Traffic and tillage effects on wheat production on the Loess Plateau of China: 2. Soil physical properties

Soil Research ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 46 (8) ◽  
pp. 652 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuhua Bai ◽  
Fu Chen ◽  
Hongwen Li ◽  
Hao Chen ◽  
Jin He ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Properties ◽  
Loess Plateau ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Total Porosity ◽  
Conventional Tillage ◽  
Soil Physical Properties ◽  
The Loess Plateau ◽  
Wheat Production ◽  
Controlled Traffic

Controlled traffic zero and minimum tillage management with residue cover has been proposed as a solution to erosion and other soil degradation challenges to the sustainability of dryland farming on the Loess Plateau of China. This was assessed between 1998 and 2007 in a field experiment involving a conventional tillage treatment, and 2 controlled traffic treatments, no tillage and shallow tillage, with full straw cover in both cases. This paper reports the soil physical properties after 9 years of dryland wheat production under these treatments, and the substantial improvements seen in soils under controlled traffic. Compared with conventional tillage, controlled traffic significantly reduced soil bulk density in the 0–0.15 m soil layer, and increased total porosity in the 0–0.60 m soil layer, where macroporosity (>60 µm) and mesoporosity (0.2–60 µm) increased at the expense of microporosity (<0.2 µm). Readily available water content and saturated hydraulic conductivity were greater in controlled traffic treatments. Controlled traffic farming appears to be an improvement on current farming systems on the Loess Plateau, and valuable for the sustainable development agriculture in this region.

Traffic and tillage effects on wheat production on the Loess Plateau of China: 1. Crop yield and SOM

Soil Research ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 46 (8) ◽  
pp. 645 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hao Chen ◽  
Yuhua Bai ◽  
Qingjie Wang ◽  
Fu Chen ◽  
Hongwen Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Organic Matter ◽  
Field Experiment ◽  
Loess Plateau ◽  
Crop Yield ◽  
Soil Profile ◽  
Conventional Tillage ◽  
Zero Tillage ◽  
The Loess Plateau ◽  
Controlled Traffic

Challenges for dryland farming on the Loess Plateau of China are continuous nutrient loss, low soil organic matter and crop yield, and soil degradation. Controlled traffic, combined with zero or minimum tillage and residue cover, has been proposed to improve soil structure and crop yield. From 1998 to 2006, we conducted a field experiment comparing soil organic matter and wheat productivity between controlled traffic and conventional tillage farming systems. The field experiment was conducted using 2 controlled traffic treatments (zero tillage with residue cover and no compaction, shallow tillage with residue cover and no compaction) and a conventional tillage treatment. Results showed that controlled traffic treatments significantly increased soil organic matter and microbial biomass in the 0–0.30 m soil profile. Controlled traffic with zero tillage significantly increased total N in the 0–0.05 m soil profile. The mean yield over 8 years of controlled traffic treatments was >10% greater than that of conventional tillage. Controlled traffic farming appears to be a solution to the cropping problems faced on the Loess Plateau of China.

Influence of vegetation restoration on soil physical properties in the Loess Plateau, China

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 716-728 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chaojun Gu ◽  
Xingmin Mu ◽  
Peng Gao ◽  
Guangju Zhao ◽  
Wenyi Sun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Properties ◽  
Loess Plateau ◽  
Soil Physical Properties ◽  
Vegetation Restoration ◽  
The Loess Plateau

scholarly journals Effect of Farming Systems on the Spatial Variability of Soil Physical Properties and Soybean Yield

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (15) ◽  
pp. 87
Author(s):  
Ligia Maria Lucas Videira ◽  
Paulo Ricardo Teodoro Silva ◽  
Diego dos Santos Pereira ◽  
Rafael Montanari ◽  
Alan Rodrigo Panosso ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Spatial Variability ◽  
Physical Properties ◽  
Soil Conservation ◽  
Yield Components ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Total Porosity ◽  
Soil Bulk Density ◽  
Soil Physical Properties ◽  
High Soil Moisture

In no-tillage (NT) and minimum tillage (MT) areas, spatial variability of soil physical properties may affect crop yield. The aim of this study was to assess the spatial distribution of soil physical properties, as well as the yield components and grain yield of soybean (GY), based on the mapping of areas under soil conservation farming systems. We assessed yield components, GY and the physical properties of an Oxisol, under NT and MT using the t-student test, and geostatistics to assess spatial variability. The largest population of NT plants showed no spatial dependence and did not influence GY, but the components related to plant height and soil properties differed between systems. From a spatial standpoint, the kriging maps demonstrated that mass of one thousand grains (MOG), total porosity (TP) and soil bulk density (BD) influenced GY under NT, whereas TP1 exerted the most influence under high soil moisture conditions and MT. The maps make it possible to assess the spatial distribution of soil physical properties and the influence on GY, making them an important tool for more accurate production planning in soil conservation systems.

scholarly journals Temporal changes of an alfalfa succession and related soil physical properties on the Loess Plateau, China

2009 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dong Li She ◽  
Ming An Shao ◽  
Luis Carlos Timm ◽  
Klaus Reichardt
Keyword(s):  
Physical Properties ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Loess Plateau ◽  
Water Storage ◽  
Soil Bulk Density ◽  
Soil Physical Properties ◽  
Natural Vegetation ◽  
Soil Water Storage ◽  
The Loess Plateau

The objective of this work was to investigate the relationship between changes in the plant community and changes in soil physical properties and water availability, during a succession from alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) to natural vegetation on the Loess Plateau, China. Data from a succession sere spanning 32 years were collated, and vegetative indexes were compared to changes related to soil bulk density and soil water storage. The alfalfa yield increased for approximately 7 years, then it declined and the alfalfa was replaced by a natural community dominated by Stipa bungeana that began to thrive about 10 years after alfalfa seeding. Soil bulk density increased over time, but the deterioration of the alfalfa was mainly ascribed to a severe reduction in soil water storage, which was lowest around the time when degradation commenced. The results indicated that water consumption by alfalfa could be reduced by reducing plant density. The analysis of the data also suggested that soil water recharge could be facilitated by rotating the alfalfa with other crops, natural vegetation, or bare soil.

scholarly journals Soil physical properties and grape yield influenced by cover crops and management systems

2013 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 1352-1360 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaqueline Dalla Rosa ◽  
Alvaro Luiz Mafra ◽  
João Carlos Medeiros ◽  
Jackson Adriano Albuquerque ◽  
Davi José Miquelluti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Properties ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Aggregate Stability ◽  
Total Porosity ◽  
Soil Physical Properties ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Native Forest ◽  
Crop Species ◽  
Grape Yield

The use of cover crops in vineyards is a conservation practice with the purpose of reducing soil erosion and improving the soil physical quality. The objective of this study was to evaluate cover crop species and management systems on soil physical properties and grape yield. The experiment was carried out in Bento Gonçalves, RS, Southern Brazil, on a Haplic Cambisol, in a vineyard established in 1989, using White and Rose Niagara grape (Vitis labrusca L.) in a horizontal, overhead trellis system. The treatments were established in 2002, consisting of three cover crops: spontaneous species (SS), black oat (Avena strigosa Schreb) (BO), and a mixture of white clover (Trifolium repens L.), red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) and annual rye-grass (Lolium multiflorum L.) (MC). Two management systems were applied: desiccation with herbicide (D) and mechanical mowing (M). Soil under a native forest (NF) area was collected as a reference. The experimental design consisted of completely randomized blocks, with three replications. The soil physical properties in the vine rows were not influenced by cover crops and were similar to the native forest, with good quality of the soil structure. In the inter-rows, however, there was a reduction in biopores, macroporosity, total porosity and an increase in soil density, related to the compaction of the surface soil layer. The M system increased soil aggregate stability compared to the D system. The treatments affected grapevine yield only in years with excess or irregular rainfall.

scholarly journals Physical assessment of a Mollisol under agroecological managements at Quillota valley. Mediterranean Central Chile

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 261-279
Author(s):  
Manuel Casanova ◽  
Berthin Ticona ◽  
Osvaldo Salazar ◽  
Eduardo Gratacós ◽  
Marco Pfeiffer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Properties ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Stability Index ◽  
Total Porosity ◽  
Field Capacity ◽  
Conventional Tillage ◽  
Soil Physical Properties ◽  
No Tillage ◽  
Central Chile

A number of agroecological practices have been proposed for assessing soil quality. Several physical soil properties have been shown to be important for determining soil quality by using the sustainability index (SI) and the cumulative rating approach. The main aim of the study was to determine the effects of different agroecological managements on the physical properties of a Mollisol in the Mediterranean central Chile. In addition, some physical properties were selected to compare the soil quality among different agroecological management practices and highly mechanized intensive systems by using the SI and cumulative rating approaches. An experimental field was defined in an area of 3.5 ha in 2014. Four sites with different agroecological practices were selected in 2019 to assess soil physical properties: rainfed Mediterranean annual prairie - no tillage (1-S), irrigated perennial prairie with deep-root species - no tillage (2-N), irrigated annual and perennial prairie - conventional tillage (4-S), irrigated vegetables and flowers - minimum tillage (4-N); an avocado orchard with traditional management was used as the control. Soil organic carbon and the following soil physical properties were selected to assess SI and CR: bulk density, total porosity, void ratio, air capacity, fast-drainage pores, relative field capacity, hydraulic conductivity, structural stability index and unavailable water pores. The applicability of the selected physical indicators to the SIs of agroecological management practices compared with the control was demonstrated. The cumulative rating index (CR) for each land use showed that all agroecological practices constituted sustainable soil management (25≤CR<30), whereas the avocado orchard showed the least sustainable management (30≤CR<40), and a change in soil use is recommended.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document