Search Results (38)

The sustainability of agroecosystems depends on the maintenance of soil organic matter (SOM) and soil aggregate stability, which are key components of soil health. The long-term effects of conservation management systems, such as the adoption of no till (NT) associated with cover crops, on soil quality are still unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term effects of NT systems combined with cropping systems ecologically intensified by the presence of legumes on the carbon management index (CMI) and the state of soil aggregation, as sensitive tools to assess the quality of soil management systems. NT combined with autumn and spring legume cover crops increased the proportion of soil aggregates > 2 mm, resulting in higher weighted average diameters and higher aggregation index values in comparison to conventional tillage (CT), which favored the soil microaggregate proportion. The soil C content was favored by NT only in the surface layer, while the use of legume cover crops increased the C stock by 23% compared to the system without legume cover crops in the 0–20 cm layer. In the topsoil under NT, the stocks of particulate organic matter (POM) and mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM) were 100% and 37% greater than in CT, respectively. A greater CMI was observed under NT compared to CT in systems with no legumes (18%), with one legume (52%), and with two legumes (72%) as cover crops. These results highlight no till’s positive impact on soil health, further enhanced by the legume-based ecological intensification of cropping systems. Full article

The sugarcane cultivation has used heavy machinery on a large scale, which causes soil compaction. The minimum tillage has been used to reduce the traffic of machines on the crop, but there is a lack of appropriate tools for the implementation of this technique, especially in sugarcane areas. The University of Campinas—UNICAMP developed a conservation soil tillage tool called “Rotary paraplow”, the idea was to join the concepts of a vertical milling cutter with the paraplow, which is a tool for subsoiling without inversion of soil. The rotary paraplow is a conservationist tillage because it mobilizes only the planting line with little disturbance of the soil surface and does the tillage with the straw in the area. These conditions make this study pioneering in nature, by proposing an equipment developed to address these issues as an innovation in the agricultural machinery market. We sought to evaluate soil tillage using rotary paraplow and compare it with conventional tillage, regarding soil physical properties and yield. The experiment was conducted in an Oxisol in the city of Jaguariuna, Brazil. The comparison was made between the soil physical properties: soil bulk density, porosity, macroporosity, microporosity and penetration resistance. At the end, a biometric evaluation of the crop was carried out in both areas. The soil properties showed few statistically significant variations, and the production showed no statistical difference. The rotary paraplow proved to be an applicable tool in the cultivation of sugarcane and has the advantage of being an invention adapted to Brazilian soils, bringing a new form of minimal tillage to areas of sugarcane with less tilling on the soil surface, in addition to reducing machine traffic. Full article

Intensive agriculture is the chief cause of soil degradation, particularly in regions with low soil organic carbon status, such as semi-arid southern India. In the quest to attain sustainable yield and improved soil quality, conservation agriculture (CA) is being advocated and adopted globally, including in India. In this experiment, CA was implemented to investigate the synergistic impacts of tillage and weed management on soil quality index and system yield and to identify a remunerative treatment combination that can sustain system yield and enhance soil quality. Contrasting tillage practices (main plots) included the T₁: conventional tillage with cotton–conventional tillage with maize–fallow, i.e., no Sesbania rostrata (Farmers’ practice), T₂: conventional tillage with cotton–zero tillage with maize–zero tillage with Sesbania rostrata and T₃: zero tillage with cotton + Sesbania rostrata residues–zero tillage with maize + cotton residues–zero tillage with Sesbania rostrata + maize stubbles. Weed management tactics (sub-plots) were W₁: chemical weed control, W₂: herbicide rotation, W₃: integrated weed management and W₄: single hand-weeded control in a split-plot design with cotton–maize–Sesbania cropping system over 3 years, in a split-plot design. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed using the soil quality index (SQI)-CAL Version 1.0 software tool to extract minimum datasets from measured soil properties. A total of 40 soil variables were analyzed at 60 DAS and after the maize harvest, then subjected to principal component analysis (PCA) and subjected to PCA in soil quality index (SQI)-CAL software as to choose variables, minimum dataset and obtain soil quality index. The following soil properties, soil organic carbon (SOC), silt fraction, available soil zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), potassium (K), nitrogen (N), pH, electrical conductivity (EC), soil carbon to nitrogen (C:N) and cation exchange capacity (CEC), were selected as indicators based on correlations, calculated PCA and adept opinions on texture and lime concretions of experimental soil. The soil quality index improved by 23.34% in the T₃W₄ compared to T₁W₁. The system yield was 51.79% higher with the adoption of T₃W₃ compared to T₃W₄ combinations. Therefore, considering both system yield and soil quality index, T₃ and W₃ were remunerative and the best treatment combination among all others to sustain both soil and crop productivity in this region. Full article

Grassland degradation and reduced yields are often linked to the root soil composite of perennial alfalfa roots. This study introduces a novel modeling approach to accurately characterize root biomechanical properties, assist in the design of soil-loosening and root-cutting tools. Our model conceptualizes the root as a composite structure of cortex and stele, applying transversely isotropic properties to the stele and isotropic properties to the cortex. Material parameters were derived from longitudinal tension, longitudinal compression, transverse compression, and shear tests. The constitutive model of stele was Hashin failure criteria, accounting for differences in tensile and compressive strengths. Results reveal that root tensile strength mainly depends on the stele, with its tensile properties exceeding compressive and transverse strengths by 4–10 times. In non-longitudinal tensile stress scenarios, like shear and transverse compression tests, the new model demonstrated superior accuracy over conventional models. Results of shear tests were further validated using non-parametric statistical analysis. This study provides a finite element method (FEM) modeling approach that, by integrating root anatomical features and biomechanical properties, significantly enhances simulation accuracy. This provides a tool for designing low-energy consumption components in grassland degradation restoration and conservation tillage. Full article

Accurate measurement of slip rate (SR) in agricultural tractors, particularly in Iraq, is essential for optimizing tractive efficiency, fuel economy, and field efficiency. Presently, tractors in Iraq lack sensors for SR detection, posing a challenge. This research addresses the issue by introducing a wireless technology, the novel digital slippage system (NDSS), designed to precisely measure the SR of rear wheels. The NDSS was tested across diverse field conditions, involving six soil textures and various kinds of agricultural tillage equipment (A-TE). Different tillage practices, including conservational tillage (CT) with a chisel plough, traditional tillage (TT) with a moldboard plough and disc plough, and minimum tillage (MT) using disc harrowing and spring tooth harrowing, were examined. Results from the NDSS were compared to traditional techniques, demonstrating the cost effectiveness and overall performance. Silty loam soil exhibited higher SR values, while the silty clay soil showed lower values. SR varied significantly across soil textures, with more cohesive soils leading to reduced SR percentages. Additionally, tillage methods had a marked influence on SR values. The use of CT resulted in higher SR values of 18.35% compared to TT and MT systems, which recorded lower SR values of 13.69% and 6.03%, respectively. SR measurements were also found to be affected by the draft force during the loading of A-TE, emphasizing the role of operational conditions in tractor performance, especially in challenging field environments. Comparison between NDSS and traditional techniques revealed that the NDSS offered high accuracy, flexibility, configurability, and consistent performance. The NDSS demonstrated superior precision, making it an effective tool for assessing SR in agricultural tractors. Full article

Conservation soil management strategies, particularly no-tillage and cropping strategies, have become an effective and widely adopted practice that has a direct influence on root parameters and mitigation of greenhouse gasses. However, the effect of different tillage and cropping strategies on root growth in field conditions is rarely studied. The study aimed to quantify and characterise the relationship between root network development and CO₂ emission and how these parameters are affected by different cropping and tillage strategies. Five different crop rotations were tested, with or without the inclusion of catch crops (CC), by growing them in the soil where different tillage practices were applied. Selected cropping strategies differed among themselves in terms of the frequency of CC grown per rotation. The data revealed that in NT treatments, the CO₂ emission (both autotrophic and heterotrophic simultaneously) was 25% higher than in CT. The cropping strategies were identified as an important factor influencing CO₂ emissions. An increase in CO₂ emission varied between 30 and 35% depending on the share of legume and CC inclusion. The frequency of CC grown per rotation has had an effect on the rate of CO₂ emission. The cropping strategy when CC was grown every year showed the lowest amount of CO₂ (by 26%), while in other cropping strategies, when CC was grown once or twice per rotation, significantly higher CO₂ emissions were observed. Root growth and their development were significantly affected (p < 0.05) by soil depth and cropping strategies concerning root length and root volume changes. The inclusion of CC into the rotations led towards a decrease in root volume (by 21%). Root length (R² = 0.45; p < 0.05) and root volume (R² = 0.82; p < 0.05) had a significant impact on soil CO₂ emissions. The results collected from 2021 to 2023 experiments indicated that cropping strategies and CC management areas are important tools not only for the improvement of root parameters but also for understanding how they affect CO₂ emissions. The main message for stakeholders is that the cropping strategies diversification with the inclusion of CC every year in a winter oil-seed rape, spring wheat and pea crop rotation (R/W/P + CC) had demonstrated the possibilities to reduce CO₂ emission and improve the root network parameters as compared to the monoculture strategy. Full article

Conservation tillage, a crucial method for protecting soil fertility, depends heavily on maintaining adequate straw coverage. The current method of straw coverage detection relies primarily on manual measurement, which is both time-consuming and laborious. This paper introduces a novel straw coverage detection approach based on an improved mask regional convolutional neural network (Mask R-CNN) algorithm. Several images of wheat straw-covered fields were taken, and the dataset was augmented using techniques like image inversion, contrast enhancement, Gaussian noise addition, and translation after cropping the original images. These fields use a crop rotation cycle of wheat and corn. Subsequently, the straw images were annotated using the Labelme annotation tool to obtain the available straw instance segmentation dataset. The Mask R-CNN algorithm was improved by refining the mask generation network structure through a multi-feature fusion strategy, which interweaves features from both the encoder and the mask generation network, enhancing the model’s ability to capture detailed and shape information of the straw. Lastly, using the mask information output by the improved Mask R-CNN algorithm, the straw coverage was calculated by counting the proportion of pixels within each segmented region. In the results, compared to the original Mask R-CNN algorithm, our improved Mask R-CNN algorithm achieved an average improvement of 7.8% in segmentation accuracy, indicating that the improved Mask R-CNN algorithm offers superior segmentation performance. Thus, the new algorithm can achieve straw coverage detection with higher accuracy and can provide a reference for other agricultural applications. Full article

Encouraging the use of conservation tillage technology is a highly effective approach to safeguarding soil health, improving the environment, and promoting sustainable agricultural development. With the mounting concerns surrounding climate change, developing conservation tillage methods that facilitate sustainable agricultural growth has become an imperative both in China and around the world. While it is widely recognized that adapting to climate change is crucial in agriculture, there is limited research on evaluating the risks, discovering resilience, measuring farmers’ perceptions on climate change, and exploring how tillage technology can be adjusted in the context of small-scale farming in China to foster sustainable development. Using research data from smallholder farmers in the Shaanxi and Shanxi provinces of China, this paper aims to explore the impact of climate change perceptions on farmers’ adoption of conservation tillage technologies based on an ordered Probit model. We found that farmers tend to refrain from embracing conservation tillage technology due to the presence of unclear and conflicting perceptions regarding climate change. Focus on short-term profitability and inadequate preparation hinder them from prioritizing adaptation. We recognized several measures that could help farmers adapt and thrive within the agricultural sector. Furthermore, we have validated the need for self-system moderation in promoting farmers’ adoption of conservation tillage technology. By utilizing such tools and resources, farmers can comprehend the gravity of climate change’s impact on agricultural productivity and, more importantly, channel their efforts towards fortifying resilience to extreme weather conditions and long-term climate risks, thus fortifying agricultural sustainability. Full article

The mangrove swamp rice production system (MSRPS) in West Africa faces significant challenges in soil, water, and salinity management, making rice production highly vulnerable to variations in the spatio-temporal distribution patterns of rainfall, which are exacerbated by climate change. This study’s results can provide the initial basis for co-developing strategies with farmers aiming to contribute to the biophysical characterization of the MSRPS, in particular: (i) estimate the water-harvesting efficiency (WL_ef) of the plots in the north and south of Guinea Bissau (GB); (ii) characterize the unevenness of the bottom of the plots, which leads to salinization spots; and (iii) create soil consistency maps to provide farmers with a tool to prioritize sites with optimal conditions for tillage. The research was conducted between 2021 and 2023 in the study site of Cafine-Cafal in the south and Elalab in the north of GB. Systematic soil sampling in a grid was designed to quantify the soil consistency and plot/ridge areas were determined. Linear models were developed to predict biophysical parameters (e.g., effective planting areas and water-logging depths) and geostatistics were used to create soil consistency maps for each study site. The results show precipitation water-harvesting efficiencies of 15% and 16% for the southern and northern regions, respectively. Furthermore, the plasticity limits of 18.6% for Elalab and 35.5% for Cafine-Cafal show the most appropriate times to start tillage in specific areas of the paddies. This study provides information on the efficient management of tillage and freshwater conservation, providing MSRPS farmers with useful tools to counteract the effects caused by salinity and rainfall variability. Full article

The effectiveness of existing and potential best management practices (BMPs) to cropped lands in the Jeannette Creek watershed (Thames River basin, Ontario, Canada) in reducing P loads at its pumped outlets was assessed using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). Existing BMPs consisted of banded, incorporated, and variable phosphorus (P)-rate application, conservation tillage, cover crops, and vegetative buffer strips. Potential BMPs consisted of banded P application, no-till, and a cover crop following winter wheat. Two separately delineated sub-watersheds, J1 and J2, characterized by a flat topography and distinct pumped outlets, were selected for analysis. Despite challenges in delineation, the SWAT model was successfully set up to assess the impact of BMPs in reducing P loads in these sub-watersheds. Each BMP was systematically removed, and the resulting simulated P loads were compared with the baseline scenario. Compared to cover crops or vegetative buffer strips, the implementation of conservation tillage and no-till, along with altering the mode of P application, offered superior effectiveness in reducing the P load. On average, the annual reduction in total P (P_tot) loads under existing BMPs was 9.2% in J1 and 11.3% in J2, whereas, under potential BMPs, this reduction exceeded 60% in both watersheds. Full article

In anticipation of climate changes, strategic soil management, encompassing reduced tillage and optimized crop residue utilization, emerges as a pivotal strategy for climate impact mitigation. Evaluating the transition from conventional to conservative cropping systems, especially the equilibrium shift in the medium to long term, is essential. ARMOSA, a robust crop simulation model, adeptly responds to varied soil management practices such as no tillage, minimum tillage, and specific straw management options such as chopping and incorporating crop residue into the soil (with or without prior nitrogen and water addition before ploughing). It effectively captures dynamic fluctuations in total organic carbon over an extended period. While challenges persist in precisely predicting grain yield due to climatic intricacies, ARMOSA stands out as a valuable and versatile tool. The model excels in comprehending and simulating wheat cultivar responses in dynamic agricultural ecosystems, shedding light on phenological patterns, biomass accumulation, and soil organic carbon dynamics. This research significantly advances our understanding of the intricate complexities associated with past wheat cultivation in diverse environmental conditions. ARMOSA’s ability to inform decisions on conservation practices positions it as a valuable asset for researchers, agronomists, and policymakers navigating the challenges of sustainable agriculture amidst climate change. Its real-world significance lies in its potential to guide informed decisions, contributing to global efforts in sustainable agriculture and climate resilience. Full article

Subsoiling is an essential practice in conservation tillage technology. The amount of disturbed soil at various depths resulting from subsoilers with different parameters has an important effect on soil properties (e.g., bulk density and water infiltration). The information regarding the effects of subsoiling on the characteristics of soil water infiltration is essential for the design of subsoiling tools. In this study, the effects of the wing mounting height (h) (75–155 mm) of the subsoiler on soil disturbance and soil water infiltration were modelled using HYDRUS-2D and validated using field experiments. Results showed that reducing h values resulted in larger soil disturbance area ratios, soil water infiltration rates (f(t)), distances of vertical wetting front movement (DVWs), accumulative infiltrations (AINs), and soil moisture contents at depths of 10–30 cm. The relationships among characteristics of soil water infiltration, h and time (t), were developed. The stable infiltration rates (f_s) varied quadratically with h and the corresponding coefficient of determination (R²) was 0.9869. The Horton model is more suitable for describing the relationship between f(t) and t under the tested soil conditions, as compared with the Kostiakov and Philip models. According to the results of soil water content at different depths from the HYDRUS simulations and field experiments, the developed soil water infiltration model had a good accuracy, as indicated by RMSEs of <0.05, R² values of >0.95, and mean relative errors of <12%. The Above results indicated that increasing the hardpan disturbance by optimizing wing parameters of the subsoiler could improve soil water infiltration characteristics. Full article

As an advanced agricultural production technology, conservation tillage has been developed rapidly and adopted widely for many crops all over the world, but challenges remain with regard to dealing with excessive residues, especially for intensive rice–wheat rotation systems. Most studies to date have been based on a single type of tool and the indoor bin test to explore its performance. Accurate field test data on the tillage performance of different types of tools for conservation tillage are lacking in this area. In this study, five tillage tools were tested in a paddy field with plenty of crop residues to compare their performance. They were three vertical discs with plain disc (PD), notched disc (ND), and rippled disc (RD) and two disc coulters with plain disc coulter (PDC) and notched disc coulter (NDC). All five tools were tested using a specific field test rig at two different working depths of 70 and 100 mm. Tillage forces, straw cutting efficiency, soil disturbance width, and soil cutting depth were measured. The results showed that tool geometry and working depth had a significant impact on tillage performance. The vertical disc performed a higher average straw cutting efficiency, as well as lower tillage forces and lower soil disturbance width than the disc coulter. For straw handling and furrowing operations, RD had the highest straw cutting efficiency, moderate tillage force, and appropriate soil disturbance width among the five tools. For all five tools, the 100 mm working depth results in 40% higher draught force, 39% greater vertical force, and 18% higher straw cutting efficiency on average. For no-tillage seeding in the intensive rice–wheat rotation system, the RD would be a more suitable rotary tool for conservation tillage practice. Full article

Strip tillage is a widely used land preparation approach for effective straw management in conservation agriculture. Understanding the dynamic throwing process during the stubble-crushing operation has important implications for seedbed preparation. However, the airflow generated by the high-speed rotation of stubble-crushing blades has yet to be considered. We established a coupled DEM-CFD simulation model and explored the dynamic motion of soil particles varied with their initial depth (at 0, 20, 40, 60, 80 mm depth) and surface straw under different blade rotary speeds (270, 540, 720, and 810 rpm) based on the model. The coupled model simulation results were proved to be well correlated with the field test results by the field high-speed camera test. The simulation results showed that airflow had a significant effect on the longitudinal displacement of straw (p < 0.05). An increase in rotary speed could increase the longitudinal and lateral throwing displacement of soil particles and straw and increase the blade–soil–straw interaction, while there was no directional effect on the vertical motion. The lateral movement of soil particles decreased with increasing soil particle depth. The stubble-crushing operation allowed the exchange of deep and shallow soil layers, as well as the burial of straw. Plain, straight stubble-crushing blades with a rotary speed of 540 rpm were able to form the optimal seeding row with a width of 80.86 mm. The simulation results were useful for assessing the design solutions of high-speed rotational tools and evaluating seedbed preparation practices. Full article

Conservation tillage (CT) is an effective tool for maintaining crop productivity under adverse climate conditions, while its adoption is conditioned by the possible negative response of crop weed. Research with CT and liming (L) was conducted at different experimental sites on acid soils (ES 1 and ES 2) to determine the maize weediness and yield. The tillage treatments used were ST (conventional tillage), CTD (deep loosening), CTS (shallow loosening), and liming; Ly (CaO) and Ln (no CaO). The weediness assessment was conducted at the V7 and R5 maize growth stages. Weed density (WD), biomass (WB), weed coverage (WC), and species density (WSN) were determined. The highest WD was recorded on ES 2 in V7, and WB, WC, and WSN were significantly higher at CTS in R5 compared to ST. Liming affected the decrease of WD and WC in V7 and WB, WC, and WSN in R5. The average maize yield on ES 2 was 36% higher compared to ES 1. CTS resulted with the highest yield at ES 1, while at ES 2, it was similar to ST. Liming application significantly increased the maize yield. The given results indicated the positive impact of CT and L on crop productivity in different agroecological conditions, despite the increased weediness. Full article