Nitrogen storage in density and size fractions varied with tillage practices and cropping systems under residue return

Residue return can prevent or restore the degradation of cropland, meanwhile, additional N input from residue return inevitably result in the changes of soil nitrogen (N) pools. Our objectives were to evaluate these changes in a 16-year field experiment. The residue return experiment consisted of no-tillage (NT) and mouldboard plough (MP), combined with continuous maize (Zea mays L.) (MM) and maize-soybean (Glycine max Merr.) rotation (MS) cropping systems, that is, NTMM, NTMS, MPMM, MPMS; conventional tillage (removal of crop residue and deep plough) with continuous maize (CTMM) was included as a control. The soil was separated into density (LF, light fraction) and particle size (sand, silt and clay) fraction. In 0-5 cm and 5-10 cm layers, soil TN content in NT was higher than MP, whereas the opposite trend was observed in 10-20 cm. Thus, the stratification ratio of soil TN was greater under NT. Cropping system affected soil TN as MM > MS. Residue return increased soil N storage by 6.44%-24.85% in the plough layer. Taking CTMM as the baseline, NTMM and MPMM increased the N storage in all physical fractions, while the decrease of silt-N storage was observed in NTMS and MPMS. Under residue return, the distribution of N storage changes in LF and sand fraction was affected by tillage practice, and that in silt and clay fraction was affected by cropping system. In summary, NTMM is effective for soil N accumulation due to its highest N storage and all physical fractions of N storage was enhanced.

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EFFECT OF REDUCED TILLAGE AND MINERAL FERTILIZER APPLICATION ON MAIZE AND SOYBEAN PRODUCTIVITY

Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1017/s0014479711000895 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 48 (2) ◽

pp. 159-175 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

J. KIHARA ◽

A. BATIONO ◽

B. WASWA ◽

J. M. KIMETU ◽

B. VANLAUWE ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Crop Residue ◽

Cropping Systems ◽

Cropping System ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

Economic Benefits ◽

Residue Management ◽

Reduced Tillage ◽

Tillage Systems ◽

Tillage System ◽

Continuous Maize

SUMMARYReduced tillage is said to be one of the potential ways to reverse land degradation and ultimately increase the productivity of degrading soils of Africa. We hypothesised that crop yield following a modest application of 2 t ha−1 of crop residue in a reduced tillage system is similar to the yield obtained from a conventional tillage system, and that incorporation of legumes in a cropping system leads to greater economic benefits as opposed to a cropping system involving continuous maize. Three cropping systems (continuous maize monocropping, legume/maize intercropping and rotation) under different tillage and residue management systems were tested in sub-humid western Kenya over 10 seasons. While soybean performed equally well in both tillage systems throughout, maize yield was lower in reduced than conventional tillage during the first five seasons but no significant differences were observed after season 6. Likewise, with crop residue application, yields in conventional and reduced tillage systems are comparable after season 6. Nitrogen and phosphorus increased yield by up to 100% compared with control. Gross margins were not significantly different among the cropping systems being only 6 to 39% more in the legume–cereal systems relative to similar treatments in continuous cereal monocropping system. After 10 seasons of reduced tillage production, the economic benefits for our cropping systems are still not attractive for a switch from the conventional to reduced tillage.

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Effects of conservation agriculture on productivity and Economics of maize-wheat based cropping systems in midwestern Nepal

SAARC Journal of Agriculture ◽

10.3329/sja.v17i1.42761 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

pp. 49-63

Author(s):

K Pariyar ◽

A Chaudhary ◽

P Sapkota ◽

S Sharma ◽

CB Rana ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Grain Yield ◽

Cropping Systems ◽

Cropping System ◽

Conservation Agriculture ◽

Crop Productivity ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

Net Income ◽

Zero Tillage ◽

Higher Plant ◽

Equivalent Yield

The effects of two tillage methods (zero tillage and conventional tillage), two residue managements (residue kept and residue removed) and two levels of cropping system (maize + soybean and sole maize) were studied over 3 years (2015-2017) at Dailekh district of Nepal. Arun-2 and Puja were the varieties of maize and soybean used respectively, followed by winter wheat. The results revealed that the maize + soybean system had significantly higher plant population and ear population (34.83 thousands ha-1 and 34.35 thousands ha-1, respectively), grains per row (37.1), ear length (16.6 cm) and 20.5% higher grain yield as compared to sole maize. The highest maize equivalent yield (7.92 t ha-1) was recorded in maize + soybean as compared to the lower grain yield equivalent (7.06 t ha-1) in sole maize. Zero tillage accounted relatively higher benefits (high net income and B:C ratio) as compared to conventional tillage. The residue kept plot resulted significantly higher B:C ratio (2.41) than the residue removed (2.11) and the maize + soybean recorded 82.5% greater B:C ratio compared to sole maize. Net annual income was significantly higher in zero tillage, residue kept and maize + soybean system (NRs. 223072.00, 222958.00 and 269016.00 ha-1 respectively). Such combinations are recommended for Dailekh district of Nepal to have profitable crop productivity. SAARC J. Agri., 17(1): 49-63 (2019)

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An economic comparison of alternative and traditional cropping systems in the northern Great Plains, USA

Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems ◽

10.1079/raf2005128 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

pp. 68-73 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Eric A. DeVuyst ◽

Thomas Foissey ◽

George O. Kegode

Keyword(s):

North Dakota ◽

Great Plains ◽

Cropping Systems ◽

Cropping System ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

Northern Great Plains ◽

Yield Data ◽

Government Program ◽

Current Production ◽

Commodity Programs

AbstractCurrent production practices in the Red River Valley of North Dakota and Minnesota involve use of extensive tillage and/or herbicides to control weeds. Given the erosion potential, environmental concerns associated with herbicides, and herbicide-resistant weeds, alternative cropping systems that mitigate these problems need to be assessed economically. Furthermore, the role that government commodity programs play in the adoption of more ecologically friendly cropping systems needs to be determined. We evaluated 8 years of yield data (1994–2001) from field plots near Fargo, North Dakota, to compare the economics of two alternative cropping systems, reduced-input (RI) and no-till (NT), to a conventional tillage (CT) cropping system. The RI system relies on a more diverse rotation of soybean (SB), spring wheat (SW), sweet clover (SC) and rye, and uses fewer herbicide and fertilizer inputs than CT or NT. Both NT and CT systems rotate SB and SW. We found that CT returns averaged over $47 ha−1more than NT during the study period. Because SC yield data were not available, the economic competitiveness of RI was calculated using break-even yields and returns for SC. Historical SC yields in Cass County, North Dakota were not statistically different from the break-even yields. However, when government program payments were considered, break-even returns for SC increased by about $15 and $18 ha−1and break-even yields by 0.44 and 0.52 MT ha−1for RI to compare with NT and CT, respectively. These results indicate that CT management offers greater economic return than either RI or NT and that government program payments impede adoption of more environmentally friendly cropping systems in the northern Great Plains.

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Soil nitrate accumulation and leaching in conventional, optimized and organic cropping systems

Plant Soil and Environment ◽

10.17221/768/2017-pse ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 64 (No. 4) ◽

pp. 156-163

Author(s):

Wang Dapeng ◽

Zheng Liang ◽

Gu Songdong ◽

Shi Yuefeng ◽

Liang Long ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Winter Wheat ◽

Grain Yield ◽

Water Consumption ◽

Root Zone ◽

Cropping Systems ◽

Cropping System ◽

N Leaching ◽

N Accumulation ◽

Organic System ◽

Grain Yields

Excessive nitrogen (N) and water input, which are threatening the sustainability of conventional agriculture in the North China Plain (NCP), can lead to serious leaching of nitrate-N (NO3–-N). This study evaluates grain yield, N and water consumption, NO3–-N accumulation and leaching in conventional and two optimized winter wheat-summer maize double-cropping systems and an organic alfalfa-winter wheat cropping system. The results showed that compared to the conventional cropping system, the optimized systems could reduce N, water consumption and NO3–-N leaching by 33, 35 and 67–74%, respectively, while producing nearly identical grain yields. In optimized systems, soil NO3–-N accumulation within the root zone was about 80 kg N/ha most of the time. In the organic system, N input, water consumption and NO3–-N leaching was reduced even more (by 71, 43 and 92%, respectively, compared to the conventional system). However, grain yield also declined by 46%. In the organic system, NO3–-N accumulation within the root zone was generally less than 30 kg N/ha. The optimized systems showed a considerable potential to reduce N and water consumption and NO3–-N leaching while maintaining high grain yields, and thus should be considered for sustainable agricultural development in the NCP.

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Effect of Tillage, Residue Management and Cropping System on the Properties of Soil

International Journal of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology ◽

10.3126/ijasbt.v6i2.20433 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 164-168 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Bibek Thapa ◽

Keshab Raj Pande ◽

Baburam Khanal ◽

Santosh Marahatta

Keyword(s):

Cropping System ◽

Conservation Agriculture ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

Residue Management ◽

Zero Tillage ◽

Tillage Practices ◽

Residue Removal ◽

Main Plot ◽

Residue Retention

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of tillage practices, residue management and cropping system on soil properties at NMRP, Rampur, Chitwan from November 2015 to April 2016. The experiment was laid on Strip split design with combination of 12 different treatments i.e, zero tillage & conventional tillage as main plot in the strip, residue retention & residue removal as sub-plot factor and maize – wheat, maize + soybean – wheat & soybean – wheat cropping system as sub-sub plot factor. Three replications of the treatments were made. Soil sample before experiment and after harvest of wheat was taken (0-15cm). The experiment showed significant effect of zero tillage on organic carbon (2.169%) and on total soil nitrogen (0.112 %). Zero tillage with retention of residues is valuable tool for the conservation agriculture and helps in sustainability of soil however long-term research for the tillage management and residue retention should be conducted to highlight the major effects on change in properties of soil.Int. J. Appl. Sci. Biotechnol. Vol 6(2): 164-168

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Transition cropping system impacts on organic wheat yield and quality

Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems ◽

10.1017/s1742170514000283 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 30 (5) ◽

pp. 461-472 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Kristy Borrelli ◽

Richard Koenig ◽

Ian Burke ◽

Robert S. Gallagher ◽

Dennis Pittmann ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pacific Northwest ◽

Green Manure ◽

Cropping Systems ◽

Control Strategies ◽

Wheat Yield ◽

Cropping System ◽

Organic Production ◽

Soil N ◽

Crop Type ◽

Certified Organic

AbstractOrganic wheat and small grains are produced on relatively few acres in the inland Pacific Northwest. The objective of this study was to examine how the nitrogen (N) dynamics of cropping systems (CSs) produced during the transition phase impacted organic wheat yield and protein levels in the first 2 years of certified organic production. Certified organic spring wheat (SW) was produced in 2006 and winter wheat (WW) in 2007 following nine, 3-year transitional cereal, small grain and legume-intensive CSs. SW and WW following perennial alfalfa + oat/pea forage or 3 years of legume green manure tended to be more productive than wheat that followed systems that contained a small grain crop for at least 1 year during the transition. In addition to increasing soil N, well-established stands of forage and green manure provided adequate cover to reduce weed establishment prior to organic production. Effective weed control strategies were as important as increasing soil inorganic N levels for improving organic wheat production. Choice of crop type, cultivar and rotation is important in organic wheat systems and in this study, WW had better stand establishment, competition with weeds and higher overall yield than SW and would be a better-suited class of wheat for organic production in situations where spring weeds are the dominant problem. Regardless of CS or crop type, supplemental soil fertility (primarily N) during the organic production phase will be necessary to maintain high soil N levels and wheat yields in these dryland systems.

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Effects of contrasted cropping systems on yield and N balance of upland rainfed rice in Madagascar: Inputs from the DSSAT model

Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1017/s0014479720000010 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 56 (3) ◽

pp. 355-370

Author(s):

Julie Dusserre ◽

Patrice Autfray ◽

Miora Rakotoarivelo ◽

Tatiana Rakotoson ◽

Louis-Marie Raboin

Keyword(s):

Upland Rice ◽

Smallholder Farmers ◽

Cropping Systems ◽

N Uptake ◽

Cropping System ◽

N Balance ◽

Soil N ◽

Smallholder Farming ◽

Velvet Bean ◽

Experimental Conditions

AbstractIn response to the extensive development of upland rice on the hillsides of the Malagasy highlands, alternative cropping systems have been designed based on conservation agriculture (CA). As the promotion of CA in smallholder farming systems is still the subject of debate, its potential benefits for smallholder farmers require further assessment. In the context of resource-poor farmers and low-input production systems, nitrogen (N) is a major limiting nutrient. The effects of contrasted cropping systems have been studied on upland rice yield and N uptake in rainfed conditions: conventional tillage (CT) and CA with a mulch of maize or a legume (Stylosanthes or velvet bean). Decision Support Systems for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) crop growth model was used to quantify the soil N balance according to the season and the cropping system. The lowest yields were obtained in CA with a mulch of maize and were also associated with the lowest crop N uptake. Upland rice yields were higher or equivalent under CA with a legume mulch than under CT cropping systems. The supply of N was considerably higher in CA with a legume mulch than in CT, but due to higher leaching and immobilization in CA, the final contribution of N from the mulch to the crop was reduced although not negligible. DSSAT has been shown to be sufficiently robust and flexible to simulate the soil N balance in contrasting cropping systems. The challenge is now to evaluate the model in less contrasted experimental conditions in order to validate its use for N uptake and yield prediction in support to the optimization and design of new cropping systems.

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Methane consumption potential of soybean-wheat, maize-wheat and maize-gram cropping systems under conventional and no-tillage agriculture in a tropical vertisol

The Journal of Agricultural Science ◽

10.1017/s0021859620000416 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 158 (1-2) ◽

pp. 38-46

Author(s):

Bharati Kollah ◽

Mahendra Bakoriya ◽

Garima Dubey ◽

Rakesh Parmar ◽

J. Somasundaram ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Consumption Rate ◽

Cropping Systems ◽

Soil Layer ◽

Cropping System ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

Growth Stages ◽

No Tillage ◽

Available Nitrogen ◽

Methane Consumption ◽

Gene Copies

AbstractMethane (CH4) consumption in agricultural soil is imperative for the mitigation of climate change. However, the effect of tillage and cropping systems on CH4 consumption is less studied. Experiments were carried out in Madhya Pradesh, India with soybean-wheat (SW), maize-wheat (MW) and maize-gram (MG) cropping systems under conventional tillage (CT) and no-tillage (NT). Soybean/maize was cultivated during the kharif season (July–October) and wheat/chickpea in the rabi season (October–March) for 9 years consecutively. Soil samples were collected during vegetative growth stages of soybean and maize from different cropping systems. Methane consumption, the abundance of methanotrophs as particulate methane monooxygenase (pmoA) gene copies, soil and crop parameters were estimated. Methane consumption rate was higher in NT and upper soil layer (0–5 cm) than CT and 5–15 cm depth. Methane consumption rate k ranged from 0.35 to 0.56 μg CH4 consumed/g soil/d in the order of MW>SW>MG in 0–5 cm. The abundance of pmoA gene copies ranged from 43 × 104/g soil to 13 × 104/g soil and was highest in MW-NT and lowest in MG-CT. Available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium were higher in 0–5 cm than in 5–15 cm depth. Soil and plant parameters and abundance of pmoA genes correlated significantly and positively with CH4 consumption rate. No-tillage stimulated CH4 consumption compared to CT irrespective of cropping system and CH4 consumption potential was highest in MW and lowest in MG. However, the magnitude of the positive effect of NT towards CH4 consumption was higher in SW and MG than MW.

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Effects of Two Cropping and Two Tillage Systems and Pesticides on Peanut Pest Management1

Peanut Science ◽

10.3146/i0095-3679-18-1-12 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

pp. 41-46 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

N. A. Minton ◽

A. S. Csinos ◽

R. E. Lynch ◽

T. B. Brenneman

Keyword(s):

Cropping Systems ◽

Sclerotium Rolfsii ◽

Cropping System ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

White Mold ◽

Anticarsia Gemmatalis ◽

Root Knot Nematode ◽

Velvetbean Caterpillar ◽

Tillage Systems ◽

Minimum Tillage

Abstract In one or more years of a 3-year study, white mold (Sclerotium rolfsii) and Rhizoctonia limb rot (Rhizoctonia solani) damaged peanuts less in a wheat-peanut than in the fallow-peanut cropping system, but velvetbean caterpillar (Anticarsia gemmatalis) damage was less in the fallow-peanut. Thrips (Frankliniella fusca) and Rhizoctonia limb rot damage was less in minimum tillage than in conventional tillage but root-knot nematode (Melodogyne arenaria) damage was less in conventional tillage. Aldicarb reduced root-knot and lesion nematode (Pratylenchus brachyurus), thrips, and potato leafhopper (Empoascafabae) damage, but increased numbers of three cornered alfalfa hoppers (Spissistilus festinus) and velvetbean caterpillar damage. Flutolanil reduced white mold and Rhizocotonia limb rot damage. There was a high negative correlation (P=0.0001) of number of white mold loci with yield (r=-0.70). Rhizoctonia limb rot, gall and lesion indices and number of lesion nematodes in the soil were also negatively correlated with yield, but at low levels. Cropping systems did not affect peanut yields; however, tillage systems and nematicide/insecticide and fungicide treatments had major effects. Mean yield in conventional-tillage plots were greater than in minimum-tillage plots for the control and each chemical treatment. Mean yields were 11.1%, 55.9%, and 77.3% greater than control of aldicarb, flutolanil, and aldicarb plus flutolanil treatments, respectively, across cropping systems, tillage systems, and years.

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Assessing soil nitrogen availability in contrasting cropping systems at the end of transition to organic production

Canadian Journal of Soil Science ◽

10.4141/cjss2010-039 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 91 (4) ◽

pp. 493-501 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

K. Liu ◽

A. M. Hammermeister ◽

P. R. Warman ◽

C. F. Drury ◽

R. C. Martin

Keyword(s):

Soil Nitrogen ◽

Nitrogen Availability ◽

Transition Period ◽

Cropping Systems ◽

N Uptake ◽

Cropping System ◽

Organic Production ◽

N Availability ◽

Soil N ◽

Soil Nitrogen Availability

Liu, K., Hammermeister, A. M., Warman, P. R., Drury, C. F. and Martin, R. C. 2011. Assessing soil nitrogen availability in contrasting cropping systems at the end of transition to organic production. Can. J. Soil Sci. 91: 493–501. Quantifying soil nitrogen (N) availability at the end of a transition period for converting conventional fields to organic fields could enhance N management during the subsequent organic crop production phase. Soil total N (Ntot), KCl extractable N (KCl N) and potentially mineralizable N (No) were determined at the end of a 3-yr transition period. A complementary greenhouse ryegrass N bioassay was conducted using soils collected from the treated field plots. The field experiment consisted of six cropping systems comprising two N inputs (legume-based vs. manure-based) and three forage cropping treatments (0, 1 or 2 yr of forage in 4-yr rotations). The N input treatments consisted of alfalfa meal in the legume-based cropping system (LBCS) and composted beef manure in the manure-based cropping system (MBCS). Orthogonal contrasts suggested no differences in Ntot or KCl N either between LBCS and MBCS or between no-forage and forage cropping systems. However, in the greenhouse study, high cumulative N inputs in the MBCS resulted in significantly higher ryegrass N uptake and potentially mineralizable soil N than in the LBCS. Ryegrass N uptake ranged from 101 to 139 kg ha−1, which should be an adequate N supply for the succeeding potato crop. In the greenhouse, a ryegrass N bioassay effectively identified the differences in soil N availability. Ryegrass N uptake was linearly related to cumulative soil amendment N inputs but had no apparent relationship with N o. A systems approach provided a good assessment of N availability at the end of the transition period to organic production.

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