scholarly journals Interactive Effect of Land Preparation Methods and Weeding Frequency on Seasonal Soil Properties and Maize Yield

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Appah ◽  
S. H. M. Aikins
Keyword(s):  
Moisture Content ◽  
Physical Properties ◽  
Grain Yield ◽  
Interactive Effect ◽  
Total Porosity ◽  
Maize Yield ◽  
Penetration Resistance ◽  
Soil Physical Properties ◽  
Preparation Methods ◽  
Land Preparation

Dynamics of soil physical properties and maize yield were investigated in both major and minor cropping seasons under different land preparation methods and weeding frequency. A factorial design experiment was organized on a randomized complete block design with three replicates. The land preparation methods were plough + harrow (P + H) and no-tillage (NT) while weeding frequency treatments comprised 0, 1, 2 and 3-hoeing regimes. In both seasons, P + H yielded good penetration resistance and bulk density, high moisture content and total porosity, and maximum total grain yield than NT. Also, agitating the soil surface at different weeding frequency improved soil physical properties and maize yield parameters. Furthermore, lower penetration resistance and bulk density but higher moisture content and porosity were recorded on hoeing regime(s) than 0-hoeing. The interactive effect of land preparation methods versus weeding frequency on soil properties was significant except penetration resistance during minor season and total porosity during major season. Maximum total grain yield was obtained from P + H vs 2-hoeing treatment plots in both seasons. Generally, increasing weeding frequency on P + H plots enhanced soil physical properties and maize yield than NT treatment plots. Therefore, to obtain suitable seasonal soil conditions for crop production, cultivable soils should be ploughed, harrowed and hoed twice at 2nd and 5th weeks after ploughing (WAP).

scholarly journals Variations in selected soil physical properties with landforms and slope within an inland valley ecosystem in Ashanti region of Ghana

2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (No. 2) ◽  
pp. 73-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.E. Obalum ◽  
J.C. Nwite ◽  
J. Oppong ◽  
C.A. Igwe ◽  
T. Wakatsuki
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Moisture Content ◽  
Particle Size Distribution ◽  
Physical Properties ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Site Selection ◽  
Total Porosity ◽  
Soil Physical Properties ◽  
Silt Fraction ◽  
Inland Valley

One peculiar feature of the inland valleys abundant in West Africa is their site-specific hydrology, underlain mainly by the prevailing landforms and topography. Development and management of these land resources under the increasingly popular sawah (a system of bunded, puddled and levelled rice field with facilities for irrigation and drainage) technology is a promising opportunity for enhancing rice (Oryza sativa L.) production in the region. Information on the variations in selected soil physical properties as influenced by the prevailing landforms may serve as a useful guide in site selection. This is of practical importance since majority of the inland valleys are potentially unsuitable for sawah development and most farmers in the region are of low technical level. Three landforms (river levee, elevated area and depressed area) were identified within a sawah field located in an inland valley at Ahafo Ano South District of Ghana. Each of these landforms was topsoil-sampled along on identified gradient (top, mid and bottom slope positions). Parameters determined included particle size distribution, bulk density, total porosity and field moisture content. The soil is predominantly clayey. There were no variations in the particle size distribution among the slope positions in the river levee. Overall, the river levee had lower silt content than the elevated and the depressed landforms. The bulk density, total porosity, and gravimetric moisture content indicated relative improvements only in the depressed area in the order, bottom &gt; mid &gt; top slope. Irrespective of slope position, the three landforms differed in these parameters in the order, depressed &gt; river levee &gt; elevated. The sand fraction impacted negatively on the silt fraction and bulk density of the soil, both of which controlled the soil moisture status. Despite the fairly low silt content of the soil, the silt fraction strongly influenced the gravimetric moisture content (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.80). So too did the soil bulk density on the gravimetric moisture content (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.90). It is concluded that: (1) since the landforms more prominently influenced the measured parameters than the slope positions, the former should take pre-eminence over the latter in soil suitability judgment; (2) with respect to moisture retention, variations in silt fraction and bulk density of this and other clayey inland-valley soils should be used as guide in site selection for sawah development.

scholarly journals Post-Harvest Evaluation of Soil Physical Properties and Natural Regeneration Growth in Steep-Slope Terrains

Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1034 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hadi Sohrabi ◽  
Meghdad Jourgholami ◽  
Farzam Tavankar ◽  
Rachele Venanzi ◽  
Rodolfo Picchio
Keyword(s):  
Physical Properties ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Natural Regeneration ◽  
Recovery Period ◽  
Total Porosity ◽  
Penetration Resistance ◽  
Soil Physical Properties ◽  
Control Area ◽  
Traffic Intensity ◽  
Significant Difference

Protection of forest soils during harvesting operations is necessary to reduce damage and accelerate recovery time. The current study aims to evaluate soil physical properties, natural regeneration, and its recovery process in treatments including slope gradient, traffic intensity and skid trail after long periods of time, after ceasing the timber harvesting operations. The most recent skidding operations within each 5 years recovery period were studied for a chronosequence of 20 years. Soil samples were taken in abandoned skid trails and data were recorded on naturally regenerated species and density. The results revealed that most soil disturbances occurred on the slopes >20%, as well as the highest levels of traffic intensity. Bulk density and penetration resistance were still higher than the control area, with a significant difference between them, while total porosity was partially recovered. Twenty years after the skidding operation, soil bulk density and penetration resistance were 13.2% and 23.7% higher than the control area, while total porosity was 9.78% lower the than value of the control area. Seedlings of 50–150 cm and >150 cm in height on skid trails had significantly lower density than those in the control. The number of seedlings per m2 was less than the control area in all skid trails and for all height classes. The proportion of seedlings present in low traffic intensity was higher than in medium and high traffic intensities. The findings confirmed that full recovery rates are lengthy, and more time than 20 years is required to fully recover, especially with regards to penetration resistance.

scholarly journals Effect of Moldboard Plow Types on Soil Physical Properties Under Different Soil Moisture Content and Tractor Speed

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-58
Author(s):  
Aqeel J. Nassir
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Moisture Content ◽  
Physical Properties ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Soil Moisture Content ◽  
Penetration Resistance ◽  
Soil Physical Properties ◽  
Soil Porosity ◽  
Soil Penetration Resistance ◽  
Moldboard Plow

An experiment was conducted in fields of Agriculture college, University  of Basrah. The experiment was designed with split-spilt plots in Complete Randomized Blocks Design Treatments included three types of moldboard plows: helical,  semi digger and general –purpose, three soil moisture content levels (10.23,16.47 and 24.68%), and four tractor speed of 0.41, 0.56, 0.86 and 1.21 m sec -1  . The soil  physical properties were determined after plowing soil by using three types of moldboard plow. The results showed that there was significant effect of moldboard plow types, soil moisture content and tractor speed on soil physical properties including bulk density, soil porosity, soil penetration resistance and pulverization ratio. Results also indicated that the effect of interaction among plow types, soil moisture content and tractor speed was significantly on soil penetration resistance and pulverization ratios while it had not significantly effect on bulk density, soil porosity. In general, soil physical properties, had been improved when using high tractor speed and moderate soil moisture content whereas optimal operation was obtained when using general-purpose plow type and  high tractor speed of 1.12 m sec -1 and soil moisture content of 16.47% where this combination gives low bulk density (0.96Mg m-3), high soil porosity (63.90%) high soil pulverization ratio (74%) and low soil penetration resistance (623.47 kN m-2).

scholarly journals Soil Physical Properties and Grain Yield Influenced by Cover Crops and Crop Rotation

2018 ◽  
Vol 09 (04) ◽  
pp. 584-598 ◽  
Author(s):  
César Tiago Forte ◽  
Amauri Nelson Beutler ◽  
Leandro Galon ◽  
Camile Thais Castoldi ◽  
Fábio Luís Winter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Properties ◽  
Grain Yield ◽  
Crop Rotation ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Soil Physical Properties

Effect of soil physical properties on the long-term performance of planted Scots pine in Finnish Lapland

2010 ◽  
Vol 90 (3) ◽  
pp. 451-465 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Mäkitalo ◽  
V. Alenius ◽  
J. Heiskanen ◽  
K. Mikkola
Keyword(s):  
Physical Properties ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Scots Pine ◽  
Soil Physical Properties ◽  
Height Growth ◽  
Site Preparation ◽  
Preparation Methods ◽  
Finnish Lapland

Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.) forests dominate in Finnish Lapland. This study examined the long-term effects of soil physical properties and conditions measured in intact intermediate areas, as well as site preparation, on the survival and height growth of planted pine on eight experimental sites, 25-27 yr after reforestation. On the four originally spruce-dominated sites, pine survival was the highest on sites with a high soil air-filled porosity (AFP) near saturation (at -1 kPa), a high van Genuchten parameter, and a low soil water content (SWC) in situ, and height growth was the fastest on sites with a high soil AFP in situ and a high van Genuchten parameter n, and on sites reaching a soil AFP of ca. 0.20 m3 m-3 at a high matric potential after saturation. Survival, but not mean height, was enhanced on the spruce sites by intensive site preparation methods such as ploughing instead of lighter site preparation methods. On the four originally pine-dominated sites, site preparation affected the mean height but not survival. The use of SWC as a sole criterion for sites suitable for pine reforestation was tested and found to be uncertain. Key words: Boreal forest soils, soil water content, air-filled porosity, van Genuchten function, site preparation, reforestation, Scots pine

scholarly journals Short and long-term effects of tillage systems and nutrient sources on soil physical properties of a Southern Brazilian Hapludox

2008 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 1437-1446 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milton da Veiga ◽  
Dalvan José Reinert ◽  
José Miguel Reichert ◽  
Douglas Rodrigo Kaiser
Keyword(s):  
Physical Properties ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Crop Residues ◽  
Total Porosity ◽  
Soil Physical Properties ◽  
Soil Tillage ◽  
Tillage Systems ◽  
Nutrient Sources ◽  
Over Time

Soil tillage promotes changes in soil structure. The magnitude of the changes varies with the nature of the soil, tillage system and soil water content and decreases over time after tillage. The objective of this study was to evaluate short-term (one year period) and long-term (nine year period) effects of soil tillage and nutrient sources on some physical properties of a very clayey Hapludox. Five tillage systems were evaluated: no-till (NT), chisel plow + one secondary disking (CP), primary + two (secondary) diskings (CT), CT with burning of crop residues (CTb), and CT with removal of crop residues from the field (CTr), in combination with five nutrient sources: control without nutrient application (C); mineral fertilizers, according to technical recommendations for each crop (MF); 5 Mg ha-1 yr-1 of poultry litter (wetmatter) (PL); 60 m³ ha-1 yr-1 of cattle slurry (CS) and; 40 m³ ha-1 yr-1 of swine slurry (SS). Bulk density (BD), total porosity (TP), and parameters related to the water retention curve (macroporosity, mesoporosity and microporosity) were determined after nine years and at five sampling dates during the tenth year of the experiment. Soil physical properties were tillage and time-dependent. Tilled treatments increased total porosity and macroporosity, and reduced bulk density in the surface layer (0.00-0.05 m), but this effect decreased over time after tillage operations due to natural soil reconsolidation, since no external stress was applied in this period. Changes in pore size distribution were more pronounced in larger and medium pore diameter classes. The bulk density was greatest in intermediate layers in all tillage treatments (0.05-0.10 and 0.12-0.17 m) and decreased down to the deepest layer (0.27-0.32 m), indicating a more compacted layer around 0.05-0.20 m. Nutrient sources did not significantly affect soil physical and hydraulic properties studied.

scholarly journals Narrowing the Agronomic Yield Gaps of Maize by Improved Soil, Cultivar, and Agricultural Management Practices in Different Climate Zones of Northeast China

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (12) ◽  
pp. 1-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhijuan Liu ◽  
Xiaoguang Yang ◽  
Xiaomao Lin ◽  
Kenneth G. Hubbard ◽  
Shuo Lv ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Properties ◽  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Northeast China ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Maize Yield ◽  
Soil Physical Properties ◽  
Potential Yield ◽  
Climate Zones ◽  
Yield Gaps

Abstract Northeast China (NEC) is one of the major agricultural production areas in China, producing about 30% of China’s total maize output. In the past five decades, maize yields in NEC increased rapidly. However, farmer yields still have potential to be increased. Therefore, it is important to quantify the impacts of agronomic factors, including soil physical properties, cultivar selections, and management practices on yield gaps of maize under the changing climate in NEC in order to provide reliable recommendations to narrow down the yield gaps. In this study, the Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM)-Maize model was used to separate the contributions of soil physical properties, cultivar selections, and management practices to maize yield gaps. The results indicate that approximately 5%, 12%, and 18% of potential yield loss of maize is attributable to soil physical properties, cultivar selection, and management practices. Simulation analyses showed that potential ascensions of yield of maize by improving soil physical properties PAYs, changing to cultivar with longer maturity PAYc, and improving management practices PAYm for the entire region were 0.6, 1.5, and 2.2 ton ha−1 or 9%, 23%, and 34% increases, respectively, in NEC. In addition, PAYc and PAYm varied considerably from location to location (0.4 to 2.2 and 0.9 to 4.5 ton ha−1 respectively), which may be associated with the spatial variation of growing season temperature and precipitation among climate zones in NEC. Therefore, changing to cultivars with longer growing season requirement and improving management practices are the top strategies for improving yield of maize in NEC, especially for the north and west areas.

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