Comparing agroecosystems: Effects of cropping and tillage patterns on soil, water, energy use and productivity

2005 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 81-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan M. Gregory ◽  
Kathleen L. Shea ◽  
Eugene B. Bakko
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Crop Rotation ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Water Infiltration ◽  
Nitrate Content ◽  
Runoff Water ◽  
Penetrometer Resistance ◽  
No Till ◽  
Conventional Farm

AbstractWe compared soil characteristics, runoff water quantity and nutrient fluxes, energy use and productivity of three farm types in an unusually dry farming season: conventional (continuous corn and deep tillage), rotation (5-year corn–soybean–oats/alfalfa–alfalfa–alfalfa rotation with tillage 2/5 years) and no-till (corn–soybean with no cultivation). Soil organic matter content was highest on the rotation farm, followed by the no-till farm, and lowest on the conventional farm. Nitrate content of the soil did not differ significantly among the three farms, although the conventional farm had a much higher input of fertilizer nitrogen. Soil penetrometer resistance was lower and percent soil moisture was higher in the no-till and rotation systems compared to the conventional farm. Soil macroinvertebrate abundance and diversity were highest on the no-till farm, followed by the rotation farm. No invertebrates were found in the soil of the conventional farm. The conventional farm had the highest runoff volume per cm rain and higher nitrogen (N) loss in runoff when compared to the rotation and no-till farms, as well as a higher phosphorus (P) flux in comparison to the no-till farm. These results indicate that perennial close-seeded crops (such as alfalfa) used in crop rotations, as well as plant residue left on the surface of no-till fields, can enhance soil organic content and decrease runoff. The lower soil penetrometer resistance and higher soil moisture on the rotation and no-till farms show that conservation tillage can increase soil aggregation and water infiltration, both of which prevent erosion. Furthermore, crop rotation, and particularly no-till, promote diverse invertebrate populations, which play an important role in maintaining nutrient cycling and soil structure. Crop rotation and no-till agriculture are less fossil-fuel intensive than conventional agriculture, due to decreased use of fertilizers, pesticides and fuel. In this unusually dry year they provided superior corn and soybean yields, most likely due to higher soil moisture as a result of greater water infiltration and retention associated with cover crops (rotation farm) and crop residue (no-till farm).

Influence of Weed Management Practices and Crop Rotation on Glyphosate-Resistant Horseweed (Conyza canadensis) Population Dynamics and Crop Yield-Years III and IV

Weed Science ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 417-426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vince M. Davis ◽  
Kevin D. Gibson ◽  
Thomas T. Bauman ◽  
Stephen C. Weller ◽  
William G. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Population Dynamics ◽  
Crop Rotation ◽  
Crop Yield ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Weed Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Plant Density ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
No Till

Horseweed is an increasingly common and problematic weed in no-till soybean production in the eastern cornbelt due to the frequent occurrence of biotypes resistant to glyphosate. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of crop rotation, winter wheat cover crops (WWCC), residual non-glyphosate herbicides, and preplant application timing on the population dynamics of glyphosate-resistant (GR) horseweed and crop yield. A field study was conducted from 2003 to 2007 in a no-till field located at a site that contained a moderate infestation of GR horseweed (approximately 1 plant m−2). The experiment was a split-plot design with crop rotation (soybean–corn or soybean–soybean) as main plots and management systems as subplots. Management systems were evaluated by quantifying in-field horseweed plant density, seedbank density, and crop yield. Horseweed densities were collected at the time of postemergence applications, 1 mo after postemergence (MAP) applications, and at the time of crop harvest or 4 MAP. Viable seedbank densities were also evaluated from soil samples collected in the fall following seed rain. Soybean–corn crop rotation reduced in-field and seedbank horseweed densities vs. continuous soybean in the third and fourth yr of this experiment. Preplant herbicides applied in the spring were more effective at reducing horseweed plant densities than when applied in the previous fall. Spring-applied, residual herbicide systems were the most effective at reducing season-long in-field horseweed densities and protecting crop yields since the growth habit of horseweed in this region is primarily as a summer annual. Management systems also influenced the GR and glyphosate-susceptible (GS) biotype population structure after 4 yr of management. The most dramatic shift was from the initial GR : GS ratio of 3 : 1 to a ratio of 1 : 6 after 4 yr of residual preplant herbicide use followed by non-glyphosate postemergence herbicides.

scholarly journals The effect of soil conservation tillage on soil moisture dynamics under single cropping and crop rotation

2011 ◽  
Vol 51 (No. 3) ◽  
pp. 124-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Kováč ◽  
M. Macák ◽  
M. Švančárková
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Moisture Content ◽  
Crop Rotation ◽  
Spring Barley ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Conventional Tillage ◽  
Wheat Crop ◽  
Soil Moisture Dynamics ◽  
No Till ◽  
Moisture Dynamics

During 1993–1995 the effect of conventional tillage, reduced till, mulch till and no-till technology on soil moisture dynamics has been studied in field experiment on Haplic chernozems near Piešťany. The tillage treatments were evaluated under a single cropping of maize and spring barley – common peas – winter wheat crop rotation. Soil samples for gravimetric determination of moisture content were collected from six layers up to 0.8 m, three times per year (April–July). The soil moisture was highly significantly influenced in order of importance by date of sampling, year, growing crops, tillage treatments, soil layer and by interactions year × crops, year × date of sampling, crops × date of sampling, tillage × date of sampling, year × tillage, date of sampling × layer and significant influences by interactions, tillage × crops. The soil under conventional tillage had significantly higher moisture content than tested reduced till, mulch till and no-till treatments. The significant influence of maize stand on better soil humidity condition (16.35%) in comparison to crops grown in a crop rotation (in average 14.10%) has been ascertained.

Organic zero-till in the northern US Great Plains Region: Opportunities and obstacles

2011 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick M. Carr ◽  
Randy L. Anderson ◽  
Yvonne E. Lawley ◽  
Perry R. Miller ◽  
Steve F. Zwinger
Keyword(s):  
Crop Rotation ◽  
Great Plains ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Northern Great Plains ◽  
Crop Species ◽  
Cash Crops ◽  
No Till ◽  
The Us

AbstractThe use of killed cover crop mulch for weed suppression, soil erosion prevention and many other soil and crop benefits has been demonstrated in organic no-till or zero-till farming systems in eastern US regions and in Canada. Implements have been developed to make this system possible by terminating cover crops mechanically with little, if any, soil disturbance. Ongoing research in the US northern Great Plains is being conducted to identify cover crop species and termination methods for use in organic zero-till (OZ) systems that are adapted to the crop rotations and climate of this semi-arid region. Current termination strategies must be improved so that cover crop species are killed consistently and early enough in the growing season so that subsequent cash crops can be grown and harvested successfully. Delaying termination until advanced growth stages improves killing efficacy of cover crops and may provide weed-suppressive mulch for the remainder of the growing season, allowing no-till spring seeding of cash crops during the next growing season. Excessive water use by cover crops, inability of legume cover crops to supply adequate amounts of N for subsequent cash crops and failure of cover crops to suppress perennial weeds are additional obstacles that must be overcome before the use of killed cover crop mulch can be promoted as a weed control alternative to tillage in the US northern Great Plains. Use of vegetative mulch produced by killed cover crops will not be a panacea for the weed control challenges faced by organic growers, but rather one tool along with crop rotation, novel grazing strategies, the judicious use of high-residue cultivation equipment, such as the blade plow, and the use of approved herbicides with systemic activity in some instances, to provide organic farmers with new opportunities to incorporate OZ practices into their cropping systems. Emerging crop rotation designs for organic no-till systems may provide for more efficient use of nutrient and water resources, opportunities for livestock grazing before, during or after cash crop phases and improved integrated weed management strategies on organic farms.

scholarly journals Comparing infiltration rates in soils managed with conventional and alternative farming methods: a meta-analysis

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea D. Basche ◽  
Marcia S. DeLonge
Keyword(s):  
Crop Rotation ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Rainfall Variability ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Infiltration Rate ◽  
Soil Infiltration ◽  
Infiltration Rates ◽  
No Till ◽  
Water Cycling

AbstractIdentifying agricultural practices that enhance water cycling is critical, particularly with increased rainfall variability and greater risks of droughts and floods. Soil infiltration rates offer useful insights to water cycling in farming systems because they affect both yields (through soil water availability) and other ecosystem outcomes (such as pollution and flooding from runoff). For example, conventional agricultural practices that leave soils bare and vulnerable to degradation are believed to limit the capacity of soils to quickly absorb and retain water needed for crop growth. Further, it is widely assumed that farming methods such as no-till and cover crops can improve infiltration rates. Despite interest in the impacts of agricultural practices on infiltration rates, this effect has not been systematically quantified across a range of practices. To evaluate how conventional practices affect infiltration rates relative to select alternative practices (no-till, cover crops, crop rotation, introducing perennials, crop and livestock systems), we performed a meta-analysis that included 89 studies with field trials comparing at least one such alternative practice to conventional management. We found that introducing perennials (grasses, agroforestry, managed forestry) or cover crops led to the largest increases in infiltration rates (mean responses of 59.2 ± 20.9% and 34.8 ± 7.7%, respectively). Also, although the overall effect of no-till was non-significant (5.7 ± 9.7%), the practice led to increases in wetter climates and when combined with residue retention. The effect of crop rotation on infiltration rate was non-significant (18.5 ± 13.2%), and studies evaluating impacts of grazing on croplands indicated that this practice reduced infiltration rates (−21.3 ± 14.9%). Findings suggest that practices promoting ground cover and continuous roots, both of which improve soil structure, were most effective at increasing infiltration rates.

Energy and economic savings from the use of legume cover crops in Virginia corn production

1994 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 178-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.R. Ess ◽  
D.H. Vaughan ◽  
J.M. Luna ◽  
P.G. Sullivan
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
N Fertilizer ◽  
Corn Production ◽  
Alternative Crop ◽  
No Till ◽  
Legume Cover Crops ◽  
Net Revenue ◽  
Sustainable Agricultural Systems

AbstractEnergy analysis provides a measure of the effectiveness of sustainable agricultural systems in reducing inputs purchased from off-farm sources. This study compares the total (direct plus indirect) energy costs of growing corn for silage using manufactured N fertilizer or N-fixing legume cover crops. The cover crop either was killed with herbicide in a no-till system or disked in the spring. Economically competitive alternative crop production practices are identified.In both the no-till and the disked versions, cover-cropped treatments used about half as much energy per hectare as the corresponding winter fallow N-fertilizer treatments. Using vetch to provide N significantly lowered energy use per unit of crop output compared with the N-fertilized treatments. For the treatments that used hairy vetch, either alone or in combination with big/lower vetch, net revenue was statistically equivalent to that of standard-practice treatments in each year of the study.

scholarly journals Influence of cover crop and tillage management practices on soil physical and hydraulic properties

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Samuel Idoko Haruna
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Hydraulic Properties ◽  
Crop Management ◽  
Water Infiltration ◽  
Research Center ◽  
No Till ◽  
Biofuel Crops ◽  
Over Time

Several agricultural land management practices, such as cover crops and tillage, can influence soil physical and hydraulic properties, soil health indicators and crop productivity. This study evaluated the influence of cover crops, tillage and perennial biofuel crops on soil physical and hydraulic properties. The objectives of this study included: (i) evaluate hydraulic properties for soils managed by cover crops and tillage, (ii) assess the influence of cover crops and tillage management on in situ water infiltration parameters, and (iii) evaluate thermal conductivity ([lambda]), volumetric heat capacity (C[subscript v]) and thermal diffusivity (D) for soils managed by perennial biofuel and cover crops. Two field sites were used for the study; the first and second objectives were conducted at Lincoln University's Freeman Research Center while the third objective was conducted at University of Missouri Bradford Research Center. The cover crop grown at Freeman Research Center was Cereal rye (Secale cereal L.), while Cereal rye, Hairy vetch (Vicia villosa subsp. villosa) and Austrian winter pea (Pisum sativum subsp. arvense) were grown at Bradford Research Center. The perennial biofuel crops at Bradford Research Center included giant miscanthus (Miscanthus x gigantus J.M. Geef and Deuter ex Hodkinson and Renvoize) and switchgrass (Panicum vergatum L.). The tillage treatments at Freeman Research Center included tillage using a moldboard plow to a depth of 15 cm and no-till. The soil at Bradford Research Center was managed with no-till. Intact soil samples (76 by 76 mm) were collected for objectives one and three with samples taken in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Infiltrometers were used to measure infiltration rates for objective two during 2014 and 2015. The physically-based Parlange and Green-Ampt infiltration models were fit to estimate saturated hydraulic conductivity (K[subscript s]) and sorptivity (S) parameters. Results showed that bulk density values for tillage were 13% lower compared with no-till management right after tillage. At the 0-10 cm soil depth, water content was significantly higher at the 0.0 and -0.4 kPa pressures for tillage compared with no-till management, right after spring tillage. However, this effect did not persist over time probably due to soil consolidation after some rainfall events. Tillage improved coarse mesopores by 32% compared with no-till; and this effect resulted in 87% higher saturated hydraulic conductivity values in tillage compared with no-till management, right after spring tillage. Cover crops improved macropores by 24% compared with no cover crop; this can potentially increase water infiltration and reduce runoff. As a result of higher macroporosity, saturated hydraulic conductivity was higher in the cover crop compared with no cover crop management. This study demonstrated that the effects of tillage in improving some soil hydraulic properties may not persist over time. The Parlange and Green-Ampt model appeared to fit measured infiltration data well with coefficient of variation (r[superscript 2]) ranging from 0.92 to 0.99. The K[subscript s] parameter value estimated from the Parlange and Green-Ampt models in 2014 were 42% and 54% higher in no-till compared with tillage management, respectively. In 2015, the S parameter values estimated from the Parlange and Green-Ampt models were 82% and 90% higher in cover crop management compared to no cover crop management, respectively. This study showed that cover crops can improve water infiltration and may reduce water and nutrient runoff which can lead to enhanced agricultural productivity. Results of the third objective showed that perennial biofuel crops (giant miscanthus and switchgrass) had 11% higher C[subscript V] at saturation compared to row crops (cover crops and no cover crops). Cover crops compared to no cover crop had 18% higher volumetric water content at saturation and 26% higher soil organic carbon; this led to 13% higher C[subscript v] compared to no cover crops. Row crops had significantly higher [lambda] and D compared to perennial biofuel crops. This study showed that perennial biofuel and cover crops can change soil thermal properties by reducing [lambda] and D and increasing C[subscript v]; this indicates that these management systems can improve the ability of the soil to buffer against rapid heat change and better handle a more variable climate. Results from these studies showed that tillage may influence some soil properties temporarily; however, these influences may diminish over time. Cover crops can improve soil physical and hydraulic properties and soil health indicators and this can lead to improved productivity. However, longer-term studies are needed to evaluate these effects over time, especially with an increasingly changing climate.

Effects of Cover Crops and Tillage on Sweet Corn Production

HortScience ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 476d-476
Author(s):  
Gary R. Cline ◽  
Anthony F. Silvernail
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Sweet Corn ◽  
N Fertilization ◽  
Winter Rye ◽  
No Tillage ◽  
Corn Production ◽  
Total N ◽  
No Till ◽  
Winter Cover ◽  
Winter Cover Crops

A split-plot factorial experiment examined effects of tillage and winter cover crops on sweet corn in 1997. Main plots received tillage or no tillage. Cover crops consisted of hairy vetch, winter rye, or a mix, and N treatments consisted of plus or minus N fertilization. Following watermelon not receiving inorganic N, vetch, and mix cover cropsproduced total N yields of ≈90 kg/ha that were more than four times greater than those obtained with rye. However, vetch dry weight yields (2.7 mg/ha) were only about 60% of those obtained in previous years due to winter kill. Following rye winter cover crops, addition of ammonium nitrate to corn greatly increased (P < 0.05) corn yields and foliar N concentrations compared to treatments not receiving N. Following vetch, corn yields obtained in tilled treatments without N fertilization equaled those obtained with N fertilization. However, yields obtained from unfertilized no-till treatments were significantly (P < 0.05) lower than yields of N-fertilized treatments. Available soil N was significantly (P < 0.05) greater following vetch compared to rye after corn planting. No significant effects of tillage on sweet corn plant densities or yields were detected. It was concluded that no-tillage sweet corn was successful, and N fixed by vetch was able to sustain sweet corn production in tilled treatments but not in no-till treatments.In previous years normal, higher-yielding vetch cover crops were able to sustain sweet corn in both tilled and no-till treatments.

scholarly journals Variation in Soil Properties Regulate Greenhouse Gas Fluxes and Global Warming Potential in Three Land Use Types on Tropical Peat

Atmosphere ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 465 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiwamu Ishikura ◽  
Untung Darung ◽  
Takashi Inoue ◽  
Ryusuke Hatano
Keyword(s):  
Global Warming ◽  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Groundwater Level ◽  
Global Warming Potential ◽  
C:N Ratio ◽  
Co2 Flux ◽  
Nitrate Content ◽  
N2o Flux ◽  
Ch4 Flux ◽  
In The Beginning

This study investigated spatial factors controlling CO2, CH4, and N2O fluxes and compared global warming potential (GWP) among undrained forest (UDF), drained forest (DF), and drained burned land (DBL) on tropical peatland in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. Sampling was performed once within two weeks in the beginning of dry season. CO2 flux was significantly promoted by lowering soil moisture and pH. The result suggests that oxidative peat decomposition was enhanced in drier position, and the decomposition acidify the peat soils. CH4 flux was significantly promoted by a rise in groundwater level, suggesting that methanogenesis was enhanced under anaerobic condition. N2O flux was promoted by increasing soil nitrate content in DF, suggesting that denitrification was promoted by substrate availability. On the other hand, N2O flux was promoted by lower soil C:N ratio and higher soil pH in DBL and UDF. CO2 flux was the highest in DF (241 mg C m−2 h−1) and was the lowest in DBL (94 mg C m−2 h−1), whereas CH4 flux was the highest in DBL (0.91 mg C m−2 h−1) and was the lowest in DF (0.01 mg C m−2 h−1), respectively. N2O flux was not significantly different among land uses. CO2 flux relatively contributed to 91–100% of GWP. In conclusion, it is necessary to decrease CO2 flux to mitigate GWP through a rise in groundwater level and soil moisture in the region.

scholarly journals Cover Crop Contributions to Improve the Soil Nitrogen and Carbon Sequestration in Almond Orchards (SW Spain)

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 387
Author(s):  
Miguel A. Repullo-Ruibérriz de Torres ◽  
Manuel Moreno-García ◽  
Rafaela Ordóñez-Fernández ◽  
Antonio Rodríguez-Lizana ◽  
Belén Cárceles Rodríguez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Sequestration ◽  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Soil Nitrogen ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Nitrate Content ◽  
Sw Spain ◽  
Sequestration Potential ◽  
Almond Orchards ◽  
Shallow Soils

Almond (Prunus dulcis Mill. [D.A. Webb]) is the third most widely spread crop in Spain and has traditionally been cultivated in marginal areas and shallow soils under rainfed conditions. However, it recently has been progressively introduced in flat irrigated areas. The implementation of cover crops in the inter-rows of woody crops has been proven as a suitable strategy to reduce the runoff and soil erosion but they also can boost soil quality and health. A field experiment was conducted during two-monitoring seasons to examine the soil nitrogen and carbon sequestration potential of three seeded cover crops [barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth), and a mixture of 65% barley and 35% vetch] and a control of spontaneous flora in irrigated almond orchards (SW Spain). Here, we show that barley provided the highest biomass amount, followed by mixture covers, vetch, and the control treatment. Also, vetch covered the soil faster in the growing stage, but its residues were decomposed easier than barley and mixture treatments during the decomposition period after mowing, providing less soil protection when the risk of water erosion with autumn rainfall is high. On the other hand, vetch improved soil nitrate content by over 35% with respect to barley and mixture treatments at 0–20 cm soil depth throughout the studied period. In addition, a greater carbon input to the soil was determined in the barley plot. That is, the mixture and barley cover crops had higher potential for carbon sequestration, augmenting the soil organic carbon by more than 1.0 Mg ha−1 during the study period. Thus, taking into consideration the findings of the present experiment, the establishment of a seeded cover crop would be more advisable than spontaneous flora to mitigate soil erosion, enhancing soil fertility and carbon sequestration in irrigated almond plantations in Mediterranean semi-arid regions.

scholarly journals Effects of Monoculture, Crop Rotation, and Soil Moisture Content on Selected Soil Physicochemical and Microbial Parameters in Wheat Fields

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Marais ◽  
M. Hardy ◽  
M. Booyse ◽  
A. Botha
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Microbial Communities ◽  
Crop Rotation ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Soil Microbial Communities ◽  
Soil Microbial Activity ◽  
Most Probable Number ◽  
Probable Number ◽  
Soil Microbial

Different plants are known to have different soil microbial communities associated with them. Agricultural management practices such as fertiliser and pesticide addition, crop rotation, and grazing animals can lead to different microbial communities in the associated agricultural soils. Soil dilution plates, most-probable-number (MPN), community level physiological profiling (CLPP), and buried slide technique as well as some measured soil physicochemical parameters were used to determine changes during the growing season in the ecosystem profile in wheat fields subjected to wheat monoculture or wheat in annual rotation with medic/clover pasture. Statistical analyses showed that soil moisture had an over-riding effect on seasonal fluctuations in soil physicochemical and microbial populations. While within season soil microbial activity could be differentiated between wheat fields under rotational and monoculture management, these differences were not significant.

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