Evaluating The Effects Of Long Term No Till And Crop Rotations In Soil Health And Corn Productivity

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Evaluating the Effects of Long-term No-till and Crop Rotations in Soil Health and Corn Productivity

Author : Noelymar González-Maldonado
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 114 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (119 download)

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Book Synopsis Evaluating the Effects of Long-term No-till and Crop Rotations in Soil Health and Corn Productivity by : Noelymar González-Maldonado

Download or read book Evaluating the Effects of Long-term No-till and Crop Rotations in Soil Health and Corn Productivity written by Noelymar González-Maldonado and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 114 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Conservation practices, such as no-till and diversifying crop rotations are known for their capacity to reduce soil erosion and improve soil properties. However, the impact of these management practices on emerging soil health tests and the ability of these tests to reflect active organic matter dynamics and nutrient cycling, and corn productivity has not been explored. This project focused on determining the effects of half a century of continuous tillage treatments (moldboard plow, chisel till, and no-till) and crop rotations (continuous corn, corn-soybean, and corn-forage-forage) on soil health indicators and its relationship with crop productivity. The forages were alfalfa in Wooster and red clover and oats in Northwest. Soil labile carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) temporal dynamics were quantified with permanganate oxidizable C (POXC), mineralizable carbon (Min C), and soil protein at six key stages in corn (Zea mays) development: before planting (around three weeks before planting), V5, V10, R1, R4, R6 in the 2017 and 2018 growing seasons. Corn leaf chlorophyll, aboveground plant biomass, nutrient uptake, and grain yield were also quantified. The soil health indicators (POXC, Min C, soil protein) and crop parameters (leaf chlorophyll, total nitrogen uptake, and total aboveground biomass) were higher in reduced tillage (chisel and no-till) compared to moldboard plow and higher in the most diverse crop rotation (corn-forage-forage) compared to corn-soybean. Corn yields were not significantly different between tillage treatments but were higher in the more diverse rotations (corn-soybean and corn-forage-forage) compared to corn monoculture. Although the treatment effects varied by site and year, rotation had a consistently larger effect on soil health indicators and corn productivity than tillage, highlighting the importance of including crop rotations in corn production. We conclude that Ohio soils under half a century of continuous tillage and rotation treatments have higher soil health and corn productivity in no-till and reduced tillage soils compared to moldboard plow. We also conclude that soil health indicators and maize productivity were higher in rotations including two years of forages compared to monoculture and corn-soybean rotations, especially in no-till soils.

No-till Farming Systems for Sustainable Agriculture

Author : Yash P. Dang
Publisher : Springer Nature
ISBN 13 : 3030464091
Total Pages : 638 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (34 download)

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Book Synopsis No-till Farming Systems for Sustainable Agriculture by : Yash P. Dang

Download or read book No-till Farming Systems for Sustainable Agriculture written by Yash P. Dang and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2020-09-03 with total page 638 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is a comprehensive summary of current global research on no-till farming, and its benefits and challenges from various agronomic, environmental, social and economic perspectives. It details the characteristics and future requirements of no-till farming systems across different geographic and climatic regions, and outlines what is needed to increase the uptake of no-till farming globally. Over 35 chapters, this book covers in detail the agronomic and soil management issues that must be resolved to ensure the successful implementation of these systems. Important economic, environmental, social and policy considerations are discussed. It also features a series of case studies across a number of regions globally, highlighting the challenges and opportunities for no-till and how these may vary depending on climate and geopolitical location. This book is a remarkable compilation by experts in no-till farming systems. The promotion and expansion of no-till farming systems worldwide will be critical for food security, and resource and environmental sustainability. This is an invaluable reference for both researchers and practitioners grappling with the challenges of feeding the world’s rising population in an environment increasingly impacted by climate change. It is an essential reading for those seeking to understand the complexity of no-till farming systems and how best to optimise these systems in their region.

Effect of Long-term Crop Rotation on Productivity, Greenhouse Gas Emission, and Soil Properties

Author : Maciej Jerzy Kazula
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 140 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (1 download)

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Book Synopsis Effect of Long-term Crop Rotation on Productivity, Greenhouse Gas Emission, and Soil Properties by : Maciej Jerzy Kazula

Download or read book Effect of Long-term Crop Rotation on Productivity, Greenhouse Gas Emission, and Soil Properties written by Maciej Jerzy Kazula and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 140 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: To deal with climate change, agricultural practices that ensure continued productivity with a minimal impact on the environment are currently being evaluated. Crop rotation is often neglected due to economic influences, but it has a high potential to maximize resiliency of the corn-based system of the Midwestern region of the United States under uncertain weather patterns. Each study contained in this dissertation serve individually to answer specific questions concerning the impact of crop rotation on crop productivity, greenhouse gas emission and soil quality, but collectively serve to integrate these areas in order to better understand how crop rotation management affects the whole system. This dissertation is a transdisciplinary study grouped in five chapters where continuous corn (CC), 2-yr corn-soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] (CS), and 3-yr corn-soybean-wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) (CSW) rotations were studied in a multi-site and multi-year experiment in Wisconsin in order to evaluate their impact on: (i) crop productivity, accumulation and partitioning of carbon and nitrogen, within corn plant components; (ii) greenhouse gas emission to identify the main sources of emission and to assess potential opportunities for emission reduction; and iii) key soil physical and chemical properties to determine any changes that may impact soil health. The last chapter integrated these impacts to: (iv) test the biogeochemical DAYCENT model against field collected data to estimate emission of nitrous oxide (N2O) during the non-vegetative period when field measurements were not collected, and (v) to simulate future rotation effects on N2O and crop yield responses under different climate change scenarios.

Cornell Soil Health Assessment Training Manual

Author : Beth K. Gugino
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9780967650746
Total Pages : 52 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (57 download)

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Book Synopsis Cornell Soil Health Assessment Training Manual by : Beth K. Gugino

Download or read book Cornell Soil Health Assessment Training Manual written by Beth K. Gugino and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 52 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Managing Cover Crops Profitably (3rd Ed. )

Author : Andy Clark
Publisher : DIANE Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1437903797
Total Pages : 248 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (379 download)

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Book Synopsis Managing Cover Crops Profitably (3rd Ed. ) by : Andy Clark

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.

Soil Health Indicators as Tools to Understand The Effects of Disturbance

Author : Devyn Mc Pheeters
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (133 download)

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Book Synopsis Soil Health Indicators as Tools to Understand The Effects of Disturbance by : Devyn Mc Pheeters

Download or read book Soil Health Indicators as Tools to Understand The Effects of Disturbance written by Devyn Mc Pheeters and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Soil health refers to a soil's ability to sustain biological life into the future while maintaining water and air quality. No-till agriculture has become a primary strategy to improve soil health in row-crop production in the United States. Growers who have adopted no-till practices are typically highly reluctant to use any type of tillage out of concern for its effects on the health of their soil. The two primary objectives of this thesis research were 1) to examine the effects on soil health of one-time inversion tillage in a six-year rotation including canola, corn, soy, cover crops and perennials and 2) to compare soil health effects of contrasting fertilization methods, involving either surface applications or incorporation using reduced disturbance, in a corn-soy rotation. These objectives were approached using four soil health indicators: total organic carbon, bulk density, labile carbon, and aggregate stability, to determine the impacts of different management strategies implemented at the Dairy Cropping Systems Experiment (DCSE) at the Penn State Agronomy Research Farm at Rock Springs, PA. This experiment had been initiated in 2010 as a full crop entry experiment, with all phases of the crop rotations planted every year in a randomized complete block design, replicated four times. The channery silt loam soil at this site was sampled in spring 2010 prior to the start of the experiment and in 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021 at two depths: 0-5 and 5-15 cm for labile and total carbon and to 15 cm for aggregate stability. The research conducted under Objective One is described in Chapter Two of this thesis. The management system under study was a six-year crop rotation that included two approaches to terminating the perennial forage crop--termination by standard herbicides or by inversion tillage. The aim was to assess soil health effects of once-in-six-year tillage as a strategy for herbicide reduction (T1/6) when compared to no-tillage using standard herbicide treatment (NT). Although tillage initially reduced total soil organic and labile carbon, plots that were tilled showed similar soil health levels as the continuous no-till plots in all four indicators after two full years in perennial forage. Results from this analysis indicated that soil health can return to no-till levels despite a tillage event if rotated to perennial forage for sufficient years. The research for Objective Two is described in Chapter Three and involved a more traditional corn-soy rotation, which had been included in the Dairy Cropping Systems Experiment because it is common among grain crop growers. Soil health indicators were compared in soils subjected to four fertilizer application strategies: no-till with broadcast manure (NT-BM), chisel disk with broadcast manure (CD-BM), no-till with broadcast synthetic fertilizer (NT-SF), and no-till with injected manure (NT-IM). Despite the classification of chisel-disk as a type of conservation tillage, the CD-BM strategy had the highest expected potential to reduce soil health because of its increased level of disturbance. Investigating the impact of CD on soil health was the primary focus of this chapter. There was also some expectation that injected manure would reduce soil health due to disturbance associated with injection, which also motivated comparison of the three different no-till strategies. Soil total organic carbon, labile carbon, and aggregate stability were all reduced in the CD-BM strategy, though no effects due to tillage were observed at the 5-15 cm depth. Additionally, there were no differences between the effects of the three no-till strategies on soil health. Results from this analysis suggest that soil health is negatively impacted by chisel disking compared to no-till, but that manure injection does not appear to affect soil health. The concluding chapter of this thesis summarizes the results of both studies and provides recommendations for farmers and future research. Reducing tillage intensity is critical to improving soil health, though strategic timing of one-time tillage events may alleviate some of the herbicide requirement typically associated with no-till, particularly when these events are coupled with perennials in rotation. Chisel-disking may be a positive alternative to more intensive tillage practices, but it showed short-term negative impacts compared to no-till. Overall, this thesis supports the idea that reducing disturbance and increasing perenniality of systems is the key to long-term improvements to soil health.

Ecological Intensification and Sustainable Intensification: Increasing Benefits to and Reducing Impacts on the Environment to Improve Future Agricultural and Food Systems

Download Ecological Intensification and Sustainable Intensification: Increasing Benefits to and Reducing Impacts on the Environment to Improve Future Agricultural and Food Systems PDF Online Free

Author : Aaron Kinyu Hoshide
Publisher : Frontiers Media SA
ISBN 13 : 2832538053
Total Pages : 152 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (325 download)

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Book Synopsis Ecological Intensification and Sustainable Intensification: Increasing Benefits to and Reducing Impacts on the Environment to Improve Future Agricultural and Food Systems by : Aaron Kinyu Hoshide

Download or read book Ecological Intensification and Sustainable Intensification: Increasing Benefits to and Reducing Impacts on the Environment to Improve Future Agricultural and Food Systems written by Aaron Kinyu Hoshide and published by Frontiers Media SA. This book was released on 2023-10-31 with total page 152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

The Long-term Effects of Crop Rotation and Fertilizer Applications on Soil Health and Crop Productivity in Alberta

Author : Jingyu Zhang
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (141 download)

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Book Synopsis The Long-term Effects of Crop Rotation and Fertilizer Applications on Soil Health and Crop Productivity in Alberta by : Jingyu Zhang

Download or read book The Long-term Effects of Crop Rotation and Fertilizer Applications on Soil Health and Crop Productivity in Alberta written by Jingyu Zhang and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Long-term agricultural management practices affect soil health. Five long-term rotations at the University of Alberta Breton Plots were sampled as part of the Soil Heath Institute (SHI) North American Project to Evaluate Soil Health Measurements (NAPESHM) in 2019: (1) check (no fertilizer addition), NPKS and manure fertility treatments of a wheat-fallow (WF) rotation; (2) check, NPKS and manure fertility treatments of a 5 yr cereal-forage rotation (with and without lime); (3) continuous forage (CF) receiving NPKS fertilizer; (4) continuous grain (CG) receiving NPKS fertilizer; and (5) an 8-yr "agro-ecological" rotation of barley, faba beans and forages receiving manure. In addition to the >25 soil health indicators measured as part of NAPESHM, soil moisture retention curves (SMRC), phospholipid fatty acid (PLFAs) profile, size distribution of water-stable aggregates and total C, N, 13C and 15N within each class of water-stable aggregates were measured on additional samples taken in 2020. These soil health indicators were used to calculate a site-specific soil health index (SPSHI) using methods similar to those used to develop the Cornell comprehensive assessment of soil health (CASH). Multivariate permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) and non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) were used to assess the significance of long-term crop rotation, fertilization and their interactions on the soil health indicators used to develop the SPSHI. The indicators in the SPSHI equation included autoclave-citrate-extractable (ACE) protein, pH, available P, Na, available water holding capacity (AWHC), the proportion of total carbon in aggregates (PTCA) and Phosphomonoesterase. The higher the SPSHI value, the better the soil health. The SPSHI values of each rotation-fertilizer treatment from high to low are 8-yr with manure (0.802), 5-yr cereal-forage with manure and lime (0.79), WF manure (0.686), 5-yr with manure (0.674), 5-yr NPKS with lime (0.633), CG NPKS (0.507), 5-yr check with lime (0.477), 5-yr NPKS (0.432), 5-yr check (0.418), WF with NPKS (0.403), CF with NPKS (0.389), and WF with check (0.38). The PERMANOVA results indicated significant effects of fertilizer treatments (p-value =0.0064), rotation treatments (p-value =0.0482) and their interaction (p-value =0.0095) on the soil health indicators. The primary difference in SPSHI values was caused by the difference of C and N input to soils, PTCA and pH in response to fertilizer, manure and rotations. The positive correlation between SPSHI values and crop yield is only weak to moderate, mainly because manure has a greater improvement on soil health than crop yield, whereas NPKS fertilizers had the opposite effect.

A Hitchhiker's Guide to Statistics in Plant Biology

Author : Stephen R. Bowley
Publisher : Guelph, Ont. : Any Old Subject Books
ISBN 13 : 9780968550014
Total Pages : 250 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (5 download)

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Book Synopsis A Hitchhiker's Guide to Statistics in Plant Biology by : Stephen R. Bowley

Download or read book A Hitchhiker's Guide to Statistics in Plant Biology written by Stephen R. Bowley and published by Guelph, Ont. : Any Old Subject Books. This book was released on 1999-01-01 with total page 250 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Effect of Delayed Cover Crop Termination on No-till Corn and Soybean Production

Author : Heidi Myer
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (15 download)

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Book Synopsis Effect of Delayed Cover Crop Termination on No-till Corn and Soybean Production by : Heidi Myer

Download or read book Effect of Delayed Cover Crop Termination on No-till Corn and Soybean Production written by Heidi Myer and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: No-till corn and soybean growers in the mid-Atlantic who use cover crops (CC) typically terminate the cover crops with an herbicide a week or more before cash crop planting. In the interest of extending soil health benefits longer into the spring, some growers are now planting green, (PG) or delaying cover crop termination until cash crop planting or later. Three experiments were conducted to quantify the effects of planting green on corn and soybean production in Pennsylvania. We had three overarching hypotheses across all of the studies: compared to early rye termination, PG would i) increase cover crop biomass, cool and dry soil at planting, and conserve soil moisture later in the growing season; ii) reduce slug damage on cash crops; and iii) not reduce cash crop yield. We conducted one experiment at two Penn State research stations for three years to evaluate cereal rye CC management influences on soybean production. We had three treatments in a split-split plot randomized block design. The main plot was rye seeding rate (34, 67, or 134 kg ha-1), the split plot was topdress nitrogen fertilization rate (34 or 67 kg ha-1), and the split-split plot was rye termination timing (early-killed or planted green). PG increased rye biomass by 48-169%. Soil (0-8 cm) in the PG treatment was generally drier at planting, wetter later and cooler for much of the growing season compared to early-killed rye. PG reduced slug damage compared to early-killed in three of four site-years measured. PG soybeans yielded similarly to the early-killed most consistently when the 2x seeding rate was combined with the lowest N rate. Our results suggest that for best results with PG soybeans, rye seeding rates should be reduced to 67 kg ha-1 or lower, N fertility should be maintained at conservative levels, and rye should be killed early in dry springs.We conducted a second experiment at the same two Penn State research stations for three years to evaluate cover crop management effects on corn production. We had two treatments in a randomized complete block design: cover crop species (crimson clover, cereal rye, or clover + rye mix), and termination timing (early-killed or planted green). We measured similar CC biomass and soil moisture effects of PG as in the soybean experiment, though we found that crimson clover also caused dryer and warmer soils compared to rye or the crimson clover + rye mix. Slug damage was not significantly influenced by PG or CC, contrary to our hypothesis. At Rock Springs, corn yield was 10% lower in PG compared to early across CC in dry 2015, and 12% lower in PG crimson clover compared to early across years, and the main predictors of corn yield were soil moisture and temperature at planting and corn population. We concluded that PG can help manage soil water and corn can maintain similar yields in early-killed CC and PG, but we caution against PG and crimson clover in dry springs due to excessive soil drying and stand establishment complications.The last experiment expanded to include three cooperating farm sites in addition to the two Penn State research stations for three years, and we evaluated cover crop termination timing (early-killed or planted green) effects on corn (4 sites) and soybean (5 sites) production across a range of crop rotations, soils, weather conditions, and equipment. Planting green increased CC biomass 94% to 181% compared to early-kill. Except for two site-years, soil was 8% to 24% drier, and 0.7 to 2.4C cooler at planting in PG compared to early-kill. Slug damage was not different, lower, or higher in PG corn, and not different or lower in PG soybeans compared to early-kill. Our yield stability analysis showed that corn yield was more likely to be reduced by PG in high yielding environments, but there was no difference to a slight benefit in yield at lower yielding environments; conversely, soybean yield was stable across environments regardless of treatment. We conclude that corn was more vulnerable to yield losses from conditions created by PG than soybeans, and growers in environments similar to Pennsylvania hoping to get the most out of their cover crops can plant soybeans green to increase cover crop biomass, and manage soil water, with little risk of yield reduction.

A Profound Guide to Crop Rotation

Author : Lisa H Gregory Ph D
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 64 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (9 download)

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Book Synopsis A Profound Guide to Crop Rotation by : Lisa H Gregory Ph D

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.

Soil Health and Intensification of Agroecosystems

Author : Mahdi M. Al-Kaisi
Publisher : Academic Press
ISBN 13 : 0128054018
Total Pages : 420 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (28 download)

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Book Synopsis Soil Health and Intensification of Agroecosystems by : Mahdi M. Al-Kaisi

Download or read book Soil Health and Intensification of Agroecosystems written by Mahdi M. Al-Kaisi and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2017-03-15 with total page 420 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Soil Health and Intensification of Agroecosystems examines the climate, environmental, and human effects on agroecosystems and how the existing paradigms must be revised in order to establish sustainable production. The increased demand for food and fuel exerts tremendous stress on all aspects of natural resources and the environment to satisfy an ever increasing world population, which includes the use of agriculture products for energy and other uses in addition to human and animal food. The book presents options for ecological systems that mimic the natural diversity of the ecosystem and can have significant effect as the world faces a rapidly changing and volatile climate. The book explores the introduction of sustainable agroecosystems that promote biodiversity, sustain soil health, and enhance food production as ways to help mitigate some of these adverse effects. New agroecosystems will help define a resilient system that can potentially absorb some of the extreme shifts in climate. Changing the existing cropping system paradigm to utilize natural system attributes by promoting biodiversity within production agricultural systems, such as the integration of polycultures, will also enhance ecological resiliency and will likely increase carbon sequestration. Focuses on the intensification and integration of agroecosystem and soil resiliency by presenting suggested modifications of the current cropping system paradigm Examines climate, environment, and human effects on agroecosystems Explores in depth the wide range of intercalated soil and plant interactions as they influence soil sustainability and, in particular, soil quality Presents options for ecological systems that mimic the natural diversity of the ecosystem and can have significant effect as the world faces a rapidly changing and volatile climate

Soil Management

Author : Jerry L. Hatfield
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 0891188533
Total Pages : 432 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (911 download)

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Book Synopsis Soil Management by : Jerry L. Hatfield

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.

Short-term Effects of Cover Crops on Soil Health and Yield in Established No-till Systems

Author : Savanna Crossman
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (119 download)

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Book Synopsis Short-term Effects of Cover Crops on Soil Health and Yield in Established No-till Systems by : Savanna Crossman

Download or read book Short-term Effects of Cover Crops on Soil Health and Yield in Established No-till Systems written by Savanna Crossman and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Agriculture in Kansas and the Great Plains faces many sustainability challenges. Cover cropping is a practice that can affect sustainability by improving soil health parameters in some environments, but more work is needed in the frame of no-till systems in eastern Kansas. Additionally, cash crop yield is an important consideration for production agriculture, but is only reported in less than one-third of soil health studies. Field experiments were conducted on long-term no-till (>10 years) farms in 2014-2017 near Burlington, Hutchinson, and Valley Falls, Kansas. Sites were selected in partnership with local extension, with typical cropping rotations for the area. The objectives of this study were to (i) determine the impact of cover crops on soil health (ii) quantify biomass of established cover crops (iii) quantify yield impacts of cover crops on cash crop yield by comparing single species cover crop (CS), multiple species cover crop (CM), and no cover crop (NC) treatments. In addition, a tillage (T) treatment was included at the Burlington site. Plots were arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Analysis of the soil property data largely found no consistent treatment effects (alpha = 0.05), though sporadic differences were detected. For example, infiltration significantly differed among treatments at the Burlington site in fall 2016, where the T and NC plots had significantly higher rates than the CS and CM plots, but it did not repeat in the 2017 samplings. The Burlington location was the only site to have differences in soil aggregate properties. The aggregates in the tillage plots were getting smaller over time likely from the mechanical breakdown of annual tillage. A significantly smaller mean weight diameter was observed for T as opposed to the other treatments in spring 2016. In 2015 and 2016 the NC treatment also began to show higher proportions of the 0.25mm WSA and less 4.75mm and 2.00mm WSA than the cover crop plots. Very few significant differences were found in the soil biological or chemical parameters, and those that were found lacked repeatability across years. Significantly higher dissolved organic carbon concentrations were observed in the mixed cover crop treatment at the Burlington location for the fall 2017 sampling time, and pH had sporadic instances of significance as well. In conclusion, during the first three years of this project, cover crops have had minimal short-term effects on soil dynamic properties, or cash crop yield, in long-term no-till in eastern Kansas. These results imply that cover crops are likely not a hindrance nor an enhancement to grain corn or soybean yields in eastern Kansas. Additionally, there may be an opportunity for growers to reduce seed costs by planting a single species cover crop as there was no short-term yield or soil health benefit to planting a multi-species mix.

Long-term Effects of Tillage Practices on Soil Physical, Chemical, and Biological Health, and Its Economic and Ecologic Implications

Author : Amanda Weidhuner
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 296 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (132 download)

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Book Synopsis Long-term Effects of Tillage Practices on Soil Physical, Chemical, and Biological Health, and Its Economic and Ecologic Implications by : Amanda Weidhuner

Download or read book Long-term Effects of Tillage Practices on Soil Physical, Chemical, and Biological Health, and Its Economic and Ecologic Implications written by Amanda Weidhuner and published by . This book was released on 2021 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Demands for sustainable crop production are increasing to cope with threats of climate change and diversity loss. Tillage is one of the main farming practices that could impact crop production, soil, and air quality. We utilized a long-term (>48-yr old) tillage trial to evaluate four tillage systems including: (i) moldboard plow (MP), (ii) chisel-disk (grower's current practice) (CD), (iii) alternate tillage [2-yr no-till (NT) and 1-yr MP; AT], and (iv) NT on corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.) grain production, nutrient removal and balances, soil physical, chemical, and biological properties, and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. We found that a switch from intensive tillage practices (CD and MP) to NT resulted in (i) similar corn and soybean grain yield, nutrient removal, and balances; (ii) increased soil aggregation and aggregate stability; (iii) increased soil organic carbon (C), active C, and aggregate associated C and nitrogen at 0-15 cm soil depth (iv) had consistence penetration resistance at the plow depth (30 cm depth), lower bulk density, higher soil porosity and available water capacity; (v) had lower soil NO3-N and TN, two-yr cumulative N2O-N emissions, and yield-scaled N2O-N (vi) greater soil ecosystem stability based on nematode community populations; (vii) increased earthworm abundance and biomass, diversity and species evenness, and percentage of epigeic ecotypes. Interestingly, NT did not influence soil C beyond topsoil indicating a limitation for NT to sequester C at deeper soil layers. These findings indicate improved soil in NT vs. other tillage practices provides C sequestration and reduced environmental footprints, without impacting grain yield while improving functional soil biology. Because the cost of NT operations are lower than other tillage practices, we concluded continuous NT could be a step towards sustainable crop production. To further improve the sustainability of crop production, other practices (e.g. cover cropping, crop diversification, soil amendments etc.) should be integrated into continuous NT practices.

A Extensive Guide to Crop Rotation

Author : Dennis Park Ph D
Publisher : Independently Published
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 72 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (139 download)

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Book Synopsis A Extensive Guide to Crop Rotation by : Dennis Park Ph D

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.

Advances in Agronomy

Author : Donald L. Sparks
Publisher : Academic Press
ISBN 13 : 0323989543
Total Pages : 374 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (239 download)

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Book Synopsis Advances in Agronomy by : Donald L. Sparks

Download or read book Advances in Agronomy written by Donald L. Sparks and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2022-01-29 with total page 374 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Advances in Agronomy, Volume 172, the latest release in this leading reference on the topic, contains a variety of updates and highlights new advances in the field, with each chapter written by an international board of authors. Includes numerous, timely, state-of-the-art reviews on the latest advancements in agronomy Features distinguished, well recognized authors from around the world Builds upon this venerable and iconic review series Covers the extensive variety and breadth of subject matter in the crop and soil sciences