Conservation Tillage and Sustainable Agriculture in Semi-arid Dryland Farming

Zarea, Mohammad Javad

doi:10.1007/978-90-481-9513-8_7

Cited by 16 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 302 publications

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“…In terms of nutrient uptake, the no-till method improved the physical and chemical properties of paddy soil and effectively maintained soil nutrients, which was consistent with the nutrient demand of rice [29,34]. Crop straw is rich in carbon, N, P, potassium, and other nutrients.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 54%

Effects of no-till and rice varieties on nitrogen and phosphorus balance in rice fields

Yang

Chen

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Background: Nutrient balance in rice paddy fields can change under different tillage management practices; however, the extent of the change may differ for various rice varieties. A field experiment was conducted over 2 successive years from June 2016 to June 2018 to clarify the effects of different tillage methods and rice varieties on nutrients remaining in the surface soil and those taken up by the rice. There were four tillage/rice variety treatments: no-till/japonica rice (NTJ), no-till/glutinous rice (NTG), conventional tillage/japonica rice (CTJ), and conventional tillage/glutinous rice (CTG) with three replicates of each.Results: The tillage method and rice variety had interactive effects on the surface balance of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). After the 2-year experiment, total N and P pools in the 20 cm surface soil layer were highest under the NTJ treatment (4757.0 kg N ha-1, 2428.5 kg P ha-1) and lowest under the CTG treatments (4726.3 kg N ha-1, 2412.0 kg P ha-1). Under no-till conditions, japonica rice had higher grain yield but lower straw biomass than that of glutinous rice. NTG treatment significantly increased the N and P content in rice grains and straw. The environmental losses of N and P in the rice fields mainly occurred during the rice season. Based on nutrient balance estimation, N losses in the NTJ, NTG, and CTJ treatments were reduced by 15.03 kg N ha-1, 11.55 kg N ha-1, 6.72 kg N ha-1, respectively, as compared with that of the CTG treatment. The corresponding P losses were reduced by 8.02 kg P ha-1, 7.84 kg P ha-1, and 3.96 kg P ha-1. In terms of economic benefits, NTJ also resulted in the highest actual income (18896.5 yuan ha-1) and the highest ratio of production to investment (6.40).Conclusion: No-till was more likely to maintain soil N and P nutrients than conventional tillage, and this advantage was most significant when planting japonica rice. In addition, no-till was conducive to N and P uptake by rice, but only japonica rice exhibited increased grain yield. Consequently, the NTJ treatment was recommended.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 54%

Effects of no-till and rice varieties on nitrogen and phosphorus balance in rice fields

Yang

Chen

et al. 2020

Preprint

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“…Farmers attributed it to higher water retention capacity in conservation agriculture than in conventional agriculture. Other studies have shown higher infiltration rates and water holding capacity in conservation agriculture plots than in conventional agriculture plots (Marongwe et al, 2011;Zarea, 2011). Farmers also argued that early land preparation and planting associated with conservation agriculture increased chances of survival of the maize crop from floods.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Smallholder Farmers’ Perceptions of Climate Change and Conservation Agriculture: Evidence from Zambia

Nyanga¹,

Johnsen²,

Aune³

et al. 2011

JSD

147

101

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Actors involved in promoting conservation agriculture have often not taken into account perceptions of smallholder farmers of climate change and conservation agriculture as an adaptation strategy. This study documents smallholder farmers' perceptions of climate change and conservation agriculture. Most farmers attributed climate change to supernatural forces. Smallholder farmers' perceptions related to floods and droughts were significantly associated with adoption of conservation agriculture. The extent to which smallholder farmers perceived conservation agriculture as a climate change adaptation strategy was very low. This suggests existence of other important reasons for practicing conservation agriculture than adaptation to climate change. Policy implications of the study are: conservation agriculture projects should not only focus on technical approaches to increase adoption rates but also consider social aspects such as perceptions that are equally important in conservation agriculture. Inclusion of climate change communication to facilitate exchange of climatic information that could enable smallholder farmers relate to conservation agriculture as an adaptation strategy is essential.

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“…The system of CA agriculture can have clear advantages over conventional agricultural systems of management. In particular, its ability to help reduce input costs, improve soil physical, chemical and biological properties and increase yields is highly valued and has the potential to allow sustainable intensification in many instances (Lyon et al, 2004;Triplett and Dick, 2008;Verhulst et al, 2010;Zarea, 2010). However, a number of aspects of the CA system mean that its implementation is not without significant challenges and a number of approaches are required to increase worldwide adoption, as summarized in Figure 1.…”

Section: Future Needsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Ability of Conservation Agriculture to Conserve Soil Organic Carbon and the Subsequent Impact on Soil Physical, Chemical, and Biological Properties and Yield

Page

Dang

Dalal

2020

Front. Sustain. Food Syst.

214

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Increases in human populations and the emerging challenges of climate change mean that the world's agricultural systems will need to produce more food in an environment that is increasingly variable and where the quality of our natural resource base is declining. One central measure of an agricultural system's capacity to do this is its ability to preserve soil organic carbon (SOC), due to the pivotal role that this plays in maintaining soil physical, chemical, and biological properties and ultimately yield. This narrative review examines the literature published worldwide over the last 30 years to assess the impact of one widely applied agricultural management system, conservation agriculture (CA), on its ability to maintain SOC and the subsequent impacts on soil physical, chemical and biological properties, and yield. While the effects of CA on SOC worldwide are variable, with both increases and decreases observed, in regions where soil and climatic conditions are favorable for biomass production and where the system does not negatively impact yield, then CA can lead to higher amounts of SOC relative to conventionally managed systems, particularly in the surface of the soil profile. Where greater SOC occurs, these are also often accompanied by improvements in soil structure, water infiltration and soil water storage, plant nutrient availability, microbial biomass and diversity, and yield. However, where CA is used in certain environments (e.g., cold, wet environments with poorly drained soils) or where the CA system has not been well-adapted to local conditions, taking into account the specific agronomic, social, and environmental challenges present, then it may not be a successful system of management. Farmers require access to a range of tools and resources to allow them to identify if the principles of CA are likely to lead be appropriate for their situation and well-designed, locally adapted systems to successfully overcome the agronomic, social and economic challenges that can be associated with its use.

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Conservation Tillage and Sustainable Agriculture in Semi-arid Dryland Farming

Cited by 16 publications

References 302 publications

Effects of no-till and rice varieties on nitrogen and phosphorus balance in rice fields

Effects of no-till and rice varieties on nitrogen and phosphorus balance in rice fields

Smallholder Farmers’ Perceptions of Climate Change and Conservation Agriculture: Evidence from Zambia

The Ability of Conservation Agriculture to Conserve Soil Organic Carbon and the Subsequent Impact on Soil Physical, Chemical, and Biological Properties and Yield

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