• Authors:
    • Schindler, U.
    • Muller, L.
  • Source: AMA-Agricultural Mechanization in Asia, Africa and Latin America
  • Volume: 42
  • Issue: 4
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Efficient water use and intelligent water management are essential for sustainable agricultural production. Long-term soil hydrological measurements were used to quantify deep drainage rates and nitrate losses from arable land managed under various farming regimes (integrated, integrated with irrigation, ecologic and low input) and tillage systems (plough and no till) in the Pleistocene region of Northeast Germany from 1994 to 2007. As dependent on the management system, the nitrate concentration varied between 40 and 150 mg l -1. In connection with annual deep drainage rates between 100 mm and 200 mm during the study period, the annual nitrogen loss varied between 14 and 41 kg ha -1. Differences in nitrogen loss observed between the farming systems were low, but yields increased and nitrogen losses decreased as a result of irrigation throughout the variants. No-till treatment resulted in reduced nitrate leaching (18 kg ha -1) as compared with the tillage systems with plough and tooth cultivator (27 kg ha -1).
  • Authors:
    • Slepetiene, A.
    • Slepetys, J.
  • Source: Grassland farming and land management systems in mountainous regions. Proceedings of the 16th Symposium of the European Grassland Federation
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The main objective of the current study was to evaluate the effects of six legume species ( Trifolium pratense, Medicago sativa, Trifolium repens, Galega orientalis, Medicago lupulina, Trifolium resupinatum) ploughed down as green manure, on the seed yield of timothy ( Phleum pratense) and meadow fescue ( Festuca pratensis). Legumes were undersown into barley. In the first year of production legumes were chopped and ploughed down for green manure in June. The sown timothy and meadow fescue were used for organic seed for three years. Although T. resupinatum grew well in the year of sowing it completely disappeared after winter. Based on 3-year mean production data, the highest timothy and meadow fescue seed yield was obtained after ploughing down a mixture of three legumes ( T. pratense+ M. sativa+ T. repens). Seed yield increased by 27.8-33.1%. Ploughed-down pure legumes (except G. orientalis) gave a lower but significant increase in seed yield. Having ploughed down legumes, the positive effect on organic seed was more substantial in the second and third years of production.
  • Authors:
    • Macák, M.
    • Demjanová, E.
    • Smatanová, N.
    • Smatana, J.
  • Source: Research Journal of Agricultural Science
  • Volume: 43
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The field experiments was carried out over the period of 2004-2007 at the experimental farm Kalna nad Hronom in south-western Slovakia. The aim of the research was to evaluate the influence of conventional and reduced tillage and management of organic matter on the soil physical characteristics. The sugar beet - spring barley - sunflower - winter wheat crop sequence was evaluated. The soil tillage treatments as follows: T1 - conventional mould board ploughing with farm yard manure application to sugar beet and incorporation of post harvested residues of spring barley and sunflower; T2 - convnentional mould board ploughing; T3 - no-till Horsch CONCORD CO 9. During June soil samples were taken from 0.05-0.10 m, 0.10-0.20 m, 0.20-0.30 m. Total porosity, soil bulk density and soil moisture was evaluated. The differences between soil layer and crops growing in different years were ascertained. Evaluated tillage treatments have no statistical influence on total porosity and soil bulk density in an average of four years. No till treatment (T3) influenced the less infiltration rate of soil profile with comparison to mouldboard ploughing treatments. The soil bulk density was highly significantly influenced by weather condition, growing crops and residue management and significantly influenced by soil layer. The positive effect of FYM on total porosity was evaluated in 2004 during sugar beet phase of rotation in first and second soil layers 0.05-0.10 m (T1 47.47%) and 0.10-0.20 m (46.93%) which is in relationship with soil bulk density 1.266 t.m 3 and 1.279 t.m 3 in topsoil layers 0.5-0.20 m. Soil bulk density range from 1.361-1.52 t.m 3, in an average. Average data of total porosity revealed the significant less total porosity in deeper soil layer 0.2-0.3 m (41.65%) with comparison to top layer 0.05-0.10 m (44.5%). Significantly less total porosity was created under canopy of sunflower (39.9%) with comparison to sugar beet (43.3%), spring barley (43.8%) and winter wheat (45.1%). In four year average results, the conventional mould board ploughing with farm yard manure form the most suitable soil environment (soil bulk density, total porosity and soil humidity retention), but we also recommended no-till for this specific area of Slovak region.
  • Authors:
    • Kravchenko, A. N.
    • Mokma, D. L.
    • Corbin, A. T.
    • Syswerda, S. P.
    • Robertson, G. P.
  • Source: Soil Science Society of America Journal
  • Volume: 75
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Soil C sequestration research has historically focused on the top 0 to 30 cm of the soil profile, ignoring deeper portions that might also respond to management. In this study we sampled soils along a 10-treatment management intensity gradient to a 1-m depth to test the hypothesis that C gains in surface soils are offset by losses lower in the profile. Treatments included four annual cropping systems in a corn ( Zea mays)-soybean ( Glycine max)-wheat ( Triticum aestivum) rotation, perennial alfalfa ( Medicago sativa) and poplar ( Populus * euramericana), and four unmanaged successional systems. The annual grain systems included conventionally tilled, no-tillage, reduced-input, and organic systems. Unmanaged treatments included a 12-yr-old early successional community, two 50-yr-old mid-successional communities, and a mature forest never cleared for agriculture. All treatments were replicated three to six times and all cropping systems were 12 yr post-establishment when sampled. Surface soil C concentrations and total C pools were significantly greater under no-till, organic, early successional, never-tilled mid-successional, and deciduous forest systems than in the conventionally managed cropping system ( p≤0.05, n=3-6 replicate sites). We found no consistent differences in soil C at depth, despite intensive sampling (30-60 deep soil cores per treatment). Carbon concentrations in the B/Bt and Bt2/C horizons were lower and two and three times more variable, respectively, than in surface soils. We found no evidence for C gains in the surface soils of no-till and other treatments to be either offset or magnified by carbon change at depth.
  • Authors:
    • Flaten, D. N.
    • Entz, M. H.
    • Vaisman, I.
    • Gulden, R. H.
  • Source: Agronomy Journal
  • Volume: 103
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The blade roller offers new opportunities to reduce tillage, especially in organic farming. The objective of the study was to reduce tillage in the green manure phase of a green manure-wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) rotation by substituting tillage with blade rolling. A pea ( Pisum sativum L.) and oat ( Avena sativa L.) green manure was used for two site-years at Carman, MB, while a pea monocrop was used for one site-year at Oxbow, SK. At pea flowering, the green manure was terminated by rolling, tilling, or a combination of the two. Ammonia emissions were greater in the no-till compared with the tilled green manure system, though total ammonia losses were low (<13 kg ha -1). Replacing tillage with rolling reduced soil nitrate N in autumn after green manure by 56 to 88 kg ha -1 in the 0- to 60-cm soil depth. Reduced green manure tillage did not affect wheat establishment but delayed plant development in some instances. Fewer weeds were often observed in wheat in the no-till compared with tilled plots. Total N supply in the green manure-wheat system was reduced in the no-till system compared to the tilled only system at two out of three site-years by an average of 44%. While reduced N supply in the reduced tillage system coincided with reduced wheat yield and protein, it was concluded that factors other than N also were involved. Using the blade roller instead of tillage in the green manure year provides soil conservation benefits and facilitates wheat production the following year.
  • Authors:
    • Drury, C. F.
    • Carter, M. R.
    • Angers, D. A.
    • Janzen, H. H.
    • Ellert, B. H.
    • McConkey, B. G.
    • Bremer, E.
    • VandenBygaart, A. J.
    • Lafond, G. P.
    • McKenzie, R. H.
  • Source: Soil Science Society of America Journal
  • Volume: 75
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The depth of sampling has recently been highlighted as critical to making accurate measurements of changes in SOC stocks. This paper aimed to determine the effects of land management changes (LMC) on soil organic carbon (SOC) by re-sampling long-term agoecosystem experiments (LTAEs) across Canada using identical sampling and laboratory protocols. The impact of sampling depth on the monitoring of LMC-induced differences in SOC stock in LTAEs in Canada, and the implications on statistical power and sampling design, were assessed. In most cases, four cores would be suitable for detecting a significant difference in SOC stock of 5 Mg ha -1 at 95% confidence for LMCs in western Canada. The impact of eliminating fallow on SOC stocks was typically restricted to the surface 15 cm. The impact of perennial forages on the average cumulative SOC was sufficiently large to be detectable at all sampling depths (to 60 cm). In three of the six LTAEs sampled in western Canada comparing conventional tillage to no-till, there was a significantly greater SOC storage in the 0- to 30-depth than the 0- to 15-cm depth, suggesting that sampling below 15 cm could be necessary. The same comparisons in eastern Canada suggested that sampling often must exceed the 30-cm depth to account for any changes in SOC due to moldboard plow tillage. Nonetheless, there was little evidence to suggest that increasing sampling intensity or sampling deeper would improve the ability to detect a difference in SOC stocks for this LMC.
  • Authors:
    • Bortniak, M.
    • Goebiowska, H.
    • Weber, R.
  • Source: Journal of Plant Protection Research
  • Volume: 51
  • Issue: 4
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The objective of the study was to analyse the variability of the weed infestation of several winter wheat cultivars in relation to the soil tillage system applied and to the height of preceding crop stubble. The study was conducted in the years 2008-2010 in Lower Silesia, Poland. The following factors were studied in the experiment: factor I - stubble height a/ short stubble (10 cm) b/ tall stubble (40 cm); factor II - soil tillage systems a/ no-till b/ reduced tillage c/ conventional tillage - ploughing; factor III - winter wheat cultivars a/ Mewa, b/ Rapsodia, c/ Legenda. After the harvest of the preceding crop, glyphosate was sprayed on plots with short and tall stubble, in the first 10-days of August. The number of weeds on each analysed plot was estimated at random, with the frame method. For statistical analysis, the 8 most frequent weed species were selected: Viola arvensis, Sinapsis arvensis, Lamium purpureum, Veronica persica, Apera spica-venti, Capsella bursa-pastoris, Anthemis arvensis and Geranium pusillum. Based on the log-linear analysis, it was determined that V. arvensis and S. arvensis w ere the dominant weed species, whereas A. spica-venti and C. bursa-pastoris were characterised by significantly smaller numbers per 1 m 2. Significantly greater weed infestation was observed on plots with tall stubble. Increased weed infestation of winter wheat was noted in the reduced tillage treatments compared to those with conventional tillage. Only the numbers of S. arvensis were considerably lower under the conditions of no-till than in the conventional or reduced tillage systems. Cultivar Mewa limited the number of weeds per unit of area to a significant degree, while cv. Legenda increased weed infestation.
  • Authors:
    • Laboski, C.
    • Andraski, T.
    • Yague, M.
  • Source: Journal of Environmental Quality
  • Volume: 40
  • Issue: 6
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Greater demand for corn ( Zea mays L.) stover for bioenergy use may lead to increased corn production acreage with minimal surface residue cover, resulting in greater risk for soil erosion and phosphorus (P) losses in runoff. A rainfall simulation study was conducted to determine the effects of spring-applied dairy cow ( Bos taurus) manure (none, in-barn composted, and exterior walled-enclosure pit) with >200 g kg -1 organic solids content following fall corn biomass removal with and without incorporation (chisel plow [CP] and no-till [NT]) on sediment and P in runoff. Runoff was collected from a 0.83-m 2 area for 60 min following the onset of rainfall simulation (76 mm h -1), once in spring and once in fall. Runoff dissolved reactive P (DRP) and dissolved organic P (DOP) concentrations were positively correlated with manure P rate and were higher in NT compared with CP. Conversely, sediment and particulate P (PP) concentrations in runoff were inversely correlated with manure P rate (and manure solids) and were higher in CP compared with NT. Runoff volume where no manure was applied was higher in NT than in CP in spring but similar in fall. The addition of manure reduced runoff volumes by an average of 82% in NT and 42% in CP over spring and fall. Results from this study indicate that surface application of dairy manure with relatively high solids content may reduce sediment and PP losses in runoff without increasing the risk of increased DRP and DOP losses in the year of application where corn biomass is harvested.
  • Authors:
    • Lemke, R.
    • Frick, B.
    • Nagy, C. N.
    • Campbell, C. A.
    • Ulrich, D.
    • Thomas, A. G.
    • Brandt, S. A.
    • Basnyat, P.
    • Zentner, R. P.
    • Malhi, S. S.
    • Olfert, O. O.
    • Fernandez, M. R.
  • Source: Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems
  • Volume: 26
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Producers in the semi-arid Dark Brown Chernozemic (Typic Boroll) soil zone of the Canadian Prairie are contemplating changes to land-use practices, moving away from conventional high-input production systems that specialize in one or two annual grain crops to more diversified and extended cropping systems that use reduced-input and organic management practices. This study examined the economic merits of nine cropping systems, consisting of a factorial combination of three input management methods and three levels of cropping diversity. It was conducted over the 1996-2007 period on a loam soil at Scott, Saskatchewan. The input treatments were: (1) high input (HIGH), which used conventional tillage and full recommended rates of fertilizers and pesticides 'as required'; (2) reduced input (RED), which used conservation tillage and integrated weed and nutrient management practices in an effort to lower requirements for fuel, fertilizers and pesticides; and (3) organic input (ORG), which used tillage, non-chemical pest control, higher seeding rates, delayed seeding and legume crops to replenish soil nutrients. The crop diversity treatments included: (1) a fallow-based rotation with low crop diversity (LOW); (2) a diversified annual rotation of cereal, oilseed and pulse grains (DAG); and (3) a diversified rotation using annual grains and perennial forages (DAP). All crop rotations were 6 years in length. At the 2007 input costs and prices, average net returns and 12-year net present values were higher for organic than for non-organic treatments, with the ORG input/LOW crop diversity system being the most profitable (net returns=$234 ha -1 yr -1 and net present value=$1953 ha -1). Net returns averaged about 10% less for ORG/DAG compared to the most profitable system, and about 22% less for HIGH/DAG and RED/DAG (the best non-organic systems). The DAP treatments that included forage were not economically competitive with the other treatments, often producing economic losses. The relative profitability of the organic treatments was highly dependent on the existence of organic price premiums. When price premiums for organic crops were reduced to less than 70% of the 2007 levels, the organic treatments were less profitable than the comparable non-organic treatments. The organic treatments also experienced significantly lower (and often negative) net returns compared to the non-organic treatments during completion of the 3-year organic certification period. We estimated that it required 5-7 years after completion of certification for the organic treatments to break even with the comparable non-organic treatments. Thereafter the organic treatments produced consistently higher net earnings. Production costs averaged 16% lower with ORG management compared to the HIGH-input treatments, but we found little difference in total costs between the respective HIGH- and RED-input treatments. The organic treatments also displayed lower income variability than the non-organic treatments, with the ORG/LOW system being preferred by risk-averse producers, who do not subscribe to all-risk crop insurance, and with the ORG/LOW and ORG/DAG systems preferred by low and medium risk-averse producers when having the added financial protection from the Canada/Saskatchewan all-risk crop insurance program.
  • Authors:
    • Zekaite, V.
    • Deveikyte, I.
    • Kadziuliene, Z.
    • Sarunaite, L.
    • Maiksteniene, S.
    • Arlauskiene, A.
    • Cesnuleviciene, R.
  • Source: ZEMDIRBYSTE-AGRICULTURE
  • Volume: 98
  • Issue: 4
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Intercropping of cereals and grain legumes is a technology intended to enhance biodiversity in organic agroecosystems, increase and stabilize yields and make better use of plant growth resources. The experiments were designed to investigate the intercrops' yield advantage in different soil, climate and plant competition conditions in organic farming. Field trials were carried out during 2007-2010 at the Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture at three different soil sites: on a loamy Endocalcari-Epihypogleyic Cambisol ( CMg-p-w-can) (Dotnuva), on a clay loam Endocalcari-Endohypogleyic Cambisol ( CMg-n-w-can) (Joniskelis) and on a sandy loam Hapli-Albic Luvisol ( LVe-ha) (Perloja). Pea ( Pisum sativum L. (Partim)) and spring wheat ( Triticum aestivum L. emend. Fiori et Paol.), spring barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.), oat ( Avena sativa L.) and spring triticale (* Triticosecale Wittm.) were sown as intercrops (50:50 - a relative proportion of grain legume and spring cereal seeds) or as a sole crop. The result showed that weather and soil conditions during plant emerge determined the optimal productive density and created a basis for competition between the intercrop components. Spring cereals were dominant due to higher aggressivity index and competition rate compared with peas. Under various soils' conditions the aggressivity of cereals increased with increasing density of pea. In productive soils (Dotnuva, Joniskelis), the highest competitive and suppressive power in the intercrops was exhibited by oats, in low productivity soils (Perloja) - the dominant species varied. Under the conditions of various soils, the production of pea intercrop with oats or barley was directly affected by cereals, while pea intercropped with wheat or triticale by the two components of the intercrop. In terms of grain yield, intercrops ranked as follows: pea/oats > pea/wheat, pea/triticale > pea/barley. In loamy soil (Dotnuva), these regularities were less consistent, therefore the advantages of intercrops' yield over sole crops' yield were negligible when the relative yield total (RYT) was >1.0, except for the pea intercropped with barley. In Joniskelis and Perloja, the relative yield total showed greater and more stable yield advantages of intercrops, except pea intercropped with triticale. The efficiency of intercrops stood out even more vividly in the treatments managed under organic cropping system for a longer period of time.