Effects of conservation tillage and grass-hedge on soil, water, nitrogen and phosphorus loss in sloping cropland

2013 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 315 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo XIAO ◽  
DingFang YU ◽  
Mei ZHAO ◽  
QingHai WANG ◽  
XiaoBo SHEN
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Conservation Tillage ◽  
Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽  
Phosphorus Loss

scholarly journals Enhancing Soil Water Content for Increased Food Production in Semi-Arid Areas of Kenya Results From an On-Farm Trial in Mwala District, Kenya

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Karuma ◽  
Peter Mtakwa ◽  
Nyambilila Amuri ◽  
Charles K. Gachene ◽  
Patrick Gicheru
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Conservation Tillage ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Tillage Methods

Soil water conservation through tillage is one of the appropriate ways of addressing soil moisture deficit in rainfed agriculture. This study evaluated the effects of tillage practices on soil moisture conservation and crop yields in Mwala District, Eastern Kenya during the long rains (LR) and short rains (SR) of 2012/13. Six tillage systems: Disc plough (MB), Disc plough and harrowing (MBH), Ox-ploughing (OX), Subsoiling – ripping (SR), Hand hoe and Tied Ridges (HTR) and Hand hoe only (H) and, three cropping systems namely, sole maize, sole bean and maize - bean intercrop, were investigated in a split-plot design with four replicates. Data on soil water content was monitored at different weeks after planting and the crop yields at end of each growing season. A three-season average shows that soil water content and crop yields were higher in conventional tillage methods compared to the conservation tillage methods. Long term tillage experiments are thus required at different locations, under various environmental and soil conditions to validate the study findings.

SURFACE RUNOFF AND LATERAL SUBSURFACE FLOW AS A RESPONSE TO CONSERVATION TILLAGE AND SOIL-WATER CONDITIONS

2005 ◽  
Vol 48 (6) ◽  
pp. 2137-2144 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. D. Bosch ◽  
T. L. Potter ◽  
C. C. Truman ◽  
C. W. Bednarz ◽  
T. C. Strickland
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Surface Runoff ◽  
Conservation Tillage ◽  
Subsurface Flow ◽  
Water Conditions ◽  
Soil Water Conditions

Conservation tillage increases in soil water storage, soil animal populations, grain yield, and response to fertiliser in the semi-arid subtropics

1995 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 223 ◽  
Author(s):  
BJ Radford ◽  
AJ Key ◽  
LN Robertson ◽  
GA Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Conservation Tillage ◽  
Water Storage ◽  
Soil Water Storage ◽  
Reduced Tillage ◽  
No Tillage ◽  
Soil Animal ◽  
Soil Macrofauna ◽  
Tillage Practices ◽  
Animal Populations

We compared 4 tillage practices (traditional, stubble mulch, reduced, no tillage) during 10 years under rainfed conditions on an alluvial soil in the semi-arid subtropics of central Queensland. In the final 4 years, responses to applied fertiliser nitrogen (N), sulfur (S), and zinc (Zn) were determined. We measured soil water storage, soil nitrate accumulation, grain yield (sorghum, wheat), grain protein content, and populations of soil macrofauna, with the aim of identifying soil-conserving practices that also produce high yields of high quality grain. Stubble mulch, reduced tillage, and no tillage all outyielded traditional tillage when soil fertility was adequate. With applied N, S, and Zn, the mean wheat yields from traditional, stubble mulch, reduced, and no tillage were 2.44, 3.32, 3.46, and 3.64 t/ha, respectively. The yield responses to tillage practices were due to increases in storage of soil water or efficiency of crop water use or both. Populations of soil macrofauna averaged (per m2) 19 (traditional tillage), 21 (stubble mulch), 33 (reduced tillage), and 44 (no tillage). The effect of the tillage practices on soil animal populations may be a factor contributing to the measured differences in soil water storage and water use efficiency. We conclude that conservation tillage practices can greatly increase grain yields, provided crop and fallow management practices are appropriate. Potential yield advantages are realised if crop establishment, crop nutrition; and control of weeds, bests, and diseases ark adequate.

scholarly journals Influence of Conservation Tillage and Soil Water Content on Crop Yield in Dryland Compacted Alfisol of Central Chile

2011 ◽  
Vol 71 (4) ◽  
pp. 615-622 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingrid Martinez G ◽  
Carlos Ovalle ◽  
Alejandro Del Pozo ◽  
Hamil Uribe ◽  
Natalia Valderrama V ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Crop Yield ◽  
Conservation Tillage ◽  
Central Chile

Effect of water, temperature and fertilizers on soil nitrogen net transformations and tree growth in an elfin cloud forest of Colombia

2000 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaime Cavelier ◽  
Edmund Tanner ◽  
Johanna Santamaría
Keyword(s):  
Water Temperature ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Nitrogen Mineralization ◽  
Soil Nitrogen ◽  
Nitrogen Availability ◽  
Cloud Forest ◽  
Mineral Nutrient ◽  
Phosphorus Fertilization ◽  
Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽  
Soil Nitrogen Availability

(Accepted 31st July 1999)In the ‘elfin’ cloud forest of Serrania de Macuira, exchangeable ammonium and nitrate, and the rates of soil nitrogen mineralization and nitrification were measured in soil samples under different water, temperature and mineral nutrient additions. The effects of nitrogen, phosphorus and nitrogen plus phosphorus fertilization on radial trunk growth were measured in three tree species. In the cloud forest soils, concentrations of ammonium were much higher than those of nitrate. Nitrate was higher in samples collected during the afternoon than during the morning, probably as a result of leaching during the night or nitrification during the day. When samples were incubated under different water and temperature treatments, rates of nitrogen mineralization and nitrification increased more with changes in soil water content than with changes in temperature. Nitrification was significantly increased in soils amended with ammonium or with ammonium plus phosphorus, suggesting that nitrification is substrate-limited. Fertilization with nitrogen and phosphorus resulted in significantly increased girth increments in Guapira fragrans (Dum. -Cours.) Little and Rapanea guianensis Aublet. Myrcianthes fragrans (Sw.) D.C. did not respond to the fertilization. The results of this study support the hypothesis that the characteristics of montane rain forest in small and large tropical mountains (the ‘Massenerhebung’ effect) are greatly controlled by soil water conditions and related soil nitrogen availability.

The growth and development of Townsville lucerne (Stylosanthes humilis) in ungrazed swards at Katherine, N.T

1969 ◽  
Vol 9 (37) ◽  
pp. 196 ◽  
Author(s):  
MJ Fisher
Keyword(s):  
Water Stress ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Growth Rates ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Water Storage ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Crop Growth ◽  
Soil Water Storage ◽  
Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽  
Stylosanthes Humilis

At Katherine, N.T., swards of Townsville lucerne (Stylosanthes humilis H.B.K.) were sown in late November and late December, 1964, and sampled every two weeks during the growing season. At each harvest the dry matter, nitrogen, and phosphorus yields of stem, leaf and petiole, inflorescence, unshed pods, shed leaf, and shed pods were determined. Crop growth rates and net assimilation rates (leaf weight basis, ELW), were derived for both plantings and compared with calculated soil water storage. Drought in January and February restricted growth during the vegetative phase, but rapid growth resumed when water stress was relieved by rain in March. Maximum dry matter yield (5400 lb an acre) and mean crop growth rate (42.3 lb an acre a day) for the November sowing were similar to those measured for Townsville lucerne at Katherine and elsewhere. Maximum crop growth rates (250 and 110 lb an acre a day for the November and December sowings respectively) appear to be about the same as those recorded in the field for subterranean clover. The strong influence of water stress on growth was emphasized by the close relationship demonstrated between ELW and calculated soil water storage. Uptake of nitrogen and phosphorus was restricted during water stress and both were redistributed to reproductive parts of the plant during flowering and seeding, nitrogen more readily than phosphorus. Nitrogen and phosphorus contents (1.9-2.0 per cent N and 0.70-0.75 per cent P) were lower than those recorded for other tropical and temperate pasture legumes. The implications of the low phosphorus contents of Townsville lucerne as cattle feed are discussed.

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