Evaluation of reduced tillage technologies in corn production based on soil and crop analyses

Despite new cultivation methods, the proportion of conventionally cultivated land is still very high in Hungary.Although these technologies demand more time, labour and fuel, they are still attractive to users because they require less professional skill and simple machinery. In Hungary, conventional tillage methods usually lead to soil deterioration, soil compaction and a decrease in organic content. These side effects have caused gradually strengthening economic and environmental problems.The technologies for those plants which are dominant on Hungarian arable lands use (winter wheat, maize, sunflower and barley) need to be improved both in the interest of environmental protection and the reduction of cultivation costs.The Department of Land Use at Debrecen University is cooperating with KITE Sc. to carry out soil tillage experiments at two pilot locations to prove tillage technologies already used in the USA.The aim of our examination is to adapt new technological developments and machinery, and to improve them on Hungarian soil for local environmental conditions. With these improved machines, the field growing of plants could be executed by less manipulation and better suited to economic and environmental needs. The most significant task is to investigate and improve the conventional cultivation replacing, new soil-protecting tillage technologies, and to apply no-till and mulch tillage systems.On the basis of the experiments’ survey data, we established that the looseness and moisture content of the soil using reduced tillage is more favourable than after using conventional technologies. The results of no-till and shallow spring tillage are behind those of winter plough or disk ripper cultivation in corn yield and production elements.To preserve moisture content in the soil, the ground clearing and sowing while simultaneously performing no-till method presents the most favourable results. The surplus moisture gained using no-till technology is equal to 40 mm precipitation.Regarding the yield of winter wheat we established that the tillage methods do not affect plant yield. Both disk ripper and conventional disc cultivation showed nearly the same harvest results (5.55 or 5.5 t/ha), where the difference is statistically hardly verifiable from the no-till method. From the individual production of corn and the number of plants planted in unit area, calculated results prove that no significant difference can be detected between the production of winter plough and disk ripper technology. Although the yield achieved with the no-till method is less than with the previously mentioned technologies, the difference is only 9-10%. We received the lowest production at shallow spring tillage.Evaluations have shown a 1.1 t/ha (13%) difference in the yield of maize, between winter tillage and the disk ripper method, in this case the traditional method resulted in higher yield. In winter tillage, the yield of maize was 1.9-2.1 t/ha (23-25%) higher than in the case of direct sowing and cultivator treatments. No significant difference could be noted between the yields of direct sowing and cultivator treatments.Our research so far has proved the industrial application of reduced tillage methods in crop cultivation technologies.

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Productivity of Rainfed Winter Wheat with Direct Sowing and Economic Efficiency of Diversified Fertilization in Arid Region of South Kazakhstan

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy12010111 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 111

Author(s):

Sagadat Turebayeva ◽

Aigul Zhapparova ◽

Akbota Yerkin ◽

Khaiyrnisa Aisakulova ◽

Gainiya Yesseyeva ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Winter Wheat ◽

Soil Tillage ◽

Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽

No Till ◽

Powerful Means ◽

Dry Conditions ◽

Plant Growth Stimulants ◽

First Time ◽

Direct Sowing ◽

Micronutrient Fertilizer

Reduced soil tillage is a powerful means to mitigate soil degradation. However, in arid climates, no-till rainfed technologies often result in yield drop due to lack of soil moisture and mineral nutrition. Rainfed production of winter wheat using direct sowing and diversified fertilization in South Kazakhstan was studied in 2019–2020. Eight field-scale treatments using nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers were studied for biometric parameters of winter wheat. An economic profitability of the amendments used was assessed. The soil managed to accumulate productive moisture to support plants’ needs during formation of productive organs. Use of phosphorus fertilizer at direct sowing accelerated grain maturation, and the combination of phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizer lengthened the growing season. The highest production cost of 1 tonne of grain was in the plots that did not receive any amendments, and the lowest cost was in the treatment with use of plant growth stimulants together with micronutrient fertilizer. For the first time, optimization of the soil nutritional regime with consideration of the biological and phenological demands allowed for the balance of the plant nutrition and cost efficiency of grain production with direct sowing of winter wheat in dry conditions in South Kazakhstan.

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Weed Flora and Soil Seed Bank Composition as Affected by Tillage System in Three-Year Crop Rotation

Agriculture ◽

10.3390/agriculture10050186 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (5) ◽

pp. 186 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Beata Feledyn-Szewczyk ◽

Janusz Smagacz ◽

Cezary A. Kwiatkowski ◽

Elżbieta Harasim ◽

Andrzej Woźniak

Keyword(s):

Winter Wheat ◽

Crop Rotation ◽

Seed Bank ◽

Soil Seed Bank ◽

Soil Layer ◽

Agricultural Science ◽

No Till ◽

Weed Flora ◽

Weed Seeds ◽

Direct Sowing

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest around agricultural science and practice in conservation tillage systems that are compatible with sustainable agriculture. The aim of this study was to assess the qualitative and quantitative changes in weed flora and soil seed bank under reduced tillage and no-till (direct sowing) in comparison with traditional ploughing. In the crop rotation: pea/rape—winter wheat—winter wheat the number and dry weight of weeds increased with the simplification of tillage. The seed bank was the largest under direct sowing and about three times smaller in traditional ploughing. Under direct sowing, most weed seeds were accumulated in the top soil layer 0–5 cm, while in the ploughing system most weed seeds occurred in deeper layers: 5–10 and 10–20 cm. In the reduced and no-till systems, a greater percentage of perennial and invasive species, such as Conyza canadensis L., was observed. The results show that it is possible to maintain weed infestation in the no-till system at a level that does not significantly affect winter wheat yield and does not pose a threat of perennial and invasive weeds when effective herbicide protection is applied.

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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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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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Earthworms are little affected by reduced soil tillage methods in vineyards

Plant Soil and Environment ◽

10.17221/160/2017-pse ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 63 (No. 6) ◽

pp. 257-263 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Faber Florian ◽

Wachter Elisabeth ◽

Zaller Johann G

Keyword(s):

Soil Moisture ◽

Soil Temperature ◽

Soil Tillage ◽

Soil Conditions ◽

Reduced Tillage ◽

No Tillage ◽

Dry Soil ◽

The Impact ◽

Tillage Methods ◽

Erosion Prevention

Inter-rows in vineyards are commonly tilled in order to control weeds and/or to conserve water. While impacts of tillage on earthworms are well studied in arable systems, very little is known from vineyards. In an experimental vineyard, the impact of four reduced tillage methods on earthworms was examined: rotary hoeing, rotary harrowing, grubbing and no tillage. According to an erosion prevention programme, tillage was applied every other inter-row only while alternating rows retained vegetated. Earthworms were extracted from the treated inter-rows 10, 36, 162 and 188 days after tillage. Across dates, tillage methods had no effect on overall earthworm densities or biomass. Considering each sampling date separately, earthworm densities were affected only at day 36 after tillage leading to lower densities under rotary hoeing (150.7 ± 42.5 worms/m2) and no tillage (117.3 ± 24.8 worms/m2) than under rotary harrowing (340.0 ± 87.4 worms/m2) and grubbing (242.7 ± 43.9 worms/m2). Time since tillage significantly increased earthworm densities or biomass, and affected soil moisture and temperature. Across sampling dates, earthworm densities correlated positively with soil moisture and negatively with soil temperature; individual earthworm mass increased with increasing time since tillage. It was concluded that reduced tillage in vineyards has little impact on earthworms when applied in spring under dry soil conditions.

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The effect of soil tillage system on the nitrogen uptake, grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency of spring barley in a cool Atlantic climate

The Journal of Agricultural Science ◽

10.1017/s0021859614000471 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 153 (5) ◽

pp. 862-875 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

J. BRENNAN ◽

P. D. FORRISTAL ◽

T. McCABE ◽

R. HACKETT

Keyword(s):

Grain Yield ◽

Spring Barley ◽

N Uptake ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

Soil Tillage ◽

Reduced Tillage ◽

Growth Stages ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Tillage System ◽

Ct System

SUMMARYField experiments were conducted between 2009 and 2011 in Ireland to compare the effects of soil tillage systems on the grain yield, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and nitrogen (N) uptake patterns of spring barley (Hordeum vulgare) in a cool Atlantic climate. The four tillage treatments comprised conventional tillage in spring (CT), reduced tillage in autumn (RT A), reduced tillage in spring (RT S) and reduced tillage in autumn and spring (RT A+S). Each tillage system was evaluated with five levels of fertilizer N (0, 75, 105, 135 and 165 kg N/ha). Grain yield varied between years but CT had a significantly higher mean yield over the three years than the RT systems. There was no significant difference between the three RT systems. Tillage system had no significant effect on the grain yield response to fertilizer N. As a result of the higher yields achieved, the CT system had a higher NUE than the RT systems at all N rates. There was no significant difference in NUE between the three RT systems. Conventional tillage had significantly higher nitrogen uptake efficiency (NUpE) than RT A and a significantly higher nitrogen utilization efficiency (NUtE) than all three RT systems. Crop N uptake followed a similar pattern each year. Large amounts of N were accumulated during the vegetative growth stages while N was lost after anthesis. Increased N rates had a positive effect on N uptake in the early growth stages but tended to promote N loss later in the season. The CT system had the highest N uptake in the initial growth stages but its rate of uptake diminished at a faster rate than the RT systems as the season progressed. Tillage system had an inconsistent effect on crop N content during the later growth stages. On the basis of these results it is concluded that the use of non-inversion tillage systems for spring barley establishment in a cool oceanic climate remains challenging and in certain conditions may result in a reduction in NUE and lower and more variable grain yields than conventional plough-based systems.

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Effect of different tillage intensity on yields and yield-forming factors in winter wheat

Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis ◽

10.11118/actaun201260050089 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 60 (5) ◽

pp. 89-96

Author(s):

Martin Houšť ◽

Blanka Procházková ◽

Pavel Hledík

Keyword(s):

Sugar Beet ◽

Winter Wheat ◽

Climatic Conditions ◽

Reduced Tillage ◽

Minimum Tillage ◽

Preceding Crop ◽

The Given ◽

Direct Sowing ◽

Growing Region

The paper presents results of a study on application of minimum tillage technologies when growing winter wheat. Experiments were performed in the sugar-beet-growing region with loamy chernozem within the period of 2005–2009. Aanalysed and evaluated were effects of different methods of soil processing on yield-forming factors in stands of winter wheat grown after three different preceding crops (i.e. alfalfa, maize for silage and pea). Evaluated were the following four variants of tillage: (1) conventional ploughing to the depth of 0.22 m (Variant 1); (2) ploughing to the depth of 0.15 m (Variant 2); (3) direct sowing into the untilled soil (Variant 3), and (4) shallow tillage to the depth of 0.10 m (Variant 4).The effect of different tillage intensity on winter wheat yields was statistically non-significant after all forecrops. After alfalfa, the highest and the lowest average yields were recorded in Variant 2 (i.e. with ploughing to the depth of 0.15 m) and Variant 3 (direct sowing into the untilled soil), respectively. After maize grown for silage, higher yields were obtained in Variant 2 and Variant 1 (conventional ploughing) while in Variants 4 and 3 the obtained yields were lower. When growing winter wheat after pea as a preceding crop, the highest and the lowest average yields were recorded after direct sowing (Variant 3) and in Variant 1 (i.e. ploughing to the depth of 0.22 m), respectively. Results of studies on effect of different tillage technologies on yields of winter wheat crops indicate that under the given pedological and climatic conditions it is possible to apply methods of reduced tillage intensity. However, the choice of the corresponding technology must be performed with regard to the type of preceding crop.

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Pengolahan Tanah Menggunakan Bajak Singkal Lebih Sedikit Memerlukan Air Irigasi daripada Bajak Rotary

Jurnal BETA (Biosistem dan Teknik Pertanian) ◽

10.24843/jbeta.2019.v07.i01.p01 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 120

Author(s):

Gusti Bagus Alit Budi Artawan ◽

I Wayan Tika ◽

I N. Sucipta

Keyword(s):

Moisture Content ◽

Irrigation Water ◽

Paddy Field ◽

Initial Moisture Content ◽

Water Requirement ◽

Soil Tillage ◽

Irrigation Water Requirement ◽

Chisel Plow ◽

The Difference ◽

Time Required

This research was conducted to know the difference of irrigation water requirement in the preparation of land using chisel plow and rotary plow. The variables observed in this study include: solum volume, soil porosity, initial moisture content of the soil, water requirements for inundation, puddle volume, and duration of soil tillage. Location used as sample of paddy field as much as 15 point sample for each plow which is grouped into three locations that is at upstream, middle, and downstream. At each location five rice samples were taken for each plow treatment. The volume of solum on the treated rice field using the chisel plow of 2122.00 m3 / ha while the volume of solum using rotary plow of 2096.33 m3 / ha. The initial soil moisture content in paddy field used as sample for chisel plow is 52,98% while rotary plow is 45,63%. The water requirement for the saturation of paddy field that is processed by rotary plow is bigger than the chisel plow is 505.97 m3 / ha, whereas in the chisel plow is 377,11 m3 / ha. The volume of inundation in the rotary plow is greater than the chisel plow rotary plow of 401.33 m3 / ha and chisel plow of 141.00 m3 / ha. For the length of time required to cultivate the soil, the chisel plow takes longer time of 29.69 hours / ha, while the rotary plow takes 14.35 hours / ha. The results of this study indicate that the processing of soil using plows of chisel requires less water than the rotary plow. In the processing of the soil using the plot of water chisel required is 5.07 l / dt , while for the rotary plow requires water as much as 17.69 l / dt . Keywords: irrigation water requirement, soil tillage, chisel plow, rotary plow.

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Soil properties and crop yield under different tillage methods for rapeseed cultivation in paddy fields

Journal of Agricultural Sciences Belgrade ◽

10.2298/jas1501011a ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 60 (1) ◽

pp. 11-22

Author(s):

Mohammad Alizadeh ◽

Alireza Allameh

Keyword(s):

Seed Germination ◽

Grain Yield ◽

Bulk Density ◽

Crop Yield ◽

Block Design ◽

Soil Bulk Density ◽

Dry Mass ◽

No Till ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Tillage Methods

A two-year research was conducted to investigate the effect of different tillage methods on some soil physical characteristics and crop yield in rapeseed cultivation after rice harvesting. Five tillage treatments including: (i) using rotavator, once to depth of 10-15 cm (T1), (ii) using rotavator, twice to depth of 10-15 cm (T2), (iii) using moldboard plow to depth of 25 cm + rotavator, once to depth of 10-15 cm (T3), (iv) no-till planting through removing rice stubbles from plots (T4), and (v) no-till planting without removing rice stubbles from plots (T5), were evaluated under randomized complete block design (RCBD) in three replications. The biannual results revealed that the effect of tillage methods was significant (p<0.01) on soil bulk density, surface residues after tillage, dry mass of weeds, seed germination, and grain yield. T2 and T3 made considerable reduction in soil bulk density compared to other treatments for the 15- to 30-cm tillage depths. In T1, T2, T3, and T4, surface residues after tillage decreased in comparison with T5 by up to 35.37, 50.71, 69.92, and 75.75%, respectively. Having 71.48 g m-2, T5 had the maximum dry mass of weeds while T3 had the minimum one with 37.50 g m-2. Means comparison represented that in T2 and T3, seed germination reached the shortest length of 6.4 days in average. The highest and lowest grain yields were acquired in T3 (1,571 kg ha-1) and T5 (1,339 kg ha-1), respectively. Statistically, there was no significant difference between T1 (1,432 kg ha-1) and T2 (1,537 kg ha-1) compared with T3 in terms of grain yield.

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ADAPTABILITY OF MAIZE (Zea maysL.) TO CULTIVATION ON CLOSED LANDFILL WITH REDUCED TILLAGE INPUTS

Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1017/s0014479713000707 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 50 (4) ◽

pp. 505-515

Author(s):

FRANCO TESIO ◽

FRANCESCA FOLLIS ◽

ANDRÉ ANDRES

Keyword(s):

Moisture Content ◽

Reduced Tillage ◽

Grain Production ◽

Yield Performance ◽

Winter Cereal ◽

Maize Hybrids ◽

Maize Cultivation ◽

Single Disk ◽

Maturity Class ◽

Tillage Methods

SUMMARYCultivation of less productive soils such as closed landfills has become convenient because European subsidies covered part of the risk to obtain production. Aim of the research was to evaluate grain yields of maize hybrids belonging to different maturity classes (FAO 200, 300 and 400) (Gretzmacher, R. (1979).Die Bodenkultur30:256--280) grown on closed landfills by the adoption of two minimum tillage methods (chisel plowing at 0.35 m plus disk harrowing at 0.20 m, or only disk harrowing at 0.20 m). Maize cultivation inserted in a winter cereal rotation had a grain production ranging from 4.6 t ha−1(FAO 200, disk harrowing only) to 8.3 t ha−1(FAO class 400, chisel plowing plus disk harrowing) in the two considered years (2011 and 2012). The adoption of chisel plowing coupled with disk harrowing reduced yield fluctuation between years, and furnished higher yield performance if compared with the single disk harrowing passage. The best growing hybrid cycles were those belonging to FAO class 300 with production similar to that of the longest maturity class, and with moisture content equal to the shortest maturity class.

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