Effects of conservation and standard tillage on soil physico-chemical properties and overall quality in a semi-arid agrosystem

Abstract

Context Shifting agricultural operations to more sustainable management practices is needed in the face of a changing climate. Aims In this study, the short-term effects of three tillage systems (no tillage, minimum tillage and conventional tillage) on a wide selection of soil properties in a semi-arid agrosystem of eastern Tunisia were assessed. Methods The studied soil properties included saturation percentage, bulk density, penetration resistance, mean weight diameter, electric conductivity, soil reaction, soil organic matter, carbonates, available phosphorus and exchangeable potassium. The impacts of tillage systems on soil quality indices (SQI) developed based on the total set of properties (SQI-T), or a minimum set (SQI-M) selected through principal component analysis, were also investigated. Key results Relative to conventional tillage, no tillage increased bulk density, penetration resistance and electrical conductivity, whereas minimum tillage affected only saturation percentage and pH. No tillage and minimum tillage did not enhance soil quality relative to conventional tillage. The SQI-T and SQI-M were highly correlated (r = 0.93) to each other suggesting that the outcomes of the two indices are comparable. Principal component analysis efficiently selected the most influential indicators of the effects of tillage systems on soil quality. Conclusions and implications Farmers in the study region are encouraged to consider minimum tillage during the early years of transition from standard to no tillage systems to avoid rapid decline in soil quality and consequent yield loss.

Lithology‐mediated soil erodibility characteristics after vegetation restoration in the karst region of Southwest China

“…Agricultural activities directly change the physical properties and structure of soil (Amami et al, 2022; Jiao et al, 2011). For the limestone slope soil, untilled measures increased CP and reduced BD.…”

Effects of Deep Vertical Rotary Tillage Management Methods on Soil Quality in Saline Cotton Fields in Southern Xinjiang

“…* a = lower threshold at which or below the score is 0.1; b = upper threshold at which or above score is 1.0; b 1 = lower baseline, at which score is 0.5 with bell-shaped relationship; O = optimum level, at which score is 1.0 with bell-shaped relationship; b 2 = upper baseline at which score is 0.5 with bell-shaped relationship. The threshold for soil organic carbon was obtained by conversion based on organic matter = organic carbon × 1.742 [25].…”

Effects of Sustainable Rice Management on the Behavior and Bioefficacy of Bispyribac-Sodium: A Medium-Term Study

“…In addition, the dynamics of herbicides in soils could be time-dependent due to the evolution and transformation of soil and organic amendment properties over time under different rice management systems [5,33]. In this context, reports showed decreases in carbon stocks in agricultural soils after short-term applications of no-tillage management [34,35]. However, significant increases were observed in the medium term [36,37].…”