Ridge, Moldboard, Chisel, and No-Till Effects on Tile Water Quality beneath Two Cropping Systems

Abstract

Soil conservation tillage systems, including ridge-tillage, often reduce surface water contamination by pesticides because soil erosion and surface runoff are reduced. However, the effects on losses through subsurface drainage tile are somewhat uncertain. Our field study quantified the effects of four tillage practices in continuous corn (Zea mays L.) and corn-soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr] rotations on herbicide and nitrate N losses in tile drainage water. Fertilizer and pesticide application methods were uniform for ridge, moldboard, chisel, and no-till systems. Pesticide and nitrate N leaching losses were significantly affected by crop rotation. Tillage practice had little influence on nitrate N and pesticide losses to the subsurface drainage water within a corn-soybean rotation. However, ridge-till and no-till resulted in larger losses of atrazine than the moldboard plow and chisel based systems under continuous corn. Tillage system did not affect the timings of peak tile flow occurrences, although peak tile flow volume was affected by tillage, presumably because each system bad its own macropore system related to preservation or annual destruction of biopores by tillage. Corn yields were significantly higher under corn-soybean rotation than with continuous-corn for all tillage practices. These results indicate that continuous corn production is not an environmentally sustainable practice for this area because it resulted in higher nitrate N leaching losses to groundwater, received higher Napplications, and resulted in lower corn yields than the corn-soybean rotation. The results also reinforce the need for studies on chemical placement, rate, and timing for various tillage practices to reduce tile drainage losses of agricultural chemicals.

RZWQM simulated effects of crop rotation, tillage, and controlled drainage on crop yield and nitrate-N loss in drain flow

“…On average, RZWQM simulated a 14% reduction in drain flow under CC compared to CS. This is in agreement with other studies in the Midwest of the USA (Randall et al, 1997;Huggins et al, 2001), although Kanwar et al (1997) observed greater amounts of drain flow under CC than under CS rotation using 3 years of data (1990)(1991)(1992). As shown in Figs.…”

Tillage intensity effects on chemical indicators of soil quality in two coastal plain soils

“…Long-term addition of plant residues under favorable conditions for decomposition and abundant rainfall could result in ideal conditions leading to leaching of organic P (7,31,32). Finally, preferential pathways for movement of water and nutrients are common under conservation tillage due to earthworm activity (10) and root channels (29). Potassium accumulated in the surface of both soils, regardless of tillage system, similar to results reported by Holanda et al (12) (Tables 3 and 4).…”

“…3). Also, lime movement could have occurred via root channels and other pathways common under conservation tillage (29).…”

Evaluating and predicting agricultural management effects under tile drainage using modified APSIM

“…5 is 0.56, suggesting the rotation effect was only partially simulated and some effects such as increased infiltration due to additional surface residue (Weed and Kanwar, 1996) were not simulated. Greater drain flow from no-till continuous corn compared to notill corn-soybean rotations at Nashua was previously reported (Weed and Kanwar, 1996;Kanwar et al, 1997). These results suggest that the modified APSIM model is a promising tool to simulate daily tile drainage, average soil water fluctuation, and some management effects on yearly drainage.…”