The Contribution of Soil Tillage and Nitrogen Rate to the Quality of Maize Grain

A soil tillage system adjusted to the soil type and agro-ecological conditions, together with the optimal nutrient supply, is a prerequisite for high maize (Zea mays L.) yield. However, there is little knowledge about the influence of soil tillage and nitrogen (N) rates on maize grain quality. A study was initiated in 1978 in Zemun Polje, Belgrade, Serbia, on the chernozem soil type. The effects of three N rates—0, 180 and 240 kg N ha−1—within three tillage practices—no-tillage, reduced and conventional tillage—and their influence on grain yield (GY) and the content of proteins, starch, oil, total tocopherols and carotenoids, phytic phosphorus (Phy), glutathione (GSH), phenols and inorganic P (Pi) in maize grain were analysed in the period 2016–2018. Differences in maize GY were 2.57 and 3.01 t ha−1 for reduced- or no-tillage, respectively, in comparison to conventional tillage. Conventional tillage and higher N rates contributed to the increase in maize yield and the grain nutritional quality with regard to the increased level of proteins, GSH and Phy. On the other hand reduced inputs were beneficial only for grain quality, in relation to the increase in tocopherols and phenols.

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Segetal Diversity in Selected Legume Crops Depending on Soil Tillage

Agriculture ◽

10.3390/agriculture10120635 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (12) ◽

pp. 635

Author(s):

Jolanta Bojarszczuk ◽

Janusz Podleśny

Keyword(s):

Dry Weight ◽

Weather Conditions ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

Soil Tillage ◽

Reduced Tillage ◽

No Tillage ◽

Flowering Stage ◽

Legume Crops ◽

Tillage System ◽

Weed Infestation

The aim of the paper was to determine weed infestation expressed by weeds number and weed weight and other index under a three different tillage system: no-tillage (NT), reduced tillage (RT), and ploughing tillage (CT) in two legume species crops: pea and narrowed-leaved lupine. The research proved that growing legume under no-tillage conditions caused the increasing weed infestation. Weather conditions in each of the study years were shown to influence the weed infestation. The dry weight of weeds was higher in narrow-leaved lupine by 7% in flowering stage assessment and by 6% before harvest than in pea crop. The weeds number in the conventional tillage system in the flowering stage in pea and lupine crops was 24 and 26 plants·m−2, respectively, under the reduced tillage conditions it was 33 and 29% higher, while under no-tillage it was 58 and 67% higher. In all tillage systems the dominant species were Chenopodium album L., Viola arvensis L., Anthemis arvensis L., and Cirsium arvense L. The results prove that soil tillage system affect weed infestation of legume crops.

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Long term effects of different soil tillage systems on maize (Zea mays L.) yields

Plant Soil and Environment ◽

10.17221/443/2010-pse ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 57 (No. 4) ◽

pp. 186-192 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Ž. Videnović ◽

M. Simić ◽

J. Srdić ◽

Z. Dumanović

Keyword(s):

Zea Mays L ◽

Maize Yield ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

Soil Tillage ◽

Reduced Tillage ◽

No Tillage ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Tillage Systems ◽

Maize Production

The effects of three tillage systems: no-tillage (NT), reduced tillage (RT) and conventional tillage (CT), and three levels of fertilization (0, 258 and 516 kg/ha NPK (58:18:24)), on the maize yield during ten years (1999–2008) were analyzed on the chernozem soil type in Zemun Polje, Serbia. Statistical analyses showed significant effects of all three factors i.e., year, soil tillage and amount of fertilizers, and their interactions on the maize yield. The ten-year averages showed that the highest yields were observed with CT (10.61 t/ha), while the averages with RT and NT were lower (8.99 t/ha and 6.85 t/ha, respectively). The results of the influence of the amount of the applied fertilizers on maize yield showed that the lowest yield was in the zero level of fertilization 7.71 t/ha, while the yield was raised when the 258 kg/ha and 516 kg/ha NPK were applied (9.18 t/ha and 9.56 t/ha, respectively). Analyzing the influence of the soil tillage systems on maize production with respect to the amounts of applied fertilizers, this research revealed the benefits of CT under the presented agroecological conditions, irrespective of the level of applied fertilizer.

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Preference of Peponapis pruinosa (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) for Tilled Soils Regardless of Soil Management System

Environmental Entomology ◽

10.1093/ee/nvz052 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 48 (4) ◽

pp. 961-967 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Amanda R Skidmore ◽

Clancy A Short ◽

Chasity Dills ◽

Karen Goodell ◽

Ricardo T Bessin

Keyword(s):

Conventional Tillage ◽

Soil Tillage ◽

Tillage Practices ◽

No Till ◽

Disturbed Soil ◽

Tillage System ◽

Strip Tillage ◽

The Impact ◽

Peponapis Pruinosa ◽

Ground Nesting

Abstract Concerns about global pollinator declines have placed a growing focus on understanding the impact of agriculture practices on valuable native pollinators in these systems. Cultivation practices such as tillage disturb agroecosystems and can have negative impacts on ground-nesting pollinators. The squash bee, Peponapis pruinosa (Say), is a ground-nesting specialist pollinator of Cucurbita (Cucurbitaceae) crops (i.e., pumpkins and squash) that often nests in agricultural fields and thus may be vulnerable to these practices. We investigated the impact of tillage on nesting behavior of P. pruinosa in plasticulture and strip-tilled squash systems. We used choice experiments to test nesting substrate preference and nesting success of caged P. pruinosa in two soil tillage systems: strip tillage and plasticulture. The strip tillage system comprised two tillage zones (strip-tilled row with no-till edges), and the plasticulture system comprised two tillage zones (plastic bed and conventional tillage edge). The results of our study indicate that P. pruinosa nesting density did not significantly differ between the strip tillage and plasticulture systems. Within each system, P. pruinosa preferred excavating nests in the most disturbed soil zones (strip-tilled row and conventionally tilled edge). In the strip tillage system, the strip-tilled row had significantly more nests than the no-till edge. Results of these studies suggest that soil tillage practices can influence P. pruinosa nesting choice and production practices should be considered when developing a pollinator protection plan.

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No-Tillage Agriculture

Science ◽

10.1126/science.208.4448.1108 ◽

1980 ◽

Vol 208 (4448) ◽

pp. 1108-1113 ◽

Cited By ~ 259

Author(s):

Ronald E. Phillips ◽

Grant W. Thomas ◽

Robert L. Blevins ◽

Wilbur W. Frye ◽

Shirley H. Phillips

Keyword(s):

Agricultural Land ◽

Crop Yields ◽

Agricultural Practices ◽

Cropping System ◽

The United States ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

No Tillage ◽

Tillage Practices ◽

Tillage System ◽

Year 2000

The no-tillage cropping system, a combination of ancient and modern agricultural practices, has been rapidly increasing in use. By the year 2000, as much as 65 percent of the acreage of crops grown in the United States may be grown by the no-tillage practice. Soil erosion, the major source of pollutants in rural streams, is virtually eliminated when no-tillage agriculture is practiced. The no-tillage system reduces the energy input into corn and soybean production by 7 and 18 percent, respectively, when compared to the conventional tillage system of moldboard plowing followed by disking. In addition, crop yields are as high as or higher than those obtained with traditional tillage practices on large areas of agricultural land.

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The Effects of Management (Tillage, Fertilization, Plant Density) on Soybean Yield and Quality in a Three-Year Experiment under Transylvanian Plain Climate Conditions

Land ◽

10.3390/land10020200 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 200

Author(s):

Felicia Chețan ◽

Cornel Chețan ◽

Ileana Bogdan ◽

Adrian Ioan Pop ◽

Paula Ioana Moraru ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Plant Density ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

Quality Parameters ◽

Soil Tillage ◽

Reduced Tillage ◽

Seeding Rate ◽

Soybean Yield ◽

Climate Conditions ◽

Yield And Quality ◽

Tillage System

The regional agroecological conditions, specific to the Transylvanian Plain, are favorable to soybean crops, but microclimate changes related to global warming have imposed the need for agrotechnical adaptive measures in order to maintain the level of soybean yield. In this study, we consider the effect of two soil tillage systems, the seeding rate, as well as the fertilizer dosage and time of application on the yield and quality of soybean crops. A multifactorial experiment was carried out through the A × B × C × D − R: 3 × 2 × 3 × 3 − 2 formula, where A represents the year (a1, 2017; a2, 2018; and a3, 2019); B represents the soil tillage system (b1, conventional tillage with mouldboard plough; b2, reduced tillage with chisel cultivator); C represents the fertilizer variants (c1, unfertilized; c2, one single rate of fertilization: 40 kg ha−1 of nitrogen + 40 kg ha−1 of phosphorus; and c3, two rates of fertilization: 40 kg ha−1 of nitrogen + 40 kg ha−1 of phosphorus (at sowing) + 46 kg ha−1 of nitrogen at V3 stage); D represents the seeding rate (1 = 45 germinating grains (gg) m−2; d2 = 55 gg m−2; and d3 = 65 gg m−2); and R represents the replicates (r1 = the first and r2 = the second). Tillage had no effect, the climate specific of the years and fertilization affected the yield and the quality parameters. Regarding the soybean yield, it reacted favorably to a higher seeding rate (55–65 gg m−2) and two rates of fertilization. The qualitative characteristics of soybeans are affected by the fertilization rates applied to the crop, which influence the protein and fiber content in the soybean grains. Higher values of protein content were recorded with a reduced tillage system, i.e., 38.90 g kg−1 DM in the variant with one single rate of fertilization at a seeding rate of 45 gg per m−2 and 38.72 g kg−1 DM in the variant with two fertilizations at a seeding rate of 65 gg m−2.

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EFFECT OF SOIL TILLAGE AND PLANT RESIDUE ON SURFACE ROUGHNESS OF AN OXISOL UNDER SIMULATED RAIN

Revista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo ◽

10.1590/01000683rbcs20150187 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 39 (1) ◽

pp. 268-278 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Elói Panachuki ◽

Ildegardis Bertol ◽

Teodorico Alves Sobrinho ◽

Paulo Tarso Sanches de Oliveira ◽

Dulce Buchala Bicca Rodrigues

Keyword(s):

Surface Roughness ◽

Soil Surface ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

Plant Residue ◽

Soil Tillage ◽

No Tillage ◽

Maize Crop ◽

Minimum Tillage ◽

Roughness Index ◽

Simulated Rain

Surface roughness of the soil is formed by mechanical tillage and is also influenced by the kind and amount of plant residue, among other factors. Its persistence over time mainly depends on the fundamental characteristics of rain and soil type. However, few studies have been developed to evaluate these factors in Latossolos (Oxisols). In this study, we evaluated the effect of soil tillage and of amounts of plant residue on surface roughness of an Oxisol under simulated rain. Treatments consisted of the combination of the tillage systems of no-tillage (NT), conventional tillage (CT), and minimum tillage (MT) with rates of plant residue of 0, 1, and 2 Mg ha-1 of oats (Avena strigosa Schreb) and 0, 3, and 6 Mg ha-1 of maize (Zea mays L.). Seven simulated rains were applied on each experimental plot, with intensity of 60±2 mm h-1 and duration of 1 h at weekly intervals. The values of the random roughness index ranged from 2.94 to 17.71 mm in oats, and from 5.91 to 20.37 mm in maize, showing that CT and MT are effective in increasing soil surface roughness. It was seen that soil tillage operations carried out with the chisel plow and the leveling disk harrow are more effective in increasing soil roughness than those carried out with the heavy disk harrow and leveling disk harrow. The roughness index of the soil surface decreases exponentially with the increase in the rainfall volume applied under conditions of no tillage without soil cover, conventional tillage, and minimum tillage. The oat and maize crop residue present on the soil surface is effective in maintaining the roughness of the soil surface under no-tillage.

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Tillage in Relation to Distribution of Nutrients and Organic Carbon in the Soil

Agriculture (Pol nohospodárstvo) ◽

10.2478/v10207-011-0003-2 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 57 (1) ◽

pp. 21-30

Author(s):

Božena Šoltysová ◽

Martin Danilovič

Keyword(s):

Organic Carbon ◽

Soil Organic Carbon ◽

Total Nitrogen ◽

Spring Barley ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

Soil Tillage ◽

Reduced Tillage ◽

Available Phosphorus ◽

No Tillage ◽

The Difference

Tillage in Relation to Distribution of Nutrients and Organic Carbon in the SoilChanges of total nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium and soil organic carbon were observed on gleyic Fluvisols (locality Milhostov) at the following crops: grain maize (2005), spring barley (2006), winter wheat (2007), soya (2008), grain maize (2009). The experiment was realized at three soil tillage technologies: conventional tillage, reduced tillage and no-tillage. Soil samples were collected from three depths (0-0.15 m; 0.15-0.30 m; 0.30-0.45 m). The ratio of soil organic carbon to total nitrogen was also calculated.Soil tillage affects significantly the content of total nitrogen in soil. The difference between the convetional tillage and soil protective tillages was significant. The balance showed that the content of total nitrogen decreased at reduced tillage by 5.2 rel.%, at no-tillage by 5.1 rel.% and at conventional tillage by 0.7 rel.%.Similarly, the content of organic matter in the soil was significantly affected by soil tillage. The content of soil organic carbon found at the end of the research period was lower by 4.1 rel.% at reduced tillage, by 4.8 rel.% at no-tillage and by 4.9 rel.% at conventional tillage compared with initial stage. The difference between the convetional tillage and soil protective tillages was significant.Less significant relationship was found between the soil tillage and the content of available phosphorus. The balance showed that the content of available phosphorus was increased at reduced tillage (by 4.1 rel.%) and was decreased at no-tillage (by 9.5 rel.%) and at conventional tillage (by 3.3 rel.%).Tillage did not significantly affect the content of available potassium in the soil.

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Intercepted solar radiation by maize crops subjected to different tillage systems and water availability levels

Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira ◽

10.1590/s0100-204x2010001200001 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 45 (12) ◽

pp. 1331-1341 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Homero Bergamaschi ◽

Genei Antonio Dalmago ◽

João Ito Bergonci ◽

Cleusa Adriane Menegassi Bianchi Krüger ◽

Bruna Maria Machado Heckler ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Solar Radiation ◽

Leaf Area Index ◽

Extinction Coefficient ◽

Water Availability ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

No Tillage ◽

Tillage Systems ◽

Area Index ◽

Tillage System ◽

Crop Cycle

The objective of this work was to evaluate changes in the photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) interception efficiency and PPFD extinction coefficient for maize crop subjected to different soil tillage systems and water availability levels. Crops were subjected to no-tillage and conventional tillage systems combined with full irrigation and non-irrigation treatments. Continuous measurements of transmitted PPFD on the soil surface and incoming PPFD over the canopy were taken throughout the crop cycle. Leaf area index and soil water potential were also measured during the whole period. Considering a mean value over the maize cycle, intercepted PPFD was higher in the conventional tillage than in the no-tillage system. During the initial stages of plants, intercepted PPFD in the conventional tillage was double the PPFD interception in the no-tillage treatment. However, those differences were reduced up to the maximum leaf area index, close to tasseling stage. The lowest interception of PPFD occurred in the conventional tillage during the reproductive period, as leaf senescence progressed. Over the entire crop cycle, the interception of PPFD by the non-irrigated plants was about 20% lower than by the irrigated plants. The no-tillage system reduced the extinction coefficient for PPFD, which may have allowed a higher penetration of solar radiation into the canopy

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Forms of phosphorus in an oxisol under different soil tillage systems and cover plants in rotation with maize

Revista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo ◽

10.1590/s0100-06832014000300029 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 38 (3) ◽

pp. 972-979 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Arminda Moreira de Carvalho ◽

Mercedes Maria da Cunha Bustamante ◽

Zayra Azeredo do Prado Almondes ◽

Cícero Célio de Figueiredo

Keyword(s):

Cover Crops ◽

Rainy Season ◽

Dry Season ◽

Soil Tillage ◽

No Tillage ◽

Organic P ◽

Tillage Systems ◽

Tillage Practices ◽

Spontaneous Vegetation ◽

Labile P

Phosphorus fractions play a key role in sustaining the productivity of acid-savanna Oxisols and are influenced by tillage practices. The aim of this study was to quantify different P forms in an Oxisol (Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo) from the central savanna region of Brazil under management systems with cover crops in maize rotation. Three cover crops (Canavalia brasiliensis, Cajanus cajan (L.), and Raphanus sativus L.) were investigated in maize rotation systems. These cover crops were compared to spontaneous vegetation. The inorganic forms NaHCO3-iP and NaOH-iP represented more than half of the total P in the samples collected at the depth of 5-10 cm during the rainy season when the maize was grown. The concentration of inorganic P of greater availability (NaHCO3-iP and NaOH-iP) was higher in the soil under no-tillage at the depth of 5-10 cm during the rainy season. Concentrations of organic P were higher during the dry season, when the cover crops were grown. At the dry season, organic P constituted 70 % of the labile P in the soil planted to C. cajan under no-tillage. The cover crops were able to maintain larger fractions of P available to the maize, resulting in reduced P losses to the unavailable pools, mainly in no-tillage systems.

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Integrated Pest Management in Wheat No Tillage Soil Technology

Bulletin of University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca Agriculture ◽

10.15835/buasvmcn-agr:6492 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 68 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Dana MALSACHI ◽

Felicia MUREŞANU ◽

Adina IVAS ◽

Ignea MIRCEA ◽

Tritean NICOLAE ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pest Management ◽

Biodiversity Conservation ◽

Control Strategy ◽

Agricultural Research ◽

Soil Tillage ◽

Research Station ◽

No Tillage ◽

Cultural Measures ◽

Ecological Changes ◽

Tillage System

Elaborated in 2008-2010, at Agricultural Research Station Turda, the paper presents the increasing of main pests abundance and the extension risk of pests attack on the cultural technologies with minimum soil tillage and no tillage system, on the agro-ecological changes in Transylvania. The paper pointed out the importance of adequate new soil conservative technologies of minimum tillage and no tillage system with a special pests control strategy, comprising: efficiency insecticides and application moments, cultural measures, entomophagous and biodiversity conservation and use, environmental protection.

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