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The effects of lime and phosphogypsum (GY) on wheat (Triticum aestivum) nutrition are well documented. However, little is known about the influence of these soil amendments on biometric parameters or yield components. This study investigated the effects of lime and GY on wheat crops grown at cation base saturation (BS) levels of 44%, 70%, and 90%, achieved by surface application or soil incorporation of lime. Two additional treatments were included: surface liming to 70% combined with a standard rate of GY (3.71 Mg ha−1) or twice the recommended GY rate (7.42 Mg ha−1). The experiment was conducted during two crop seasons in Southern Brazil. The treatments did not influence dry biomass partitioning between spikes, stems, and leaves and total. In one season, liming increased flag leaf area, which was strongly associated with grain yield. Regardless of the rate, application method, and combined use of GY, liming increased the number of grains per spike in both seasons, which was the variable that most influenced wheat yield. Liming also increased spike length and the number of spikelets per spike in the 2018 season. No benefits were seen when lime was applied by soil incorporation, BS was raised to 90%, or liming was combined with GY application. The results showed a positive effect of liming on wheat yield components that are associated with grain yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Winter canola production in eastern Canada is a growing segment of the Canadian canola industry. Crop establishment and survival overwinter have been identified as two of the major challenges associated with the production of winter canola. Environmental conditions can interact with agronomic practices, including seeding date, plant population density, fertility, and residue management, to influence stand establishment in autumn and overwinter survival. The objective of the current research was to evaluate the impact and interaction of preceding crop residue and tillage practices on the establishment, overwinter survival, and yield of winter canola in southern Ontario. Winter canola was seeded following either winter wheat or soybean and using conventional, no-till, or strip-till practices. Over the course of the 3 years of study, the annual decline in winter canola plant population density was influenced by the type of tillage practice used but not by the preceding crop. The overwinter decrease in plant population density was largest in no-till, followed by strip-till, and finally conventional tillage. At physiological maturity, winter canola yields in reduced tillage practices (i.e., no-till and strip-till) were equivalent to those achieved utilizing conventional tillage practices. When grain yields were standardized as a function of the spring plant population density, the highest and lowest yield per plant coincided with the lowest and highest plant population densities and were observed in strip-till (14.2 g plant−1) and no-till (9.1 g plant−1), respectively. Results of this research have established that winter canola can be successfully produced in Ontario utilizing a range of tillage practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How effective are climate resilient agricultural technologies (CRATs) in overcoming barriers faced in agri-food system by farmers across the different agro-climatic zones (ACZs) of Bihar? This study examines the barriers that hinder farmers in Bihar from adopting CRATs amidst the growing impacts of climate change on global agri-food systems. It focuses on key CRATs, including zero tillage/minimum tillage (ZT/MT), laser land leveling (LLL), climate-resilient variety selection (CRVS), crop diversification (CD), site-specific nutrient management (SSNM), crop calendar and timely sowing (CCTS), and direct-seeded rice (DSR), and investigates the factors affecting their adoption. Using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and logistic regression, key factors that influence the adoption of CRATs were identified. Descriptive statistics showed moderate levels of soil health awareness (mean value = 2.70) and climate change awareness (mean value = 2.63). Correlation analysis found that social factors like training received had a positive correlation with the adoption of DSR (correlation coefficient = 0.410). Logistic regression results highlighted that technology awareness significantly influences the adoption of DSR (coefficient = 0.400, p = 0.253), while initial investment costs are major barriers for ZT/MT and LLL (coefficient = 0.400, p = 0.267). Results highlight the need to improve awareness through educational programs, provide technical support, and offer financial incentives to overcome the various barriers farmers faced. Targeted efforts in these areas can significantly increase the adoption of the CRATs, leading to more resilient and sustainable farming systems. Study supports not only the sustainable agricultural development but also align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 15 (Life on Land). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because the use of synthetic agrochemicals is generally not allowed in organic crop production systems, growers rely on natural substances and processes, such as microbial control, to suppress insect pests. Reduced tillage practices are associated with beneficial soil organisms, such as entomopathogenic fungi, that can contribute to the natural control of insect pests. The impacts of management, such as tillage, in a cropping system can affect soil biota in the current season and can also persist over time as legacy effects. We investigated the in-season and legacy effects of soil management in four, three-year organic feed grain and forage production systems that varied in number and intensity of soil disturbances on the relative prevalence of the entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium robertsii. Employing sentinel bait assays with Tenebrio molitor and Galleria mellonella, we found that relative prevalence, measured as infection rate of sentinel insects, was lowest in systems utilizing a shallow high-speed disk (G. mellonella: 14%; T. molitor: 23%) in the current and previous seasons compared to systems that included inversion and non-inversion tillage (G. mellonella: 22%; T. molitor: 34%) or no-till planting (G. mellonella: 21%; T. molitor: 30%,). There was no difference in prevalence in systems that included the use of a high-speed disk compared to a perennial hay crop (G. mellonella: 16%; T. molitor: 28%). There were no negative legacy effects of inversion tillage on the prevalence of M. robertsii in subsequent crops. Sentinel assays with G. mellonella (19%) produced overall lower estimates of relative prevalence of M. robertsii than T. molitor (29%) but the association of relative prevalence with environmental variables was greater in assays with G. mellonella. We suggest that the use of occasional inversion tillage is not damaging to populations of M. robertsii in soil and that surveys using assays with multiple sentinel insect species will improve our ability to understand the effects of agricultural practices on entomopathogenic fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: No-tillage (NT) is a widely used field management to reduce soil erosion and degradation and is suggested to be beneficial for enhancing soil carbon (C) sequestration capacity. Nonetheless, the effects of NT on soil total carbon (TC) content in aeolian sandy soils are not extensively explored, and the underlying mechanisms are not clear. In our field experiments, the influence of NT and conventional tillage (CT) on sandy soil was studied. Methods: We estimated the changes in soil TC in response to NT practice in a Cyperus esculentus L. field located at semi-arid Horqin sandy land, China. To unravel the underlying mechanisms, plant traits, soil properties and soil microbial characteristics were measured in parallel. The variations in soil bacterial community structure were investigated by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. The functionality of soil bacterial community was predicted based on OTU tables by using PICRUSt2. Results: NT increased soil TC content in this sandy agroecosystem within a short-term experimental period, compared to CT. The underlying mechanisms might rely on three aspects. First, NT increased soil TC content through increasing photosynthesis and plant biomass, and thus, the plant-derived dissolved organic C. Second, NT increased the C immobilized in soil microbial biomass by increasing microbial C demands and C use efficiency. Third, NT increased the dominance of oligotrophic members in bacterial communities by decreasing available nutrient levels, which is associated with the recalcitrance and stability of the soil organic carbon. Conclusions: The present study enriched our knowledge on the changes in the plant-soil-microbe continuum in response to NT in a semi-arid sandy agroecosystem. Still, this study provides a reference for modifying tillage practices to benefit crop yield as well as soil C sequestration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides a bibliometric analysis of global scientific production on Conservation Agriculture (CA) and its relationship with climate change mitigation. Using data from the Scopus and Web of Science databases, the research encompassed 650 articles published between 1995 and 2022. The analysis revealed significant growth in the number of publications over the past three decades, driven by increasing global interest in sustainable agricultural practices. The findings highlight key themes, including no-tillage, soil organic carbon, and greenhouse gas emissions. Collaboration networks were mapped, identifying major contributors, such as the USA, Brazil, and China, alongside thematic clusters emphasizing carbon sequestration and soil management. Results indicate that CA research is increasingly focused on its potential to mitigate climate change, particularly through practices like no-tillage, vegetative cover, and crop rotation. While carbon sequestration has been central to CA research, recent studies have expanded to include nitrous oxide and methane emissions, indicating a broadening conceptual framework. This analysis underscores the importance of CA in addressing climate challenges and offers insights into emerging research areas, such as regional adaptations and the long-term effects of no-till systems. The findings aim to guide future research and policy development in sustainable agriculture and climate mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is still controversy over the influence of no-tillage (NT) on CO2 emissions in farmland soil. Few studies focus on the impact of monitoring hours on the response of soil CO2 emissions to NT. Therefore, an in situ experiment was conducted in maize cropland in the Shandong Yucheng Agro-ecosystem National Observation and Research Station in the North China Plain. The soil CO2 emissions, soil water content (SWC), and soil temperature (ST) were automatically monitored using the morning sampling (MonS) and continuous sampling (multi-hour sampling in one day, DayS) methods during the whole maize growth stages. The results showed that the MonS method decreased the sum of soil CO2 emissions by 146.39 g CO2 m−2 in the wet year 2018 and increased that by 93.69 g CO2 m−2 in the dry year 2019 when compared to the DayS method. The influence intensity of NT on soil CO2 effluxes was decreased with the MonS method. In contrast, the MonS method had no significant effect on the differences in SWC between NT and conventional tillage. However, the MonS method increased the variance in ST between NT and conventional tillage by 0.45 °C, which was higher than that with the DayS method (0.20 °C) across years. Compared to the DayS method, the MonS method increased the regression coefficient of soil CO2 emissions with SWC but decreased that with ST. This study is beneficial for reducing the artificial impact of monitoring hours on the data accuracy of soil CO2 effluxes and deepening the understanding of the influence of NT on soil CO2 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To solve the problem of straw cleaning and drip irrigation belt restoration for no-till seeding in drip irrigation areas, a staggered straw cleaning device was developed for no-till seeding, which is mainly composed of a front two-sided tine discs group, a drip irrigation belt laying mechanism, a middle single inner tine discs group, a rear single outer tine discs group. Different tine disc groups are set in longitudinal, transverse, and radial directions to move and throw the straw on the surface of the seeding strip. The critical parameters of the tine disc were designed and calculated, and the radius was determined to be 160 mm, the number of teeth was 12, and the theoretical working width was obtained. The movement and straw scattering process were analyzed, and the main influencing factors and the maximum straw scattering distances in the horizontal and vertical directions were determined. The interaction model of staggered tine discs group–straw–soil is established using the discrete element method (DEM). The forwarding speed, rotating speed, disc rake angle, and lateral distance of the middle tine discs were used as influencing factors, and the straw cleaning rate and the mass of straw returned in the drip irrigation coverage area were selected as the text indexes to carry out quadratic orthogonal rotation experiments. The quadratic regression model of the three sensitive parameters on the cleaning rate and the mass of straw returned in the drip irrigation coverage area was constructed and optimized. The optimal solutions were obtained: the forwarding speed was 9 km/h, the disc rake angle was 33.7°, and the lateral distance of the middle tine discs was 529 mm. The field validation test was carried out, and the results showed that the straw cleaning was 89.13%, the straw cleaning width of the seed strip was 527.2 mm, and the straw coverage rate of the drip irrigation area was 80.74%. This achievement can provide a reference for straw cleaning of no-till seeding under drip irrigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates the pseudo-persistence of glyphosate over three growing seasons in agricultural soils (gleysol) in Québec, Canada. The experiment was carried out in long established plots following a corn–soybean–wheat rotation cycle with various combinations of N-fertilization (mineral N-fertilization, organic N-fertilization, without fertilization) and tillage techniques (conventional tillage and no-till). The periods between glyphosate applications were 250, 326, and 398 days. Soil sampling was carried out at 0–20 cm and 20–40 cm just before each new application of herbicide. Glyphosate was not detected in any sample. Its main degradation product, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), was found and quantified in approximately 50% of the samples. The detection frequency of AMPA was higher for conventional tillage compared to no-till. Levels ranged between 0.09 and 0.46 μg.g−1. The molar balance per hectare over the first 40 cm showed that the amount of glyphosate present in the form of AMPA in the soils sometimes exceeds the amount of glyphosate applied during the previous season (10.54 or 5.27 mol glyphosate.ha−1). The cumulative effect of glyphosate applications on AMPA levels over the 3 years, however, has not been demonstrated. The effect of conventional tillage on the persistence of AMPA is significant in 2 out of 3 years. The persistence of AMPA was higher for combinations of conventional tillage/mineral N-fertilization and conventional tillage/without fertilization practices. We suggest that conventional tillage can modify parameters related to soil structure or to the structural or functional composition of the bacterial community, which could impact the degradation and leaching of glyphosate and AMPA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the rice-wheat system, using straw for soil incorporation provides better soil health and improves agricultural production. The experiment was performed in Babaiqiao town, Jiangsu Province, China's Luhe District, Nanjing City, in June 2024 using a Shichao TG-500 tractor equipped with a Qingxuan 1GKN-180 rotary cultivator. The impacts of the three tillage practices, deep rotary tiller with straw (DRTS), shallow rotary tiller with straw (SRTS), and no-tillage with straw return (NTSR), on the level of soil disturbance were observed in the single-factor and two-factor interaction experiments. Based on the profilometry analysis, it was observed that DRTS had the highest value of soil disturbance while SRTS had a moderate disturbance value and NTSR minimized disturbance. The effects of working depths, forward speed, and rotation speed on the straw return rate have been evaluated by further investigations. The results showed that enhancing straw return rates was significantly impacted by changing the tilling depths and the rotation speeds, especially when using deeper tillage and moderate to high rotary speeds. The investigation found that the forward speed, blade rotation speed, and tillage depth explained the overall rates of straw return, soil breaking, and soil flatness. In the research, the response surface design employed was the Box–Behnken Design (BBD). The optimal operating parameters were 14.23 cm of plowing depth, 297.6 rpm for the rotary blades, and 3.23 km/h for forward speed. Achieved were the following parameters: 94.766% soil breakage rate, 84.97% straw return rates, and 16.36 mm soil flatness. The findings demonstrate the potential to implement strategies through operational parameters to significantly enhance agricultural practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Irrigation practice, tillage method, and nitrogen (N) management are the three most important agronomic measures for wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production, but the combined effects on grain yield and wheat physiological characteristics are still poorly understood. We conducted a three-year split–split field experiment at the junction of the Loess Plateau and Huang-Huai-Hai Plain in China. The two irrigation practices (I0: non-irrigation and I1: one-off irrigation), three tillage methods (RT: rotary tillage, PT: plowing, and ST: subsoiling), and four N managements (N0, N120, N180, and N240) were assigned to the main plots, subplots, and sub-subplots, respectively. Irrigation practice, tillage method, N management, and most of their two-factor and three-factor interactions could significantly affect grain yield and the physiological characteristics of the leaves of winter wheat. One-off irrigation increased the grain yield by 46.9% by optimizing the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT), the contents of proline (Pro) and soluble sugar (SS), and the net photosynthesis rate (Pn) in leaves during most growth stages of wheat. The improvement of grain yield and physiological characteristics under one-off irrigation was considerably affected by the tillage method and N management, and the effectiveness of one-off irrigation was improved under subsoiling and N180 or N240. One-off irrigation combining subsoiling and N180 had no significant difference relative to one-off irrigation combining subsoiling and N240, while it significantly increased grain yield by 47.1% over the three years, as well as increasing the activities of SOD, POD, and CAT, and Pn in wheat leaves by 23.2%, 41.2%, 26.1%, and 53.0%, respectively, and decreasing the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), Pro, and SS by 29.2%, 65.4%, and 18.2% compared to non-irrigation rotary tillage combined with N240 across the two years and three stages. The wheat grain yield was significantly associated with the physiological characteristics in flag leaves, and the coefficient was greatest for POD activity, followed by SOD activity and Pn. Therefore, one-off irrigation combining subsoiling and N180 is an optimal strategy for the high-yield production of wheat in dryland regions where the one-off irrigation is assured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation tillage and fertilization are widely adopted in agricultural systems to enhance soil fertility and influence fungal communities, thereby improving agroecosystems. However, the effects of no-tillage combined with manure on grain yield, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), soil fertility, and rhizosphere fungal communities remain poorly understood, particularly in rainfed wheat fields on the Loess Plateau. A 15-year field experiment was conducted at the Niujiawa Experimental Farm of the Cotton Research Institute, Shanxi Agricultural University. Five treatments were assessed: conventional tillage without fertilizer (C), no-tillage with chemical fertilizer (NT), no-tillage with chemical fertilizer and manure (NTM), conventional tillage with chemical fertilizer (T), and conventional tillage with chemical fertilizer and manure (TM). The results demonstrated that the NTM treatment significantly increased grain yield by 124.95%, NT by 65.88%, TM by 68.97%, and T by 41.75%, compared to the C treatment (p < 0.05). NUE in the NTM treatment was improved by 58.73%–200.59%. Compared with the C treatment, NTM significantly enhanced soil nutrients, including organic matter (OM) by 70.68%, total nitrogen (TN) by 8.81%, total phosphorus (TP) by 211.53%, available nitrogen (AN) by 90.00%, available phosphorus (AP) by 769.12%, and available potassium (AK) by 89.01%. Additionally, the NTM treatment altered the rhizosphere fungal community of winter wheat, with Ascomycota (81.36%–90.24%) being the dominant phylum, followed by Mucoromycota (5.40%–12.83%) and Basidiomycota (1.50%–8.53%). At the genus level, NTM significantly increased the abundance of Mortierella and Dendrostilbella. An α-diversity analysis revealed that the richness and diversity of soil fungi were highest under NTM. The unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) and principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) based on Bray-Curtis distances indicated that NTM formed a distinct fungal community with the highest phylogenetic diversity, which differed significantly from other treatments. Redundancy analysis (RDA) demonstrated that soil chemical properties variably influenced fungal community dynamics, with higher abundances of Ascomycota and Zoopagomycota positively correlated with OM, AN, AP, TP, and AK. Correlation analysis showed that wheat yield and NUE were positively correlated with Mortierella and Dendrostilbella, and negatively correlated with Fusarium, Chaetomium, and Alternaria. In conclusion, no-tillage with manure not only enhanced soil fertility but also enhanced soil fungal community structure, leading to greater wheat yield and NUE. These findings provide guidance for agricultural practices in rainfed wheat fields of the Loess Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil functioning is affected by agriculture. Therefore, sustainable soil use requires frequent soil health monitoring. Soil health indicators (ISE) allow to do soil health evaluation simply and periodically. The carbon (C) dioxide emission during short aerobic incubations (Cmin) could be used as an ISE. However, its performance as ISE has not been sufficiently evaluated. The objective of this work was to evaluate the sensitivity of Cmin at 2 [Cmin(2)], 4 [Cmin(4)], 6 [Cmin(6)], and 10 [Cmin(10)] days of incubation to the effect of different management practices and their relationship with total (COT), mineral associated (COA), particulate (COP), potentially mineralizable (C0), and potassium permanganate oxidizable (CoxP) organic C, anaerobically mineralized nitrogen (NAN), and aggregate stability of a Mollisol from the southeastern Buenos Aires province. We determined Cmin(2), Cmin(4), Cmin(6), and Cmin(10), COT, COA, COP, C0, CoxP, NAN, and EA (remnant mass of macroaggregates, MasaMAMV) in soil samples (0-5 and 5-20 cm) from a long-term experiment in Balcarce including crop-pasture rotations under conventional tillage and no-tillage (SD). As expected, the Cmin showed a similar pattern as the rest of the variables reflecting the effect of the different management practices with greater values observed under pasture and SD, especially at 0-5 and 0-20 cm. The ability of the Cmin to show the effect of the management practices evaluated increased with the increase of the duration of the incubation. The Cmin correlated (Pearson r) to COT, COP, C0, CoxP, NAN, and MasaMAMV (r=0.52 to r=0.96) (P<0.01) with coefficients increasing with the days of incubation. It is concluded that Cmin4 (r=0.59 to r=0.88) or Cmin6 (r=0.52 to r=0.93) could be used as adequate ISE. It is necessary to continue studying these relationships under contrasting soil, climate and management conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil is the main biological reservoir on the planet, since it is transformed into living organisms, from plants to microbial communities. Different management practices and uses of the soil modify its properties, affecting the structure of the microbial communities. This work aimed to compare the biological activity of soils under conventional tillage (LC) and no-tillage (SD) after sowing (spring) and harvest (autumn) of corn (Zea mays L) in Tornquist, Argentina. Soil samples were taken at two depths, 0-5 and 5-10 cm, and various chemical (total organic carbon, extractable phosphorus, microbial biomass carbon), physical (aggregates), and biochemical/biological parameters (soil enzyme activities and community physiological profile) were determined. Our results show that SD increases soil macroaggregates and enzymatic activities while LC increases microbial biomass and soil respiration. Furthermore, microbial biomass positively correlated with micro aggregates, while enzymatic activity correlated positively with macro aggregates. Our results confirm the need to continue studying tillage systems to better understand the functioning of soil biological activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silt loam soils in the mid-southern United States are prone to soil erosion, crusting, and general soil degradation. A field experiment was established at three field sites in northeast Arkansas to evaluate the effect of cover crop and tillage management on cash crop yield and the physical properties of soil health, specifically infiltration rate and aggregate stability. Cover crop management included cereal rye, wheat and crimson clover, and a winter fallow. Tillage management included tillage and no-tillage. During the two-year study, yield was not significantly influenced by different tillage treatments. The cover crop treatment had greater yield than the no-cover crop treatment (5091 vs. 4264 kg ha−1) at one site in one of the years. Water infiltration was significantly improved with cover crops compared to with no-cover crops, with a 52% and 64% increase at Walcott and Magnolia, respectively. Soil aggregate stability was significantly improved with no-tillage as compared with tillage in both years at Walcott, with a 16% and 58% increase in 2015 and 2016, respectively. Both cover crop and tillage management can have significant impacts on soil physical properties in a short period of time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhancing integrated crop–livestock systems (ICLSs) to improve land-use efficiency is a critical goal. Understanding the ICLS impacts on lowland soils is key to sustainable agricultural practices. Our objective was to test whether adopting ICLSs in lowlands improves soil structure, pore connectivity, and water and air permeability. This study was conducted in a long-term field trial, consisting of the following production systems with flood-irrigation rice: rice–fallow–rice, under conventional tillage and absence of grazing (RFR-ct); rice-grazed ryegrass–rice, under no-tillage and grazing (RGrR-nt); rice-grazed ryegrass–soybean-grazed ryegrass–rice, under no-tillage and grazing (RGrS/RGrR-nt); and a grazed pasture-consortium (winter) and succession field (summer), with no-till rice every 4 years (P4R-nt). Core samples were collected after grazing (October 2018), harvesting (March 2019), and grazing (October 2019). We analyzed soil air permeability, saturated hydraulic conductivity, pore connectivity by computed tomography. Soil tillage in a semi-direct system generated discontinuous porosity. Systems with intense trampling or less surface protection are affected by shearing on topsoil, reducing pore continuity. ICLSs are mainly composed of ryegrass–rice mitigated the harmful effects of trampling, and improved soil structure and functioning. Systems without soil tillage exhibited higher pore connectivity and pores with vertical orientation. Finally, soil tillage is not required to improve structural quality in ICLSs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This on-farm study was conducted to assess the impact of six prevalent crop management practices adopted by growers in West Texas on various indicators of soil health. This study is a part of a citizen science project, where we collaborated with cotton growers who helped with standardized sample and data collection from 2017 to 2022. This project aimed to identify soil management practices that increase carbon sequestration, enhance biological activities, and improve overall soil health. We monitored soil moisture, soil organic matter (SOM), inorganic nitrogen (NH4+-N and NO3−-N) and other exchangeable nutrients, and soil microbial abundances as obtained via fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) in 85 fields, incorporating different management practices during the cotton growing season. In our study, volumetric moisture content (VWC) was increased by no-till, irrigation, and crop rotation, but the addition of residue decreased VWC. No-till, irrigation, and crop rotation increased SOM, but a cover crop decreased SOM. No-till and residue retention also increased microbial biomass carbon (MBC). Tillage, irrigation, and crop rotation influenced the abundance of the main microbial groups, including bacterial, fungi, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Additionally, water content, SOM, and microbial abundances are correlated with clay percentage. Our results indicate that no-till and crop rotation are the two most crucial soil management approaches for sustainable soil health. As such, implementing both no-till and crop rotation in the cropping systems has the most promising potential to increase the soil resilience in dryland cotton production in semiarid regions, thereby helping growers to maintain cotton production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycorrhizal inoculants can contribute to the development of corn crops by improving crop productivity. In this sense, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a mycorrhizal inoculant on the dynamics of root system growth, gas exchange, corn crop productivity, and microbial activity in the rhizospheric soil in a no-till area with different levels of available soil phosphorus. The experiment was conducted during the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 growing seasons. At 75 days after plant emergence, root morphological parameters (total root length (cm), average root diameter (mm), root surface area (cm2), and root volume), shoot biomass production, P content in the plant shoots, gas exchange, and microbiological attributes of the rhizospheric soil of corn were evaluated. At the end of the cycle, corn grain yield was determined. A beneficial effect of AMF inoculation was observed on the root and shoot parameters regardless of soil P level. Under conditions of evenly distributed rainfall during the experiment (2019/2020 season), AMF inoculation contributed to a 90% increase in acid phosphatase activity and a 76% increase in microbial biomass carbon (C-BIO), independent of soil P level. In contrast, under water deficit conditions (2020/2021 season), AMF inoculation provided a 29% increase in grain yield. We concluded that introducing a commercial mycorrhizal inoculant in corn benefits root system morphological parameters and physiological traits, and favors the activity of enzymes related to increased P availability, contributing to increased crop productivity in a no-till system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores agroecological practices designed to improve soil quality and crop yield in small-scale agriculture, focusing on soil inoculation with beneficial bacteria over conventional fertilizers. Conducted at the SZIA Agroecological Garden MATE in Gödöllő, Hungary, the research utilizes 12 plots to evaluate different conservation tillage methods, including minimum and no-tillage, with and without microbial inoculation. Commenced in 2022, this study centers on potato cultivation (Solanum tuberosum L.) and includes comprehensive chemical and physical analyses of soil and harvested potatoes, alongside continuous monitoring of growth. Statistical analysis using One-way Anova in R revealed p-values predominantly above 0.05, indicating no significant differences across most parameters, though variations in soil plasticity and pH (KCl) were noted. Results suggest that substantial treatmeent differences may require a longer observation period. Notably, plots with microbial inoculation exhibited higher harvest weights and tuber sizes compared to control plots. Additionally, trends and interactions were found between weed abundance, total harvest, and plant height. The findings indicate that the benefits of integrated agroecological practices, including conservation tillage, may take time to materialize, emphasizing the necessity for extended observation. This research lays the groundwork for future studies, underscoring the importance of patience in achieving improvements in soil health and crop quality through sustainable agricultural methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The document "Sustainable Management and Tillage Practice in Agriculture" discusses the increasing global demand for food production due to population growth and the challenges faced by modern agriculture, such as soil degradation and climate change. It emphasizes the importance of sustainable agricultural management to promote stability and longevity in production while minimizing resource waste. The document highlights various sustainable agricultural practices, including conservation tillage, crop rotation, and precision fertilization, to enhance productivity and efficiency while maintaining soil health and fertility. Research studies presented in the document demonstrate the positive impacts of sustainable tillage practices on soil health, biodiversity, and crop productivity, underscoring the potential of these practices to improve agricultural sustainability and resilience. [Extracted from the article]

Conservation tillage is a practice adopted worldwide to prevent soil degradation. Although there have been many studies on the impact of conservation tillage on soil quality, most studies on cultivated land in the black soil region of Northeast China are based on the physical and chemical indicators of soil. In addition, the experiment time is generally short, so there is a lack of information about long-term conservation tillage from the perspective of the physical, chemical, and biological integration of soil. A comparative analysis of the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of soil was conducted under no-till (NT) with straw mulching and conventional tillage (CT) treatments after 19 years of field experiments. By using membership functions to normalize and render all the indicators dimensionless, and calculating the weight of each indicator through principal component analysis, the comprehensive index of soil quality can be calculated as a weighted summation. The results indicate that NT had no significant effect on soil bulk density at a soil depth of 0–20 cm. NT increased the field water-holding capacity of the 0–5 cm layer, reduced the total porosity of the 5–10 cm soil layer, and decreased the non-capillary porosity of the 0–20 cm soil layer. Compared to CT, NT significantly increased the organic carbon content of the soil in the 0–5 cm layer, comprehensively improved the total nutrient content of the soil, and significantly increased the contents of ammonium nitrogen, nitrate-nitrogen, and available phosphorus in the soil. It also significantly improved the total phosphorus content in the 5–20 cm soil layer. NT improved the microbial carbon and nitrogen content of the soil, significantly enhanced the microbial nitrogen content in the 0–5 and 5–10 cm soil layers, and reduced the bacterial species diversity in the 5–10 cm soil layer. However, the soil enzyme activities showed no significant differences between different treatments. Under the NT treatment, the evaluation of soil quality indicators, such as mean weight diameter, field water-holding capacity, non-capillary porosity, microbial biomass nitrogen, total nutrients, and available nutrients, was relatively successful. Based on the weight calculation, the organic carbon, catalase activity, fungal richness, and bacterial diversity indicators are the most important of the 22 soil quality indicators. In terms of the comprehensive index of soil fertility quality, NT increased the soil quality comprehensive index by 34.2% compared to CT. Long-term conservation tillage improved the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the soil, which significantly enhanced the quality of the black soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing demand for quality food has intensified agricultural practices, thus deteriorating soil fertility. In response, reclamation techniques such as minimum, zero, or no tillage have been applied, especially in the Bajio region of the State of Guanajuato, Mexico. However, a reliable tool to evaluate the effectiveness of these techniques remains elusive. This study evaluated the effect of zero tillage and conventional tillage by developing a Soil Quality Index (SQI) from eight agricultural soils in the Bajio region. A set of 26 physicochemical indicators was used, reducing them by means of principal component analysis (PCA). Subsequently, the SQI methodology called "unified weighted" was applied. The resulting SQIu included key indicators such as C/N, SND, ESP, and Fe. Although significant differences in soil quality were observed among the samples tested, the SQIu was unable to discern soil quality under the different tillage schemes. This may be attributed to the limited application time of zero tillage, which might not be sufficient to achieve significant recovery of SQI indicators. Nevertheless, the SQIu could be useful as a monitoring tool to evaluate the progress of soil recovery under zero tillage, both in the studied area and in similar contexts at the national or international level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation agriculture (CA) has been proposed as a viable strategy to enhance soil health and the resilience of farms to climate change, and to support the sustainability of agricultural production systems. While CA is a well-established approach, research results are lacking regarding its long-term impact on nitrogen (N) dynamics in the soil–plant system. In this study, a 20-year experiment was used to investigate the long-term effects of no-tillage in CA on soil organic carbon (SOC) and nitrogen (N) mineralization, plant N uptake, grain yields, and the grain quality of durum wheat. A CA system based on no-tillage (NT) was evaluated and compared with conventional tillage (CT) used for wheat/legumes biennial crop rotation. Results showed that soil samples from CA plots experienced significantly more N mineralization than those under CT, which was attributed to increased SOC and N. Topsoil sampled from the CA plots 20 years after the implementation of the experiment had 43% more absolute potentially mineralizable N (N0) than the CT plots, with no significant differences observed in deeper soil layers (15–30 cm and 30–45 cm). The absolute potentially mineralizable carbon (C0) in soils from the CA system was 49% and 35% higher than in soils from the CT system, at soil depths of 0–15 and 15–30 cm, respectively. Furthermore, CA resulted in higher amounts of remobilized N and higher rates of N uptake during the critical growth stages of durum wheat. The amount of N remobilized during the kernel-filling phase under CA was 59% higher than under CT. Total N uptake in wheat plants was 45% greater under CA compared to CT. The most significant differences in N uptake between the CA and CT systems were observed during two critical growth stages: late tillering to heading (1.7 times higher in CA than CT) and heading to anthesis (1.5 times higher in CA than CT). The most significant differences for N uptake were shown during the late tillering to heading stage and the heading to anthesis stage. The amount of N remobilized during the kernel filling phase under CA was 59% higher than CT. CA adoption resulted in 21% and 35% higher grain and straw yields, respectively, compared to CT. The grain and straw N yields were 21% and 51% higher, respectively, under CA than CT. Moreover, the CA system exhibited higher partial factor productivity of nitrogen fertilizer (PFP N) for both grain and straw yields. Thousand kernel weight (TKW) and hectoliter weight were also significantly higher under CA than CT. The grain protein content, wet gluten content, vitreousness, and falling number were similar between the CA and CT systems. These results highlight the benefits of long-term CA adoption to increase soil N mineralization, providing a substantial base for N uptake during the critical growth stages of durum wheat, thus leading to increased crop yield. The findings underscore the potential of CA systems in promoting sustainable agriculture and mitigating the impacts of soil degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is the main component of soil organic matter (SOM) and constitutes the crucial component of the soil. It supports key soil functions, stabilizes soil structure, aid in plant-nutrient retention and release, and promote water infiltration and storage. Predicting SOC using Sentinel-2 data integrated with machine learning algorithms under zero tillage practice is inadequately documented for developing countries like Zimbabwe. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the performance of support vector machine (SVM), artificial neural network (ANN), and partial least square regression (PLSR) algorithms from Sentinel-2 data for SOC estimation. The SVM, ANN and PLSR models were used with a cross-validation to estimate the SOC content based on 50 georeferenced calibration samples under a zero-tillage practice. The ANN model outperformed the other two models by delivering a coefficient of determination (R2) of between 55 and 60% of SOC variability and RMSE varied between 5.01 and 8.78%, whereas for the SVM, R2 varied between 0.53 and 0.57 and RMSE varied between 6.25 and 11.39%. The least estimates of SOC provided by the PLSR algorithm were, R2 = 0.44–0.49 and RMSE = 7.59–12.42% for the top 15 cm depth. Results with and R2, root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) for SVM, ANN and PLSR, show that the ANN model is highly capable for capturing SOC variability. Although the ANN algorithm provides more accurate SOC estimates than the SVM algorithm, the difference in accuracy is not significant. Results revealed a satisfactory agreement between the SOC content and zero tillage practice (R2, coefficient of variation (CV), MAE, and RMSE using SVM, ANN and PLSR for the validation dataset using four predictor variables. The calibration results of SOC indicated that the mean SOC was 15.83% and the validation mean SOC was 17.02%. The SOC validation dataset (34.17%) had higher degree of variation around its mean as compared to the calibration dataset (29.86%). The SOC prediction results can be used as an important tool for informed decisions about soil health and productivity by the farmers, land managers and policy makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The cropping systems in any agro-ecological zone in the globe are driven by a number of critical issues, including rising food demands, the depletion of land and the degradation of land resources. The goal of traditional cropping methods has been to maximise crop yields. Cropping systems that take into account the new social, economic and ecological or environmental considerations are urgently needed nowadays. Due to their adaptability to diverse cropping patterns and capacity to fix nitrogen, legumes can offer prospects for continuous increases in productivity. Legume-based crop rotations help to maintain of organic matter, increase of soil nitrogen, nutrient balance, maintenance of soil physical qualities and disruption of soil-borne disease cycles. Conservation tillage is centered on minimum tillage, permanent raised beds, zero tillage with low soil disturbance and the preservation of protective plant cover or plant residues on the soil surface to prevent soil losses, stimulate microbial population and retain moisture and nutrients. Methods: Field experiment were conducted during 2019-20 and 2020-21 at the Main Research Station (MRS), GKVK, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore On sandy loam soil to study the performance of Weed management in maize-based cropping system in conservation agriculture. The experiment was laid out under split plot design with five main plots on different tillage treatments i.e., Conventional tillage, Zero Tillage, minimum tillage, minimum tillage and permanent raised bed and three sub plots of different weed management practices i.e., Chemical weed management practices, Integrated weed management practices and unweeded control replicated thrice. Result: Among tillage practices, permanent raised bed recorded the least total weed density and weed dry weight at harvest when compared to other tillage practices and also high seed yield, haulm yield and B: C ratio due to less weed infestation, good root growth, adequate aeration and nutrient availability compared to other tillage practices. Permanent raised beds had significantly higher nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium uptake than zero tillage. Among weed, management practices, Integrated weed management (Pendimethalin-750 g/ha (PE) + Hand weeding at 30 DAS) recorded the least total weed density and weed dry weight at harvest compared to unweeded treatment and also high seed yield, haulm yield and B: C ratio due to less weed infestation, compared to unweeded treatment. Integrated weed management resulted in significantly higher nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium uptake compared to unweeded (control). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water infiltration is important for improved crop productivity and environmental sustainability, but the combined effects of cover crops (CCs) and tillage on cumulative infiltration and infiltration parameters are not fully understood. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the influence of CCs and tillage on cumulative water infiltration and infiltration parameters. The field was set up using a randomized complete block design with two levels of CCs (CCs vs no cover crop [NC]) and two levels of tillage (till vs no-till [NT]). The CCs used included winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) and crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum), and the tillage included disc tillage (to a depth of 10 cm). Results showed that CCs and tillage significantly increased the Parlange and Green-Ampt model estimated sorptivity and saturated hydraulic conductivity parameters during 2022 compared with NC and NT, respectively. Additionally, KGuelph was significantly higher under CC compared with NC during both years, suggesting that CCs can increase groundwater recharge. While CC-Till management had the highest 2-h cumulative infiltration, tillage only significantly increased water infiltration during early times, and CCs increased water infiltration during the infiltration period. Conclusively, CCs can improve the ability of tillage to increase water infiltration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expanding sugarcane (SC) cultivation at the expense of paddy rice (PRC) areas led to soil nutrient cycling changes. The study hypothesized that SC straw return and fertilizer application after land use change (LUC) from PRC to SC cropping would increase the soil-crop systems nutrient balance, ultimately enhancing growth, yield, and nutrient use efficiency of SC. In a field study involving a 17-year chronosequence of sugarcane 6 (SC6), 13 (SC13), and 17 (SC17) years after LUC, the nutrient balance dynamics of SC were monitored in comparison with those of PRC. A phosphorus (P) balance increase of 62–102% after LUC increased soil available P (Pav) from 5.2 to 13.6–16.0 mg kg−1. A potassium (K) balance decrease of 47–55% after LUC led to a decrease in soil exchangeable K (Kex) from 102.5 to 96.2–56.8 mg kg−1. Moreover, LUC increased the % sand, soil organic matter (SOM), total mineral nitrogen (N), and total N. In contrast, the % clay, bulk density, cation exchange capacity (CECpH7), and exchangeable calcium (Caex) decreased after LUC. An increase in soil nutrients increased cane yield and nutrient use efficiency with time after LUC. However, further research in different locations and management practices is required for the LUC investigation. HIGHLIGHTS: LUC in combination with tillage improved soil chemical properties, leading to increased sugarcane yield (SC6 > SC13 > SC17) and nutrient use efficiency. In a system without tillage, after land use change (LUC), the percentage of sand, SOM, Pav and mineral N increased, while the percentage of clay, bulk density, CECpH7, Kex, and Caex decreased. Sugarcane (SC) had a greater P balance than paddy rice (PRC) after LUC, leading to an increase in soil available P. K inputs from rice straw return promoted a greater K balance in PRC than in SC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional rice and wheat cropping system (RWCS) of the western Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) is not only less productive, but also unsustainable owing to its elevated energy demands and environmental carbon footprint. Transition towards the long-term adoption of conservation agriculture (CA) technologies can possibility overcomes these constraints and making it a crucial component of modern farming systems. Therefore, the effects of conservation tillage and residue retention on wheat cultivation were evaluated from 2015–2016 to 2019–2020 under RWCS on CA fields maintained for twenty one years. Five tillage treatments viz., zero tillage without residue retention (ZT-R), zero tillage with residue retention (ZT+R), permanent bed planting without residue retention (PBP-R), rotary tillage without residue retention (RT-R) and conventional tillage without residue retention (CT-R) were evaluated in four times replicated randomised complete block design. The CT-R recorded 28%, 25%, 24%, and 16% higher energy inputs than those of the ZT+R, ZT-R, PRB-R, and RT-R, respectively. Nevertheless, the lowest grain energy output was recorded in RT-R (86,769 MJ ha−1) and CT-R (86,926 MJ ha−1). Under CT-R, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were approximately 20%, 19%, 17%, and 10% greater than those under ZT-R, ZT+R, PRB-R, and RT-R, respectively. Compared to ZT-R, ZT+R, PRB-R, and RT-R plots, CT-R exhibited significantly lower carbon efficiency ratio and carbon sustainability index. The long-term study revealed that ZT+R represent a promising step towards sustainability, characterized by low global warming potential and high energy use efficiency. This makes it an appealing agricultural technique for wheat production in the sub-tropical IGP regions under irrigated RWCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice-wheat cropping system facing serious issues in terms of scarcity of resources (water, labour, land and energy), escalating cultivation cost coupled with frequent climatic anomalies in South Asia. Generally, farmers following in-situ burning for easy disposal off of rice residue and timely seeding of succeeding wheat crop. Timely sowing of wheat under full rice residue load has become possible with the help of efficient seeding machineries. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to study soil temperature fluctuation, weed dynamics and crop productivity under different tillage and rice residue management options in wheat during rabi 2020-21 and 2021-22. Zero tillage with rice residue showed thermo-moderating effect by lowering afternoon soil temperature by 1.8 to 3.59 ℃ and 0.88 to 4.66 ℃ under normal (2020-21) and terminal heat stress (2021-22) conditions, respectively compared to conventional till wheat from 5 to 14th standard meteorological weeks. Lower soil temperature found under zero tillage scenario compared to conventional tillage and difference was more pronounced in heat stress conditions. This congenial environment also reflected in wheat yields as zero till wheat under full rice residue retention with (4891–5238 kg/ha) and without waste decomposer (4950–5264 kg/ha) resulted in higher grain yields as compared to conventional till wheat (3740–4244 kg/ha). Sowing of wheat under residual soil moisture (irrigation is to be applied 10–14 days before super straw management based combine harvesting of rice) and residue driven reduction in soil temperature may facilitate early sowing and moderating soil temperature against terminal heat stress, besides saving of pre-sowing irrigation in wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Performing head CT in intoxicated patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) is common, yet low yield. In our previous study, acute findings were found only in patients with at least one of: neurological Deficits, Intubation, Trauma, Convulsions or Headache. We hypothesise that the absence of these DITCH clinical features rules out the need for immediate CT. We collected data for intoxicated patients attending EDs in our district from March 2021 to May 2022 inclusive. We recorded clinical presentation features, agents, disposition and head CT results. There were 1,308 intoxicated patients out of a total of 219,273 ED presentations. Median age was 38 years. Common ingestions were ethanol, stimulants, GABA-ergics and opioids. 407 patients (31%) had head CT, with 31 patients (7.6%) having 36 acute findings: 19 intracranial haemorrhages, 8 fractures, 2 cerebral oedema and 7 haematomas. All patients with acute CT findings had one of the DITCH features, and all had trauma. The sensitivity and NPV of the hypothesis were 100%. In patients that were not scanned, there were no re-presentations.Our internal validation study is further evidence that acute findings on head CT in intoxicated patients presenting to the ED are only found in those who had one of the DITCH features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rice‒wheat farming system is considered as the greatest energy-intensive agricultural practice in South‒East Asia. In light of declining system production and profitability, burning of residues, soil erosion, depletion of renewable resources, and environmental degradation, the sustainability of the rice‒wheat cropping system is being questioned. As a result, energy and money efficient conservation agricultural methods are becoming more and more necessary to accomplish sustainable output. A field experiment was carried out in this regard to evaluate the effects of varying degrees of rice residue retention and nutrient management options on zero-tillage grown wheat growth, yield, phenology, economics, energy budgeting, and CO2 emissions. In the experiment, there were five different nutrient management options (recommended dose and Nutrient Expert based dose with and without seed inoculating biofertilizer Azotobacter and Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria, PSB in short along with a control) and four different rice residue load treatments (rice residues retained at 0, 15, 30, and 45 cm from the ground level). The treatments that managed nutrients using Nutrient Expert (NE) and kept residues at a height of 15 and 30 cm above ground, both with and without biofertilizer inoculation, showed better growth and yield in both years. Higher net energy, energy productivity and energy use efficiency were achieved with the treatment combination that kept residues at a height of 30 cm and suggested nutrients using NE software or recommended fertilizer doses (RDF), which included inoculating seeds with biofertilizers. Under the treatments where fertilizers were given more often, there was a larger release of CO2. The treatment that kept residues at a height of 30 cm and used NE software to recommend nutrients along with seed inoculation of biofertilizers (R2N5) resulted in higher gross returns (₹111,315 ha−1 and ₹109,342 ha−1), net returns (₹60,957 ha−1 and ₹61,797 ha−1), and B:C (2.21 and 2.30) during 2021–2022 and 2022–2023, respectively. Therefore, maintaining residues at their ideal level, managing nutrients through NE, and incorporating biofertilizers into the seeds could be advantageous for wheat production and result in an energy-efficient and lucrative cropping system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the problem of the wheat straw and stubble of the previous crop blocking the opener during the operation of the summer peanut no-tillage seeder under straw incorporation modes, an oblique stubble-cutting and side-throwing anti-blocking device that can simultaneously cut the stubble and throw the straw was designed. The structure and working principle of the device were clarified, and the key structure of the anti-blocking device was designed through theoretical analysis. According to the kinematics analysis of the rotary blade cutting and throwing of the root–soil composite, the key factors affecting the operation quality of the device and the range of values were determined. The quadratic orthogonal rotation combination design test was carried out with the motion inclination angle, bending angle, and advancing velocity as the test factors, and the straw clearance rate, stubble-cutting rate, and operation power consumption as the indexes. The discrete element simulation test was carried out in EDEM. The significance test of the test results was carried out in Design-Expert, and the influence of each factor on the test index and the interaction between the factors were determined. Then the regression model was optimized by multi-objective function, and the optimal parameter combination was obtained as follows: The motion inclination angle was 22°, the bending angle was 58°, and the advance velocity was 7.7 km/h. At this time, the straw clearance rate of the seedling belt was 92.55%, the root stubble-cutting rate was 95%, and the operation power consumption was 1.80 kW. The field test shows that the machine had good passing capacity, the straw clearance rate of the seedling belt was 91.04%, the root stubble-cutting rate was 92.98%, and the operation power consumption of the single group of stubble cutting device was 1.92 kW. The difference between the field test results and the simulation test was less than 6%, which met the local agronomic requirements and proved that the anti-blocking device had good operation quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil health is essential for sustainable agricultural operations, as it supports farm production and ecosystem services. The adoption of sustainable agriculture practices such as conservation tillage, cover cropping, and crop rotation provides significant benefits for both crop productivity and environmental sustainability. These practices can increase soil biodiversity, nutrient cycling, and organic matter, which increase the resilience of agroecosystems. This narrative review synthesizes the insights of the soil health practices adoption literature, with a focus on common farming practices that can improve soil health and enhance crop yields, reviewing the results of various approaches and pointing out the challenges and opportunities for implementing sustainable agriculture on a larger scale. This paper discusses the effects of various tillage and cropping system approaches on soil health, including no-till and conventional tillage systems, crop rotation, cover cropping, cultivator combinations, and fertilizer application. This study found that conservation tillage is more beneficial to soil health than conventional tillage—which is still debated among scientists and farmers—and that different tillage methods interact differently. In contrast, agricultural yields increase more with intercropping, crop rotation, and cover crops than monocropping. For maintaining soil fertility, this study shows that agricultural yields could be increased by implementing zero tillage. This review identifies the most suitable farming practices for improving soil health while boosting crop production with minimal negative impact on the soil. It also highlights the benefits of these practices in maintaining soil quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve high-quality no-till seeding, a wing-shaped stubble-breaking device with excellent stubble-breaking performance was designed for maize stubble. A model of maize stubble was developed based on the Discrete Element Method (DEM) and verified through soil bin tests. The DEM model was used to optimize the design parameters of the device and to investigate the interaction between the blades and the maize stubble during the stubble-breaking process. Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the performance of the device. The results indicated that the DEM model was accurate; when the optimal design parameters of the wing-shaped stubble-breaking device were a 37° slide cutting angle, 31° pitching angle, and 50 mm wing width, the average torque was 41.26 N·m, the soil breakage rate was 85.68%, and the soil backfill rate was 71.65%; the wing-shaped stubble-breaking device could separate the inside and outside of the strip tillage area and cut maize stubbles and soil blocks twice, thus having excellent stubble-breaking performance. This study provided an effective and feasible method for designing stubble-breaking devices and studying the interaction between blades, soil, and roots, which improved soil tillage theory and was beneficial in promoting conservation tillage technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tillage practices significantly impact soil structure, pore-size distribution (PSD), and soil-water retention curves (SWRC). The SWRC, which represents the relationship between soil water content and soil water potential, is important for various studies involving plants, soil, environment, irrigation, drainage, modeling, and hydrology. In this study, the HYPROP method was used to measure SWRCs and estimate soil physical and hydraulic properties under conventional tillage (CT), strip tillage (ST), and no-tillage (NT) systems in clay loam soil. Undisturbed soil cores were collected from 0–15 cm and 15–30 cm depths within sugarbeet rows, with sampling replicated five times following a randomized block design. Soil-water retention curves were modeled using the van Genuchten (vG) model for each depth under each tillage system. The results showed that none of the soil parameters from the vG equation, plant-available soil water content, or pore-size distribution were significantly influenced by tillage type. This lack of significant difference may be attributed to considerable soil disturbance from sugarbeet root harvesting, freeze and thaw cycles between tillage and sampling, or soil displacement caused by beet root growth. However, small differences in soil parameters among the three tillage systems were noted at both soil depths, due to minor variations in soil porosity and pore-size distribution. Regardless of the tillage system, understanding SWRC is essential for insights into soil and water processes such as water flow, soil water storage, and water availability for plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation tillage is a practice that positively affects the soil's physicochemical and biological characteristics. The type of tillage influences the richness and diversity of the soil microbiota since organic matter favors specific genera that, in turn, can significantly impact crop productivity. The aim was to an alyze the bacterial communities in soils subjected to conservation and intensive tillage practices in two experimental platforms with more than 25 years of being subjected to this type of cultivation practices. Five composite samples of soils subjected to different tillage methods were analyzed. The treatments were Treatment 1=IT-R, Treatment 2=RT+R, Treatment 3=ZT+R, Treatment 4=IT+R and Treatment 5=ZT+R, where IT= Intensive Tillage, CT= Conservation Tillage, RT= Reduced Tillage, ZT=Zero Tillage, with (+R) and without (-R) removal of plant residues. Metagenomic DNA was extracted and sequenced using the 16s rRNA gene. CT showed higher species diversity, while IT showed higher richness. A higher beta diversity was observed in CT. IT was grouped in the same phylum range, while CT was in a different range. CT treatments improved the physicochemical properties of the soil and modified the diversity of bacterial communities. It is evident that conservation practices substantially impact the soil microbiota and favor the presence of microorganisms with a high capacity to degrade plant matter, improving the physicochemical characteristics of agricultural soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the fertilization discharge performance of variable fertilization of seeder, the fertilizer discharge performance of external groove wheel fertilizer applicator was studied based on discrete element method. Firstly, the discrete element material simulation parameters were determined through fertilizer calibration test. Then, based on the optimization module design experiment of Isight software, with the working length and rotational speed of the outer groove wheel as factors and the coefficient of variation of fertilizer uniformity as the response design experiment, the second-order regression equation of the coefficient of variation of fertilizer uniformity of the fertilizer discharger was obtained. Based on the obtained regression equation, the influence of the working length and rotational speed combination of the outer groove wheel on fertilization stability within a specific fertilizer amount range was analyzed. For fertilizer application rate of 300 kg•hm-2, the external groove wheel flow equation was used as a constraint to optimize the solution. The optimal combination of fertilizer discharge parameters for the external groove wheel fertilizer applicator was groove wheel working length of 60 mm and rotation speed of 30 r•min-1. The optimal fertilization parameter combination was used for fertilization simulation experiments, and the coefficient of variation of fertilization uniformity was 11.7%, which met the fertilization requirements. Above results provided a reference for parameter allocation in the operation of the 2BMJ series no-tillage precision seeder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background No-tillage (NT) is a widely used field management to reduce soil erosion and degradation and is suggested to be beneficial for enhancing soil carbon (C) sequestration capacity. Nonetheless, the effects of NT on soil total carbon (TC) content in aeolian sandy soils are not extensively explored, and the underlying mechanisms are not clear. In our field experiments, the influence of NT and conventional tillage (CT) on sandy soil was studied. Methods We estimated the changes in soil TC in response to NT practice in a Cyperus esculentus L. field located at semi-arid Horqin sandy land, China. To unravel the underlying mechanisms, plant traits, soil properties and soil microbial characteristics were measured in parallel. The variations in soil bacterial community structure were investigated by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. The functionality of soil bacterial community was predicted based on OTU tables by using PICRUSt2. Results NT increased soil TC content in this sandy agroecosystem within a short-term experimental period, compared to CT. The underlying mechanisms might rely on three aspects. First, NT increased soil TC content through increasing photosynthesis and plant biomass, and thus, the plant-derived dissolved organic C. Second, NT increased the C immobilized in soil microbial biomass by increasing microbial C demands and C use efficiency. Third, NT increased the dominance of oligotrophic members in bacterial communities by decreasing available nutrient levels, which is associated with the recalcitrance and stability of the soil organic carbon. Conclusions The present study enriched our knowledge on the changes in the plant-soil-microbe continuum in response to NT in a semi-arid sandy agroecosystem. Still, this study provides a reference for modifying tillage practices to benefit crop yield as well as soil C sequestration.

The natural shift towards a new agricultural strategy targeting at the rational use of available natural resources is marked by more economical soil cultivation methods. Innovative trends in crop production include, among other practices, the partial or complete elimination of moldboard plowing, the avoidance of vertical mixing of the arable layer, minimal soil disturbance by agricultural machinery, and a reduction in soil degradation and erosion. (Research purpose) The paper explores the application of technological approaches, processes, and technical systems developed in accordance with contemporary concepts of production processes in crop cultivation. (Materials and methods) The development of soil cultivation technologies is associated with the shift from extensive agriculture to natural resource management systems that leverage natural or nature-mimicking processes, resulting in lower entropy production than technogenic methods. New approaches, such as no-till systems, should be based on the concept of symbiosis between plants and soil microorganisms, and their interaction with environmental conditions and factors. (Results and discussion) To ensure optimal conditions for the preservation and development of biocenoses within the root-occupied soil layers, it is proposed to use submersible pneumatic hydrodrills capable of subsoil processing, loosening, and aeration through compressed air pulses. This process is followed by irrigation, fertilizer application and hydrogel integration. The most promising and appropriate agricultural technologies, technical systems and tools are those that maximize the genetic potential of plant productivity and facilitate the interaction between biomachine systems and natural processes. These approaches aim to achieve the highest and most rational synergistic effect. (Conclusions) In accordance with modern concepts in crop cultivation, technological processes and technical systems have been developed and substantiated based on the concept of symbiosis between plants and soil microorganisms. These systems utilize subsoil processing, loosening, and aeration through pulses of compressed air.

Introduction: Soil health is vital for ecosystems, but excessive use of fertilizers, chemicals, and irrigation harms soil fertility, leading to reduced yields and degradation. Thus, exploring innovative land arrangements and nutrient management for staple crops such as wheat is essential. Organic farming offers a promising solution. This study hypothesized that an appropriate land arrangement, combined with split applications of farmyard manure (FYM) and liquid organic fertilizer, can enhance wheat productivity while also improving soil health. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of different sowing methods and organic nutrient management practices on the productivity of wheat and soil health. Methods: This study aimed to examine the impact of sowing methods and nutrient management practices on soil health and organic wheat productivity during the winter seasons of 2021–22 and 2022–23 at the Organic Farming Unit (Agronomy), Rajasthan College of Agriculture, MPUAT, Udaipur. The experiment was arranged in a split-plot design, with three land arrangements/sowing methods in the main plot and eight nutrient management approaches in the subplots. Results: Concerning different land arrangements, the furrow irrigated raised bed sowing (FIRB) method resulted in the maximum wheat yield (4.34 t ha−1) compared with flat row sowing and zero tillage sowing. With respect to nutrient management practices, 75% of the recommended dose of N (RDN) through the FYM was basal + 25% RDN with the 1st irrigation + Jeevamrut application at 500 L ha−1 during sowing, and the 1st irrigation + Panchagavya spraying at 5% during the booting stage resulted in the highest grain yield (4.47 t ha−1). Both the zero tillage and FIRB land arrangements resulted in better soil biological activities and microbial counts than did flat sowing. The results indicate that sowing wheat via the FIRB method, with the recommended nitrogen dose applied through split applications of FYM along with liquid organic manures such as Jeevamrut and Panchagavya , can be an excellent option for organic wheat cultivation. This approach can enhance both yield and soil health. Conclusion: Seventy-five percent RDN through FYM as a basal + 25% RDN during the 1st irrigation + Jeevamrut at 500 L ha−1 during sowing and the 1st irrigation + spraying of Panchagavya at 5% during the booting stage effectively increased the growth and yield of organic wheat. With respect to land arrangements, both FIRB and zero tillage resulted in better growth, yield, and soil biological properties. The practical utility of this study is the optimization of split applications of FYM and land arrangements for organic wheat cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the degraded soil health and lack of improvement in the yield of rice–wheat cropping systems in South Asia's Indo-Gangetic Plains, an experiment was formulated in a split-plot design. Four rice residue management practices were the primary factor, alongside two nitrogen levels (150 and 180 kg/ha) and two nitrogen split levels (two and three splits) as sub-treatments. The findings revealed a notable increase in soil organic carbon (SOC), microbial count, and enzymatic activity in plots subjected to conservation tillage and residue treatment compared to those in plots subjected to partial residue (anchored stubbles) and conventional methods (residue incorporated with chopping). The collective analysis demonstrated a significant influence of rice residue management practices and nitrogen application levels on wheat yield attributes and productivity. Specifically, zero tillage with full residue (unchopped) in wheat exhibited a 5.23% increase in grain yield compared to conventional tillage with full residue (chopped), concurrently boosting the soil microbial count by 19.80–25%, the diazotrophic count by 29.43–31.6%, and the actinomycete count by 20.15–32.99% compared with conventional tillage. Moreover, applying nitrogen in three splits (at sowing, before the 1st irrigation, and after the 1st irrigation) led to a 6.25% increase in grain yield than that in two splits (at sowing and after the 1st irrigation), significantly impacting wheat productivity in the soil. Furthermore, the zero tillage-happy seeder with full residue elevated dehydrogenase activity from 77.94 to 88.32 μg TPF/g soil/24 h during the study year, surpassing that in the conventional plot. This increase in enzymatic activity was paralleled by a robust positive correlation between the microbial population and enzymatic activity across various residue retention practices. In conclusion, the results underscore the efficacy of crop residue retention following conservation tillage, in tandem with nitrogen optimization and scheduling, in enhancing wheat yield within the rice–wheat cropping system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]