• Authors:
    • Kashevarov, N. I.
  • Source: Kormoproizvodstvo
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2007
  • Summary: An overview of growing conditions of annual and perennial fodder crops and forage conservation in different zones of Siberia during 1986-2005 is given. Recommended planting systems for main annual and perennial crops and grass mixtures as well as their characteristics are summarised in 5 tables. New stable and highly productive multispecies cropping systems were developed, with a focus on Siberian cultivars. Achievements of Siberian research institutes in silage conservation and in selection of new rape, maize, barley, oat, field bean and clover cultivars are presented.
  • Authors:
    • Pals, A.
    • De Baets, S.
    • Galindo-Morales, P.
    • Poesen, J.
    • Knapen, A.
  • Source: Earth Surface Processes and Landforms
  • Volume: 32
  • Issue: 12
  • Year: 2007
  • Summary: Several studies illustrate the wind and water erosion-reducing potential of semi-permanent microbiotic soil crusts in arid and semi-arid desert environments. In contrast, little is hitherto known on these biological crusts on cropland soils in temperate environments where they are annually destroyed by tillage and quickly regenerate thereafter. This study attempts to fill the research gap through (a) a field survey assessing the occurrence of biological soil crusts on loess-derived soils in central Belgium in space and time and (b) laboratory flume (2 m long) experiments simulating concentrated runoff on undisturbed topsoil samples (0.4 x 0.1 m(2)) quantifying the microbiotic crust effect on soil erosion rates. Three stages of microbiotic crust development on cropland soils are distinguished: (1) development of a non-biological surface seal by raindrop impact, (2) colonization of the soil by algae and gradual development of a continuous algal mat and (3) establishment of a well-developed microbiotic crust with moss plants as the dominant life-form. As the silt loam soils in the study area seal quickly after tillage, microbiotic soil crusts are more or less present during a large part of the year under maize, sugar beet and wheat, representing the main cropland area. On average, the early-successional algae-dominated crusts of stage 2 reduce soil detachment rates by 37%, whereas the well-developed moss mat of stage 3 causes an average reduction of 79%. Relative soil detachment rates of soil surfaces with microbiotic crusts compared with bare sealed soil surfaces are shown to decrease exponentially with increasing microbiotic cover (b = 0 center dot 024 for moss-dominated and b = 0 center dot 006 for algae-dominated crusts). In addition to ground surface cover by vegetation and crop residues, microbiotic crust occurrence can therefore not be neglected when modelling small-scale spatial and temporal variations in soil loss by concentrated flow erosion on cropland soils in temperate environments. Copyright (C) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
  • Authors:
    • Labreuche, J.
    • Thiébeau, P.
    • Mary, B.
    • Laurent, F.
    • Oorts, K.
    • Nicolardot, B.
  • Source: Soil & Tillage Research
  • Volume: 94
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2007
  • Summary: Soil N mineralization was quantified in two long-term experiments in northern France, in which no-till (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) had been differentiated for 33 years (Site 1) and 12 years (Site 2). Both sites had the same soil type but differed in crop rotation. N mineralization kinetics were assessed in situ in bare soil in both systems for 254 days (Site 1) and 555 days (Site 2) by taking frequent measurements of water and nitrate contents from soil layers and using the LIXIM calculation model. The N mineralization potential was also determined in soil samples incubated under controlled laboratory conditions. Small or non-significant differences in water and nitrate contents between NT and CT were apparent within the soil profiles on both sites. Net mineralization did not differ significantly between sites or tillage treatments. The amount of N mineralized from August 2003 to April 2004 was 6710 kg N ha -1 on Site 1 and 745 kg N ha -1 on Site 2, and 1616 kg N ha -1 from August 2003 to February 2005 on Site 2. The kinetics of N mineralization versus normalized time (equivalent time at constant temperature of 15degreesC and water content at field capacity) were linear during the shorter period (254 days corresponding to 120 normalized days). The slope (N mineralization rate) did not differ significantly between treatments and sites, and the average rate was 0.570.05 kg N ha -1 nd -1. The kinetics were non-linear on Site 2 over the longer period (555 days corresponding to 350 normalized days). They could be fitted to an exponential model with a slope at the origin of 0.62 kg N ha -1 nd -1. The N mineralization kinetics obtained in laboratory incubations for 120-150 normalized days were also almost linear with no significant differences between treatments. Assuming that mineralization took place in the ploughed layer (in CT) or over the same soil mass (in NT) they were in good agreement with the kinetics determined in situ on both sites. The calculated water drainage below the sampled profile was slightly greater in NT due to lower evaporation. The calculated leached N was slightly higher in NT than CT on Site 1, but did not differ between treatments on Site 2. It is concluded that N mineralization and leaching in NT and CT were similar, despite large differences in N distribution within the soil profile and a slight difference in organic N stock.
  • Authors:
    • Labreuche, J.
    • Gréhan, E.
    • Merckx, R.
    • Oorts, K.
    • Nicolardot, B.
  • Source: Soil & Tillage Research
  • Volume: 95
  • Issue: 1/2
  • Year: 2007
  • Summary: The greenhouse gases CO 2 and N 2O emissions were quantified in a long-term experiment in northern France, in which no-till (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) had been differentiated during 32 years in plots under a maize-wheat rotation. Continuous CO 2 and periodical N 2O soil emission measurements were performed during two periods: under maize cultivation (April 2003-July 2003) and during the fallow period after wheat harvest (August 2003-March 2004). In order to document the dynamics and importance of these emissions, soil organic C and mineral N, residue decomposition, soil potential for CO 2 emission and climatic data were measured. CO 2 emissions were significantly larger in NT on 53% and in CT on 6% of the days. From April to July 2003 and from November 2003 to March 2004, the cumulated CO 2 emissions did not differ significantly between CT and NT. However, the cumulated CO 2 emissions from August to November 2003 were considerably larger for NT than for CT. Over the entire 331 days of measurement, CT and NT emitted 3160269 and 4064138 kg CO 2-C ha -1, respectively. The differences in CO 2 emissions in the two tillage systems resulted from the soil climatic conditions and the amounts and location of crop residues and SOM. A large proportion of the CO 2 emissions in NT over the entire measurement period was probably due to the decomposition of old weathered residues. NT tended to emit more N 2O than CT over the entire measurement period. However differences were statistically significant in only half of the cases due to important variability. N 2O emissions were generally less than 5 g N ha -1 day -1, except for a few dates where emission increased up to 21 g N ha -1 day -1. These N 2O fluxes represented 0.800.15 and 1.320.52 kg N 2O-N ha -1 year -1 for CT and NT, respectively. Depending on the periods, a large part of the N 2O emissions occurred was probably induced by nitrification, since soil conditions were not favorable for denitrification. Finally, for the period of measurement after 32 years of tillage treatments, the NT system emitted more greenhouses gases (CO 2 and N 2O) to the atmosphere on an annual basis than the CT system.
  • Authors:
    • Osborne, S. L.
    • Riedell, W. E.
    • Pikul, J. L. Jr.
  • Source: Recent Research Developments in Soil Science
  • Volume: 2
  • Year: 2007
  • Summary: Maize (Zea mays L.) grown in rotation with high residue crops generally has lower grain yield under no-till than under tilled soil management in the northern US maize belt. Hence, the research objectives were to further characterize soil physical properties, maize grain yield, and seed composition under tilled and no-till soil management following soybean ( Glycine max L.) or winter wheat ( Triticum aestivum L). The two year field study was conducted on a Barnes sandy clay loam soil (fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Calcic Hapludoll) in eastern South Dakota USA. Research plots were managed under no-till starting in 1996. Tillage treatments (fall chisel plow prior to winter wheat, fall chisel plow plus spring disk-harrow prior to maize and soybean, or no-till) were started in 2001. Tillage and previous crop treatments were arranged in a completely randomized block design with 4 replications. Soil temperatures (30 cm depth) in tilled plots after winter wheat were warmer than no-till plots in June and again in August of the 2004 growing season. In 2003, soil temperatures were very similar across tillage treatments. Soil bulk density (0 to 10 cm depth) and soil penetration resistance (0 to 7 cm depth) were much greater under no-till soil management than under tilled conditions when measured in mid-June (V6 leaf development stage). While tillage treatment affected maize seed oil concentration (4.0% in tilled, 4.3% in no-till), there were no significant previous crop or interaction effects on seed oil or protein concentration. In the warmer and drier year (2003), maize grain yield under tilled conditions was 8.2 Mg ha -1 compared with 8.7 Mg ha -1 under no-till. In the cooler and wetter year (2004), yields were 9.4 Mg ha -1 under tilled soil management and 7.4 Mg ha -1 under no-till. The no-till soil management treatment following winter wheat had 27% lower maize grain yield than the tilled treatments and the no-till following soybeans. We conclude that greater bulk density and penetration resistance levels under no-till soil management, along with cool soil conditions that typically occur in the spring in the northern US maize belt, reduced maize yield under no-till management in soils with moderately low to low internal drainage.
  • Authors:
    • Schumacher, K. D.
    • Striewe, L.
  • Source: Agrarwirtschaft
  • Volume: 56
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2007
  • Summary: The international cereal production is expected to decrease by 1% in 2006/07, the second year in a row. Wheat production is expected 589 million tonnes, 5% less the previous year and the lowest harvest for the last three years. Droughts in Australia, the USA and Canada are one reason, however China, Ukraine and other Black Sea neighbouring countries reported higher production in 2006/07. In the USA 110 ethanol production units were established, most are maize (corn) based others on sorghum. A doubling of the capacity in 2007 alone is projected. The EU cereal harvest was also reduced with droughts in Spain and Portugal. Prices are predicted to rise further, the export licences established in the Ukraine have driven European prices up and Ukrainian producers suffered because of price drops within their country, due to oversupply. The global oilseed production can currently match demand, however, it is expected that demand will grow faster than supply. The global oilseed production in 2006/07 of 395 million tonnes consisted mainly of soyabeans (227), oilseed rape (47), cotton (44), peanuts (32) and sunflowers (31 million tonnes). The soyabean area in Brazil is decreasing from 23 million ha to 21 million in 2006/07, however Argentina has increased the area by 0.5 to 15.7 million ha. Globally demand is again rising faster than supply and inelastic demand caused by government subsidies for bio-fuel will lead to less cereals being available for food consumption.
  • Authors:
    • Yang, C. H.
    • Han, S. M.
    • Zhu, R. X.
    • Xue, S. P.
    • Yang, Q.
  • Source: Transactions of the Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering
  • Volume: 23
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2007
  • Summary: The objective of this study was to determine conservation tillage techniques suitable for semiarid regions in North China. Ten different mechanized patterns of no-till or reduced-tillage for two crops (winter wheat and summer maize) within one year were set up at the Experiment and Demonstration Site for Mechanized New Techniques and Machinery at Yangling, Shaanxi Province, China, and these conservation tillage patterns were compared with conventional tillage. Results showed that wheat yield increased by 53% and summer maize yield increased by 25%, average soil water storage increased from 1% to 1.2% at different depths, and average organic matter increased by 1.03 g/kg relatively for the conservation tillage system with wheat residue cover and no-till seeding of maize immediately after wheat harvest, compared with conventional bare soil ploughing. Moreover, the efficiency of yield increase and water storage for deep soil loosening was higher than that for deep ploughing. No-till seeding of maize on high stubble mulching was better than seeding on low stubble. Finally, cost-benefit analysis results showed that conservation tillage resulted in great economic returns than convention tillage due to greater yields and lower production costs resulting from reduced tillage.
  • Authors:
    • Zhang, X. M.
    • Wang, X. Y.
    • Gao, H. W.
    • Li, H. W.
    • Yao, Z, L.
  • Source: Transactions of the Chinese Society for Agricultural Machinery = Nongye Jixie Xuebao
  • Volume: 38
  • Issue: 8
  • Year: 2007
  • Summary: A new no-till wheat planter, named 2BMDF-12 no-till wheat planter, was developed at the China Agricultural University to solve an extremely important problem, including zero-tillage planting of wheat in narrow row spacing (150-200 mm) between rows of very high-levels full length, standing maize stubble in one pass in double cropping area of North China. A combined anti-blocking device that is composed of a power chopping axle and a planting unit of double-disc opener was designed. Field performance test results showed that the machine could accomplish many procedures, such as stubble chopping, furrow opening, seeds and fertilizer placement, etc, in one pass, and operation costs could be decreased by ~50%. The machine worked well for planting wheat into standing maize stubble and maize stubble shattered. The power chopping axle resolved the anti-blockage problem, and the double-disc opener unit reduced the blockage between planting units. Meanwhile, the variations for seed depth reduced to 19.8 and 21.3%. Thus, this machine can be a good solution to no-till wheat planting in double cropping areas.
  • Authors:
    • Tiwary ,P.
    • Manual, D. K.
    • Prasad, J.
    • Hajare, T. N.
    • Challa, O.
  • Source: Agropedology
  • Volume: 17
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2007
  • Summary: An experiment was conducted to compare the production potential and economic feasibility of various crop combinations, i.e. cotton (cv. Anjali 561) intercropped with cowpea, urd bean and dhaincha, and soyabean (cv. JS 335) intercropped with maize, sorghum and pigeon pea, under rainfed farming conditions in Nagpur, Maharashtra, India, during 2002-04. The soils of the area are 22-24 cm deep (underlain by murrum/saprolite up to 40-45 cm), well-drained (Lithic Ustorthents) and occur on 1-3 and 3-5% slope. Cotton intercropping comprised row to row at 90 cm and plant to plant at 45 cm, while soyabean intercropping comprised 2 rows of main and 2 rows of intercrop at 45 cm. Irrespective of the slope, the highest yield of cotton was recorded under cotton + cowpea cropping system; however, the highest net return was observed under cotton + cowpea cropping system. For soyabeans, the highest yield was recorded under sole soyabean crop in both soil slopes. Among the intercropping systems, soyabean + pigeon pea had the highest yield followed by sorghum under both slopes during 2002-03. In 2003-04, soyabean + sorghum gave the highest soyabean equivalent yield in both soils followed by soyabean + pigeon pea. Comparative data on gross return, net return, average net profit and land equivalent ratio for both cotton and soyabean cropping systems are also presented.
  • Authors:
    • Liebig, M. A.
    • Merrill, S. D.
    • Krupinsky, J. M.
    • Tanaka, D. L.
    • Hanson, J. D.
  • Source: Agronomy Journal
  • Volume: 99
  • Issue: 4
  • Year: 2007
  • Summary: Producers need to know how to sequence crops to develop sustainable dynamic cropping systems that take advantage of inherent internal resources, such as crop synergism, nutrient cycling, and soil water, and capitalize on external resources, such as weather, markets, and government programs. The objective of our research was to determine influences of previous crop and crop residues (crop sequence) on relative seed and residue yield and precipitation-use efficiency (PUE) for the no-till production of buckwheat ( Fagopyrum esculentum Moench), canola ( Brassica napus L.), chickpea ( Cicer arietinum L.), corn ( Zea mays L.), dry pea ( Pisum sativum L.), grain sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor L.), lentil ( Lens culinaris Medik.), proso millet ( Panicum miliaceum L.), sunflower ( Helianthus annus L.), and spring wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) grown in the northern Great Plains. Relative seed yield in 2003 for eight of the 10 crops resulted in synergistic effects when the previous crop was dry pea or lentil, compared with each crop grown on its own residue. Buckwheat, corn, and sunflower residues were antagonistic to chickpea relative seed yield. In 2004, highest relative seed yield for eight of the 10 crops occurred when dry pea was the previous crop. Relative residue yield followed a pattern similar to relative seed yield. The PUE overall means fluctuated for seven of the 10 crops both years, but those of dry pea, sunflower, and spring wheat remained somewhat constant, suggesting these crops may have mechanisms for consistent PUE and were not as dependent on growing season precipitation distribution as the other seven crops. Sustainable cropping systems in the northern Great Plains will approach an optimal scheme of crop sequencing by taking advantage of synergisms and avoiding antagonisms that occur among crops and previous crop residues.