop/cultivars to autumn and spring applied N. The crop/cultivars were, rapeseed (Brassica napus L. 'Midas' and 'Target'; Brassica campestris L. 'Torch' and 'Echo'); wheat (Triticum aestivum L. 'Manitou'); barley (Hordeum vulgare L. 'Conquest') and flax (Linum usitatissimum L. 'Noralta') (main plots). Ammonium nitrate fertilizer treatments consisted of three rates of autumn broadcast N, 0, 34 and 67 kg N ha−1 (subplots), combined with N at 0, 11, 22, 45, 67 and 134 kg N ha−1 side-banded with seed in the spring (subsubplots). At the 67 kg N ha−1 rate, autumn application was inferior to spring application in increasing grain yield and N uptake for three of the seven crops (Torch and Echo rapeseed and Manitou wheat). Nitrogen fertilizer applied at 134 kg N ha−1 in spring produced grain yields that were not significantly higher than the split application of 67 kg N ha−1 applied in autumn and 67 kg N ha−1 applied in spring. All crops responded to spring applied N and continued to increase in yield up to the high rates of 67 or 134 kg N ha−1. Key words: Time of N application, N, crops, cultivars


1970 ◽  
Vol 50 (6) ◽  
pp. 659-666 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. M. AUSTENSON ◽  
A. WENHARDT ◽  
W. J. WHITE

Yields of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), and flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) were studied in various rotations over a 13-year period. During this time precipitation averaged about 10% below long term means. Wheat yields in the second year after fallow averaged about 75% of the yield in the first year after fallow, and were more variable. Continuous wheat failed in 2 years out of 13 because of excessive competition from weeds. Because of these failures, continuous wheat yields were extremely variable and averaged 55% of fallow yield. Barley performed in much the same way as wheat, except that the yield of barley was no more erratic on stubble land than on fallow. Wheat and barley yields were unaffected by other crops growing in 3-year rotations. Flax yields were depressed following flax, whether a year of fallow intervened or not. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) depressed wheat yield in the first crop after breaking, even though a full year of summerfallow preceded the wheat. Alfalfa with bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss.), and bromegrass alone, did not affect wheat yields significantly.


1974 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 307-314
Author(s):  
R. V. CLARK ◽  
A. R. MACK

Seed and forage yields of three barley cultivars (Hordeum vulgare L.) grown on the same land for 4 yr after fallow without fertilizer declined annually by 12–15%. Decline in yield occurred also with moderate to high rates of fertilization (335 and 670 kg/ha of 10-4-8) in high yielding years but not in low yielding years. Under continuous cropping, the osil NO3-N increased, the pH and NaHCO3-extractable P remained at the same general level, and exchangeable K decreased. The decrease in yields after the first barley crop on fallow land was accompanied generally by a decrease in foliage N and K concentration and some increase in the P concentration. Disease prevalence varied each year but, with the possible exception of leaf spot caused by Cochliobolus sativus (Ito & Kurib.) Drechsl. ex Dastur, did not increase with continuous cropping. Loose smut Ustilago nuda (Jens.) Rostr.) increased rapidly for 2 yr on the cultivar York and then decreased. It appeared to be affected more by weather conditions than by number of years in continuous barley.


1978 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 241-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. WADDINGTON

Under greenhouse conditions, incorporating ground straw in the soil at rates between 2,240 and 8,970 kg/ha reduced the emergence of alfalfa (Medicago media Pers. cv. Beaver) significantly (P < 0.05) and bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss cv. Magna) slightly, but had no effect on barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Conquest). Rape (Brassica napus L. cv. Target and B. campestris L. cv. Echo) straws were more damaging than wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Manitou) straw. Symptoms of severe nitrogen deficiency appeared early in the growth of barley where straw had been added to the soil. The effect on tillering varied. In one experiment tillers were smaller, in one tillers were larger; but in both, total leaf area produced was much less where 8,970 kg/ha of straw had been added to the soil. Bromegrass showed the same effects but to a lesser degree, probably because of slower growth requiring a smaller supply of nitrogen. Alfalfa growth was apparently unaffected. There was no evidence that the straw of either rapeseed species was more deleterious than wheat straw to crop growth after emergence. It is concluded that straw incorporated in soil affected barley and bromegrass growth by reducing the availability of nitrogen.


1974 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 625-650 ◽  
Author(s):  
GEO. W. ROBERTSON

Half a century of wheat yield and weather records at Swift Current in southwestern Saskatchewan were analyzed to determine the response of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to changing weather patterns. Weather at Swift Current has undergone subtle but significant changes over the past 50 yr. Earlier years had disturbed conditions: hot, dry periods alternating with cool, wet ones resulting in yield fluctuations ranging from crop failures to maximum values. More recently the weather has been quiet: dry and cool but less variable from year to year. The resulting conditions were more favorable for near-normal but less variable yields. Simple precipitation-based yield–weather models developed two decades ago no longer apply, because temperature and precipitation patterns are currently out of phase relative to earlier conditions. A factorial yield–weather model was used to explain the complex relationship. This involved the summation of the product of several quadratic functions of various weather elements. Those elements considered were precipitation, maximum and minimum temperatures, global radiation estimated from duration of bright sunshine, evaporation from a buried pan, and time as an indicator of advancing technology. One function contained a term for the antecedant crop condition. The most important elements were precipitation for the summer-fallow period and for May, June and August; maximum temperatures for June and July; and global radiation for May. Advances in technology would seem to have very little influence on wheat yield trends after weather trends were accounted for. The model accounted for 73% (r = 0.854) of the yield variability and provided realistic functions for explaining the curvilinear influence of individual weather elements on wheat yield. The model is of a form that is readily adaptable for assessing, at any time during the crop development period, the influence of past and current weather on future expected yield. This could be useful for interpreting weather data in terms of crop production in weather and crop condition surveillance programs.


1996 ◽  
Vol 76 (2) ◽  
pp. 223-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. A. Brandt

A number of alternative options to summerfallow are feasible on the Dark Brown soils of the Canadian prairies. These include recropping to cereal or pulse crops, as well as use of summerfallow substitute crops, such as legume green manures. The objective of this study was to evaluate these options for their impact on the productivity of subsequent crops. Green-manure lentil (Lens culinaris Medic.), incorporated at either the bud or full-bloom stage of growth, field pew (Pisum sativum L.), grain lentil, and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grown as grain were compared with conventional summerfallow for their impact on yield of a succeeding wheat crop and of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) grown the year after wheat on a Dark Brown Chernozemic soil at Scott, Saskatchewan. During the 5-yr period, 1984–1988, above-ground dry-matter production of green-manure lentil averaged 500 kg ha−1 at the bud stage of growth but more than doubled to 3170 kg ha−1, by full bloom. Grain yield of field pea averaged 1470 kg ha−1, while that of grain lentil, unfertilized wheat, and N-fertilized wheat averaged 1220, 1290 and 1490 kg ha−1, respectively. Considerable year-to-year yield variation occurred with all crops, variability being greatest for lentil. Yield of wheat grown after lentil green manure was similar to yield of wheat on summerfallow (2340 kg ha−1) during each of the 5 yr for both early (2360 kg ha−1) and late (2250 kg ha−1) incorporation. Wheat yield after pea (2210 kg ha−1) or grain lentil (2080 kg ha−) was reduced in 1987, but it was equal to wheat yield after summerfallow during the remaining 4 yr. Yield of wheat on wheat stubble, whether fertilized with N (1830 kg ha−1) or not (1610 kg ha−1), was generally lower than on summerfallow. Yield of barley grown the following year was generally unaffected by summerfallow or summerfallow substitute treatments. The higher value and similar productivity of pea and grain lentil, compared with wheat, combined with their favourable impact on subsequent wheat yield, should make these crops attractive alternatives to summerfallow. On fields unsuited to pea or grain lentil production, lentil green manures may be a suitable alternative to summerfallow because they should reduce soil degradation, although lentil green manures leave little residue to protect against soil erosion where through incorporation is practised. Summerfallow or green manure incorporated early or late generally resulted in greater available soil water and N for a succeeding crop than did grain lentil, pea or wheat. Key words: Green manuring, legume effect, recropping, lentil, grain yield, summerfallow alternatives


Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 2276
Author(s):  
Vladimír Langraf ◽  
Kornélia Petrovičová ◽  
Janka Schlarmannová

Changes in the structures of epigeic arthropods reflect changes in the ecological status of their habitats. The aim of this research was to assess the influence of ecotones and environmental variables (pH soil, soil moisture, potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen) on the abundance of epigeic arthropods. Between 2018 and 2020, an investigation of different types of crops (Brassica napus L., Pisum sativum L., Triticum aestivum L., T. spelta L., Zea mays L., grass mixture) recorded 31,315 individuals belonging to 14 taxonomic groups and their ecotones, using pitfall traps. The abundance of epigeic arthropods was affected by moisture, pH of soil, and levels of phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen. We observed a greater average number of individuals in the ecotones than in the fields in the months of September and October and in Triticum aestivum crops. During other months and for the remaining crops, we did not notice this difference. This contributed new information regarding the ecotone rule. Our results suggest that agricultural intensification affects epigeic arthropods in the crop Triticum aestivum, which is important for the production of biomass and also affects crop yields.


Author(s):  
Nicolae HODIŞAN ◽  
Gavrilă MORAR ◽  
Cristina-Maria NEAG

The paper presents the results of the allelopathic effect on the germination and growth of plants, immediately after springing, in the interaction between the invasive species Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. (common ragweed) and five crop species: wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), rye (Secale cereale L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), rape (Brassica napus L.) and lucerne (Medicago sativa). The tests consisted in applying treatments with aqueous extracts obtained from young Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. plants, as well as from different vegetative organs harvested from mature plants (roots, leaves and seeds). The results show a highly significant inhibiting effect on the germination of wheat, rye, barley and rape seeds and an insignificant one in lucerne seeds. A strong inhibiting effect upon the growth of plants in early stages of vegetation was established in wheat and rape and a stimulation of growth in the same stage of vegetation in barley and lucerne.


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