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.

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 Water infiltration rate in the soil under different uses and covers in the Poxim River basin, Sergipe, Brazil

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 321-339
Author(s):  
Lucas dos Santos Batista ◽  
Raimundo Rodrigues Gomes Filho ◽  
Clayton Moura de Carvalho ◽  
Alceu Pedrotti ◽  
Igor Leonardo Nascimento Santos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Recharge ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Hydrological Cycle ◽  
Infiltration Rate ◽  
Water Dynamics ◽  
Water Infiltration ◽  
Infiltration Rates ◽  
No Till ◽  
Soil Water Infiltration

Watersheds are units of planning and environmental management having a great importance in the management of water resources and their use. To this end, knowledge about the soil's physical and water attributes is of paramount importance in the context of water dynamics in aquifer recharge areas. Water infiltration rate into the soil is considered an important variable in the hydrological cycle, as the increase in this process can lead to a reduction in erosion and consequently greater groundwater recharge. Thus, the present work aimed to evaluate the soil water infiltration rate in the phytophysiognomy of the Poxim River basin in the State of Sergipe, in the agriculture, eucalyptus and forest areas, and to observe the effect of the infiltration water rate in areas of no-till, minimum and conventional cultivation. The soil water infiltration rate was obtained through the use of double cylinder infiltrometer and estimated through the mathematical models of Kostiakov, Kostiakov-Lewis, Horton and Philip. When making comparisons between the models for estimating of soil water infiltration rates, the Horton model showed a better fit compared to the other models used, and the type of soil cover that obtained the highest infiltration rate was the forest. No-till areas provided higher water infiltration rates in the soil, contributing to greater groundwater recharge.

Assessment of variability of soil Infiltration Characteristics in Forage Cover

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (03) ◽  
Author(s):  
AKRAM AHMED ◽  
A. K. PAL ◽  
V. K. PANDEY ◽  
MAHENDRA PRASAD ◽  
ASHUTOSH UPADHYAYA
Keyword(s):  
Steady State ◽  
Sandy Loam ◽  
Infiltration Rate ◽  
Panicum Maximum ◽  
Soil Infiltration ◽  
Infiltration Rates ◽  
Bare Land ◽  
Physically Based ◽  
Loam Soil ◽  
Horton Model

In India, very limited knowledge of soil infiltration characteristics in forages are available. In this study, infiltration characteristics of land covered by six forages have been studied with respect to bare land in sandy loam soil. Two empirical (Kostiakov and Horton) and two physically-based (Phillip and Green‒Ampt) models have been employed to estimate infiltration characteristics and compared with observed field infiltration data. The steady-state infiltration rates measured in forages and bare land were significantly (p less than 0.05) different. The highest average steady-state infiltration rate was measured in Panicum maximum (9.00 cm h-1) followed by TSH (7.40 cm h-1) and least was recorded in Cenchrus ciliaris (2.65 cm h-1) whereas the average steady-state infiltration rate recorded for bare land was 1.90 cm h-1. Results showed that the Kostiakov and Phillip model simulated the field infiltration characteristics with higher accuracy than the two other models except for Chrysopogonfulvus and bare land in which the Horton model outperformed other models. Higher steady-state infiltration rates in forages were attributed to more porosity measured in the soils under forages as compared to bare land.

scholarly journals Increase and Spatial Variation in Soil Infiltration Rates Associated with Fibrous and Tap Tree Roots

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 1700 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dashuai Zhang ◽  
Zhaogeng Wang ◽  
Qizhong Guo ◽  
Jijian Lian ◽  
Liang Chen
Keyword(s):  
Lateral Roots ◽  
Infiltration Rate ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Soil Infiltration ◽  
Tree Roots ◽  
Sophora Japonica ◽  
Urban Stormwater Management ◽  
Infiltration Rates ◽  
Malus Baccata ◽  
Fibrous Roots

Trees play important roles in urban stormwater management; through the loosening of soils by root growth, they increase infiltration and reduce runoff, helping to mitigate flooding and recharge groundwater. Malus baccata with fibrous roots and Sophora japonica with tap roots were studied experimentally to assess their enhancement of soil infiltration. A blank test without a tree was conducted for comparison. Steady-state soil infiltration rates at the bottom of test tanks were measured as 0.28 m/d, 0.33 m/d, and 0.61 m/d for the blank test, M. baccata, and S. japonica, respectively. This represents a 19% increase in the infiltration rate by planting M. baccata and a 118% increase by planting S. japonica. A larger increase in the infiltration rate by S. japonica is consistent with the effects of deeper and more vertical roots that help loosen deeper soils. Spatial variations in soil infiltration rates were also measured. Infiltration rates for M. baccata (1.06 m/d and 0.62 m/d) were larger than those for S. japonica (0.91 m/d and 0.51 m/d) at the same depths (0.35 m and 0.70 m); this is consistent with the expected effects of the shallower and more lateral roots of M. baccata. This study furthers our understanding of the roles of trees in watersheds and urban environments.

scholarly journals Determining Variability in Characteristics of Residential Landscape Soils that Influences Infiltration Rates

2013 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Pearson ◽  
Richard Beeson ◽  
Carrie Reinhart-Adams ◽  
Michael Olexa ◽  
Amy Shober
Keyword(s):  
Surface Water ◽  
Soil Compaction ◽  
Water Contamination ◽  
Infiltration Rate ◽  
Root Penetration ◽  
Moisture Retention ◽  
Soil Infiltration ◽  
Surface Water Contamination ◽  
Infiltration Rates ◽  
Residential Communities

Although composed mostly of sand, observations of new urban residential communities in Florida suggested relatively wide ranges in clay content and importation of offsite soils. Often these communities are constructed around surface water where heavy summer rains and intense landscape maintenance present concerns for surface water contamination. Due to land sculpturing, soil compaction and importation; onsite soil physical properties may differ from soil maps developed decades before. How much change and what changes occurred has seldom been quantified. This study examined soil characteristic data from diverse, newly constructed urban soils and examined relationships with soil infiltration rates. Samples were collected from 40 lots in nine newly established urban residential communities within Central Florida to quantify textural composition, bulk density (Db), moisture retention, and pore size distribution. Most lots (90%) contained sandy soil dominated by micropores (58% total mean pore space). Variability of Db was low with most communities exhibiting high soil compaction (>1.7 g cm-3), which may indicate potential plant root penetration concerns. Mean soil infiltration rates among communities were high (11 to 64 cm hr-1), with large variations (2.0 to 111.1 cm hr-1). Correlations between soil moisture retention volumes, Db, and infiltration rate did not occur. However, soil texture was a significant predictor of infiltration rate. Relationships between infiltration rates and soil characteristics were poor (r2 = 0.43) and suggest direct measurement of infiltration rate may be necessary. High infiltration rates, despite compaction, indicate reduced potential for surface water contamination if a sufficient natural fetch separates landscapes from water bodies.

Topsoil structure in no-tilled soils in the Rolling Pampa, Argentina

Soil Research ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 52 (6) ◽  
pp. 533 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. R. Alvarez ◽  
M. A. Taboada ◽  
S. Perelman ◽  
H. J. M. Morrás
Keyword(s):  
Shear Strength ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Infiltration Rate ◽  
Water Infiltration ◽  
Infiltration Rates ◽  
Previous Crop ◽  
Double Cropping ◽  
No Till ◽  
Crop Root

Some topsoil physical properties evolve unfavourably under continuous, no-till farming. On the Pampa, loam soils under no-till sometimes have lower infiltration rates than those conventionally tilled; this is due to the occurrence of platy and massive structures. In this study, we aimed to identify the soil management practices that promote platy structure formation, and explain the soil physical behaviour linked to the thickness of platy structures in relation to infiltration rate, bulk density and shear strength. Six fields with different numbers of years under agriculture and diverse previous crops (maize or wheat–soybean double crop) were sampled, distinguishing within each field headlands (areas with higher traffic) and centre (lower traffic). Twenty samples were taken at random along a 200-m transect to characterise soil structure (platy, granular or massive) and the thickness of the platy structure. Principal component analysis revealed linkages between previous crop and location in each field and type of structure. ANOVA showed a significant (P < 0.05) interaction of previous crop × location. The frequency and thickness of the platy structures were lower, and those of granular structures higher, under wheat–soybean double cropping and in the centre of the field. Greater thickness of the platy structure determined lower water infiltration rate (r = –0.337; P < 0.01) and greater soil shear strength (r = 0.297, P < 0.01). Micromorphological analysis indicated the dominance of massive and platy structure in the headlands and bioturbation in the centre of the fields with wheat–soybean double cropping. These results suggest bioturbation, crop-root binding and low machinery traffic as the main factors minimising soil evolution towards unfavourable structural types under no-till farming in the area.

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 Economic profitability of crop rotation systems in the Caiuá sandstone area

2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno Volsi ◽  
Ivan Bordin ◽  
Gabriel Eiji Higashi ◽  
Tiago Santos Telles
Keyword(s):  
Crop Rotation ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Low Fertility ◽  
Farm Income ◽  
Natural Fertility ◽  
No Till ◽  
High Investment ◽  
Northwest Region

ABSTRACT: Even in areas of predominance of Caiuá sandstone, with soils of low natural fertility that are highly susceptible to erosion and degradation processes, farmers have adopted systems with little diversification, because they believe that they provide a greater economic return. However, agricultural practices such as crop rotation can bring agronomic benefits in terms of conservation agriculture, in addition to economic gains, circumventing edaphoclimatic difficulties in the region. In this context, the objective of this study is to verify whether no-till crop rotation systems are economically profitable, in a Caiuá sandstone area in the northwest region of the Brazilian state of Paraná. To this end, an experiment was conducted in the municipality of Umuarama, state of Paraná, in the crop year 2014/15 to 2016/17. The experimental design used random blocks, with four treatments and four repetitions. The treatments consisted of four crop rotation systems, involving wheat, black oats, canola, safflower, rye, crambe, beans, maize, fodder radish, soybean, sorghum, lupin beans, buckwheat, and triticale cultivars. Crop yields, operating costs, income, and net farm income were assessed. From the results, it was reported that the highest income was obtained in the systems that adopted the largest number of winter and summer commercial crops. Only one treatment was profitable, that is, it had a positive net farm income. This scenario may be associated with the fragility of the region’s soil, which having low fertility, requires a high investment in fertilization and liming to ensure adequate production.

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).

scholarly journals Tillage, Cover Crop and Crop Rotation Effects on Selected Soil Chemical Properties

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 2770 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Haruna ◽  
Nsalambi Nkongolo
Keyword(s):  
Crop Rotation ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Relative Increase ◽  
Soil Chemical Properties ◽  
Total Carbon ◽  
No Till ◽  
Moldboard Plow

Research results still vary, especially between locations, on the effects of agricultural practices on soil chemical properties and crop yield, and not all reasons for the variation are fully understood. Thus, this study investigated the influence of tillage, cover crop and crop rotation management practices on selected soil chemical properties. The study was conducted on a silt-loam soil in central Missouri during the 2011 to 2013 growing seasons. The soil was managed by moldboard plow tillage at two levels (tillage [till] vs. no-tillage [NT]). Cover crop management included cereal rye (Secale cereale) at two levels (cover crop [CC] vs. no cover crop [NC]). The main crops that were grown were a corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.) rotation. The soil samples were collected each year at 0–10 cm, 10–20 cm, 20–40 cm and 40–60 cm depths for the analysis of soil chemical properties. The results showed that after 3 years of study, the relative increase in percent soil organic matter (OM) was 4% under the no-till management as compared with moldboard plow tillage. In addition, the relative change in the percentage of OM was 8% greater in the CC management compared with NC. Furthermore, the results show a significant improvement (p = 0.0304) in total carbon with a combination of no-till management and a corn/soybean rotation as compared with continuous corn and soybean. The interaction effects of the management practices on the soil chemical properties were difficult to predict throughout the study.

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