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Land degradation is a major problem in Ethiopia, as it contributes to climate change by releasing greenhouse gases (GHG) and slowing carbon sequestration rates. The objective of this review was to assess the role of conservation agriculture (CA) in climate change adaptation and mitigation in Ethiopia. The critical review method processes for identifying and synthesizing peer-reviewed research and review articles, reports, proceedings, and book chapters were followed, with materials obtained from relevant search engines. The findings of the various reports revealed that minimum tillage assists in soil moisture conservation when compared to conventional tillage. Conservation tillage maintains crop residue, reduces soil temperature significantly, and increases nutrient buildup in the surface soil layer, all of which lead to higher crop growth and production thus help as adaptation to climate change. Furthermore, agriculture and other land uses significantly contribute to greenhouse gas emissions; nevertheless, conservation agricultural methods improve soil organic carbon (SOC), soil aggregation, and carbon in aggregate, as well as soil health that contribute to climate changing mitigation. Several studies found that soil health indicators such as soil aggregation, soil organic carbon storage, soil enzymes, and microbial biomass improved under conservation tillage practices, potentially improving the carbon-nitrogen cycle, soil stability, and overall crop productivity. In terms of climate adaptation and mitigation, CA is one of the non-substitutable choices for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Crop diversity, increased nitrogen consumption efficiency, crop rotation, improved soil carbon sequestration methods; crop residue retention, minimum soil disturbance, manure incorporation, and integrated farming systems are all important factors in minimizing GHG emissions. Moreover, factors impeding CA adoption include a lack of appropriate equipment and machinery, weed control methods, the use of crop residue for fuel wood and animal feed, a lack of awareness about the benefits of CA on soil health and sustainability, and a lack of government technical and financial support for smallholder farmers. Adoption and scaling up of CA practices are critical for ensuring a sustainable development goal and resilient future. Thus, relevant stakeholders should consider the aforementioned considerations while promoting the technology on a large scale through integration with enhanced technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Soil organic carbon (SOC) plays a vital role in maintaining or enhancing soil fertility and quality of paddy field, but there is still limited information about how SOC mineralization responds to different tillage managements under the double-cropping rice (Oryza sativa L.) system in southern of China. Therefore, this study was designed to explore the changes in SOC content, soil enzyme activities (invertase, cellulose and urease), SOC mineralization at 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm layers and its relationship with 7-years tillage management under the double-cropping rice system of southern China. The experiment included four tillage managements: rotary tillage with all residues removed as a control (RTO), conventional tillage with residue incorporation (CT), rotary tillage with residue incorporation (RT), and no-tillage with residue retention (NT). The results indicated that SOC and soil labile organic carbon contents at 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm layers in paddy field with CT and RT treatments were significantly higher than the RTO treatment. Compared to the RTO treatment, SOC mineralization and accumulation at 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm layers in paddy field with CT, RT and NT treatments were increased. SOC accumulation and potential mineralization at 0–10 cm layer with NT treatment were significantly higher than the CT, RT and RTO treatments. Soil mineralization constant at 10–20 cm layer with CT treatment was significantly higher than those of RT, NT and RTO treatments. This result indicated SOC mineralization rate and accumulation at 10–20 cm layer of CT, RT, NT and RTO treatments were lower than those of treatments at 0–10 cm layer. Compared to RTO treatment, soil invertase, cellulose and urease activities with CT and RT treatments were significantly increased. Compared to RTO treatment, soil invertase, cellulose and urease activities at 0–20 cm layer of CT treatment increased by 22.6%, 46.2% and 89.0%, respectively. There was significantly positive correlation between SOC accumulation and SOC content, soil invertase, cellulose, urease activities, but SOC accumulation was significantly negative correlated with soil pH, bulk density. Therefore, CT and RT treatments were beneficial managements to improve SOC content and SOC mineralization in the double-cropping rice field of southern China.

Soil organic carbon (SOC) plays a vital role in maintaining or enhancing soil fertility and quality of paddy field, but there is still limited information about how SOC mineralization responds to different tillage managements under the double-cropping rice (Oryza sativa L.) system in southern of China. Therefore, this study was designed to explore the changes in SOC content, soil enzyme activities (invertase, cellulose and urease), SOC mineralization at 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm layers and its relationship with 7-years tillage management under the double-cropping rice system of southern China. The experiment included four tillage managements: rotary tillage with all residues removed as a control (RTO), conventional tillage with residue incorporation (CT), rotary tillage with residue incorporation (RT), and no-tillage with residue retention (NT). The results indicated that SOC and soil labile organic carbon contents at 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm layers in paddy field with CT and RT treatments were significantly higher than the RTO treatment. Compared to the RTO treatment, SOC mineralization and accumulation at 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm layers in paddy field with CT, RT and NT treatments were increased. SOC accumulation and potential mineralization at 0–10 cm layer with NT treatment were significantly higher than the CT, RT and RTO treatments. Soil mineralization constant at 10–20 cm layer with CT treatment was significantly higher than those of RT, NT and RTO treatments. This result indicated SOC mineralization rate and accumulation at 10–20 cm layer of CT, RT, NT and RTO treatments were lower than those of treatments at 0–10 cm layer. Compared to RTO treatment, soil invertase, cellulose and urease activities with CT and RT treatments were significantly increased. Compared to RTO treatment, soil invertase, cellulose and urease activities at 0–20 cm layer of CT treatment increased by 22.6%, 46.2% and 89.0%, respectively. There was significantly positive correlation between SOC accumulation and SOC content, soil invertase, cellulose, urease activities, but SOC accumulation was significantly negative correlated with soil pH, bulk density. Therefore, CT and RT treatments were beneficial managements to improve SOC content and SOC mineralization in the double-cropping rice field of southern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conventional paddy-wheat-green gram cropping system in the North-Bihar, area experienced issues such as diminishing yield, water constraint, and uneven fertilizer usage. Researchers wanted to boost sustainability and productivity by testing alternative tillage and crop establishment (TCE) practices within this cropping pattern. The research was conducted out at the Climate Resilient Agriculture (CRA) the village in the Muzaffarpur region of Bihar. The purpose was to compare five distinct (TCE) utilization in the present rice–wheat-green gram cropping system. The study indicated that the TCE technique designated SN 5 (ZTDSR-HSZTW-HSG) resulted in the greatest yields across all crops, with 15–18% greater rice yield, 20–25% higher wheat yield, and 20–22% higher green gram yield compared to other TCE methods. Additionally, SN 5 produced 20.2% larger net returns employing a conservation agriculture (CA)-based system compared to the conventional technique. These results suggest that CA-based TCE outperformed conventional approaches in terms of net returns and overall efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Only scattered information is available on the tillage and nutrient management information for the sesame crop following rice in the literature. Sesame as an edible oil yielding crop with high levels of unsaturated fatty acids has high international demand due to superior health benefits. Being a small seeded crop, it requires standard tillage and nutrient management to obtain optimum productivity under rice fallow ecologies. As a sequential crop after rice harvest, the tillage and nutrient management practices followed for the preceding rice have astounding effects on the succeeding sesame crop. To better understand and manipulate the agro ecology in the rice fallow culture, it is necessary to study the behaviour of sesame cultivars, in relation to the tillage requirements and macro nutrient factors that have a bearing on the productivity. Methods: The aim of this work was to evaluate the productivity of rice fallow sesame in the southern plateau and hills regions of the Indian sub-continent (Tamil Nadu) with a hypothesis that tillage and nutrient management would immensely benefit the sesame crop. Field experiments were conducted at TNAU, Tamil Nadu Rice Research Institute, Aduturai, Tamil Nadu during 2019–2020 and 2020–2021 with tillage practices (reduced tillage, conventional tillage and zero tillage) and fertilizer doses (zero percent RDF, 25% RDF, 50% RDF, 75% RDF and 100% RDF) in a split plot design replicated thrice. Results: The results have clearly indicated that the performance of rice fallow sesame was poor under zero till conditions as the sesame crop is poorly adapted leading to a yield penalty up to 68%. A total of 75% RDF has yielded statistically similar yield to that of 100% RDF to the rice fallow sesame. Further, neither the oil content nor the fatty acid composition was modified by tillage and nutrient management regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In cereal-based farming, there is significant influence of tillage and residue incorporation as sustainable practices, although their role in crop production is still unclear. Two field trials were executed during winter seasons to evaluate the best-performing crop residue and tillage system for the nutrition and yield of rice at the Soil Science Field Laboratory of Bangladesh Agricultural University. In the first trial, residues from soybean, black gram, and rice were incorporated into the soil with 75% recommended fertilizer doses (RFD). The grain yields were 5.97, 6.21, and 6.10 t ha−1, respectively in rice, soybean, and black gram residue-treated plots, which were increased by 77.15, 84.27, and 81.01%, respectively, over the control. In the second trial, the residues from black gram and rice were incorporated with 100% RFD under conventional tillage (CT) and minimum tillage (MT) for two years, where CT with black gram residue plus 100% fertilizer (CT-I2) exhibited the highest grain yield of 6.69 and 6.88 t ha−1, increasing by 7.61% and 8% over 100% RFD. Both CT and MT performed similarly, and their combination with legume residue strongly influenced crop performance and nutrient uptake. Therefore, incorporating legume residue under minimum tillage can be a sustainable approach for better rice yield and nutritional uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Irrigation with recycled wastewater increases the organic substance of the soil. Thus, the effect of the increased organic substance on the physical and hydraulic properties of the soil can be developed with different irrigation water quantities and soil tillage treatments. In this study, the effect of increased organic matter was determined after a two-year study carried out on a silage maize field irrigated at varying irrigation water levels of recycled wastewater (RWW) (100%, 67%, and 33% irrigation levels with RWW) and freshwater (FW) (100% irrigation level with FW) under direct sowing (DS) and conventional tillage (CT). RWW is compared to FW, the bulk density at 100% irrigation level was 1.5% lower, while porosity, aggregate stability, field capacity, wilting point, and available water were significantly higher by 1.9%, 12.0%, 2.8%, 2.2%, and 3.6%, respectively. Bulk density, aggregate stability, field capacity, wilting point, and available water were 1.5%, 4.3%, 3.3%, 2.2%, and 4.2% were significantly higher in DS according to CT, respectively, while porosity was 1.5% lower. These effects can be attributed to the RWW irrigation under DS due to the organic matter content in DS which was 1.1% higher than with CT, while RWW increased the organic matter content by 17% according to FW between full irrigations. As a result of the study, it was concluded that 100% irrigation levels using RWW directly within the scope of DS may be a practical approach to improve the physical and hydraulic properties of the silage maize field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A decline in rainfall as a source of agricultural water has affected and will continue to affect sustainable crop production globally including in Hungary. Conservation of the greatest water reservoir is important for the sustainable development of agriculture in Hungary. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the different tillage methods on soil moisture content, grain yield, and root weight of wheat (Triticum aestivum) and sunflower (Helianthus annuus) under rainfed conditions. A field study was conducted at the Józsefmajor Experimental and Training Farm (JM) of the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences near Hatvan. The experiment consisted of six tillage treatments: disking (D, 16 cm), shallow cultivation (SC, 20 cm), no-till (NT), deep cultivation (DC, 25 cm), loosening (L, 45 cm), and plowing (P, 30 cm). Soil moisture content (SMC) was measured monthly, and grain yield and root weight were measured at the end of the cropping period. Our results showed no significant difference in SMC between conservation and conventional tillage methods in 2018. However, in 2021, greater SMC was significantly conserved under NT compared to P. Regarding the sampling date, a significant increase in moisture with time was observed. A significantly lower SMC was observed on 3 June 2019 between L and D. while on the 9 September 2020, SMC significantly differed between P and all the other treatments (D, SC, NT, DC, and L). Interestingly in 2018, SMC was significantly lower at 10–20 cm depth between L and D. Notably the effect of depth on SMC was observed as moisture significantly increased with increasing depth in all tillage treatments. Root weight was greatest at DC (1.54 t ha−1) in 2018 and under L (3.89 t ha−1) in 2021. Similarly, wheat grain yield was greatest at DC (2.48 t ha−1) in 2018, while sunflower yield in 2021 was greatest at L (3.86 t ha−1). It is comprehensible that conservation tillage methods such as L and NT can increase SMC and grain yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contextualization: The cultivation of rice (Oryza sativa L.) throughout its vegetative process generates an increase in bulk density and penetration resistance of soil. Rice crop production costs are distributed in soil preparation and adaptation (20%), planting (10%), cultural work, including irrigation and application of inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides (50%), and harvesting (20%). Preparation is a representative component on which it is possible to have an impact to reduce it. Knowledge gap: As it is a high economic yield crop and not very technified in the department of Huila (Colombia), it is sought to implement conservation plows that provide economic and environmental benefits to the community. Purpose: Aiming to promote more sustainable production and agriculture and to improve mechanized tillage techniques in the municipality of Palermo, it was proposed to evaluate the physical properties of the soil and the yield of the rice crop, modifying conventional harrow preparation with the use of tiller. Methodology: The experimental area of one hectare was divided into experimental plots, T1: One pass of vibratory tiller, and T2: Two passes of conventional plowing (harrow). The physical properties of the soil were evaluated (True density, bulk density, porosity, and texture) and the phenological monitoring of the crop development was carried out (germination, maximum tillering, maximum panicle formation, maturity, and harvest). Soil tests were conducted before and after tillage between 15 and 20 cm depth. The statistical analysis was performed using the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and the techno-economic analysis was carried out based on production and operating costs between the two types of tillage. Results and conclusions: The results showed that after soil preparation, bulk density decreased by 5.0% for T1 and 13.5% for T2; these effects also led to an increase in porosity of 13.6% and 29.34%, respectively, and production costs of USD1159.9 for T1 and USD1222.2 for T2. At the end of the study, it was concluded that, when evaluating yield at harvest, there were no significant differences in production because of mechanized tillage. However, a statistical difference was observed between the cost of conventional and reduced tillage, the latter being 148.9% more economical and less aggressive for the soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land degradation is a major problem in Ethiopia, as it contributes to climate change by releasing greenhouse gases (GHG) and slowing carbon sequestration rates. The objective of this review was to assess the role of conservation agriculture (CA) in climate change adaptation and mitigation in Ethiopia. The critical review method processes for identifying and synthesizing peer-reviewed research and review articles, reports, proceedings, and book chapters were followed, with materials obtained from relevant search engines. The findings of the various reports revealed that minimum tillage assists in soil moisture conservation when compared to conventional tillage. Conservation tillage maintains crop residue, reduces soil temperature significantly, and increases nutrient buildup in the surface soil layer, all of which lead to higher crop growth and production thus help as adaptation to climate change. Furthermore, agriculture and other land uses significantly contribute to greenhouse gas emissions; nevertheless, conservation agricultural methods improve soil organic carbon (SOC), soil aggregation, and carbon in aggregate, as well as soil health that contribute to climate changing mitigation. Several studies found that soil health indicators such as soil aggregation, soil organic carbon storage, soil enzymes, and microbial biomass improved under conservation tillage practices, potentially improving the carbon-nitrogen cycle, soil stability, and overall crop productivity. In terms of climate adaptation and mitigation, CA is one of the non-substitutable choices for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Crop diversity, increased nitrogen consumption efficiency, crop rotation, improved soil carbon sequestration methods; crop residue retention, minimum soil disturbance, manure incorporation, and integrated farming systems are all important factors in minimizing GHG emissions. Moreover, factors impeding CA adoption include a lack of appropriate equipment and machinery, weed control methods, the use of crop residue for fuel wood and animal feed, a lack of awareness about the benefits of CA on soil health and sustainability, and a lack of government technical and financial support for smallholder farmers. Adoption and scaling up of CA practices are critical for ensuring a sustainable development goal and resilient future. Thus, relevant stakeholders should consider the aforementioned considerations while promoting the technology on a large scale through integration with enhanced technology.

Conservation agriculture is an innovative approach based on minimal soil disturbance, soil cover with crop residues, and crop rotation, which increases the biodiversity of soil macrofauna thus contributing to nutrient cycling and soil aggregation. In addition, macrofaunal abundance may play a role at regulating insect pest populations. The study aims to predict the effects of soil management practices (conventional tillage and conservation agriculture) on the abundance of soil macrofauna and herbivore predation in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) based cropping systems. We conducted a field experiment with a randomized complete block comprising two treatments, Conventional Tillage (CT) and Conservation Agriculture (CA), and six replications in a cotton-maize rotation system from 2020 to 2023. Soil monoliths and pitfall traps were installed in both treatments to collect ground-dwelling arthropods, to analyse the influence of soil management practices on their abundance, their trophic groups, and the rate of pest predation by generalist predators. Pest predation rates were assessed using artificial caterpillars made from plasticine. The results showed significant positive effects of soil management practices on herbivory rate, herbivore abundance, predator abundance, omnivore-predator abundance and pest predation rate. The average herbivory rate was 9.8 % in the conservation agriculture plots and 11.6 % in the conventional tillage plots. Overall, the predation rate was 58.9 % in the conservation agriculture plots and 21.8 % in the conventional tillage plots. The abundance of predators and of omnivore-predators were significantly higher in conservation agriculture than in conventional tillage. These findings suggest that conservation agriculture practices improve soil macrofauna and pest regulation, with potential benefits on soil quality and sustainability in cotton cropping systems.

The unstable yield of agricultural crops arises due to insufficient soil moisture supply at crucial moments of plant emergence and growth, complicating agriculture and exposing it to the risk of crop losses. The purpose of the study is to determine the impact of the soil tillage system and previous crops on the productivity of spring barley plants. This was a long-term stationary experiment (2021-2023) with the application of statistical data processing. The influence of four previous crops was investigated – grain maize (control), soybeans, winter rapeseed, and sunflower – and three main soil tillage methods. It is established that the highest significant moisture reserves in the 0-100 cm soil layer at the sowing period were formed when spring barley was placed after soybeans, exceeding the control variant (grain maize) by 3.2 mm in 2021, 3.6 mm in 2022, and 3.4 mm in 2023, and after winter rapeseed by 8.5 mm, 6 mm, and 5.7 mm, respectively, over the years. The use of shallow no-till cultivation provided an advantage over the control (ploughing) in all years of observation: by 2.2 mm in 2021, 1.8 mm in 2022, and 8.8 mm in 2023. During the sowing period of the studied crop, the control surpassed only surface no-till cultivation by 2.7 mm in 2022. The optimal option should be considered the combination of soybeans as a previous crop with shallow no-till soil cultivation at 14-16 cm, which ensured moisture reserves during the earing period of the crop in 2021 – 75.1 mm, in 2022 – 93.2 mm, and in 2023 – 92.2 mm, and at the time of harvest, these indicators were 60.7 mm, 67.3 mm, and 60.0 mm, respectively. The grain yield of spring barley under this option was the highest in the experiment, averaging 7.26 t/ha, which is 27.3% higher than the control. The results of the study can be used to realise the genetic potential of spring barley plants to form stable productivity

Abstract Background The rice-wheat cropping system is the prevailing agricultural method in the North-Western states of India, namely in the Indo-Gangetic plains. The practice of open burning of rice residue is frequently employed for expedient land preparation, but it has significant adverse impacts on both the environment and human health. These include the emission of greenhouse gases, loss of nutrients, elevated concentrations of particulate matter (PM), and disruption of the biological cycle. This research aims to investigate the implementation of effective management strategies in the rice-wheat cropping system, namely via the use of tillage-based crop cultivation techniques, stubble retention, and integration approaches. The objective is to enhance soil health features in order to augment crop yield and improve its attributes. Results The research was carried out using a split plot experimental design, consisting of three replications. The main plot consisted of four different cultivation methods, while the subplot included three genotypes of both rice and wheat. The research demonstrates the enhanced efficacy of residue application is significantly augmenting soil nutrient concentrations compared to standard tillage practices (P

Interest in improving the long-term sustainability of agricultural production systems has focused on identifying management practices that promote soil health. No tillage, cover cropping, and amending soils with broiler (Gallus gallus domesticus L.) litter are commonly adopted conservation practices that have been shown to improve soil fertility and crop yield. However, the overall influence of these conservation practices on soil health in the southeastern US are not well understood. Thus, a study was conducted to evaluate the influence of tillage, broiler litter (BL) applications, and cropping systems on soil biochemical properties. Soils were collected from field research plots under long-term management (>than 25 years of tillage, 15 years of broiler litter application, and 15 years of cropping system). Soil microbial biomass, C, N, and P, amidohydrolases, and dissolved organic matter (DOM) were evaluated as indicators of soil health. Adopting tillage and BL into the agricultural management system modified the biochemical parameters of the soils evaluated. Most of these modifications occurred in the 0–5 cm depth. Higher microbial biomass carbon (MBC; 85%) and nitrogen (MBN; 10%) and enzyme activities of asparaginase (65%) and glutaminase (70%) were observed in the 0–5 cm depth under no tillage (NT) compared to conventional tillage (CT), indicating greater biological activities were established in these soil ecosystems. Broiler litter applications increased microbial biomass N and activities of asparaginase and glutaminase in both soil depths. In addition, microbial biomass phosphorus (MBP) was increased following BL application in the 0–5 cm depth. The results suggest that long-term management of NT and BL additions can improve the health of eroded southeastern US soils by altering the soil biochemical parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change significantly affects crop production and is a threat to global food security. Conventional tillage (CT) is the primary tillage practice in rain-fed areas to conserve soil moisture. Despite previous research on the effect of tillage methods on different cropping systems, a comparison of tillage methods on soil water storage, crop yield and crop water use in wheat (Triticum aestivum) and maize (Zea mays) under different soil textures, precipitation and temperature patterns is needed. We reviewed 119 published articles and used meta-analysis to assess the effects of three conservation tillage practices (NT, no-tillage; RT, reduced tillage; ST, subsoil tillage), on precipitation storage efficiency (PSE), soil water storage at crop planting (SWSp), grain yield, evapotranspiration (ET) and water use efficiency (WUE) under varying precipitation and temperature patterns and soil textures in dryland wheat and maize, with CT as the control treatment. Conservation tillage methods increased PSE, SWSp, grain yield, ET and WUE in both winter wheat-fallow and spring maize cropping systems. More precipitation water was conserved in fine-textured soils than in medium-textured and coarse-textured soils, which improved ET. Conservation tillage increased soil water conservation and yield under high mean annual precipitation (MAP) and moderate mean annual temperature (MAT) conditions in winter wheat. However, soil water conservation and yield were greater under MAP <400 mm and moderate MAT. We conclude that conservation tillage could be promising for increasing precipitation storage, soil water conservation and crop yield in regions with medium to low MAPs and medium to high MATs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural management practices alter soil characteristics and influence soil biological properties. Hence, a field trial was carried out to assess the 14-year long-term impact of tillage and residue management practices on soil biological activities and microbial population in a rice-wheat cropping system in two depths viz., 0-15 and 15-30 cm. Soil organic carbon levels differed significantly (p > 0.05) across various treatments. Microbial biomass carbon, microbial quotient, and soil enzymatic activities were significantly greater (10-82%) in crop residue incorporation/retention treatments. Zero tillage with residue retention (ZT+R) had the greatest bacterial, actinomycetes, and fungi population, followed by reduced tillage with residue incorporation (RT+R). The ZT+R treatment had the greatest value of K-strategist and r-strategist, and was equivalent to RT+R across both soil depths. When compared to conventional tillage (CT), zero tillage (ZT) increased wheat yield by 9%. However, compared to CT, rice and rice-wheat systems had lower grain yields, whereas crop residue increased wheat and rice-wheat system yields by 10% and 6%, respectively. The findings of this long-term study show that residue management and tillage practices can enhance soil biological attributes while also supporting microbial diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The percent canopy cover and health of winter wheat are important crop performance indicators. Thus, understanding how tillage management practices affect these indicators is beneficial for improving crop performance and consequently yield. The availability of high-resolution drone data with spectral characteristics provides an opportunity to examine the percent canopy cover and health of winter wheat in different tillage systems. This is because the use of drones provides real-time high spatial resolution and temporal images to effectively monitor winter wheat conditions throughout the growing season. Nonetheless, very limited studies have utilized drone data for assessing the percent canopy cover and health conditions of winter wheat for different tillage practices. This study aimed to examine the percent canopy cover and health of winter wheat in no-till and conventional tillage plots using a drone. We used the mean Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) ± Standard Deviation (SD) (0.89 ± 0.04) of winter wheat for the growth stages of tillering, jointing, and boot/heading to generate the percent wheat canopy cover. The Normalized Difference Red-Edge (NDRE) produced for winter wheat at the middle and late growth stages was used as a proxy for wheat health condition. We found that the mean percentage canopy cover of winter wheat was about 4% higher in no-till compared to conventional tillage plots in most of the growing season. The mean NDRE ± standard error (SE) of winter wheat was about 0.44 ± 0.01 and 0.43 ± 0.01 for no-till and conventional tillage plots, respectively, during the mid- and late growth stages. There was no significant difference in either the percent canopy cover or health of winter wheat between no-till and conventional tillage plots. The results generated in this study could be used to support farmers' decision-making process regarding tillage practices and wheat crop performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The rice-wheat cropping system is the prevailing agricultural method in the North-Western states of India, namely in the Indo-Gangetic plains. The practice of open burning of rice residue is frequently employed for expedient land preparation, but it has significant adverse impacts on both the environment and human health. These include the emission of greenhouse gases, loss of nutrients, elevated concentrations of particulate matter (PM), and disruption of the biological cycle. This research aims to investigate the implementation of effective management strategies in the rice-wheat cropping system, namely via the use of tillage-based crop cultivation techniques, stubble retention, and integration approaches. The objective is to enhance soil health features in order to augment crop yield and improve its attributes. Results: The research was carried out using a split plot experimental design, consisting of three replications. The main plot consisted of four different cultivation methods, while the subplot included three genotypes of both rice and wheat. The research demonstrates the enhanced efficacy of residue application is significantly augmenting soil nutrient concentrations compared to standard tillage practices (P < 0.05). This was accomplished by an analysis of soil nutrient levels, namely nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and organic carbon (OC), at a depth of 0–15 cm. The implementation of natural farming, zero tillage, and reduced tillage practices resulted in decreases in rice grain yields of 34.0%, 16.1%, and 10.8%, respectively, as compared to conventional tillage methods. Similarly, the implementation of natural farming, zero tillage, and reduced tillage resulted in reductions in wheat grain yields of 59.4%, 10.9%, and 4.6% respectively, in comparison to conventional tillage practices. Conclusion: Regarding the individual crop genotypes investigated, it was continuously observed that Him Palam Lal Dhan 1 and HPW 368 displayed considerably greater grain yields for both rice and wheat during the two-year experimental period. Furthermore, when considering different cultivation methods, conventional tillage emerged as the most effective approach for obtaining higher productivity in both rice and wheat. Additionally, Him Palam Lal Dhan 1 and HPW 368 exhibited superior performance in terms of various crucial yield components for rice (such as panicle density, grains per panicle, panicle weight, and test weight) and wheat (including effective tiller density, grains per spike, spike weight, and 1000-grain weight). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop sequence and tillage can affect the yield of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) and other crops. Research was conducted from 2006 through 2022 to determine the response of peanut to previous crop sequences including corn (Zea mays L.) and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) planted in continuous conventional tillage (e.g., disking, field cultivating, and bedding with in-row sub-soiling) or strip tillage (e.g., tilling a 45 cm section on rows spaced 91 cm apart using fluted coulters, rolling baskets, and in-row sub-soiling). In 2013, 2019, and 2022, the entire test area was planted with peanut. In 2019 and 2022, peanut was planted without or with fluopyram applied in the seed furrow at planting. Decreasing the number of years between peanut planting resulted in lower peanut yields compared with fewer years of peanut planting in the rotation sequence. Continuous conventional tillage and strip tillage resulted in similar peanut yields at one location, while the yield was lower at a second location when peanut was planted in continuous strip tillage. Fluopyram did not affect peanut yield regardless of previous crop rotation sequence, the number of years separating peanut plantings, or the tillage system. However, minor differences in the populations of plant-parasitic nematodes in soil were noted when comparing fluopyram treatment. The results from these experiments indicate that while fluopyram can reduce the populations of some plant-parasitic nematodes in soil, the magnitude of reduction does not translate into increases in peanut yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field study was conducted to assess the effect of tillage systems (TSs) and manure rates (MRs) on sunflower growth and yield at the University of Limpopo Experimental Farm (Syferkuil) which is on sandy loam soils and University of Venda Experimental Farm (UNIVEN) clayey soils, both located in Limpopo Province of South Africa for 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 cropping seasons. The experimental design was a split plot with three replications. The main plot was the tillage treatments: conventional (CON) and in-field rainwater harvesting (IRWH), while the subplots were the manure treatments: viz. poultry and cattle manures at rates of 20 and 35 t ha−10, plus a control (no manure application). The IRWH is a tillage technique that collects rainwater on a 2 m wide runoff strip into the 1 m wide basin where it infiltrates deep into the soil beyond the evaporation zone but is available for crop use. The results revealed that at Syferkuil IRWH had a significant increase (p < 0.05) on grain yield, head diameter, head dry matter and aboveground dry matter yield in both cropping seasons, whereas at UNIVEN, the significant increase was obtained on grain yield, head diameter, aboveground dry matter, plant height and stem girth during both cropping seasons. The effect of manure rate significantly increased with the application rate, with poultry manure at the highest rate of 35 t ha−1 significantly recording high mean values of grain yield, head diameter, head dry matter, aboveground dry matter, plant height and stem girth at both sites during the two cropping seasons. The increase in leaf area index and 100 seed weight by IRWH and manure rate application varied across the growing stages and cropping seasons with no consistent trend. At Syferkuil, TS and MR interaction was significant on head diameter and on aboveground dry matter at flowering stage in the first cropping season, whereas at UNIVEN, it was significant on head diameter in the first cropping season. Therefore, these results suggest that IRWH combined with poultry manure (35 t ha−1) can be adopted to improve sunflower crop yield under similar management and environmental conditions. In the absence of poultry manure, farmers may opt to use cattle manure at a rate of 35 t ha−1 for better improved yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unstable yield of agricultural crops arises due to insufficient soil moisture supply at crucial moments of plant emergence and growth, complicating agriculture and exposing it to the risk of crop losses. The purpose of the study is to determine the impact of the soil tillage system and previous crops on the productivity of spring barley plants. This was a long-term stationary experiment (2021-2023) with the application of statistical data processing. The influence of four previous crops was investigated - grain maize (control), soybeans, winter rapeseed, and sunflower - and three main soil tillage methods. It is established that the highest significant moisture reserves in the 0-100 cm soil layer at the sowing period were formed when spring barley was placed after soybeans, exceeding the control variant (grain maize) by 3.2 mm in 2021, 3.6 mm in 2022, and 3.4 mm in 2023, and after winter rapeseed by 8.5 mm, 6 mm, and 5.7 mm, respectively, over the years. The use of shallow no-till cultivation provided an advantage over the control (ploughing) in all years of observation: by 2.2 mm in 2021, 1.8 mm in 2022, and 8.8 mm in 2023. During the sowing period of the studied crop, the control surpassed only surface no-till cultivation by 2.7 mm in 2022. The optimal option should be considered the combination of soybeans as a previous crop with shallow no-till soil cultivation at 14-16 cm, which ensured moisture reserves during the earing period of the crop in 2021 - 75.1 mm, in 2022 - 93.2 mm, and in 2023 - 92.2 mm, and at the time of harvest, these indicators were 60.7 mm, 67.3 mm, and 60.0 mm, respectively. The grain yield of spring barley under this option was the highest in the experiment, averaging 7.26 t/ha, which is 27.3% higher than the control. The results of the study can be used to realise the genetic potential of spring barley plants to form stable productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to climate change projections, global temperatures would increase by 2°C by 2070, and agriculture is expected to be among the most affected sectors, particularly intensive field crops like cereals. Therefore, researchers need to investigate the most cost‐effective agricultural strategies that can prevent production losses and ensure global food security. This study aimed to identify the limiting factors of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. subsp. Durum (Desf.) Husn.) yield production under Mediterranean conditions. Durum wheat yield data of over 5 years (2017–2022), from a 30‐year rainfed long‐term experiment conducted in the 'Pasquale Rosati' experimental farm of the Polytechnic University of Marche in Agugliano, Italy (43°32' N, 13°22′ E, 100 a.s.l.) on Calcaric Gleyic Cambisols with a silt‐clay texture, were analysed and compared with the recorded thermo‐pluviometric trend. The field trial included two soil managements (no tillage vs. conventional tillage) and three Nitrogen (N) fertilization levels (0, 90, and 180 kg N ha−1). The most important driver for durum wheat production was N fertilization. However, in the absence of N fertilization, no tillage showed a higher yield (+1.2 t ha−1) than conventional tillage due to the accumulation of organic matter in the soil. When wheat was fertilized with 90 kg N ha−1, no tillage resulted in 25% yield more than conventional tillage (+1.2 t ha−1), but this occurred only when the increase in temperatures was constant from January until harvest (this happened in 3 of 5 years of monitoring). The non‐constant increase in temperature from January to wheat harvest may hamper crop phenological development and reduce the potential yield. The highest fertilization rate (180 Kg N ha−1) resulted in the highest wheat yields regardless of soil management and thermo‐pluviometric trends (5.78 t ha−1). After N fertilization and soil management, the minimum and maximum temperature in February and the maximum temperature in April were crucial for durum wheat production under Mediterranean condition. When there is non‐constant increase in temperature from January to wheat harvest no‐tillage should be preferred over conventional tillage because wheat yields did not reduce under no tillage. Thus, agricultural policies that support the switch from conventional tillage to no‐tillage management should be promoted to enable food security in Mediterranean environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Only scattered information is available on the tillage and nutrient management information for the sesame crop following rice in the literature. Sesame as an edible oil yielding crop with high levels of unsaturated fatty acids has high international demand due to superior health benefits. Being a small seeded crop, it requires standard tillage and nutrient management to obtain optimum productivity under rice fallow ecologies. As a sequential crop after rice harvest, the tillage and nutrient management practices followed for the preceding rice have astounding effects on the succeeding sesame crop. To better understand and manipulate the agro ecology in the rice fallow culture, it is necessary to study the behaviour of sesame cultivars, in relation to the tillage requirements and macro nutrient factors that have a bearing on the productivity. Methods The aim of this work was to evaluate the productivity of rice fallow sesame in the southern plateau and hills regions of the Indian sub-continent (Tamil Nadu) with a hypothesis that tillage and nutrient management would immensely benefit the sesame crop. Field experiments were conducted at TNAU, Tamil Nadu Rice Research Institute, Aduturai, Tamil Nadu during 2019–2020 and 2020–2021 with tillage practices (reduced tillage, conventional tillage and zero tillage) and fertilizer doses (zero percent RDF, 25% RDF, 50% RDF, 75% RDF and 100% RDF) in a split plot design replicated thrice. Results The results have clearly indicated that the performance of rice fallow sesame was poor under zero till conditions as the sesame crop is poorly adapted leading to a yield penalty up to 68%. A total of 75% RDF has yielded statistically similar yield to that of 100% RDF to the rice fallow sesame. Further, neither the oil content nor the fatty acid composition was modified by tillage and nutrient management regimes.

Tillage management that minimizes the frequency and intensity of soil disturbance can increase soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) sequestration and improve the resilience of dryland cropping systems, yet the impact of occasional disturbance on soil aggregate formation and the soil organic carbon (SOC) storage within aggregates has not been studied well. We evaluated the effect of four tillage management practices on soil dry aggregate size distribution, aggregate-protected C and N, mineral-associated organic matter carbon (MAOM-C), particulate organic matter carbon (POM-C), and corn (Zea mays L.) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) yields in a semi-arid dryland cropping system. Treatments included conventional tillage (CT), strip-tillage (ST), no-tillage (NT), and occasional tillage (OT) management in a corn-sorghum rotation. Soil macro-aggregates were 51–54% greater under ST, NT, and OT, while small and micro-aggregates were greater in CT. Conventional tillage reduced soil aggregate-associated C by 28–31% in macro-aggregates and 47–53% in small aggregates at 26 months (M) sampling compared to ST, NT, and OT. In clay + silt fraction, CT had 14–16%, 21–26%, and 36–43% less SOC at 7, 14, and 26M samplings, respectively, than ST, NT, and OT. Aggregate associated N was generally similar under ST, NT, and OT, which was greater on average than CT. Soil MOAM-C and POM-C under ST, NT, and OT were generally greater than respective SOC fractions under CT at 19 and 26 M after OT implementation. Corn and sorghum yields were similar among tillage systems in 2020, but greater under ST, NT, and OT than CT in 2021. Our results suggest that while frequent intensive tillage can lower SOC and N storage, a single stubble mulch occasional tillage after several years of NT does not lead to soil C and N losses and soil structural instability in semi-arid drylands.

Tillage is one of the major factors affecting soil biological activity, resulting in changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) content, providing for carbon sequestration and shifts in carbon dioxide emission from soils. Current climate change and aggravation of global warming through the increased emission of carbon dioxide are main driving forces for global transformation of agricultural practices in the direction of climate-smart agriculture (CSA), which requires the implementation of such crop cultivation practices that result in the minimization of SOC losses and carbon dioxide emissions. The magnitude and direction of different tillage practices affecting soil biological activity are different, therefore, the best tillage options should be chosen for implementation in national CSA systems to ensure achieving the global sustainability goals. This nationwide meta-analysis, conducted for tillage practices utilized in Ukrainian agriculture examines scientifically recorded effects of moldboard tillage depth, flat cutter and no-till options on soil respiration rates and cellulose decomposition intensity in dark-chestnut and chernozem soils of Ukraine. This meta-analysis enrolled 45 studies, which met the stipulated scientific quality criteria. Statistical processing was conducted through the standardized mean difference (SMD) model without subgroups at 95% confidence interval (CI). As a result, it was determined that there is subtle impact of moldboard tillage depth on soil biological activity, which is inconclusive and unclear. The similar results were obtained for the comparison between the tillage and no-till groups, where high heterogeneity of the dataset (I2 = 82.8%) resulted in low quality of evidence for the benefits of no-till in SOC sequestration. Besides, zero fail-safe numbers support the suggestion of low-quality evidence in favor of shallow plowing advantage over deep plowing, as well as no-till against tillage. As for the difference between the groups of moldboard and flat cutter tillage, it was established that there is strong enough evidence for the advantage of flat cutter tillage in terms of soil respiration rates and cellulose decomposition intensity reduction. Further studies in this direction are required to fill the gaps in current meta-analysis, especially in terms of no-till options and their effect on biological activity of Ukrainian soils in different cropping systems.

In order to support sugarcane growth for biofuel production without compromising the environmental sustainability, this work aims to assess the physical quality of soils cultivated under different long‐term tillage and management systems to identify the system that most contributes for a sustainable sugarcane production. Visual assessments and soil sampling to determine physical soil quality indicators were performed in sugarcane plots managed with no‐tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) with 0 (CT0–NT0) and 4 (CT4–NT4) Mg ha−1 of lime and in an adjoining area with native forest. In general, the results from traditional indicators showed no statistical difference between the different sugarcane cultivation systems and the different depths, so were not sensitive to identify the best tillage and management system in relation to soil physical quality for soils cultivated with sugarcane. However, even without statistical difference, three indicators presented limiting values for plant growth and development (Bd, ASW, and S index) in at least two sugarcane cultivation systems and one depth. Although all the systems showed a good soil structural quality in surface, the visual assessments suggest a poor and unsatisfactory soil structural quality in the subsurface of CT0, CT4, and NT0 (3.7 ± 0.2, 3.3 ± 0.6, and 3.7 ± 0.7 in Visual Evaluation of Soil Structure [VESS] and 2.2 ± 0.3, 3.1 ± 1.0, and 3.6 ± 1.1 in Rapid Diagnosis of Soil Structure [DRES], respectively), requiring immediate management changes, while structural quality in NT4 (2.6 ± 0.9 and 3.9 ± 0.7, in VESS and DRES, respectively) was considered good. Thus, NT4 is suggested as the tillage and management system that least compromises structural quality of soils cultivated with sugarcane, and it is considered a viable alternative to promote soil conservation, as well as environmental and economical sustainability for sugarcane cultivation, as this system corrects soil acidity, minimally disturbs the soil, and maintains the soil cover, thus delivering ecosystem services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tillage is one of the major factors affecting soil biological activity, resulting in changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) content, providing for carbon sequestration and shifts in carbon dioxide emission from soils. Current climate change and aggravation of global warming through the increased emission of carbon dioxide are main driving forces for global transformation of agricultural practices in the direction of climate-smart agriculture (CSA), which requires the implementation of such crop cultivation practices that result in the minimization of SOC losses and carbon dioxide emissions. The magnitude and direction of different tillage practices affecting soil biological activity are different, therefore, the best tillage options should be chosen for implementation in national CSA systems to ensure achieving the global sustainability goals. This nationwide meta-analysis, conducted for tillage practices utilized in Ukrainian agriculture examines scientifically recorded effects of moldboard tillage depth, flat cutter and no-till options on soil respiration rates and cellulose decomposition intensity in dark-chestnut and chernozem soils of Ukraine. This meta-analysis enrolled 45 studies, which met the stipulated scientific quality criteria. Statistical processing was conducted through the standardized mean difference (SMD) model without subgroups at 95% confidence interval (CI). As a result, it was determined that there is subtle impact of moldboard tillage depth on soil biological activity, which is inconclusive and unclear. The similar results were obtained for the comparison between the tillage and no-till groups, where high heterogeneity of the dataset (I² = 82.8%) resulted in low quality of evidence for the benefits of no-till in SOC sequestration. Besides, zero fail-safe numbers support the suggestion of low-quality evidence in favor of shallow plowing advantage over deep plowing, as well as no-till against tillage. As for the difference between the groups of moldboard and flat cutter tillage, it was established that there is strong enough evidence for the advantage of flat cutter tillage in terms of soil respiration rates and cellulose decomposition intensity reduction. Further studies in this direction are required to fill the gaps in current meta-analysis, especially in terms of no-till options and their effect on biological activity of Ukrainian soils in different cropping systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of the tillage system and consecutive application of swine slurry for seven years on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal abundance and infective propagules in Brazilian soil with crop rotation. Method: The spore density, the external mycelium, and the most probable number of infective propagules of mycorrhizal fungal abundance were assessed in soil samples from an Oxisol in a long-term field experiment in response to soil management (no-tillage and conventional tillage) and following successive application of swine slurry (0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 m³·ha-1·year-1). Results: A greater amount of external mycelium was observed in soil under no-tillage, while mycorrhizal fungal abundance spore density was greater in soil under conventional tillage. In soil under no-tillage, mycorrhizal fungal abundance infective propagules were more abundant; however, in soil with both management systems, this variable was reduced with different levels of swine slurry application. In no-tillage, the main source of mycorrhizal fungal abundance propagules is the external mycelium, while in conventional tillage, the main inoculum component is the spores. Conclusion: In this study, we verified that the application of swine slurry, with high phosphorus contents, reduces arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi propagules. However, these effects are mitigated in no-tillage systems compared to conventional tillage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reclamation in desert-oasis areas is effective for improving land productivity and ensuring food supply. However, the understanding of the sustainable productivity of soils under long-term conventional cultivation after desert reclamation is still poor. This study was conducted to determine soil structural properties, organic carbon stocks (SOCS) and nutrient stocks under four desert reclamation ages (0, 30, 60, and 100) in the arid region of northwest China, and evaluate the influence of long-term conventional cultivation on desert soil quality. The results indicated that soil structural stability index (SI) in topsoil improved after desert reclamation, but showed a slight downward trend after 60 years of cultivation, and farmland soil in the study area was still at serious risk of degradation (SI ≤ 5 %) overall. SOCS were enlarged by 4.2 times after desert reclamation, and nitrogen stocks (NS) and phosphorus stocks (PS) were increased by 1.2–6.5 times. However, the regression analysis showed that SOCS and NS in 0–40 cm soil layer and PS in topsoil stopped increasing after about 60-year conventional cultivation. Soil stoichiometry, pH and texture were the key factors affecting SOCS, NS and PS in oasis farmlands. In summary, our study emphasized that soil quality in arid areas was greatly improved after desert reclamation, however, long-term conventional agriculture management measures limited this improvement. Therefore, long-term conventional management of agricultural land in arid areas should introduce appropriate conservation measures to achieve sustainable soil productivity.

Conservation agriculture (CA), which could contribute to sustainable agriculture, maintains or improves soil nitrogen fertility by eliminating tillage (no-tillage). Quantitative assessment of soil constituents is enhanced by stable isotope techniques such as 15N, which are used to better understand nitrogen dynamics. This study was therefore carried out to assess the impact of tillage type and fertilizer application on soil and plant nitrogen fractionation. The trial consisted of two tillage types: no-tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT). Three nitrogen doses (82, 115, and 149 kg ha−1) were applied. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with three replications. The Louiza variety of durum wheat was used in this study. Soil nitrogen sequestration was assessed using the stable nitrogen isotope (15N) method. The statistical analysis (ANOVA) showed that, overall, there was no significant difference between tillage types and nitrogen doses for grain and straw yields and grain total nitrogen. In contrast, the effect of both factors and their interaction were significant for straw total nitrogen. There was no difference between tillage types for grain nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), even though NT was superior to CT by 3.5%, but nitrogen doses had a significant effect and a significant interaction with tillage type. When comparing nitrogen doses for each tillage type separately, results showed that the average NUE for grain was 20.5, 8.4, and 16.5%, respectively, for the three nitrogen doses for CT compared with 26.8, 19.0, and 30.6% for NT, indicating clearly the better performance of NT compared to CT. Regarding straw, the NUE is 3.2, 3.5, and 5.4% for CT compared with 3.4, 4.9, and 9.2% for NT. NUE in grain and straw under no-tillage was higher than under conventional tillage in all three nitrogen doses. These results show that soil conservation techniques such as no-tillage and the integrated application of nitrogen fertilizer can be good strategies for reducing soil nitrogen losses.

Microeukaryotes are vital for maintaining soil quality and ecosystem functioning, however, their communities are less studied than bacterial and fungal ones, especially by high throughput sequencing techniques. Alveolates are important members of soil microbial communities, being consumers and/or prey for other microorganisms. We studied alveolate diversity in soil under the undisturbed steppe (US) and cropped for wheat using two tillage practices (conventional, CT, and no-till, NT) by amplifying the ITS2 marker with ITS3_KYO2/ITS4 primers and sequencing amplicons using Illumina MiSeq. A total of 198 Alveolata OTUs were identified, with 158 OTUs attributed to the Ciliophora phylum, containing five classes: Litostomatea, Spirotrichea and Oligohymenophorea, Nassophorea and Phyllopharyngea. Litostomatea and Phyllopharyngea were more abundant in US as compared with CT and NT. The observed OTU richness was higher in US than in CT and NT. The β-biodiversity of soil ciliates also very distinctly differentiated the US field from CT and NT. In the US, Nassophorea and Spirotrichea correlated positively with sand and negatively with clay, silt and SOM contents. This is the first report about soil ciliates diversity in Siberia as assessed by metabarcoding technique. The revealed clear effect of land use on the relative abundance of some taxa and a lack of tillage effect suggest the importance of the quantity and quality of plant material input for shaping the prey for ciliates. The ITS-metabarcoding technique was used for the first time in the research of ciliates diversity; further studies, embracing diverse aspects of soil ciliates by combining -omics methodology with the traditional one, are needed to get a better insight on the ecological roles of the main ciliate taxa in the complex soil system.

Purpose: This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of the tillage system and consecutive application of swine slurry for seven years on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal abundance and infective propagules in Brazilian soil with crop rotation. Method: The spore density, the external mycelium, and the most probable number of infective propagules of mycorrhizal fungal abundance were assessed in soil samples from an Oxisol in a long-term field experiment in response to soil management (no-tillage and conventional tillage) and following successive application of swine slurry (0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 m3·ha-1·year-1). Results: A greater amount of external mycelium was observed in soil under no-tillage, while mycorrhizal fungal abundance spore density was greater in soil under conventional tillage. In soil under no-tillage, mycorrhizal fungal abundance infective propagules were more abundant; however, in soil with both management systems, this variable was reduced with different levels of swine slurry application. In no-tillage, the main source of mycorrhizal fungal abundance propagules is the external mycelium, while in conventional tillage, the main inoculum component is the spores. Conclusion: In this study, we verified that the application of swine slurry, with high phosphorus contents, reduces arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi propagules. However, these effects are mitigated in no-tillage systems compared to conventional tillage. Highlights Swine slurry application in soil reduces infective propagules of mycorrhizal arbuscular fungal. Soil disaggregation caused by conventional tillage increases sporulation and reduces infective propagules of mycorrhizal arbuscular fungal. Reduction of infective propagules of mycorrhizal arbuscular fungal under swine slurry application is mitigated in no-tillage systems.

A decline in rainfall as a source of agricultural water has affected and will continue to affect sustainable crop production globally including in Hungary. Conservation of the greatest water reservoir is important for the sustainable development of agriculture in Hungary. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the different tillage methods on soil moisture content, grain yield, and root weight of wheat (Triticum aestivum) and sunflower (Helianthus annuus) under rainfed conditions. A field study was conducted at the Józsefmajor Experimental and Training Farm (JM) of the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences near Hatvan. The experiment consisted of six tillage treatments: disking (D, 16 cm), shallow cultivation (SC, 20 cm), no-till (NT), deep cultivation (DC, 25 cm), loosening (L, 45 cm), and plowing (P, 30 cm). Soil moisture content (SMC) was measured monthly, and grain yield and root weight were measured at the end of the cropping period. Our results showed no significant difference in SMC between conservation and conventional tillage methods in 2018. However, in 2021, greater SMC was significantly conserved under NT compared to P. Regarding the sampling date, a significant increase in moisture with time was observed. A significantly lower SMC was observed on 3 June 2019 between L and D. while on the 9 September 2020, SMC significantly differed between P and all the other treatments (D, SC, NT, DC, and L). Interestingly in 2018, SMC was significantly lower at 10–20 cm depth between L and D. Notably the effect of depth on SMC was observed as moisture significantly increased with increasing depth in all tillage treatments. Root weight was greatest at DC (1.54 t ha−1) in 2018 and under L (3.89 t ha−1) in 2021. Similarly, wheat grain yield was greatest at DC (2.48 t ha−1) in 2018, while sunflower yield in 2021 was greatest at L (3.86 t ha−1). It is comprehensible that conservation tillage methods such as L and NT can increase SMC and grain yield.

Soil productivity and crop yield were examined in response to legume-based short crop rotation under conventional (CT) and no-till (NT) tillage practices in saline meadow-alluvial soils of the arid region in Bukhara, Uzbekistan. Compared with the CT treatment, crop yield was consistently higher under NT, i.e., winter wheat 9.63%, millet 9.9%, chickpea 3.8%, and maize 10.7% at the first experiment cycle during 2019–2021. A further crop productivity increase was observed at the second experiment cycle during 2021–2023 under NT when compared to CT, i.e., winter wheat 17.7%, millet 31.2%, chickpea 19.6%, and maize 19.1%. An increase in total phyto residue by 20.9% and root residue by 25% under NT compared to CT contributed to the improvement in soil structure and played a vital role in the sustained improvement of crop yields. In turn, the increased residue retention under NT facilitated soil porosity, structural stability, and water retention, thereby improving soil quality and organic matter content. Soil salinity more significantly decreased under NT than in CT, reducing salinity buildup by 18.9% at the 0–25 cm and 32.9% at the 75–100 cm soil profiles compared to CT. The total forms N and P were significantly increased under NT when compared to CT, while the efficiency of the applied crop rotation was essential. This study showed the essential role of the NT method with legume-based intensive cropping in the maintenance of soil health and crop yield, thereby touching on recent advances in agro-biotechnology and the sustainable land management of drylands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the rational use of rainfed lands in Southeast Kazakhstan, the practical study aimed to determine the influence of different cultivation methods on the water-physical properties of the soil. The results revealed that, on average, for two years, the reserve of productive moisture in the ground during the spring with plowing at 20-22 cm was 127.8-146.4 mm, with minimal tillage at 8-10 cm (132.3-157.0 mm), and with zero tillage (122.2-140.8 mm) for all studied crops. With insufficient rainfall in summer, the moisture reserve decreased to 21.5-26.2 mm with plowing, 23.5-28.0 mm with minimal tillage, and 27.8-37.6 mm with zero tillage. In the studied crops, the soil density in the arable soil layer (0-30 cm) showed significant variations depending on the methods of soil cultivation. In spring, the soil was in a loose and weakly compacted state (1.17-1.22 g/cm3), and during harvesting, it increased and became dense (1.29-1.32 g/cm3), especially with zero tillage. Soil tillage methods provided the best structural aggregate condition (58%-71%) during the growing season of the studied crops of agronomically valuable aggregates (0.25-10 mm). However, the maximum content of structural aggregates (69%-71%) was evident with zero tillage by sowing safflower, spring barley, and Sudan grass. It indicates the excellent aggregate state of the soil under natural conditions with these crops. However, its minimum amount (58%) occurred with plowing (20-22 cm) under safflower. The water-resistant aggregate content was highest in no-tillage variants of the studied crops, varying between 17.6%-18.9%. With plowing, the water resistance of aggregates decreased to 13.1% under different crops. Over two years of research, the highest average yield of spring barley (2.42 t/ha) emerged with minimal tillage, while the lowest grain yield of Sudan grass (0.67 t/ha) came from plowing. As a result, the highest grain yields of spring barley, peas, and safflower emanated with minimal tillage, while in the Sudanese grass, with zero tillage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Millets rank sixth among cereal grains which has a great potential in contributing to food and nutritional security. Little millet (Panicum sumatrense L.) a minor millet, quick germinating short duration crop, tolerant to drought, excess moisture and also rich in nutrients. Use of improved varieties under good agronomic management such as tillage practices, crop rotation, cropping system and fertilization by nutrient management through organic manures and foliar supplementation during critical stages helps in improving the soil fertility and maximize the crop productivity. Hence, there is a need to develop the organic nutrient management of minor millets for food production, nutritional security and maintaining the soil fertility as well as productivity. Based on this consideration, a new immersing attempt was made to develop and identify the suitable tillage practices and nutrient management practices on growth and yield of little millet. Methods: Field experiments were conducted in the research farm of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore during summer and rabi season 2022 in order to investigate the growth and yield performances of irrigated little millet under tillage and different nutrient sources. The experiment was laid out in strip plot design with 2 main plot and 7 sub-plot treatments. The main plot consist of tillage practices viz., conventional tillage and farmer's practices whereas sub-plot consist of nutrient management practices includes organic manures along with foliar nutrition. Result: The results revealed that conventional tillage (Disc plough + Cultivator + Rotovator) with application of enriched vermicompost @ 1 t ha-1 followed by foliar spray of 3% panchagavya on 30th DAS and 5% of egg amino acid on 45th DAS had greater effect on growth parameters and yield attributes of little millet during summer and rabi season, 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation agriculture (CA), which could contribute to sustainable agriculture, maintains or improves soil nitrogen fertility by eliminating tillage (no-tillage). Quantitative assessment of soil constituents is enhanced by stable isotope techniques such as 15N, which are used to better understand nitrogen dynamics. This study was therefore carried out to assess the impact of tillage type and fertilizer application on soil and plant nitrogen fractionation. The trial consisted of two tillage types: no-tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT). Three nitrogen doses (82, 115, and 149 kg ha−1) were applied. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with three replications. The Louiza variety of durum wheat was used in this study. Soil nitrogen sequestration was assessed using the stable nitrogen isotope (15N) method. The statistical analysis (ANOVA) showed that, overall, there was no significant difference between tillage types and nitrogen doses for grain and straw yields and grain total nitrogen. In contrast, the effect of both factors and their interaction were significant for straw total nitrogen. There was no difference between tillage types for grain nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), even though NT was superior to CT by 3.5%, but nitrogen doses had a significant effect and a significant interaction with tillage type. When comparing nitrogen doses for each tillage type separately, results showed that the average NUE for grain was 20.5, 8.4, and 16.5%, respectively, for the three nitrogen doses for CT compared with 26.8, 19.0, and 30.6% for NT, indicating clearly the better performance of NT compared to CT. Regarding straw, the NUE is 3.2, 3.5, and 5.4% for CT compared with 3.4, 4.9, and 9.2% for NT. NUE in grain and straw under no-tillage was higher than under conventional tillage in all three nitrogen doses. These results show that soil conservation techniques such as no-tillage and the integrated application of nitrogen fertilizer can be good strategies for reducing soil nitrogen losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selection of appropriate tillage practices is crucial for better seed placement, resulting in better emergence and a more prosperous crop. Conventional tillage practice changes the characteristics of soils such as bulk density (BD) and moisture. In this context, conventional tillage can cause soil organic matter to rapidly mineralize and lead to the loss of soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N). Conservation tillage is an agronomic practice that maintains soil properties such as soil structure, aggregation, aggregate stability, and porosity. However, conservation tillage CST methods could result in a reduction in pore space and an increase in soil strength and need time before reaping the desired benefits. No-tillage (NT) as a type of CST practice allows for an earlier seeding procedure compared to traditional tillage, since direct seeding does not require tillage prior to seeding, furthermore can reduce planting costs. No-till farming can severely impact soil in multiple ways, including increased nutrient stratification and increased (BD). No-till adoption may result in the layering of inorganic N and other nutrients. Through periodic soil disturbances, those nutrients will be redistributed. Researchers have shown great changeability in maize yield response to various tillage treatments, which are often determined by preceding crops and physical soil drainage characteristics. Maize growers, however, are still concerned about yield variability with tillage methods. The purpose of this paper is to summarize literature concerning tillage practices and their interaction effects on the soil environment. Additionally, to describe how different tillage practices affect yield and identify areas that require further study [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives Wheat plays a dominant role in global food security as it contributes almost 20% of the total dietary calories and proteins worldwide. Economic measures can promote the development of conservation agriculture (CA), and due to their correlation with socioeconomic sectors, CA measures can affect the whole socioeconomic system. Many studies have been conducted on the benefits of CA, but considering that economic factors are one of the important factors for accepting the principles of CA, however, many economic analyzes have not been conducted on the impact of CA on costs, especially in Iran. Knowledge of the profitability of agricultural management methods can be a suitable basis for making favorable decisions to move toward CA. Considering that financial profitability in the initial phase of CA (IP-CA) may be controversial, this study is aimed at estimating the cost of wheat production in two systems CT and IP-CA of Golestan province. Methodology Seven study sites Bandar Gaz, Kordkoy, Gorgan. Bandar Torkman, Agh Qala, Azad Shahr and, Galiksh, which have the largest area under cultivation and exploiting CA and CT (conventional tillage) were selected in Golestan province, north of Iran. In this study, the treatments included CA and CT, and it was possible to compare the treatments at the same time in 7 sites and 84 farmers who managed two CA and CT lands together and CA had been implemented in them for 3-6 years were selected and sites were in the initial phase of CA. Agricultural inputs, including the consumption of seeds, water, poisons, chemical fertilizers, labor, and agricultural machines, were considered as production costs. In this study, the profitability of each CA and CT system was investigated using cost and income information. Then, using the Translog Cost Function, the effect of CA technology on input demand and production costs was investigated . Findings The use of CA in the production of wheat has reduced the consumption of agricultural inputs other than poison; so, the largest decrease of 45.48% belongs to the labor force and the smallest decrease of 15.62% belongs to the seed. Greater production cost under CT respectively was due to higher labor force, use of agricultural machinery, and water cost. The amount of poison consumption was higher in CA than CT, except in Kordkoy sites. Generally, the cost of poisons under CT was the lowest than in CA. The highest weed control cost under CA could be associated with higher weed seed bank near the soil surface, and maximized germination potential of fresh weed seed due to residual burying. The use of CA has led to a reduction in the use of chemical fertilizers; So, the biggest decrease of 33.33% is assigned to Agh Qala site. Conservation agriculture has led to a decrease in the workforce in all cities. The average production of wheat crops in Golestan province in 2021 in CA was 8.45% higher compared to CT. The gross profit in CA and CT systems is calculated as approximately 122 and 94 million Rials per hectare respectively, which in CA is approximately 28 million Rials (30.50%) more than in CT. The average production cost of each kilogram of wheat in one hectare is 54,641 Rials under CT and 43,289 Rials under CA and in fact, the cost of producing one kilogram of wheat in CA decreased by almost 20% . Conclusion In this study, CA, on the one hand, as a result of reducing production costs, led to a reduction in production costs, and on the other hand, it increased income per hectare due to the higher production of wheat. IP-CA has been able to manage the use of agricultural institutions in a better way, which leads to a reduction in production costs and an increase in production IP-CA, in addition to saving wheat production costs, has indirect social benefits for farmers. Reducing the need for labor creates new economic opportunities for farmers, and saving time creates new businesses and generates non-agricultural income. If the economic benefits of CA, along with its numerous benefits such as reducing carbon dioxide, more water efficiency and, most importantly preserving the soil of this valuable trust, are all included in the calculations, it shows the very high value of CA for the economic and social future and environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Managing soil biodiversity using reduced tillage is a popular approach, yet soil bacteriobiomes in the agroecosystems of Siberia has been scarcely studied, especially as they are related to tillage. We studied bacteriobiomes in Chernozem under natural steppe vegetation and cropped for wheat using conventional or no tillage in a long-term field trial in the Novosibirsk region, Russia, by using the sequence diversity of the V3/V4 region of 16S rRNA genes. Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Proteobacteria summarily accounted for 80% of the total number of sequences, with Actinobacteria alone averaging 51%. The vegetation (natural vs. crop) and tillage (ploughed vs. no-till) affected the bacterial relative abundance at all taxonomic levels and many taxa, e.g., hundreds of OTUs. However, such changes did not translate into α-biodiversity changes, i.e., observed and potential OTUs' richness, Shannon, and Simpson, excepting the slightly higher evenness and equitability in the top 0–5 cm of the undisturbed soil. As for the β-biodiversity, substituting conventional ploughing with no tillage and maintaining the latter for 12 years notably shifted the soil bacteriobiome closer to the one in the undisturbed soil. This study, presenting the first inventory of soil bacteriobiomes under different tillage in the south of West Siberia, underscores the need to investigate the seasonality and longevity aspects of tillage, especially as they are related to crop production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]