Tag Archives: crop yields

xxx G.F Botta, A. Ezquerra-Canalejo, C. Romay, D. Rivero and R.J. Hidalgo
The agricultural traffic effects on soil and maize (Zea mays L.) yields under two different tillage systems
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The agricultural traffic effects on soil and maize (Zea mays L.) yields under two different tillage systems

G.F Botta¹*, A. Ezquerra-Canalejo², C. Romay³, D. Rivero⁴ and R.J. Hidalgo⁵

¹Universidad Nacional de Lujan, Departamento de Tecnología, Ruta 5 y Avenida Constitución, AR6700 Luján, Argentina
²Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería de Monte, Forestal y del Medio Natural, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, ES28040 Madrid, Spain
³Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Agronomía, Av. San Martín 4453, C1417DSE Buenos Aires, Argentina
⁴Universidad Nacional de La Pampa, Facultad de Agronomía, Ruta 35 (km 334), AR6300 Santa Rosa, Argentina
⁵Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Juan Bautista Cabral 2131, W3402BKG Corrientes, Argentina
*Correspondence: gfbotta@agro.uba.ar

Abstract:

This study investigated the agricultural traffic effects on soil and maize (Zea mays L.) yields under No-tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) during three cropping seasons on an Entic Haplustoll soil. Cone index (CI), dry bulk density (DBD), soil water content (SWC), root dry matter per plant (RDM), seed emergence (SE) and maize yields (MY) were measured. The highest average RDM values were found in CT (60.6 g plant-1), while the highest value in NT was 48.0 g plant-1). After traffic, for the two tillage systems, the obtained CI results followed a similar trend to those of DBD up to 150 mm. From this depth, the values of both parameters increased sharply up to the 450 mm depth level. At 150 to 450 mm average CI and DBD values were higher than 1,680 kPa and 1,472 kg m-3, and 2,610 kPa and 1,677 kg m-3 for CT and NT, respectively. The average yields for the 3 cropping seasons were 9.93 ton ha-1 and 8.26 ton ha-1 for CT and NT, respectively. It was demonstrated that even using medium-weight equipment (479.8 kN), subsoil compaction could not be avoided.

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99–110 L. Szajdak, P. Kuldkepp, E. Leedu, T. Teesalu, A. Toomsoo and R. Kõlli2
Some biochemical aspects of Fragi-Stagnic Albeluvisols’ organic matter
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Some biochemical aspects of Fragi-Stagnic Albeluvisols’ organic matter

L. Szajdak¹, P. Kuldkepp², E. Leedu², T. Teesalu², A. Toomsoo² and R. Kõlli2*

¹Research Centre for Agricultural and Forest Environment, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Bukowska 19, 60-809 Poznań, Poland; e-mail: szajlech@man.poznan.pl
²Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian Agricultural University, Kreutzwaldi 64, 54014 Tartu, Estonia; e-mail: raimo@eau.ee
*Author for correspondence

Abstract:

The concentrations of N-NH4+, N-NO3–, Ntotal, total (TOC) and water extractable (DOC) organic carbon, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, the activity of nitrate reductase, the activity of urease activity as well as indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) were investigated in Fragi-Stagnic Albeluvisols’ organic matter under different organic and mineral fertiliser regimes from a long-term soil formation of a field experiment with three-field crop rotation (potato – spring wheat – spring barley) at Eerika near Tartu, Estonia, and also in the forest of Tiksoja. The concentrations of Ntotal, IAA, the activity of urease and also C/N ratios were generally highest in the forest soil of Tiksoja.
Consequently, characteristics, distributions and conversions in organic matter were found in the proportions of chemical and biochemical factors, particularly after mineral and organic fertilisers. The following kinds of fertilisers increased the activity of urease in the order: WOM/N-120 < FYM/N-120 < RS/N-120 (accordingly, WOM – without organic manure, FYM – farmyard manure, RS – recultivation substance), and increased the activity of nitrate reductase: WOM/N-120 > RS/N-120 > FYM/N-120. The highest increase of IAA was determined in the soil fertilised with RS/N-120.
The experiment was characterised by the highest activity of urease, and the highest increase of IAA and also TOC in soils fertilised with RS/N-120. The various fertiliser regimes were different both for their biochemical factors as well as the crop yields. WOM/N-120 as a mineral fertiliser and RS/N-120 as an organic one revealed the highest crop yield of potato, spring wheat, and spring barley.

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