| Long-term effects of tillage system on soil nutrients and grain yields in rainfed area of Loess Plateau |
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| DOI：10.7606/j.issn.1000-7601.2015.03.28 |
| Key Words: no till stubble retention plastic film mulching soil nutrients grain yields Loess Plateau |
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| Abstract: |
| This study determined the long-term effects of tillage systems on soil nutrients and crop productivity in a semiarid environment. A long-term field study was initiated at Dingxi, the western Loess Plateau of China, in 2001. Field pea (Pisum sativum L.) in rotation with spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were grown under six tillage systems: conventional tillage (T), conventional tillage with stubble incorporating (TS), no-till with no stubble retention (NT), no-till with stubble retention (NTS), conventional tillage with plastic film mulching (TP), and no-till with plastic mulching (NTP). The results showed that, compared with the pretreatment, six tillage systems increased soil organic carbon by 4.92%～18.05%, available N by 17.98%～31.08%, available P by 143.04%～212.87%. However, compared with the pretreatment, six tillage systems decreased available K by 2.75% and 6.26% under NTS and TS, respectively. The average grain yields in a six-years term were highest under NTS with stubble retention for both spring wheat and field pea(2 030 vs. 1 381 kg·hm-2), and lowest under NT without stubble retention for both spring wheat and field pea(1 608 vs. 1 060 kg·hm-2). Conventional tillage with stubble incorporating could improve soil fertility, but this practice could not increase grain yield. The plastic mulch could increase grain yield in some seasons, but this practice could not sustainably improve soil fertility. Therefore, no-till with stubble retention is the most promising system for increasing grain yield and improving the sustainable development of agriculture in the semiarid Northwest China. |
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