Impacts of Zone Tillage and Red Clover on Corn Performance and Soil Physical Quality

Abstract

benefits of conservation tillage with the yield benefits of conventional moldboard plow tillage (e.g., Pierce et Despite extensive research, reduced corn (Zea mays L.) performance is still encountered using conservation tillage on fine-textured al., 1992) for cool humid climatic zones. Here, a narrow soils in cool humid temperate climates. These problems are intensified zone 10 to 20 cm wide by 10 to 30 cm deep is conventionwhen corn is planted into residue from a previous crop such as winter ally tilled in the crop row while the rest of the soil surface wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The objective of this 4-yr study was is left in an untouched no-till state. This supposedly to determine the influence of fall zone tillage (ZT), no tillage (NT), encourages the more favorable soil temperature, moisand conventional moldboard plow tillage (CT) (fall plowing) on corn ture, aeration, density, and strength conditions associperformance and soil physical quality under a winter wheat-cornated with conventional tillage in the narrow seedbed soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) rotation with and without red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) (RC) underseeded in the wheat phase of the zones, while retaining the increased erosion resistance, rotation. A randomized complete block design (3 ϫ 2 factorial, 4 organic matter protection and reduced energy inputs of replicates) was established on three adjacent fields in the fall of 1996 no tillage between the zones. Although there is much on a Brookston clay loam soil (fine loamy, mixed, mesic, Typic Argiainterest in the zone-till system, it has not yet been tested quoll) at Woodslee, ON Canada, and measurements were collected extensively in cool humid temperate climates, nor on during 1997 to 2000. Over both wet and dry growing seasons from the agriculturally important clay and clay loam soils of 1998-2000, zone tillage following underseeded RC produced average southern Ontario. In nearby Michigan, ZT on sandy corn grain yields (7.23 Mg ha Ϫ1) that were within 1% of those obtained using conventional tillage (7.33 Mg ha Ϫ1), and 36% higher than those loam soils did indeed improve potato (Solanum tuberoobtained using no tillage and RC (5.33 Mg ha Ϫ1). Zone tillage also sum L.) yields and soil physical conditions relative to improved soil quality as evidenced by generally lower soil strength conventional tillage in most years of a 4-yr study (Pierce than no tillage, and near-surface soil physical quality parameters that and Burpee, 1995); however, corn yields were not inwere equivalent to, or more favorable than, those of the other treatcreased by zone tillage in a similar 3-yr study, despite ments. It was concluded that corn production using zone tillage and substantially reduced soil strength (penetration resis-RC underseeding is a viable option in Brookston clay loam soil, as it retains much of the soil quality benefit of conventional tillage but tance) within the 0-to 30-cm depth range (Pierce et still achieves most of the yield benefit of conventional moldboard al., 1992). plow tillage.

Characterizing ecosystem water-use efficiency of croplands with eddy covariance measurements and MODIS products

“…All these may be beneficial to the WUE improvement for croplands. Although many studies considered an increase in yield with adoption of no-till management (Beyaert et al, 2002;Grandy et al, 2006), no change or even a decrease in crop yield were also found in recent researches (Drury et al, 2003;Ogle et al, 2012;Powlson et al, 2014). Declines in yields are often attributed to cool and wet climatic conditions.…”

Utility of Phosphorus Enhancers and Strip-Tillage for Corn Production

“…With ST, an improved the seedbed environment likely caused the greater plant populations. In poorly drained soils, strip-till can increased soil moisture evaporation, increased soil temperature (Bolton & Booster, 1981) and decreased soil bulk densities in the row compared with NT (Drury et al, 2003;Overstreet & Hoyt, 2008), which improves seedbed environment. This was particularly important early in the growing season.…”

“…The practice consist of an implement tilling a narrow band, generally 15 to 20 cm wide and 15 to 20 cm deep, while leaving the rest of the soil undisturbed. In poorly drained soils, strip-till increased soil moisture evaporation, increased soil temperature (Bolton & Booster, 1981) and decreased soil bulk densities in the row compared with NT (Drury et al, 2003;Overstreet & Hoyt, 2008), which improves seedbed environment. Strip-till has been shown to increase corn yields compared to NT (Vetsch et al, 2007) and was equal to CT (Griffith et al, 1973;Randall et al, 2001).…”

Expanding Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) Usage in the Corn–Soy–Wheat Rotation

“…in the corn-soy-wheat rotation. The benefits of this practice have been well-documented [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]; however, they could be further enhanced if red clover was maintained as a living mulch between corn rows, rather than being terminated prior to corn (Zea Mays L.) planting.…”

“…Much research has been performed on the corn-soy-wheat rotation, on cover crops, and on strip-tillage independently. Researchers have noted the impact of red clover incorporation on corn productivity, several with specific focus on this rotation [1,2,[4][5][6][7][20][21][22]. Studies have examined the use of strip-tillage for corn [2,[17][18][19][20], and others have looked at the viability of integrating living mulch in corn [9,12,13,23].…”