19802015
  • Authors:
    • Perello, A. E.
    • Moreno, V.
    • Chidichimo, H. O.
    • Terrile, I. I.
    • Simon, M. R.
    • Ayala, F. M.
    • Golik, S. I.
    • Cordo, C. A.
  • Source: Agronomy Journal
  • Volume: 103
  • Issue: 5
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Zero tillage often leads to wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) yield losses from diseases caused by necrotrophic foliar pathogens. The aim of this work was to evaluate the combined effect of tillage, N fertilization, fungicides, and resistant cultivars in reducing foliar disease severity to prevent significant yield losses. A 2-yr study including combinations of (i) conventional and zero tillage; (ii) N fertilization rates 0, 80, or 160 kg ha -1 N; (iii) two fungicide treatments (with and without a fungicide (1 L of metconazole, 9%)) at growth stages (GS) 32 and 39; and (iv) three wheat cultivars was conducted in the Rolling Pampas region in Argentina. The most common foliar disease in the trial was tan spot [ Pyrenophora tritici-repentis (Died.) Drechs.]. Conventional tillage reduced foliar disease severity at GS 23 by 46 and 56% and the area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) by 20 and 14% for each season, respectively compared with zero tillage. The cultivar Buck Bigua had significantly lower AUDPC values than the others. Fungicide and N application reduced disease severity at GS 23 by 35 and 34% respectively, on average over both years. Disease was less severe in zero tillage plots which received a fungicide compared to conventional tillage plots that were not treated with fungicide. In 2002 yields were greater in conventional tillage plots with 160 kg ha -1 N and fungicide application than in all other treatments. In 2003 yields were greatest in zero tillage plots with 160 kg ha -1 N and fungicide. The results of this study indicate that in spite of the increase of necrotrophic diseases, developing no-till systems in wheat monoculture is possible without significant yield losses if effective disease management practices are applied.
  • Authors:
    • Sims, B. G.
    • Eliis-Jones, J.
  • Source: Agriculture for Development
  • Issue: 14
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: This paper describes the experience of one successful no-till farm in the UK. It highlights the improved wheat yields and reduced production costs the farm has achieved over time since implementing no till; describes how it achieves no till planting and weed control; and discusses the benefits to the soil and the other environmental benefits associated with no till.
  • 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:
    • Sousa, D.
    • Rein, T.
  • Source: Better Crops with Plant Food
  • Volume: 95
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The authors review recommended practices for evaluating and managing liming and fertilizer use for high yielding annual crops growing under no-till (NT) cultivation within the Cerrado.
  • Authors:
    • Carvalho, D.
    • Pereira, J.
    • Silva, L.
    • Guerra, J.
    • Souza, A.
  • Source: ACTA SCIENTIARUM-AGRONOMY
  • Volume: 33
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The objective of this study was to determine the crop evapotranspiration (ETc), crop coefficients (kc) and water-use efficiency (EUA) of the bell pepper crop in the no till system (PD) and conventional tillage system (PC), in the Fluminense Valley, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. The irrigation was managed and the evapotranspiration demand quantified by calculating the daily soil water balance using the TDR technique and data collected in an automatic meteorological station. It was verified that the accumulated ETc at 181 days after planting (DAT) was 363 and 335 mm for PD and PC, respectively. The kcs obtained were 0.32, 1.18 and 0.77 and 0.34, 1.05 and 0.86, for the PD and PC systems, respectively, in the initial (0-40 DAP), middle (81-120 DAP) and final (181 DAP) growth phases, respectively. The kc values for the bell pepper crop presented by FAO were similar to the values found for the PC, but are not recommended for PD. Considering the total depth applied (rain and irrigation), the average values of water use efficiency were 3.9 and 4.5 kg m -3 for PD and PC, respectively.
  • Authors:
    • Sa, M.
    • Arf, O.
    • Buzetti,S.
    • Andreotti, M.
    • Teixeira Filho, M.
    • Souza, J.
  • Source: Bragantia
  • Volume: 70
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The second corn crop is an important economical alternative for agriculture. As this crop removes great amounts of N, it is necessary an appropriate nitrogen fertilization management for obtaining high yields. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of sources, doses and times of nitrogen application on agronomic characteristics and productivity of corn grains in an irrigated second crop. The experiment was accomplished in Selviria, Mato Grosso do Sul State, in a red dystrophic Latosol irrigated by sprinkle and conducted under no till, in 2007 and 2008. The experiment was arranged in randomized complete blocks design, with 4 repetitions, disposed in a factorial scheme 5*3*2, being: five doses of N (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 kg ha -1), three sources of N (ammonium sulfonitrate with nitrification inhibitor, ammonium sulfate and urea) applied at sowing or totally at sidedressing in the stage of 6 leaves. The N sources provided similar grain yield. The nitrogen application at sowing was viable, as well as the traditional application of N at sidedressing. The increment of N doses increased the leaf N content, the number of grains per line and per ear and consequently the grain yield. The N doses increased the grain yield of the second crop up to 150 kg ha -1 of N, independently of application time or N sources.
  • Authors:
    • Maul, J. E.
    • Meisinger, J. J.
    • Cavigelli, M. A.
    • Spargo, J. T.
    • Mirsky, S. B.
  • Source: Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems
  • Volume: 90
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Sustainable soil fertility management depends on long-term integrated strategies that build and maintain soil organic matter and mineralizable soil N levels. These strategies increase the portion of crop N needs met by soil N and reduce dependence on external N inputs required for crop production. To better understand the impact of management on soil N dynamics, we conducted field and laboratory research on five diverse management systems at a long-term study in Maryland, the USDA- Agricultural Research Service Beltsville Farming Systems Project (FSP). The FSP is comprised of a conventional no-till corn ( Zea mays L.)-soybean ( Glycine max L.)-wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.)/double-crop soybean rotation (NT), a conventional chisel-till corn-soybean-wheat/soybean rotation (CT), a 2 year organic corn-soybean rotation (Org2), a 3 year organic corn-soybean-wheat rotation (Org3), and a 6 year organic corn-soybean-wheat-alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) (3 years) rotation (Org6). We found that total potentially mineralizable N in organic systems (average 315 kg N ha -1) was significantly greater than the conventional systems (average 235 kg N ha -1). Particulate organic matter (POM)-C and -N also tended to be greater in organic than conventional cropping systems. Average corn yield and N uptake from unamended (minus N) field microplots were 40 and 48%, respectively, greater in organic than conventional grain cropping systems. Among the three organic systems, all measures of N availability tended to increase with increasing frequency of manure application and crop rotation length (Org2 < Org3 ≤ Org6) while most measures were similar between NT and CT. Our results demonstrate that organic soil fertility management increases soil N availability by increasing labile soil organic matter. Relatively high levels of mineralizable soil N must be considered when developing soil fertility management plans for organic systems.
  • Authors:
    • Lal, R.
    • Stavi, I.
  • Source: Geomorphology
  • Volume: 125
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Erosion and deposition processes affect the physical quality of the soil. Thus, the objective of this study was to assess the effects of these processes on a long-term no-till corn agroecosystem in a humid-temperate region of the Midwest U.S. The study was conducted under on-farm conditions, in a field which experiences erosional and depositional processes. At the end of the dormant season, soil characteristics were tested for two depths (0-5 and 5-10 cm) in uneroded (UN), eroded (ER), and depositional (DP) sites. The data showed that UN and ER were characterized by the highest and lowest soil shear strength (137.3 and 78.1 KPa, respectively) and organic carbon concentration (35.6 and 30.3 g kg -1, respectively). The highest and lowest aggregate stability (85.4% and 73.6%, respectively) and mean weight diameter (2.9 and 1.6 mm, respectively) were observed in UN and DP. The highest and lowest penetration resistance (4.82 and 4.57 MPa, respectively) and bulk density (1.49 and 1.33 Mg m -3, respectively) were measured in ER and DP. An opposite trend was observed for the C:N ratio (8.2 and 9.6, respectively), and the value's color variable (4.6 and 4.9, respectively). No significant differences among the erosional phases were measured in the soil's total nitrogen concentration, hue and chroma color variables, texture, hydraulic conductivity, and intrinsic permeability. The erodibility factor was the lowest and highest in DP and ER (0.00326 and 0.00397 Mg ha h ha -1 MJ -1 mm -1, respectively), and the effect of erosional phase on this factor was close to significant. In general, the effect of erosion and deposition on soil characteristics decreased with an increase in soil depth. This study suggests that the occurrence of positive feedbacks in ER and DP have led to accelerated erosional and depositional processes and the continuous degradation of the soil quality. A range of management practices should be considered in order to mitigate these processes and reduce negative impact on crop yields in such agroecosystems.
  • Authors:
    • Stavi,I.
    • Lal,R.
    • Owens,L. B.
  • Source: Agronomy for Sustainable Development
  • Volume: 31
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Contrary to earlier studies, this study suggests that even one year of tillage within a long-term no-till agroecosystem adversely affected the soil quality, with possible negative impact on crop yields. Worldwide interest in conservation tillage is increasing, because conventional tillage adversely impacts the long-term quality of the soil and its vulnerability to erosion. No-till agriculture minimizes adverse impacts of an intensive arable land use. In some cases, occasional tillage is used as a means of weed or pathogen control. Therefore, this study was conducted in eastern Ohio to examine soil quality as affected by occasional tillage, i.e. disk plowed every 3-4 years, within a long-term no-till agroecosystem. The study compared the soil characteristics between two fields, both under corn ( Zea mays L.) at the time of the study. Soil properties were studied for three depths of 0-6, 6-12, and 12-18 cm. Compared with the continuous no-till field, the field under occasional tillage had significantly higher bulk density of 1.45 versus 1.31 gcm -3, and somewhat higher soil penetration resistance of 1.77 versus 1.56 MPa. Also, compared with the no-till field, the field under occasional tillage had significantly lower water stable aggregate of 475 versus 834 gkg -1, mean weight diameter of 1.4 versus 3.4 mm, field moisture capacity of 293 versus 360 gkg -1, equilibrium infiltration rate of 2.0 versus 6.7 mm min -1, and cumulative infiltration of 353.4 versus 1,211.8 mm. The field under occasional tillage had somewhat lower soil organic carbon of 16.0 versus 19.2 gkg -1, soil water sorptivity of 16.3 versus 36.5 mm min -0.5, and transmissivity of 2.1 versus 4.9 mm min -1. The occasional tillage had no effect on the soil shear strength. In general, the effect of tillage on soil properties decreased with increase in soil depth. Also corn yields were compared between the two agroecosystems. Compared with the no-till field, the field under occasional tillage had significantly lower grain moisture content of 22.4 versus 28.2%, and somewhat lower wet stover biomass of 14.6 versus 20.2 Mg ha -1, wet corn ear yield of 10.0 versus 11.4 Mg ha -1, and dry grain yield of 8.2 versus 9.4 Mg ha -1. As contrasted with earlier studies which were conducted under controlled research plots, this study was conducted under on-farm conditions.
  • 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.