The effect of raised beds on soil structure, waterlogging, and productivity on duplex soils in Western Australia

Soil Research ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 43 (5) ◽  
pp. 575 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. M. Bakker ◽  
G. J. Hamilton ◽  
D. J. Houlbrooke ◽  
C. Spann
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Soil Structure ◽  
Root Zone ◽  
Infiltration Rate ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Agricultural Crops ◽  
Yield Increase ◽  
Major Constraint ◽  
No Till ◽  
Poor Soil

Waterlogging and poor soil structure in the root-zone of duplex soils in Western Australia has long been recognised as a major constraint to the production of agricultural crops and pastures. The effect of raised beds on waterlogging, soil structure, and productivity of duplex soils was investigated. Five experimental sites were established, monitored, and operated over 5 years as well as 3 larger scale demonstration sites which were operated over 4 or 3 years. Treatments consisted of raised beds and a normal no-till seed bed as the control. The beds were made with a bed former after the soil had been deep cultivated. Bulk density and steady-state infiltration rate observations indicated significant and lasting improvements in soil structure in the beds. The incidence of waterlogging in raised beds was reduced and this was accompanied by an increase in runoff from the raised beds. The average grain yield increase from the beds was 18% for a variety of crops across a range of climatic conditions and duplex soils. Seven years after the introduction of raised beds for broad-acre farming in Western Australia, more than an estimated 30 000 ha of crops is now grown on raised beds.

Degradation of soil structure due to coalescence of aggregates in no-till, no-traffic beds in irrigated crops

Soil Research ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 61 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Cockroft ◽  
K. A. Olsson
Keyword(s):  
Soil Structure ◽  
Water Drainage ◽  
Slow Increase ◽  
Wetting And Drying ◽  
No Till ◽  
Soil Hardness ◽  
Loose Soil ◽  
Irrigated Crops ◽  
Soil Hardening ◽  
Poor Soil

Poor soil structure remains a major restriction to achieving potential yields from crops under zero tillage. Even water-stable, untrafficked soils in which plants experience no limitations due to nutrients, water, or drainage almost inevitably harden within 2–3 months after the initial cultivation. Most agricultural scientists have not recognised the importance of this common yet distinct form of soil hardening, which we name coalescence. We identify coalescence as a slow increase in soil hardness which develops during cycles of wetting and drying. The structure of a well-prepared bed of soil that is water-stable and not trafficked changes to one that is hard, although perforated with biopores. These pores facilitate the infiltration of water, drainage, and some growth of roots, but the hard matrix causes root growth and activity to be substantially reduced compared with roots in loose soil and this reduces the productivity of the crop. We suggest that coalescence is an important cause of poor responses in productivity to zero and minimum tillage systems of soil management. We have found isolated examples of soils in the field that remain soft, loose, and porous, after more than 2 years since cultivation. This suggests that it might be possible to prevent coalescence. These coalescence-stable soils, in common with virgin soils, have properties that enable them to resist coalescing. Although we do not know what these properties are, high organic matter (>4% w/w total C content) is closely related to zero coalescence. We do not understand why we observe low coalescence in some field situations and we have been unable to control coalescence in the field.

Characterisation of a windbreak system on the south coast of Western Australia. 2. Crop growth

2002 ◽  
Vol 42 (6) ◽  
pp. 717 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. Sudmeyer ◽  
P. R. Scott
Keyword(s):  
Grain Yield ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Tree Height ◽  
Crop Growth ◽  
Above Ground Biomass ◽  
Evaporative Demand ◽  
Yield Increase ◽  
Ground Biomass ◽  
Wind Events ◽  
Similar Area

This paper, which is the second in a series of three, describes dryland crop growth and yields in a windbreak bay in south-western Australia and relates changes to microclimate modification by the windbreaks. Over the 4 years of this trial, above ground biomass and the development rate of crops 3–20 times the tree height from the windbreak (H) were similar to crops growing in unsheltered conditions (more than 20 H from the windbreaks). Grain yield was 16–30% higher between 3 H and 20 H than at more than 20 H in 1994, the driest year on record for the district, in other years yield was largely unchanged. In contrast, above ground biomass growth was consistently less within 3 H than further from the windbreaks and grain yield within 3 H was 19–27% less than unsheltered yield. Water use by the trees is the most likely cause of reduced yield within 3 H. Over the 4 years, mean grain yield between 0.5 H and 20 H was 3.8% greater than yield at more than 20 H. This increase was largely due to the yield increase in 1994. As 5.4% of the paddock was directly occupied by, or uncropped next to, the windbreaks, there was a net yield decrease of 2.8% over 4 years compared to estimated production from a similar area with no windbreaks. The principle benefits of the windbreaks were reducing evaporative demand in extremely dry years and protection against extreme wind events. These benefits must be weighed against the costs of establishing and maintaining windbreak systems.

The Experiment Study on the Soil Infiltration Characteristics of Yumenkou Water Pumping Station Irrigation District of Regional Scale

2013 ◽  
Vol 316-317 ◽  
pp. 661-664 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lin Hu Yuan ◽  
Gui Sheng Fan
Keyword(s):  
Soil Structure ◽  
Soil Moisture Content ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Infiltration Rate ◽  
Irrigation District ◽  
Shanxi Province ◽  
Soil Infiltration ◽  
Volume Weight ◽  
Water Pumping ◽  
Weight Content

This paper is based on an item of key problem of agriculture of Shanxi province through field test and indoor test. Capability of soil infiltration and soil moisture content,soil volume-weight,content of soil organic matter,soil structure were measured.Infiltration content and infiltration rate reflect the capability of soil infiltration. Ten points of Yumenkou irriqated area located in Hejin, Jishan,Xinjiang were choosed,which can represent the soil feature of this area very well.The study of soil infiltration will give the scientific reason for the rational determining of field irrigation technique parameter.

Management of excess water in duplex soils

1992 ◽  
Vol 32 (7) ◽  
pp. 857 ◽  
Author(s):  
DJ McFarlane ◽  
JW Cox
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Recharge ◽  
Water Flow ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Soil Structure ◽  
Wind Erosion ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Storm Runoff ◽  
Cereal Crops ◽  
Excess Water

Excess water in duplex soils can be removed by drains. In soils in which drainage is impractical, some success has been obtained by deep ripping and by gypsum amendment. These practices can increase profile storage or drainage. Interceptor drains are suitable for duplex soils with slopes of more than about 1.5%. On more gentle slopes, relief drains are used to remove excess water. Subsurface tube and mole drains have been used successfully to drain cereal crops in Victoria, but in Western Australia open drains are preferred because they can carry storm runoff as well as seepage waters. The greatest cost of open drains is the land removed from production. Over 35% of the rain falling during the growing season has been removed by drains in Victoria and Western Australia in wet years. Drainage was almost entirely downslope of monitored interceptor drains in Western Australia, which is not predicted from the theory. Simulation of water levels between drains and of drain flows using the DRAINMOD model indicated significant, preferred pathways for water flow to drains. The pathways explain the predominantly downslope effect of interceptor drains and the wide drain spacings which can be used. Deep ripping and the incorporation of gypsum can reduce waterlogging in some soils, but has had no effect in several others. The effect of deep ripping on recharge is unclear. Drains may decrease groundwater recharge, water and wind erosion, and soil structure decline. Their effect on phosphate export from catchments is unclear.

scholarly journals ANALYSIS OF USING DIFFERENTIATED APPROACH WHEN IRRIGATING AGRICULTURAL CROPS

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. N. Babichev ◽  
◽  
A. A. Babenko ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Growth And Development ◽  
Irrigation System ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Agricultural Crops ◽  
Critical Periods ◽  
Irrigation Regime ◽  
Agrochemical Properties ◽  
Quality Of Products

Purpose: to analyze the experience of Russian scientists in the field of application of a differentiated approach to agricultural crops irrigation. The overview of research work of domestic scientists on the use of an irrigation system in agriculture, in which the provision of agricultural crops with water to maintain a given level of the minimum water capacity will be carried out during the most critical periods of their growth and development is presented. During irrigation, the timing, frequency, irrigation rates depend on the level of groundwater occurrence, agrochemical properties of soils, weather and climatic conditions, phases of growth and development of crops. The application of a differentiated irrigation regime to maintain a given level of pre-irrigation moisture allows increasing the productivity of agricultural crops, the quality of products obtained while reducing irrigation and watering rates, the number of waterings. Conclusions. The study of the results of research work of domestic scientists in the field of influence of irrigation and the fertilization system on the yield and quality of agricultural products allows concluding that obtaining the planned yields is possible only if irrigation regimes are observed and the level of soil fertility is maintained by applying various fertilizers. The use of a differentiated approach to irrigation while maintaining a given level of pre-irrigation soil moisture during critical periods of crop development allows reducing irrigation water consumption and optimizing irrigation rates and their quantity. The study of a differentiated irrigation regime is promising now and in the near future, taking into account the deteriorating water supply in the territory of our country, associated with a change in weather and climatic conditions.

Response of sunflowers (Helianthus annuus L.) to varying seeding rates and nitrogen fertilizer rates in a no-till cropping system in Saskatchewan

2018 ◽  
Vol 98 (6) ◽  
pp. 1331-1341 ◽  
Author(s):  
W.E. May ◽  
M.P. Dawson ◽  
C.L. Lyons
Keyword(s):  
Plant Density ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Seeding Rate ◽  
Yield Increase ◽  
No Till ◽  
Rate Study ◽  
Optimum N Rate ◽  
Precision Planting ◽  
N Rates

In the past, most sunflower research was conducted in tilled cropping systems and was based on wide row configurations established using precision planters. Little agronomic information is available for the no-till systems predominant in Saskatchewan, where crops are typically seeded in narrow rows using an air drill. Two studies were conducted in Saskatchewan to determine the optimum seeding and nitrogen (N) rates for short-season sunflowers in a no-till cropping system. The N rate study used 5 N rates (10, 30, 50, 70, and 90 kg N ha−1) with the hybrid 63A21. The seeding rate study used 7 seeding rates (37 000, 49 000, 61 000, 74 000, 86 000, 98 000, and 111 000 seeds ha−1) with two cultivars, AC Sierra (open pollinated) and 63A21 (hybrid). There was a linear yield increase as the N rate increased from 10 to 90 kg N ha−1. Based on the N rates tested in this study and current N fertilizer costs below $1 kg−1, sunflower yields and gross returns were most favorable at 90 kg N ha−1. Future N response research with a wider range of N rates is warranted to best determine the optimum N rate. The optimum seeding rate was between 98 000 and 111 000 seeds ha−1 for AC Sierra and between 74 000 and 86 000 seeds ha−1 for 63A21. The optimum plant density, approximately 70 000 to 75 000 plants ha−1, was similar for both cultivars. These results are higher than the current recommended seeding rates for wide-row precision planting systems in areas with a longer growing season.

Changing sensitivity of global vegetation productivity to hydro-climate drivers

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wantong Li ◽  
Matthias Forkel ◽  
Mirco Migliavacca ◽  
Markus Reichstein ◽  
Sophia Walther ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Root Zone ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Terrestrial Vegetation ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Patterns ◽  
Vegetation Productivity ◽  
Area Index ◽  
Global Vegetation

<p>Terrestrial vegetation couples the global water, energy and carbon exchange between the atmosphere and the land surface. Thereby, vegetation productivity is determined by a multitude of energy- and water-related variables. While the emergent sensitivity of productivity to these variables has been inferred from Earth observations, its temporal evolution during the last decades is unclear, as well as potential changes in response to trends in hydro-climatic conditions. In this study, we analyze the changing sensitivity of global vegetation productivity to hydro-climate conditions by using satellite-observed vegetation indices (i.e. NDVI) at the monthly timescale from 1982–2015. Further, we repeat the analysis with simulated leaf area index and gross primary productivity from the TRENDY vegetation models, and contrast the findings with the observation-based results. We train a random forest model to predict anomalies of productivity from a comprehensive set of hydro-meteorological variables (temperature, solar radiation, vapor pressure deficit, surface and root-zone soil moisture and precipitation), and to infer the sensitivity to each of these variables. By training models from temporal independent subsets of the data we detect the evolution of sensitivity across time. Results based on observations show that vegetation sensitivity to energy- and water-related variables has significantly changed in many regions across the globe. In particular we find decreased (increased) sensitivity to temperature in very warm (cold) regions. Thereby, the magnitude of the sensitivity tends to differ between the early and late growing seasons. Likewise, we find changing sensitivity to root-zone soil moisture with increases predominantly in the early growing season and decreases in the late growing season. For better understanding the mechanisms behind the sensitivity changes, we analyse land-cover changes, hydro-climatic trends, and abrupt disturbances (e.g. drought, heatwave events or fires could result in breaking points of sensitivity evolution in the local interpretation). In summary, this study sheds light on how and where vegetation productivity changes its response to the drivers under climate change, which can help to understand possibly resulting changes in spatial and temporal patterns of land carbon uptake.</p>

Probabilistic Approach to the Assessment of the Depth of Soil Freezing

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerzy Antoni Żurański ◽  
Andrzej Sobolewski
Keyword(s):  
Soil Structure ◽  
Maximum Likelihood Method ◽  
Probabilistic Method ◽  
Probabilistic Approach ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
The Other ◽  
Soil Freezing ◽  
Likelihood Method ◽  
Freezing Depth ◽  
Characteristic Values

The paper deals with the probabilistic method of the assessment of the depth of soil freezing. Annual (winter) maxima of the position of the zero centigrade temperature measured in the soil were approximated by Gumbel probability distribution. Its parameters were estimated using maximum likelihood method. Results received on the base of data from 2 meteorological stations and 30 years of observations, called as characteristic values of 50-year return period, refelect the influence of the climatic conditions on the freezing depth. On the other hand the soil structure and its conditions also play an important role in freezing. Nowadays they may be taken into account using correction coefficients. It is concluded that this methods is more precise than a method using so called air freezing index. Received results are not the same as given in the old Polish Standard. New analysis is currently being done.

Conservation agriculture for climate smart agriculture in smallholder farming systems in Kenya.

2022 ◽  
pp. 431-442
Author(s):  
Alfred Micheni ◽  
Patrick Gicheru ◽  
Onesmus Kitonyo
Keyword(s):  
Crop Yields ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Smallholder Farming ◽  
Yield Increase ◽  
Adequate Food ◽  
Labour Requirement ◽  
Smart Agriculture

Abstract Climate change is any significant change in climatic conditions. Such changes may negatively affect productivity of the rain-fed agriculture practised by over 75% of the smallholder Kenyan farmers. The effect leads to failure to sustainably provide adequate food and revenue to famers. It is on this basis that an almost 8-year field study was conducted to evaluate and scale climate resilient agricultural technological options associated with Conservation Agriculture (CA) systems and practices (no-till; maintenance of permanent soil cover; and crop diversification - rotations and associations), complemented with good agricultural strategies. The activities involved were targeted to sustainably increase productivity of maize-legumes farming systems while reducing environmental risks. The results showed improved soil properties (physical, chemical and health) and consequently increased crop yields and human nutrition by over 30%. Such benefits were attributed to cost savings arising from NT and reduced labour requirement for weed control. This was further based on enhanced crop soil moisture and nutrients availability and use efficiency leading to over 25% yield increase advantage. Apart from the field trials, the study used the Agricultural Production Simulator (APSIM) computer model to simulate CA scenario with the aim of providing potential quick answers to adopting CA practices for farm system productivity. The results were inclusively shared, leading to over 21% increase in the number of farmers adopting the CA practices within and beyond the project sites. The study's overall recommendation affirmed the need to integrate the CA practices into Kenyan farming systems for sustainable agricultural livelihoods and economic opportunities.

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