Comparison of conservation with conventional tillage for potato production in Atlantic Canada: crop productivity, soil physical properties and weed control

Abstract

R. 2005. Comparison of conservation with conventional tillage for potato production in Atlantic Canada: crop productivity, soil physical properties and weed control. Can. J. Soil Sci. 85: 453-461. Conservation tillage (CT) for potato crop land has been increasing in Atlantic Canada, but producers are concerned that fields managed in this way may be wet, slow to warm in spring, have increased debris at harvest, exhibit higher soil compaction and result in reduced yield. The objective of this study was to compare the effects of four tillage practices on potato yield, soil properties and weed growth over a 3-yr period. The four tillage practices were: (1) conventional autumn mouldboard plowing followed by spring secondary tillage; (2) spring mouldboard plowing followed by secondary tillage; (3) autumn chisel plowing followed by spring secondary tillage; and (4) spring CT. Tillage practices significantly affected soil water content (at both the 0-to 15-cm and 15-to 30-cm soil depths) with CT generally showing a greater soil water content prior to spring tillage in comparison to the other treatments. Soil temperature (at the 2-to 5-cm soil depth) prior to spring tillage was not influenced by tillage differences. Conservation tillage increased soil compaction at the 10-to 30-cm soil depth, but not to a level considered detrimental to root growth. Tillage treatments had no effect on amount of soil clods and plant debris passing over the harvester. Potato yield (range of 43 to 51 Mg ha -1 ) and quality were not adversely influenced by tillage practices. There were few treatment effects on individual weed species or groupings of annual, perennial and total weeds. Overall, CT can be a viable management alternative to conventional tillage because this practice does not negatively affect field management, potato yield, or soil quality. Le travail minimum (TM) du sol gagne de plus en plus en popularité dans la région de l'Atlantique, au Canada, mais les agriculteurs craignent que les terres ainsi traitées soient plus humides, se réchauffent moins vite au printemps, soient plus jonchées de déchets à la récolte, aient un sol plus compact et fournissent un moins bon rendement. La présente étude devait comparer les conséquences de quatre méthodes de labour sur le rendement de la pomme de terre, sur les propriétés du sol et sur la croissance des adventices au cours d'une période de trois ans. Les quatre traitements étaient les suivants : (1) labourage classique au versoir à l'automne suivi d'un second labour au printemps; (2) labourage printanier au versoir suivi d'un deuxième labour; (3) passage du cultivateur à l'automne puis labour au printemps; (4) TM du sol au printemps. La méthode de labour modifie significativement la teneur en eau du sol (aux profondeurs de 0 à 15 et de 15 à 30 cm), le TM permettant de conserver plus d'eau que les autres traitements avant les labours printaniers. La température du sol (profondeur de 2 à 5 cm) avant les labours printaniers n'est pas affectée par la méthode de travail du sol. Le TM accroît...

Delayed Tillage and Cover Crop Effects in Potato Systems

“…The proportion of total yield in the marketable size classes was also not affected by either tillage or cover crop treatments (data not shown). These results are consistent with previous experiments that have shown that potato is relatively insensitive to differences in the timing of tillage operations prior to planting (Carter and Sanderson 2001;Carter et al 2005;Liebman et al 1996). Although forage legumes and perennial grasses are often used in rotation with potato, most previous comparisons utilize these as rotation crops, i.e.…”

Influence of conservation tillage and glyphosate on soil structure and organic carbon fractions through the cycle of a 3-year potato rotation in Atlantic Canada

“…The cropping history (barley-red clover rotations) for each site over the last decade was similar. Information on agronomic (crop yield, crop residue, weeds, soil clods) and environmental (soil water and temperature) aspects of the study were given in Carter et al (2005).…”

“…Carter et al (2005) presented the crop yield, weed control, crop residue, and soil environmental aspects of the study. In the present study, the responses to tillage practice and use of glyphosate were determined from a range of soil organic fractions, microbial properties, and soil physical properties including soil structure.…”

Long-term conservation tillage in potato rotations in Atlantic Canada: Potato productivity, tuber quality and nutrient content

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