Zero-Tillage Effects on Durum Wheat Productivity and Soil-Related Variables in Future Climate Scenarios: A Modeling Analysis

Abstract

Adoption of zero-tillage practices with residue retention in field crops has been introduced as an alternative soil-management technique to counteract the resource degradation and high production costs derived from intensive tillage. In this sense, the biophysical models are valuable tools to evaluate and design the most suitable soil-management technique in view of future climate variability. The aim of this study was to use the ARMOSA process-based crop model to perform an assessment of tillage (T) and no-tillage (No-T) practices of durum-wheat-cropping systems in the Campania region (South of Italy) under current and future climate scenarios. First, the model was calibrated using measurements of soil water content at different depths, leaf area index, and aboveground biomass in the T and No-T treatments during the 2013–2014 season. Then, the model was further applied in the T and No-T treatments to future climate data for 2020–2100 that was generated by the COSMO-CLM model using the RCP4.5 and 8.5 paths. Results of the calibration depicted that the model can accurately simulate the soil-crop-related variables of both soil-management treatments, and thus can be applied to identify the most appropriate conservation agricultural practices in the durum-wheat system. The simulation of soil water content at different depths resulted in small relative root mean square errors (RRMSE < 15%) and an acceptable Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r > 0.51); and the goodness-of-fit indicators for simulated LAI and AGB resulted in acceptable RRMSE (RRMSE < 28%), and high r (r > 0.84) in both soil-management treatments. Future climate simulations showed that No-T management will deliver 10% more wheat yield than the T, with an annual average 0.31% year−1 increase of soil organic carbon, and an increase of 3.80% year−1 for N uptake, which can diminish the N leaching. These results suggest that No-T could be implemented as a more resilient management for farming system in view of climate uncertainty and scarcity of resources. Therefore, these findings support the potential of the ARMOSA model to evaluate the soil-crop response of the durum-wheat system under different management conditions and to design appropriate soil-management practices for current and future climate predictions.

A geospatial decision support system to support policy implementation on climate change in EU

“…The study area of the Campania region is characterized by heavy clay soils that in winter are near water saturation, forcing the wheat roots to place in the first 20 cm of soil (Puig‐Sirera et al, 2022). Thus a decrease in rainfall events during the wheat growing season in this environment can only improve crop adaptation and then production.…”

A web-based operational tool for the identification of best practices in European agricultural systems

“…The process-based cropping system ARMOSA model [19,20,21] allows the quantification of the effect of agronomic practices on a wide set of crop and soil-related variables, at a daily time step. The model consists of four main modules, considering: the evapotranspiration processes, the crop growth and development, the water dynamics, and both the cycling of carbon and nitrogen.…”

“…While integrated int the best practice tool, ARMOSA returns the crop yield at harvest (Mg ha −1 ), annual nitrate leaching at the bottom profile (kg NO 3 -N ha −1 yr −1 ), the annual change of the soil organic carbon stock in the first 30 cm top layer (Mg C ha −1 yr −1 ). The model was calibrated and validated against data from 16 sites throughout Europe [20,21].…”

“…An analogous application of the tool, considering the wheat and climate change scenarios, was presented in [21] for a local scale application in the same area, considering the different tillage and residue management. The interested reader could refer to that work for further details.…”

Effects of Climate Smart Agriculture Practices on Household Livelihoods in Soy Sub-county Kenya

“…Despite the benefits of zero-till farming, many farmers who use this method nevertheless plough their fields on a regular basis to increase productivity without reducing the soil's resilience or adaptation. This results in the release of previously sequestered carbon [11]. Some countries that have successfully implemented zero or minimal tillage methods are Morocco (where it is used for growing wheat and barley), Ghana (where it is used for growing cotton and other crops) and Kenya (where it is used for growing cereal crops on a small scale through conservation tillage) [12].…”