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Rotational Tillage: A Sustainable Management Technique for Wheat Production in the Semiarid Loess Plateau

Author

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  • Rui Wang

    (Key Laboratory of Crop Physi-Ecology and Tillage Science in Northwestern Loess Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China)

  • Lijuan Ma

    (Key Laboratory of Crop Physi-Ecology and Tillage Science in Northwestern Loess Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China)

  • Wei Lv

    (Xingtai County Agricultural Bureau, Xingtai 054000, China)

  • Jun Li

    (Key Laboratory of Crop Physi-Ecology and Tillage Science in Northwestern Loess Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China)

Abstract

Rotational tillage could be an advisable attempt to overcome some of the adverse impacts of mono conservation tillage, and it is necessary to assess the feasibility of adoption of rotational tillage for sustaining productivity in the long run. Data from an 8-year site-specific field study conducted on the Loess Plateau were used to estimate the long-term effect of rotational tillage on soil water dynamic, soil properties and winter wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) productivity. Three mono-tillage (No tilling (NT), subsoiling (ST) and ploughing (PT)) and three rotational tillage (NT/ST (NT and ST performed alternately), ST/PT, PT/NT) methods were applied after wheat harvest. Results showed the mean grain weight in the three rotational tillage treatments was 4.5% to 16.9% greater than in NT, and water use efficiency (WUE) was 5.0% to 18.8% greater over the 8 years. Rotational tillage could overcome the increased bulk density and nutrition stratification caused by NT and soil degradation due to PT. NT/ST was the best rotational tillage pattern with the highest grain yield and WUE, best soil property and relatively low mechanical cost in the present study. Here, we demonstrate that rotational tillage can improve wheat yield, WUE and soil properties compared with long-term no tilling and recommend using NT/ST as the optimal tillage pattern in similar ecological regions.

Suggested Citation

  • Rui Wang & Lijuan Ma & Wei Lv & Jun Li, 2022. "Rotational Tillage: A Sustainable Management Technique for Wheat Production in the Semiarid Loess Plateau," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-12, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:12:y:2022:i:10:p:1582-:d:930703
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Wang, Shulan & Wang, Hao & Zhang, Yuanhong & Wang, Rui & Zhang, Yujiao & Xu, Zonggui & Jia, Guangcan & Wang, Xiaoli & Li, Jun, 2018. "The influence of rotational tillage on soil water storage, water use efficiency and maize yield in semi-arid areas under varied rainfall conditions," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 203(C), pages 376-384.
    2. Renton, Michael & Flower, Ken C., 2015. "Occasional mouldboard ploughing slows evolution of resistance and reduces long-term weed populations in no-till systems," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 66-75.
    3. He, Gang & Wang, Zhaohui & Li, Fucui & Dai, Jian & Li, Qiang & Xue, Cheng & Cao, Hanbing & Wang, Sen & Malhi, Sukhdev S., 2016. "Soil water storage and winter wheat productivity affected by soil surface management and precipitation in dryland of the Loess Plateau, China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 1-9.
    4. Cameron M. Pittelkow & Xinqiang Liang & Bruce A. Linquist & Kees Jan van Groenigen & Juhwan Lee & Mark E. Lundy & Natasja van Gestel & Johan Six & Rodney T. Venterea & Chris van Kessel, 2015. "Productivity limits and potentials of the principles of conservation agriculture," Nature, Nature, vol. 517(7534), pages 365-368, January.
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