- Authors:
- Rasaily, R. G.
- Lu, C.
- Li, H.
- He, J.
- Wang, Q.
- Su, Y.
- Source: Transactions of the Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering
- Volume: 28
- Issue: 1
- Year: 2012
- Summary: In order to solve the problems of residue blocking and difficulty to open the furrow of no-till wheat planter in heavy corn residue cover fields in annual double cropping areas of the North China, a telescopic lever furrowing and anti-blocking unit was designed for no-till planter. Its key parameters were determined based on a band between orthogonal test and the structure analysis, and a telescopic lever furrowing and anti-blocking unit was used to conduct the field experiment. The field experiment showed that the telescopic lever furrowing and anti-blocking unit could solve the problem of straw blocking effectively and improve the seeding quality. Compared with the strip rotary-tilling anti-blocking unit, the telescopic lever furrowing and anti-blocking unit could reduce topsoil disturbance quantity by 21.5%; fuel consumption per unit area was reduced by 23.65% when the depth of furrow opening was 10 cm, which could reduce power consumption of tractor. Above all, the telescopic lever furrowing and anti-blocking unit has important value in extending no-tillage planter.
- Authors:
- Hoogmoed, W. B.
- Oenema, O.
- Cai D.
- Jin, K.
- Wu, X.
- Zhao, Q.
- Feng, Z.
- Zhang, D.
- Dai, K.
- Wu, H.
- Wang, X.
- Source: Field Crops Research
- Volume: 132
- Year: 2012
- Summary: Dryland farming in the dry semi-humid regions of northern China is dominated by mono-cropping systems with mainly maize ( Zea mays L.) or wheat ( Triticum aestivum), constrained by low and variable rainfall, and by improper management practices. Addressing these problems, field studies on tillage and residue management for winter wheat and spring maize were conducted at 4 sites in Linfen, Tunliu and Shouyang (Shanxi province) and Luoyang (Henan province). These studies (a.o.) explored the impacts of different tillage and residue application methods on soil physical conditions, water storage, water use, water use efficiency (WUE) and crop yields of wheat and maize. An analysis of the results of these studies is presented. Conservation tillage, comprising no-till as well as reduced tillage practices (subsoiling, deep ploughing) showed benefits which were more prominent in combination with residue application. Benefits compared to conventional tillage were found in the form of improved soil physical conditions, such as higher topsoil bulk densities but lower subsoil bulk densities. This resulted in a better water storage during the summer fallow or rainy season in winter wheat fields, and a better water conservation and soil protection in spring maize fields. Compared to conventional methods, reduced tillage gave yields around 13-16% higher in spring maize and round 9-37% higher in winter wheat. Yields under no-till were very close to those from conventional methods. Surface application of crop residue for maize was found to increase the risk for delayed seedling emergence, because of low temperatures, leading to a recommendation for incorporation of residue in combination with reduced tillage. For winter wheat, subsoiling in combination with straw mulching after harvest in summer every other two or three year, and no-till seeding is a promising practice for sandier soils and low rainfall conditions. For heavier clay loam soils, deep ploughing with straw mulching after wheat harvest in summer every other two or three year, and no-till seeding practice is recommended. For spring maize, deep ploughing with straw and fertilizers incorporation after harvest in fall, and no-till seeding practices are recommended. Subsoiling or no-till with residue mulching after harvest in fall, and no-till seeding practices in spring are also promising practices, the latter only in situations where low spring temperatures are not a problem. Continuous no-till is not recommended.
- Authors:
- Alldredge, J. R.
- Long, D. S.
- Young, F. L.
- Source: Crop Management
- Issue: March
- Year: 2012
- Summary: Growers are becoming interested in producing canola ( Brassica napus or B. rapa) in the dryland, wheat-fallow region of the Pacific Northwest. Currently, agronomic research for spring canola in this region has not been initiated. This study evaluated the effect of no-till planting methods on stand establishment, crop yield, and seed oil quantity of spring canola in Washington and Oregon in 2009 and 2010. The treatments included: double disk opener; broadcast; broadcast plus rolled; Kile opener; Cross-Slot opener; and hoe opener (at Washington only). In this study, canola establishment was generally greatest with the double disk opener and least in the broadcast or broadcast plus rolled treatments at all four site-years. Yield was least in the broadcast treatment and rolling broadcast seed increased yield only 50% of the time. In three out of four site-years, canola planted with the various no-till openers yielded higher than broadcast seed. The adoption of spring canola in the wheat-fallow region of the Pacific Northwest would improve pest management strategies, diversify markets, and increase sustainability.
- Authors:
- Castagnara, D. D.
- Fey, R.
- Seidel, E. P.
- Testa, J. V. P.
- Steiner, F.
- Zoz, T.
- Zoz, A.
- Source: SEMINA-CIENCIAS AGRARIAS
- Volume: 33
- Issue: 2
- Year: 2012
- Summary: The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of foliar application of molybdenum on agronomic characteristics and yield of wheat in a no-till system. The experiment was carried out in a clayey Rhodic Hapludox, in Maripa, State of Parana, Brazil. The experimental design was randomized blocks with five replications. Treatments consisted of four doses of molybdenum (0, 13.8, 27.6 and 55.2 g ha -1 Mo), divided into two foliar applications, the first at tillering (18 days after plant emergence) and the second at the boot stage (65 days after emergence). The foliar application of Mo up to a dose of 35 g ha -1 increased the number of spikes per square meter and yield of wheat; however, it had no effect on the agronomic characteristics of the crop in a no-till system.
- Authors:
- Feizian, M.
- Khalili, A.
- Heidari, S.
- Moradii, J.
- Azizi, K.
- Source: International Journal of AgriScience
- Volume: 2
- Issue: 4
- Year: 2012
- Summary: This experiment was undertaken to study the effect of different levels of gibberellic acid (GA 3) as a hormone on the yield components of soybean genotypes in summer double cropping as the second crop following a wheat harvest. The experiment was carried out in 4*2 factorial arrangement of a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replicates at the experimental farm of Lorestan Meteorological Office located in Khorramabad. 4 levels of GA 3 concentration (0.0 (as control), 125, 250, and 375 ppm) were sprayed over the plants and 2 levels of soybean genotypes (M 11 and L 17) were used for the experiment. The results showed that interactions between different levels of GA 3 and the soybean genotypes had significant effect on pod number per plant, seed number per pod, 1000-seed weight, and economic and biological yield ( p
- Authors:
- Desclaux, D.
- Colomb, B.
- Duputel, M.
- Betencourt, E.
- Hinsinger, P.
- Source: Soil Biology & Biochemistry
- Volume: 46
- Year: 2012
- Summary: Cereal-legume intercropping can promote plant growth (i.e. facilitation) through an increase in the amount of phosphorus (P) taken up, especially in low P soils. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that these positive interactions are supported by rhizosphere processes that increase P availability, such as root-induced pH changes. In neutral and alkaline soils legumes are assumed to increase inorganic P availability by rhizosphere acidification due to N 2 fixation which benefit to the intercropped cereal. Growth, P uptake, changes in inorganic P availability and pH in the rhizosphere of intercropped species were thus investigated in a greenhouse pot experiment with durum wheat and chickpea either grown alone or intercropped. We used a neutral soil from a P fertilizer long-term field trial exhibiting either low (-P) or high (+P) P availability. Phosphorus availability was increased in the rhizosphere of both species, especially when intercropped in -P. Such increase was associated with alkalization. Rhizosphere pH changes could not fully explain the observed changes of P availability though. Low rates of N 2 fixation may explain why no rhizosphere acidification was observed. Increases in P availability did not lead to enhanced P uptake but growth promotion was observed for durum wheat intercropped with chickpea in -P soil. Our hypothesis of an increase in inorganic P availability in intercropping as a consequence of root-induced acidification by the legume was not validated, and we suggested that root-induced alkalization was involved instead, as well as other root-induced processes. Thus, the cereal through rhizosphere alkalization may also enhance P uptake and growth of the intercropped legume. Facilitation can thus occur in both ways.
- Authors:
- Source: Julius-Kuhn-Archiv
- Volume: 1
- Issue: 434
- Year: 2012
- Summary: Lopsided oat ( Avena strigosa) has been cultivated for many years, especially in Brazil, as a summer annual cover crop. Experiments were conducted in Stuttgart-Hohenheim in 2010 to estimate the capability of lopsided oat, yellow mustard ( Sinapis alba), phacelia ( Phacelia tanacetifolia) and a cover crop mixture to suppress weeds and volunteer wheat. A pot experiment was conducted to analyze the emergence and growth of the different cover crop species. Twelve weeks after planting, lopsided oat produced 20.7 dt/ha of shoot- and 5.5 dt/ha of root dry matter. A field experiment was established in the summer after harvest of winter wheat. The soil was cultivated with a disc harrow and the cover crops were sown one day later. At four week intervals, the plant density and dry matter of cover crops, weeds and volunteer wheat were determined. Twelve weeks after planting, lopsided oat produced 17.8 dt/ha shoot- and 6.2 dt/ha root dry matter. In the lopsided oat plots, shoot dry matter of weeds and volunteer wheat were reduced by 98% compared with control plots without cover crops. This was the highest weed reduction of all cover crops studied. The root dry matter of weeds and volunteer wheat was reduced by 55% to 97% in all cover crops, compared to the control plots. Lopsided oat reduced the plant density of weeds and volunteer wheat. While there were 54.5 plants/m 2 in the control plots, only 5.5 plants/m 2 were counted in the lopsided oat plots. The results showed that lopsided oat has a high potential for suppression of weeds and volunteer wheat in autumn. It also enlarges the number of cultivated cover crops in Central Europe.
- Authors:
- Wang, J.
- Kimmins, J.
- Cao, F.
- Source: Agroforestry Systems
- Volume: 84
- Issue: 3
- Year: 2012
- Summary: Intercropping Ginkgo and crop species in southern China is receiving increasing attention because it offers potential advantages for resource utilization, higher economic income to farmers and increased sustainability in crop production, We carried out a 2-year field intercropping system composed of Ginkgo with wheat, broad bean, and rapeseed, respectively, to determine the competitive interactions between the different species, and productivity and the economic yield of each intercropping system. The density of Ginkgo and crop species was varied systematically in a two-way density matrix composed of three monoculture densities and nine intercropping of all possible pairwise combinations of monoculture densities. Intercropping systems were assessed on the basis of several intercropping indices such as land equivalent ratio, relative crowding coefficient, relative competition intensity and vector competition analysis. The results showed that the combined biomass production of the component crop species was significantly greater in the Ginkgo/crop mixtures than in monocultures crops (Ginkgo, broad bean, wheat, and rapeseed). Ginkgo:rapeseed ratio 24:12, Ginkgo:bread bean ratio 24:5, and Ginkgo:wheat ratio 24:200 had the best total biomass production. Ginkgo:rapeseed (and broad bean) ratio 24:5 and Ginkgo:wheat ratio 24:200 in respective Ginkgo/crop mixtures had the maximum economic yield. Vector competition analysis showed that Ginkgo/rapeseed mixture exhibited an antagonistic interaction type and therefore is not suitable for intercropping. Ginkgo/broad bean mixture demonstrated the most beneficial effects among the three intercropping systems.
- Authors:
- Source: Journal of Food Agriculture and Environment
- Volume: 10
- Issue: 2 part 2
- Year: 2012
- Summary: The current research was conducted to evaluate the forage yield and quality of stands of common vetch ( Vicia sativa L.) in various combinations with annual cereals such as oat ( Avena sativa L.), barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.) and wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.). Mixture rates were formulated using three combinations of common vetch-cereal (75:25, 50:50 and 25:75) under rainfed conditions in the southern Marmara Region, Turkey, during the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 growing seasons. The field trials were arranged in a randomized block design with three replications. The averages of the two-year findings indicated that the highest dry matter was determined at pure oat stands, followed by common vetch-oat mixtures at ratios of 50:50 and 75:25. The highest crude protein yield was obtained from pure common vetch and common vetch-oat (75:25) stands. A common vetch-oat mixture at 75:25 can be recommended for experimental and similar ecologies because of its higher dry matter and crude protein yields.
- Authors:
- Li, B.
- Qiao, B.
- Zhang, C.
- Chang, J.
- Source: Journal of Fruit Science
- Volume: 29
- Issue: 2
- Year: 2012
- Summary: To improve ecological efficiency of Chinese jujube orchard and to further dig out its productive potentiality, comparative tests between intercropping wheat with Chinese jujube and single-cropping wheat were conducted. The results showed that intercropping wheat with Chinese jujube could obviously decrease dry-hot winds in wheat field; Bulk density and temperature of the soil were decreased, and the total porosity, capillary porosity, capillary moisture capacity and moisture capacity were apparently improved ( P
