Effect of Different Tillage Systems on Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Yield and some Soil Physical Characteristics in a Fallow-Wheat Rotation under Rainfed Condition

Document Type : Scientific - Research

Authors

• Alireza Koocheki
• Mahdi nasiri mahalati
• Javad Azimzadeh

Department of Agrotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran

10.22067/jag.v12i2.52175

Abstract

Introduction
Climatic variation particularly for participation is a constraint for the crops to reach their potential productivity under rainfed conditions. Therefore soil moisture preservation by means of tillage practices and improvement of soil physical criteria, particularly through enhancement of organic matter content is crucial. For this reason soil tillage must be managed in a proper way in order to fulfill this objective. Use of the right implements for this purpose under rainfed conditions together with retention of crop residue are practices most suitable for low rainfall environments. Tillage operation has a great impact on soil properties such as soil particle stability, soil aggregate and also soil water holding capacity. There are good evidences regarding yield improvement under rainfed conditions when implements such as chisel plow and sweep plow is used. Reduced tillage has been referred to as a proper practice under such conditions and degrees of no to minimum tillage have been proposed. These types of tillage combined with retention of crop residue which is referred to as conservation agriculture is being received more attention for the sake of soil conservation and moisture preservation. The purpose of the present study was to investigate these type of management for a rainfed wheat-fallow rotation.
Materials and Methods
In order to study the effect of different tillage practices in fallow-wheat rotation and retention of crop residue on soil properties such as bulk density, soil aggregate, porosity, particle stability and moisture holding capacity and also crop criteria including yield, above ground biomass of wheat and weed under rainfed conditions, an experiment was conducted for two years (2013-2014 and 2014-2015 growing seasons) in Shirvan region, Northeast of Iran. The layout of experiment was strip plots based on a randomized complete block design and three replications. Tillage systems and retention of crop residue were the experimental factors with four levels of tillage (chisel, sweep, moldboard and no tillage) and three levels of crop residue retention (7, 3.5 t.ha-1 and zero residue). Tisdal and Oades method used to determine the soil aggregates size distribution in dry and wet sieving conditions. To determine the soil bulk density, undisturbed samples were picked up from a depth of 0-10, and 10-20 cm and soil bulk density were determined after drying of soil in Oven for 48 hours at a temperature of 105°c. In order to evaluate the soil moisture at the end of the fallow year, sampling was done from each treatment in the depth of 0-20cm. During growth and after harvesting, the plant height, ear length, seed number per ear, thousand kernel weight, seed yield, and biological yield were determined.
Results and Discussion
Results showed that in general soil bulk density was higher at the depth of 0 to 10 cm compared with that at the depth of 0 to 10 cm for the experimental soil. Soil porosity followed a reserve trend of that of bulk density. Retention of crop residue caused a slower bulk density and a higher soil moisture content. Tillage with moldboard at different levels of crop residue retention caused lower weed biomass compared with other tillage operation. Soil practices size higher than 0.5 mm were respectively higher and lower with moldboard plow. Seed yield and also above ground biomass were higher with moldboard plow compared with the conservation tillage practices. Despite lots of reports about the prominence of conservation tillage systems in comparison with moldboard tillage, the reason for the prominence of moldboard plow in comparison with conservation tillage in this experiment can be attributed to better seedbed preparation in moldboard tillage. The other reason for seed yield increment in the treatment of moldboard tillage in comparison with other treatments can be the effective control of weed plants, especially Russian Knapweed.
Conclusion
Despite contradictory reports about the effect of moldboard tillage on wheat yield in comparison with conservation tillage, the results of this experiment showed the prominence of moldboard tillage in contrast with the sweep, chisel, and no-tillage for wheat production. Under rainfer conditions retention of crop residue together with minimum level of soil disturbance seems to be a proper practice. This has been evidenced elsewhere and is confirmed somehow in our experiment too. This is mostly related to enhancement of water holding capacity of the soil.

Keywords

• Conservation tillage
• Moldboard plow
• plant residue
• soil aggregation
• Soil Moisture
• Sustainable agriculture

20.1001.1.20087713.1399.12.2.8.2

---

References

1. Azimzadeh, S.M., 2015. Soil physical properties after two years application of organic fertilizers in Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L) planting. International Journal of Farming and Allied Sciences 4: 341-35

2. Azimzadeh, S.M., Koocheki, A., and Pala, M., 2002 a. Effect of different tillage systems on some soil physical and chemical characterestics. Journal of Research in Agricultural Sciences 2(1): 51-63.

3. Azimzadeh, S.M., Pala, M., and Koocheki, A., 2002 b. Effect of tillage systems on soil bulk densty, porosity, soil moisture and wheat yield in dry land condition. Iranian Journal of Crop Sciencs 4(3): 218-233. (In Persian with English Summary)

4. Abdollahi, F., Ghadiri, H., and Bohrani, J., 2009. Effect of tillage, wheat residue management and nitrogen on yield and yield components of mays. Journal of Iranian Agricultural Research 8(2): 336-346.

5. Alijani, K.H., Bahrani, M.H., and Kazemeini, A.R., 2010. Effects of tillage methods and rates of corn residues on winter wheat yield and yield components and soil organic carbon and nitrogen in relay cropping. In: Proceeding of 11th Iranian crop Science Congress. Tehran, Iran. (In Persian)

6. Arshadi Khamseh, A., Almasi, M., Reshad Sadeghi, A., and Ahmadi Adli, R., 2011. Effect of conservation tillage on irrigation planning and rapeseed yield. Journal of Agricultural Knowledge and Sustainable Production 22(1): 39-48. (In Persian with English Summary)

7. Barzali, M., Javanshir, A., Shakiba, M.R., Moghaddam, M., and Nourinia, A., 2003. Effect of different tillage methods on yield and yield components of soybean in Gorgan region. Journal of Seedling and Seed 19(2): 173-189.

8. Blevins, R.L., Frye, W.W., Baldwin, P.L., and Robertson, S.D., 1990.Tillage effect on sediment and soluble nutrient losses from a Maury silt soil. Journal of Environmental Quality 19: 683-686.

9. Catizone, P., Tedeschi, M., and Baldoni, G., 1990. Influence of crop management on weed populations and wheat yield. Symposium on Integrated Weed Management in Cereals. In: Proceeding of an EWRS symposium Helsinki, Finland.

10. El-Mejahed, K., and Sander, D.H., 1998. Rotation, tillage and fertilizer effect on wheat-based rain food crop rotation in semiarid Morocco. Proceeding of Third European Conforance of Grain Legumes. In: Opportunities for high qualify, healthy and added value crops to meet European demands. Valladolid, Spain.

11. Fenster, C.R., Domingo, C.E., and Burnside, O.C., 1969. Weed control and plant residue maintenance with various tillage treatments in a winter wheat fallow rotation. Agronomy Journal 61: 250-259.

12. Ghobadpour, G., and Khourgami, A., 2008. Effect of different tillage methods and yield and yield components on rainfed safflower in Khorramabad region. Agricultural Journal 1(1): 59-69.

13. Hakimian, M., 1980. Fundamentals of Soil Science. 5th Edition. Tehran University Publication. Tehran, Iran. (In Persian)

14. Haynes, R.J., and Swift, R.S., 1990. Stability of soil aggregate in relation to organic constituent and soil water content. Journal of Soil Science 41:73-83.

15. Hemmat, A., and Eskandari, I., 2006. Dry and winter wheat response to conservation tillage in a continuous cropping system in northweast Iran. Soil and Tillage Research 86(1): 99-109

16. Houria. M., and Saci, C., 2012. The performances of durum wheat yield under tillage effect in semi-arid environment. Energy Procedia 18: 879-887.

17. Jessop, R.S., and Stewart, L.W., 1999. Effect of crop residues, soil type and temperature on emeregence and early growth of wheat, Plant and Soil 74: 101-109

18. Karlen, D.L., Wollenhaup, N.C., Erbach, D.C., Berry, E.C., Swan, J.B., Each, N.S., and Jordahl., J.L., 1994. Long term tillage effect on soil quality. Soil and Tillage Research 32: 313-327

19. Kemper, W.D., and Rosenau, R.C., 1986. Aggregate stability and size distribution. In: A. Klute (Ed.). Methods of Soil Analysis. Part 1. Physical and Mineralogical Methods. Madison, WI. P. 425-42.

20. Khosravani, A., Zareian, S., and Afzalnia, S., 2000. Effect of diferent tillage methods on irrigated wheat yield. Iranian Journal of Agricultural Sciences 31(2): 269-277. (In Persian with English Summary)

21. Koocheki, A., 2003. To Crops and Breeding in Dry Farming. Jihad of Mashhad University, Mashhad, Iran. 304 p. (In Persian)

22. Lal, R., 1995. The role of residues management in sustainable agriculturalsystems. Journal of Sustainable Agriculture 5(4): 51-76.

23. Malecka, I., and Blecharczyk, A., 2006. Effect of tillage systems: Mulches and nitrogen fertilizationon spring barley (Hordeum vulgare.). Agronomy Research 6(2): 517-529

24. Mannering, J.V., Griffith, D.R., and Richey, C.B., 1975. Tillage for moisture conservation. American Society of Agriculture Engineering 75: 23-25.

25. Mohammadi, K., Nabiollahi, K., Agha Alikhani, M., and Khormali, F., 2009. Evaluation of the effect of different tillage methods on soil physical properties and yield and yield components of rainfed wheat. Journal of Plant Production Researches 16(4): 77-91. (In Persian with English Summary)

26. Pagliai, M., Guidi G., La Marca, M., Giachetti, M., and Lucamente, G., 1981. Effect of sewage sludge and compost on soil porosity and aggregation. Journal of Environmental Quality 10: 556-561.

27. Rabiee, M., and Rajabian, M., 2011. Effect of tillage systems and rice residue management on morphological treatments and fall rapeseed yield as second cropping after rice in Rasht. Journal of Agricultural Knowledge and Sustainable Production 21(4): 105-121.

28. Tisdall, J.M., and Oades, J.M., 1982. Organic matter and water-stable aggregates in soils. Journal of Soil Science 33: 141-163.

29. Vyn, T.J., and Raimbault, B.A., 1993. Long-term effect of five tillage systems on corn response and soil structure. Agronomy Journal 85: 1074-1079.

30. Wanas, S.H.A., and Orman, W.M., 2006. Advantages of applying various compost types to different layers of sandy soil: Journal of Applied Scientific Research 2(12): 1298-1303

31. Zabolestani, M., Reshad Sedghi, A., and Zamani, S., 2008. Evaluation and comparison of two superficial and conventional tillage methods in aspect of yield and yield components of wheat. Journal of Agricultural New Knowledge 4(12): 39-48.