Carbon in aggregate size classes in a Rhodic Eutrudox under different cropping systems

Soil productive capacity is related to levels of carbon (C) in aggregates of different sizes. The aim of this study was to assess total organic carbon levels in different size classes of water-stable aggregates in a Rhodic Eutrudox under different production systems. The cropping systems assessed were no-tillage (NT); no-tillage scarified every three years (NTS); disk plowing (DP) and heavy disking (HD). All systems were subjected to crop succession (S) (soybean - Glycine max / wheat - Triticum aestivum) and rotation (R) (soybean, maize (Zea mays), wheat) and cover and green manure (Lupinus albus, Raphanus sativus and Avena strigosa). Intact soil samples were collected in trenches at depths of 0–0.10; 0.10-0.20; 0.20–0.30 and 0.30-0.40 m. The highest levels of carbon were found under no-tillage, irrespective of the aggregate size class. In all treatments, the top layer (0.0–0,10 m) under crop succession showed the highest carbon content for all aggregate size classes. However, at depths below 0.10 m, crop rotation exhibited the highest carbon levels (between 12 and 20 g kg-1). After 29 years of trials, cropping systems with the lowest soil disturbance combined with crop rotation were found to contribute to raising the level of carbon in the soil and maintaining stable aggregates.

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The crucial role of mulch to enhance the stability and resilience of cropping systems in southern Africa

Agronomy for Sustainable Development ◽

10.1007/s13593-021-00687-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 41 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Blessing Mhlanga ◽

Laura Ercoli ◽

Elisa Pellegrino ◽

Andrea Onofri ◽

Christian Thierfelder

Keyword(s):

Crop Rotation ◽

Southern Africa ◽

Cropping Systems ◽

Conservation Agriculture ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

Yield Stability ◽

No Tillage ◽

The Stability ◽

Stability And Resilience

AbstractConservation agriculture has been promoted to sustainably intensify food production in smallholder farming systems in southern Africa. However, farmers have rarely fully implemented all its components, resulting in different combinations of no-tillage, crop rotation, and permanent soil cover being practiced, thus resulting in variable yield responses depending on climatic and soil conditions. Therefore, it is crucial to assess the effect of conservation agriculture components on yield stability. We hypothesized that the use of all three conservation agriculture components would perform the best, resulting in more stable production in all environments. We evaluated at, eight trial locations across southern Africa, how partial and full implementation of these components affected crop yield and yield stability compared with conventional tillage alone or combined with mulching and/or crop rotation. Grain yield and shoot biomass of maize and cowpea were recorded along with precipitation for 2 to 5 years. Across different environments, the addition of crop rotation and mulch to no-tillage increased maize grain by 6%, and the same practices added to conventional tillage led to 13% yield increase. Conversely, adding only mulch or crop rotation to no-tillage or conventional tillage led to lower or equal maize yield. Stability analyses based on Shukla’s index showed for the first time that the most stable systems are those in which mulch is added without crop rotation. Moreover, the highest yielding systems were the least stable. Finally, additive main effects and multiplicative interaction analysis allowed clarifying that mulch added to no-tillage gives stable yields on sandy soil with high rainfall. Similarly, mulch added to conventional tillage gives stable yield on sandy soil, but under low rainfall. This is the first study that highlighted the crucial role of mulch to enhance the stability and resilience of cropping systems in southern Africa, supporting their adaptability to climate change.

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Productivity and Profitability of Four Crop Rotations under Limited Irrigation

Applied Engineering in Agriculture ◽

10.13031/aea.13416 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 36 (1) ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Alan J Schlegel ◽

Yared Assefa ◽

Daniel O’Brien

Keyword(s):

Crop Rotation ◽

Water Use ◽

Crop Production ◽

Production Systems ◽

Cropping Systems ◽

Grain Sorghum ◽

Wheat Crop ◽

Corn Yield ◽

Supplementary Irrigation ◽

Corn Grain

Abstract. Selection of optimal crops and cropping systems for most efficient water use specific for local environments can improve global water security. Limited irrigation with ground water is one alternative to alleviate crops from low amount or unevenly distributed water in the growing seasons in semi-arid regions. The main objectives of this research were to quantify yield-water use relationships of three limited irrigated crops, determine effect of crop selection on profitability with limited irrigation, and identify profitable and alternative crop production systems. A field study was conducted at the Kansas State University Southwest Research-Extension Center near Tribune, Kansas, from 2012 through 2017. There were four treatments in the study, two 1-yr systems of continuous corn ( L.) (C-C) and continuous grain sorghum (L.) (GS-GS) and two 2-yr rotations of corn-grain sorghum (C-GS) and corn-winter wheat ( L.) (C-W). Overall corn yield after wheat (C-W) was about 1.4 Mg (ha)-1 greater than C-C. Corn and sorghum yields were similar grown as monoculture or in rotation with each other. Available soil water at corn planting and during the growing season were 20 to 40 mm (240 cm profile-1) less in the C-GS rotation compared with C-C and C-W rotations. Corn yield increased as water use (yield-water use) increased in C-W rotation but yield-water use relationships tended to be negative in C-C and C-GS rotations. Grain sorghum yield increased with water use in both rotations but at a greater rate in GS-GS compared with C-GS. Despite greater corn grain yield in C-W, our economic analysis showed that wheat was the least profitable of the three crops causing the C-W rotation to be least profitable. In this study, the most profitable limited irrigation crop rotation was corn-grain sorghum (C-GS). Keywords: Corn-sorghum-wheat, Crop rotation, Limited irrigation, Profitability, Supplementary irrigation, Sustainability.

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Diversity of the edaphic macrofauna in areas managed under no-tillage for different periods

Semina Ciências Agrárias ◽

10.5433/1679-0359.2019v40n2p599 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 40 (2) ◽

pp. 599

Author(s):

Cláudia dos Reis Ferreira ◽

Jair do Nascimento Guedes ◽

Jean Sérgio Rosset ◽

Lúcia Helena Cunha dos Anjos ◽

Marcos Gervasio Pereira

Keyword(s):

Rainy Season ◽

Production Systems ◽

Dry Season ◽

Soil Biology ◽

No Tillage ◽

Biological Functions ◽

Parametric Statistics ◽

Faunal Diversity ◽

Level Of Significance ◽

Crop Succession

Agriculture can considerably change the composition and richness of the edaphic macrofauna, affecting the ecological and biological functions exerted by the fauna. This study was carried out in commercial production systems in the municipality of Guaíra, state of Paraná, Brazil. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of no-tillage systems (NTS) and seasonality on the diversity, richness, and composition of the edaphic macrofauna. Three areas managed under NTS for different periods 7 years (NTS-7), 14 years (NTS-14), and 23 years (NTS-23) under crop succession with soybean (summer) (aNTS7) and maize/wheat (winter) (NTS14 and NTS23) were evaluated, in addition to a native Atlantic Forest segment, which was used as a reference. Faunal samples were collected in the dry season (September 2013) and rainy season (February 2014). The edaphic macrofauna was evaluated using the method proposed by the Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility Program. Parametric statistics were applied, and the results were compared using Tukey’s test at a level of significance of 5%. Species density and total richness were usually higher in the NTS14 and NTS23 in the dry season. However, higher indexes of equability were not detected because of the dominance of groups Formicidae and Isoptera. The areas with the highest equability were the reference area in the dry season and NTS23 in the rainy season, corresponding to 0.87 and 0.61, respectively. These results indicate the higher faunal diversity in these areas, which reflects the greater stability of the ecosystem.

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Temporal Soil Bacterial Community Responses to Cropping Systems and Crop Identity in Dryland Agroecosystems of the Northern Great Plains

Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems ◽

10.3389/fsufs.2021.624242 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 ◽

Author(s):

Tindall Ouverson ◽

Jed Eberly ◽

Tim Seipel ◽

Fabian D. Menalled ◽

Suzanne L. Ishaq

Keyword(s):

Bacterial Community ◽

Microbial Communities ◽

Crop Rotation ◽

Great Plains ◽

Cropping Systems ◽

Northern Great Plains ◽

No Tillage ◽

Tillage System ◽

Bacterial Richness ◽

Certified Organic

Industrialized agriculture results in simplified landscapes where many of the regulatory ecosystem functions driven by soil biological and physicochemical characteristics have been hampered or replaced with intensive, synthetic inputs. To restore long-term agricultural sustainability and soil health, soil should function as both a resource and a complex ecosystem. In this study, we examined how cropping systems impact soil bacterial community diversity and composition, important indicators of soil ecosystem health. Soils from a representative cropping system in the semi-arid Northern Great Plains were collected in June and August of 2017 from the final phase of a 5-year crop rotation managed either with chemical inputs and no-tillage, as a USDA-certified organic tillage system, or as a USDA-certified organic sheep grazing system with reduced tillage intensity. DNA was extracted and sequenced for bacteria community analysis via 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Bacterial richness and diversity decreased in all farming systems from June to August and was lowest in the chemical no-tillage system, while evenness increased over the sampling period. Crop species identity did not affect bacterial richness, diversity, or evenness. Conventional no-till, organic tilled, and organic grazed management systems resulted in dissimilar microbial communities. Overall, cropping systems and seasonal changes had a greater effect on microbial community structure and diversity than crop identity. Future research should assess how the rhizobiome responds to the specific phases of a crop rotation, as differences in bulk soil microbial communities by crop identity were not detectable.

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Profitability of no-till grain production systems

Semina Ciências Agrárias ◽

10.5433/1679-0359.2018v39n1p77 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 39 (1) ◽

pp. 77 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Rafael Fuentes-Llanillo ◽

Tiago Santos Telles ◽

Bruno Volsi ◽

Dimas Soares Júnior ◽

Sérgio Luiz Carneiro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Crop Rotation ◽

Agricultural Production ◽

Production Systems ◽

Conservation Agriculture ◽

Small Scale ◽

No Tillage ◽

Grain Production ◽

Family Farms ◽

No Till ◽

Gross Margins

In general, the technical and agronomic benefits of no-till farming are widely known and well documented in the literature. However, studies focusing on the economics of no-tillage are scarce. In this context, the objective of this study is to determine whether no-till grain production systems that follow the principles of conservation agriculture are economically profitable by analyzing gross margins per hectare per year over six harvests for the agricultural years 1998/1999 to 2003/2004. In addition, a possible link between profitability and different no-till methods in terms of degree of soil turnover, crop rotation, and whether machinery used in agricultural operations is owned or rented is investigated. For this purpose, the multi-case analytical method was applied to thirteen grain producing family farms in Northern Paraná state, Brazil. Based on the results, two ranges of agricultural production variable costs and gross margins were identified. Higher gross margins were associated with longer use of the no-till system, ownership of machinery and equipment, specialization in grains, rotation of the commercial crops used, and higher variable costs. Lower gross margins were associated with outsourcing of sowing, small-scale cropping, and lack of crop rotation. It is concluded that family mechanized no-till systems of grain production in north Paraná are profitable.

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PHOSPHORUS FRACTIONS AND DYNAMICS AMONG SOIL AGGREGATE SIZE CLASSES OF ORGANIC AND CONVENTIONAL CROPPING SYSTEMS

Soil Science ◽

10.1097/01.ss.0000228055.92839.53 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 171 (11) ◽

pp. 874-885 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

V. Steven Green ◽

Thanh H. Dao ◽

Michel A. Cavigelli ◽

Dennis C. Flanagan

Keyword(s):

Cropping Systems ◽

Aggregate Size ◽

Soil Aggregate ◽

Phosphorus Fractions ◽

Size Classes

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Soil aggregate stability and soil organic matter fractions under agropastoral systems established in native savanna

Soil Research ◽

10.1071/sr9960891 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 34 (6) ◽

pp. 891 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

AJ Gijsman

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Soil Organic Matter ◽

Aggregate Stability ◽

Aggregate Size ◽

Soil Disturbance ◽

N Content ◽

Soil C ◽

Size Classes ◽

Soil C And N ◽

C And N

An area of native savanna on an Oxisol in the Eastern Plains of Colombia was opened and sown to various rotations of grass or grass-legume pasture with rice. After 4.5 years, the soil was sampled for studying the effect of land conversion on soil aggregation and on the distribution of total and particulate soil organic matter across the aggregate size classes. The size distribution of undisturbed aggregates did not vary among treatments. Five different methods were used to measure wet aggregate stability (WAS). The choice of method affected the WAS average across treatments as well as the differences among treatments. The only consistent observation was the lower WAS under monocropped rice compared with the other treatments. Inclusion of a legume in a pasture hardly affected aggregate stability. In contrast to the WAS measurements, which were carried out with soil aggregates of 1-2 mm, wet sieving of whole-soil samples revealed additional differences among treatments: large macroaggregates (>2 mm) proved less stable under those treatments that involved soil disturbance through ploughing and harvesting. Total soil C and N content did not vary among treatments, despite considerable differences in plant production levels. The C concentration, but not the N concentration, declined with decreasing aggregate size. The distribution of whole-soil C and N content across aggregate size classes depended more on the amount of soil in a certain size class than on the size class's C or N concentration. Those treatments that involved frequent soil disturbance had a smaller fraction of large macroaggregates (>2 mm) and, as a consequence, less C and N in the large macroaggregate fraction. The particulate organic matter (POM) fraction accounted for only 6.2-8.5% of total soil carbon. The small size of this pool makes it unlikely that POM can serve in these Oxisols for estimating the amount of soil organic matter with medium turnover rate, as suggested by others.

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RISK AND MAIZE-BASED CROPPING SYSTEMS FOR SMALLHOLDER MALAWI FARMERS USING CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGIES

Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1017/s0014479713000306 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 49 (4) ◽

pp. 483-503 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

A. R. NGWIRA ◽

C. THIERFELDER ◽

N. EASH ◽

D. M. LAMBERT

Keyword(s):

Production Systems ◽

Cropping Systems ◽

Conservation Agriculture ◽

Soil Disturbance ◽

Control Treatment ◽

Risk Averse ◽

Economic Returns ◽

Maize Production ◽

Risk Premiums ◽

Maize Grain

SUMMARYAgricultural production in southern Africa is constrained by numerous factors, including low soil fertility, frequent droughts and flooding, limited access to fertilizers and the use of unsustainable management techniques that increase soil erosion rates. Conservation agriculture (CA) is based on the principles of minimum soil disturbance, crop residue retention and crop rotations. CA systems have been proposed to alleviate the negative externalities associated with conventional crop management systems. This study was conducted to examine the riskiness of economic returns of CA technologies based on maize grain yield evaluated in 12 target communities in Malawi from 2005–2011. On average, maize grain yields on both CA treatments exceeded the conventional control treatment by 22.1–23.6%, with differences more distinct in low altitude areas with low rainfall and frequent seasonal dry spells. Stochastic dominance analysis suggest that CA technologies would be preferred by risk-averse farmers, with corresponding differences in risk premiums (compared to conventional maize production systems) ranging between US$40 and US$105. However, these rankings are sensitive to the agroecological zones where the experiments were conducted. The risk premiums associated with the CA technologies in low elevation regions are unambiguous. Risk-averse farmers in higher elevations may need substantial incentives to adopt some CA technologies.

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Performance of reduced-tillage cropping systems for sustainable grain production in Maryland

American Journal of Alternative Agriculture ◽

10.1017/s0889189300008535 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 15 (2) ◽

pp. 79-87 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

J.R. Teasdale ◽

R.C. Rosecrance ◽

C.B. Coffman ◽

J.L. Starr ◽

I.C. Paltineanu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cover Crop ◽

Production Systems ◽

Cropping Systems ◽

Reduced Tillage ◽

No Tillage ◽

Grain Production ◽

Crimson Clover ◽

Trade Offs ◽

Tillage System ◽

Crop System

AbstractSustainable production systems are needed to maintain soil resources and reduce environmental contamination on erodible lands that are incompatible with tillage-intensive operations. A long-term cropping systems comparison was established at Beltsville, Maryland, on a site with 2 to 15% slope to evaluate the efficacy of sustainable strategies compatible with reduced-tillage systems. All systems followed a 2-year rotation of corn the first year and winter wheat followed by soybean the second year. Treatments included (1) no-tillage system with recommended fertilizer and herbicide inputs, (2) crownvetch living mulch system with similar inputs to the no-tillage system, (3) cover crop system including a hairy vetch cover crop before corn and a wheat cover crop before soybean with reduced fertilizer and herbicide inputs, and (4) manure system including crimson clover green manure plus cow manure for nutrient sources, chisel plow/disk for incorporating manure, and rotary hoe plus cultivation for weed control. Results from the initial 4 years demonstrated the relative productivity of these systems. Corn yields were similar in the no-tillage and cover crop systems in each year; both systems averaged 7.8 Mg ha-1 compared to 5.7 Mg ha-1 in both the crownvetch and manure systems. Wheat yields were highest in the manure system in the first 2 years and in the crownvetch system in the last 2 years. Soybean yields were highest in the cover crop system in all years. The manure system usually had lower yields than the highest yielding systems, partly because of competition from uncontrolled weeds. Several measures of the efficiency of grain production were evaluated. The no-tillage system produced the most grain per total vegetative biomass throughout the rotation. The cover crop system produced the most grain per unit of external nitrogen input and, along with the no-tillage system, had the highest corn water-use efficiency. The cover crop system also recycled the most vegetative residues and nutrients of all systems. No single system performed best according to all measures of comparison, suggesting that trade-offs will be required when choosing production systems.

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The no-tillage, with crop rotation or succession, can increase the degree of clay dispersion in the superficial layer of highly weathered soils after 24 years

Semina Ciências Agrárias ◽

10.5433/1679-0359.2021v42n1p57 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 42 (1) ◽

pp. 57-70

Author(s):

Alex Figueiredo ◽

◽

Thadeu Rodrigues de Melo ◽

Jean Carlo Santos de Oliveira ◽

Wesley Machado ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Crop Rotation ◽

Water Conservation ◽

Soil Layer ◽

Soil Management ◽

Soil Disturbance ◽

Superficial Layer ◽

Management Systems ◽

No Tillage ◽

Tropical Regions ◽

Clay Dispersion

Clay dispersion is directly related to water erosion, especially during detaching and dragging of particles. No-till is one of the most important strategies for soil and water conservation in tropical and sub-tropical regions, and when associated with crop rotation, may reduce the degree of clay dispersion. The study aimed to evaluate, after 24 years, the effect of different soil management systems and crop systems on the degree of clay dispersion of a Rhodic Ferralsol. The experimental design was completely randomized in a 4x2 factorial scheme, with four soil managements (continuous no-tillage, no-tillage with chiseling every three years, disk plowing followed by light harrowing and heavy disking followed by light harrowing) and with two crop systems (crop succession and rotation). The degree of clay dispersion was evaluated and associated with soil chemical attributes from layer 0.00-0.10 m. The degree of clay dispersion is affected by the soil management systems with no effect of crop systems. The soil management system with the lowest soil disturbance (continuous no-tillage) has a higher degree of clay dispersion than the ones that disturb the soil, regardless of the agricultural implement used or soil disturbance intensity. The soil electrochemical imbalance, primarily caused by soil potential acidity, is positively correlated to the increase in the degree of clay dispersion of the superficial soil layer under continuum no-tillage.

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