Download or read book Effect of Rotation Organic Inputs and Tillage on Crop Performance and Soil Quality in Conventional and Low input Rotations in Central Iowa written by Patricia A. Lazicki and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Even though the benefits of low external input (LEI) cropping systems to crops and soils are well recognized the specific links between cropping practices and associated soil quality and crop responses are not yet clear. In the Marsden plots in central Iowa, crop yields and input use efficiency have been increased by the use of longer and more diversified rotations and reduced chemical inputs. In this work we sampled roots and soil parameters at multiple dates and two depths in all cropping phases, in order to quantify changes in physical, chemical and biological soil quality indicators and root responses associated with tillage and cropping factors in a conventional and two LEI rotations of different lengths and including different legume species. Improvements in soil quality indicators and plant productivity were expected to be driven by the amount and placement of organic residues and to fluctuate with tillage and cropping phase. On a system basis, particulate organic carbon (POM-C) and potentially mineralizable nitrogen (PMN) were increased in both LEI rotations relative to a two year (2-yr) corn (Zea mays L.) -soybean (Glycine max L.) rotation. Biologically labile organic matter fractions were highly stratified in the 2-yr rotation compared to the LEI rotations and the lower depth of the 2-yr rotation was consistently depleted. Corn roots followed a similar pattern, being concentrated in the top depth in the 2-yr rotation while more fully exploring the profile in the LEI rotations. Low C:N ratios in the soybean roots in the LEI rotations suggest greater N availability in the LEI soybean phase. Soil parameters did not differ between LEI rotations even though the 3-yrrotation included red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) instead of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), a shorter rotation length, and significantly greater mean annual organic inputs than did the 4-yr rotation. Corn yield in the 3-yr LEI rotation was significantly higher than that achieved in the 2-yr conventional rotation, and soybean yield in the 4-yr rotation was higher than that in the 2-yr rotation. Seasonal sampling showed that 1) soil parameters fluctuated during the growing season but did not increase in response to particular cropping phases and 2) that the stratification observed in the 2-yr rotation was consistent over time for both corn and soybean. The practice most responsible for increasing soil quality and plant performance in the LEI rotations appeared to be the deep incorporation of compost and green manures prior to corn production. This practice benefited both corn and soybean, primarily by increasing the amount and distribution of nutrients available to roots as evidenced by greater POM-C and PMN levels in the subsoil.

Download or read book Carbon Nitrogen and Aggregation Dynamics in Low input and Reduced Tillage Cropping Systems written by Diana Beth Friedman and published by . This book was released on 1993 with total page 328 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Managing Cover Crops Profitably 3rd Ed written by Andy Clark and published by DIANE Publishing. This book was released on 2008-07 with total page 248 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cover crops slow erosion, improve soil, smother weeds, enhance nutrient and moisture availability, help control many pests and bring a host of other benefits to your farm. At the same time, they can reduce costs, increase profits and even create new sources of income. You¿ll reap dividends on your cover crop investments for years, since their benefits accumulate over the long term. This book will help you find which ones are right for you. Captures farmer and other research results from the past ten years. The authors verified the info. from the 2nd ed., added new results and updated farmer profiles and research data, and added 2 chap. Includes maps and charts, detailed narratives about individual cover crop species, and chap. about aspects of cover cropping.

Download or read book Effects of Reduced Tillage on cash Crop Yields Soil Quality and Other Ecosystem Services written by Martine Trip and published by . This book was released on 2023 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Decreasing soil quality, worsened by climate change-related weather extremes, is prompting the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture's aim for sustainable management of all agricultural soils by 2030. One proposed practice for this goal is reduced tillage, which offers potential benefits such as improved soil structure and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. However reduced tillage comes with potential drawbacks such as topsoil compaction and yield reduction. While global meta-analyses mainly focus on effects of reduced tillage in North and South American cash crops, like grains, maize and soy, this long-term Dutch farming systems experiment called BASIS is unique in its focus on Dutch small seeded, root and tuber crops. The BASIS experiment, established in 2009 by Wageningen University and Research in Lelystad, consists of three organic and two conventional fields with common Dutch crop rotations. In BASIS we experiment with three tillage systems: conventional tillage with mouldboard plough (CT), reduced tillage with sub-soiling (RTS), and reduced tillage without sub-soiling (RT). Reduced tillage with shallow ploughing was added (RT/SPL) later in the experiment. The experiment employs controlled traffic farming (CTF) and is a randomized complete block design with four replicates per tillage system and field. In the BASIS experiment a system approach is used; this allowed for the experiment to be optimized during the project period. Effects of reduced tillage on ecosystems services such as yield, yield quality and soil quality were investigated. Overall, reduced tillage systems showed comparable or higher marketable yield for most crops, except for fineseeded crops like carrots and onions. The Twinrotor tiller seems a viable option in reduced tillage systems to create a finer seedbed and reduce the yield gap of carrots between reduced and conventional tillage. The influence of extreme weather conditions on reduced tillage effects varied, with yields sometimes higher and sometimes lower compared to conventional tillage. Over time the differences in marketable yield between reduced and conventional tillage showed no increasing or decreasing trend. For yield quality, the difference between gross yield and marketable product, there were no significant differences nor discernible trends between the tillage systems; with the expedition of carrots which showed a lower yield quality under reduced tillage, with larger-sized and deformed carrots. This was likely caused by cover crop residue and soil aggregate size. The impact of reduced soil tillage on crop quality parameters such as sugar content (sugar beet) and thousand grain weight (cereal crops) showed no significant differences between the tillage systems. Bulk density showed no differences in the upper 0-10 cm layer, but significantly higher values were observed in the deeper 10-20 cm layer for reduced tillage. Soil moisture was generally higher for reduced tillage in the upper 0-10 cm layer, while conventional tillage exhibited higher moisture in the lower 10-20 cm layer. Penetration resistance was consistently greater for reduced tillage, particularly in the 10-30 cm layer. Despite these soil property differences, there was no substantial evidence of decreased yields or root limitations. The increased compaction under reduced tillage could potentially enhance soil bearing capacity. Reduced tillage leads to higher soil organic matter and carbon content in the upper 0-15 cm layer compared to conventional tillage. However, in lower layers no significant difference were found. Reduced tillage shows minimal impact on soil pH. Total nitrogen content is higher in the upper 0-15 cm layer for reduced tillage. Other nutrient availabilities are not strongly influenced by tillage systems. Mineral nitrogen levels in the soil are very low in this experiment and differences between tillage systems are small. Overall, reduced tillage increases soil organic matter, carbon, and nitrogen in the upper layer (0-15 cm), with a trend towards higher values in the 0-30 cm layer. To summarize, the BASIS experiment shows that reduced tillage is a viable option for most of the Dutch crops and indicates a trend towards improved soil quality.

Download or read book Crop Rotation on Organic Farms written by Charles L. Mohler and published by Natural Resource Agriculture and Engineering Service (Nraes). This book was released on 2009 with total page 156 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book A Profound Guide to Crop Rotation written by Lisa H Gregory Ph D and published by . This book was released on 2020-09-24 with total page 64 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Crop rotation is the practice of growing a series of different types of crops in the same area in sequential seasons. Crop rotation gives various nutrients to the soil. A traditional element of crop rotation is the replenishment of nitrogen through the use of green manure in sequence with cereals and other crops. Crop rotation also mitigates the build-up of pathogens and pests that often occurs when one species is continuously cropped, and can also improve soil structure and fertility by alternating deep-rooted and shallow-rooted plants. Crop rotation has increased in the south in the last 10 years due to the changing tides of the ever changing grain price. With the increase in corn acres across the south, as well as the increase in irrigation, we have seen a steady increase in yields. There are many studies showing yield increases of 10 to 15 percent in soybeans and corn when rotation is utilized. Rotations also help with a reduction in nematodes, weeds and diseases. Northern Leaf Blight is a good example of a disease that has increased over the last several years, and can be reduced by rotating corn and soybeans. Understanding the relationship between nitrogen (N) and crop rotation is very important when making N management decisions. There are several benefits to using crop rotation, including improved nutrient cycling, soil tilth, and soil physical properties; and enhanced weed control. Crop rotation also may influence the rate of N mineralization or the conversion of organic N to mineral N by modifying soil moisture, soil temperature, pH, plant residue, and tillage practices.The incremental increase in N use over the past five decades, due to emphasis on maximizing yield, has led to a subsequent increase in N in the soil profile of some agricultural fields. Therefore, the influence of agricultural practices on water quality has prompted studies to develop best management practices to optimize the use of fertilizer N and reduce N loss to surface and groundwater. Crop rotation can play a major role in minimizing the potential risk of nitrate leaching to surface and groundwater by enhancing soil N availability, reducing the amount of N fertilizer applied, and minimizing the potential risk of N leaching. Research on the impact of long-term crop rotation on soil N availability shows that planting alfalfa, corn, oat, and soybean significantly increased the mineralized net N in soil compared with planting continuous corn. Because soil N mineralization can effect yield, crop rotation thus can be used as a management system to enhance the soil nutrient pool, thereby reducing the fertilizer N input and minimizing the risk of leaching of excess N during wet weather. A combination of conservation tillage practices and crop rotation has been shown to be very effective in improving soil physical properties. Long-term studies in the Midwest indicate that corn-soybean rotation improves yield potential of no-till compared with continuous corn. The reduction in yield of continuous corn in no-till is attributed to low soil temperature during seed germination, which is evident on poorly drained soils under no-till. Studies show that the poor performance of no-till corn following corn is more likely due to the previous crop than to surface residue conditions preventing early-season warming and drying of soils. The use of a legume cover in crop rotation can provide a substantial amount of N to a succeeding crop. Research has indicated that seeding rates for legumes can be reduced by approximately one-third of that recommended for forage production when used as cover crops without sacrificing biomass or N accumulation. Also, the type of crop grown in the previous year can impact the efficiency of conservation tillage, especially for no-till systems, due to the kind and amount of crop residue from the previous crop.

Download or read book Soil Management written by Jerry L. Hatfield and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2020-01-22 with total page 432 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Degradation of soils continues at a pace that will eventually create a local, regional, or even global crisis when diminished soil resources collide with increasing climate variation. It's not too late to restore our soils to a more productive state by rediscovering the value of soil management, building on our well-established and ever-expanding scientific understanding of soils. Soil management concepts have been in place since the cultivation of crops, but we need to rediscover the principles that are linked together in effective soil management. This book is unique because of its treatment of soil management based on principles—the physical, chemical, and biological processes and how together they form the foundation for soil management processes that range from tillage to nutrient management. Whether new to soil science or needing a concise reference, readers will benefit from this book's ability to integrate the science of soils with management issues and long-term conservation efforts.

Download or read book A Extensive Guide to Crop Rotation written by Dennis Park Ph D and published by Independently Published. This book was released on 2021-06-03 with total page 72 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Rotations also help with a reduction in nematodes, weeds and diseases. Northern Leaf Blight is a good example of a disease that has increased over the last several years, and can be reduced by rotating corn and soybeans. Understanding the relationship between nitrogen (N) and crop rotation is very important when making N management decisions. There are several benefits to using crop rotation, including improved nutrient cycling, soil tilth, and soil physical properties; and enhanced weed control. Crop rotation also may influence the rate of N mineralization or the conversion of organic N to mineral N by modifying soil moisture, soil temperature, pH, plant residue, and tillage practices. The incremental increase in N use over the past five decades, due to emphasis on maximizing yield, has led to a subsequent increase in N in the soil profile of some agricultural fields. Therefore, the influence of agricultural practices on water quality has prompted studies to develop best management practices to optimize the use of fertilizer N and reduce N loss to surface and groundwater. Crop rotation can play a major role in minimizing the potential risk of nitrate leaching to surface and groundwater by enhancing soil N availability, reducing the amount of N fertilizer applied, and minimizing the potential risk of N leaching. Research on the impact of long-term crop rotation on soil N availability shows that planting alfalfa, corn, oat, and soybean significantly increased the mineralized net N in soil compared with planting continuous corn. Because soil N mineralization can effect yield, crop rotation thus can be used as a management system to enhance the soil nutrient pool, thereby reducing the fertilizer N input and minimizing the risk of leaching of excess N during wet weather. A combination of conservation tillage practices and crop rotation has been shown to be very effective in improving soil physical properties. Long-term studies in the Midwest indicate that corn-soybean rotation improves yield potential of no-till compared with continuous corn. The reduction in yield of continuous corn in no-till is attributed to low soil temperature during seed germination, which is evident on poorly drained soils under no-till. Studies show that the poor performance of no-till corn following corn is more likely due to the previous crop than to surface residue conditions preventing early-season warming and drying of soils.

Download or read book Impact of Crop Rotations and Winter Cover Crops on Vegetative Cover Aboveground Biomass and Soil Organic Matter Under No till in Western Tennessee written by and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 126 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We investigated, under long-term no-till in western Tennessee, the effects of rotating the low-input crops cotton and soybeans with the high-input crop corn, compared to continuous monocultures of cotton and soybeans, and of using the winter cover crops (WCCs) winter wheat and hairy vetch, compared to winter fallow, on key indicators of soil health concerning vegetative cover and labile SOM. The line-transect method was used to measure percent vegetative cover. Dry weight of surface crop residue and aboveground living plant biomass (WCCs and winter weeds) was obtained. The living plant biomass was analyzed for carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) by dry combustion to determine C/N ratios. The sand-sized POM-C fraction at 0 to 5 and 5 to 15 cm was physically fractionated and analyzed for C by dry combustion. The inclusion of corn in rotation with cotton significantly increased aboveground crop residue quantity, aboveground winter weed biomass quantity, total aboveground biomass quantity, percent vegetative cover, and POM-C at 0 to 5 cm. The inclusion of corn in rotation with soybeans significantly increased aboveground crop residue quantity and POM-C at 0 to 5 cm, but significantly decreased aboveground winter wheat biomass quantity, total aboveground biomass quantity under winter wheat, aboveground winter weed biomass C/N ratio, and POM-C at 5 to 15 cm. The use of WCCs did not significantly increase total aboveground biomass quantity under most cropping sequences, and significantly reduced aboveground crop residue quantity, aboveground winter weed biomass quantity, and percent vegetative cover. The WCCs generally did not affect POM-C at either depth, though they significantly increased POM-C at 5 to 15 cm under continuous soybeans. Compared to winter wheat, hairy vetch significantly increased aboveground winter weed biomass quantity and percent vegetative cover. Our results demonstrate that the inclusion of corn in rotation with cotton is highly effective, while inclusion of corn in rotation with soybeans and the use of WCCs are ineffective in improving soil quality by increasing vegetative cover and the labile pool of SOM under these conditions.

Download or read book Agronomic Performance of a Reduced tillage Grain Crop Rotation During the Transition to Organic Production written by Clair Keene and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cover crop-based organic rotational no-till is one strategy for reducing tillage in organic systems and relies on rolled cover crop mulches to substitute for spring tillage and mechanical weed control in summer annual crops. This experiment was conducted at three locations to test if delaying cover crop termination would increase biomass production, weed suppression, and corn and soybean yields during the three-year transition to certified organic production. Three cover crop termination timings/ cash crop planting date treatments were examined in corn and soybean (Early, Middle, and Late). Additional split- and split-split plots within the planting date treatments were the presence or absence of high-residue cultivation and cash crop variety selection, respectively. The crop rotation was hairy vetch plus triticale cover crop-corn-cereal rye cover crop-soybean-winter wheat and was implemented in a full-entry design with all cash crops present in each year. Hairy vetch-triticale biomass did not consistently increase with delayed termination, and Late termination corresponding to full flower and the onset of pod formation in hairy vetch was necessary to prevent hairy vetch from competing with corn and becoming a weed. Cereal rye biomass increased as termination was delayed, but the Middle termination date corresponding to 50% anthesis to early milk was optimal for minimizing cereal rye competition with soybean and seed production. Volunteer cover crops negatively impacted winter wheat at two sites: hairy vetch at Maryland and cereal rye at Pennsylvania. Delaying planting tended to reduce corn but not soybean yields across sites. Regression stability analysis identified the Middle planting date as minimizing the variability of corn and soybean yields. These findings suggest that a tradeoff between hairy vetch control and corn yield cannot be avoided in this system while a tradeoff is not likely in cereal rye-soybean.Pulse-chase additions of three summer annual weed species identified high-residue cultivation as an effective weed control tactic in cover crop-based organic rotational no-till. Delaying cover crop termination and cash crop planting date did not have a clear impact on the target weeds across sites. Later-emerging species giant foxtail and smooth pigweed appeared to more readily exploit low cash crop populations at later planting dates than the early-emerging common ragweed. Yellow nut-sedge, a perennial species not included in the pulse-chase experiment, increased during the experiment across sites.In a separate experiment examining the timing and frequency of high-residue cultivation in a conventional conservation tillage system, two high-residue cultivator passes plus banded herbicide at planting resulted in weed control and yields similar to weed-free check plots in corn and soybean. Cover crop residues increased cash crop yields in droughty years. However, higher yields were not typically enough to offset the cost of cover crop establishment. Nitrogen credit from a cover crop can improve the economics of cover crop establishment in corn.

Download or read book Agrindex written by and published by . This book was released on 1995 with total page 936 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Effect of Tillage and Crop Rotation on Soil Nitrate and Moisture written by Dee Anna Jo Weed and published by . This book was released on 1992 with total page 150 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Bibliography of Agriculture with Subject Index written by and published by . This book was released on 2000 with total page 1010 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Comparative Influence of Tillage Systems and Nutrient Timing on the Soil Environment and Crop Response in Iowa Soils written by Mark Allen Licht and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page 152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Tillage systems can affect soil productivity, crop N availability and use efficiency, and seedbed conditions (soil temperature, moisture, and penetration resistance). The challenges associated with some tillage systems, namely conventional tillage and no-tillage, have prompted this study to (i) evaluate the effects of strip-tillage on corn (Zea mays L.) productivity as compared to conventional tillage and no-tillage (ii) identify the effect of strip-tillage and N timing on the N availability and use efficiency (iii) determine the impact of strip-tillage on soil moisture, temperature, and penetration resistance. The study was conducted at two sites in 2001 and 2002. One site was near Ames, Iowa where the soils were Nicollet (Aquic Hapludolls) and Webster (Typic Haplaquolls). The second site was near Nashua, Iowa where the soils were Kenyon (Typic Hapludolls) and Floyd (Aquic Hapludolls). The impacts of tillage treatments on crop response were determined by measuring corn emergence, dry matter, plant N uptake, and grain yield. Residual soil NO3-N, NO3-N movement, and water use efficiency, along with soil temperature and soil penetration resistance, were estimated for different tillage systems. Results of this study suggest strip-tillage offers no significant advantages in improving corn production over no-tillage or conventional tillage. In this study, strip-tillage had a slight advantage early in the growing season in improving corn emergence due to improvement of soil temperature over no-tillage by 1.4-1.9°C, but this advantage did not significantly increase yields. There was no significant difference in soil moisture content between all tillage systems at any depth, but generally strip-tillage showed greater water content than conventional tillage and a similar water content to no-tillage at the lower soil depths. Strip-tillage had no significant advantages in improving plant N uptake, water use efficiency, or reducing N leaching over no-tillage regardless of the timing of tillage implementation and N fertilizer application. Soil penetration resistance of strip-tillage was often comparable with no-tillage, but greater than conventional tillage at the 0-20 cm depth. Penetration resistance and soil moisture for all treatments were inversely related throughout the soil profile, where the differences were most pronounced at the 30 and 60 cm depths.

Download or read book The Effects of Rotations Fertilizers Lime and Organic Matter on the Production of Corn Wheat and Hay written by Thomas Kennerly Wolfe and published by . This book was released on 1927 with total page 60 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Choice of Tillage Rotation and Soil Testing Practices written by JunJie Wu and published by . This book was released on 1996 with total page 40 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Toward Sustainable Agricultural Systems in the 21st Century written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2010-07-25 with total page 598 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the last 20 years, there has been a remarkable emergence of innovations and technological advances that are generating promising changes and opportunities for sustainable agriculture, yet at the same time the agricultural sector worldwide faces numerous daunting challenges. Not only is the agricultural sector expected to produce adequate food, fiber, and feed, and contribute to biofuels to meet the needs of a rising global population, it is expected to do so under increasingly scarce natural resources and climate change. Growing awareness of the unintended impacts associated with some agricultural production practices has led to heightened societal expectations for improved environmental, community, labor, and animal welfare standards in agriculture. Toward Sustainable Agricultural Systems in the 21st Century assesses the scientific evidence for the strengths and weaknesses of different production, marketing, and policy approaches for improving and reducing the costs and unintended consequences of agricultural production. It discusses the principles underlying farming systems and practices that could improve the sustainability. It also explores how those lessons learned could be applied to agriculture in different regional and international settings, with an emphasis on sub-Saharan Africa. By focusing on a systems approach to improving the sustainability of U.S. agriculture, this book can have a profound impact on the development and implementation of sustainable farming systems. Toward Sustainable Agricultural Systems in the 21st Century serves as a valuable resource for policy makers, farmers, experts in food production and agribusiness, and federal regulatory agencies.