Responses of corn physiology and yield to six agricultural practices over three years in middle Tennessee

Yu, Chih Li; Hui, Dafeng; Deng, Qi; Wang, Junming; Reddy, K. C.; Dennis, Sam

doi:10.1038/srep27504

Cited by 22 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…Pittelkow et al (2015) analysed the effect of tillage practices on crop yield, Yu et al (2016) explored the effect of different combinations of tillage practice and N fertilizer form on crop yield, Huang et al (2017) and Yanan et al (1997) considered the effect of manure versus inorganic N fertilizer application on nitrate leaching, and Huang et al (2015) analysed the effect of different tillage practices and N application rates on yield and N leaching. Furthermore, there are quite a few studies on the relation between rates of irrigation and N application and crop yield (Yin et al, 2014;Al-Kaisi and Yin, 2003;Rimski-Korsakov et al, 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Grey water footprint reduction in irrigated crop production: effect of nitrogen application rate, nitrogen form, tillage practice and irrigation strategy

Chukalla

Krol

Hoekstra

2018

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

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Abstract. Grey water footprint (WF) reduction is essential given the increasing water pollution associated with food production and the limited assimilation capacity of fresh water. Fertilizer application can contribute significantly to the grey WF as a result of nutrient leaching to groundwater and runoff to streams. The objective of this study is to explore the effect of the nitrogen application rate (from 25 to 300 kg N ha −1 ), nitrogen form (inorganic N or manure N), tillage practice (conventional or no-tillage) and irrigation strategy (full or deficit irrigation) on the nitrogen load to groundwater and surface water, crop yield and the N-related grey water footprint of crop production by a systematic model-based assessment. As a case study, we consider irrigated maize grown in Spain on loam soil in a semi-arid environment, whereby we simulate the 20-year period 1993-2012. The water and nitrogen balances of the soil and plant growth at the field scale were simulated with the Agricultural Policy Environmental eXtender (APEX) model. As a reference management package, we assume the use of inorganic N (nitrate), conventional tillage and full irrigation. For this reference, the grey WF at a usual N application rate of 300 kg N ha −1 (with crop yield of 11.1 t ha −1 ) is 1100 m 3 t −1 , which can be reduced by 91 % towards 95 m 3 t −1 when the N application rate is reduced to 50 kg N ha −1 (with a yield of 3.7 t ha −1 ). The grey WF can be further reduced to 75 m 3 t −1 by shifting the management package to manure N and deficit irrigation (with crop yield of 3.5 t ha −1 ). Although water pollution can thus be reduced dramatically, this comes together with a great yield reduction, and a much lower water productivity (larger green plus blue WF) as well. The overall (green, blue and grey) WF per tonne is found to be minimal at an N application rate of 150 kg N ha −1 , with manure, no-tillage and deficit irrigation (with crop yield of 9.3 t ha −1 ). The paper shows that there is a trade-off between grey WF and crop yield, as well as a trade-off between reducing water pollution (grey WF) and water consumption (green and blue WF). Applying manure instead of inorganic N and deficit instead of full irrigation are measures that reduce both water pollution and water consumption with a 16 % loss in yield.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Grey water footprint reduction in irrigated crop production: effect of nitrogen application rate, nitrogen form, tillage practice and irrigation strategy

Chukalla

Krol

Hoekstra

2018

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

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“…Studies suggest that tillage can influence plant physiology including increased rooting depth from decreased moisture in surface layers of tilled soil (Dwyer et al, 1996) or decreased mechanical resistance (Cox et al, 1990). Other studies indicate that tillage effects on plant physiology may interact with climate as Yu et al (2016) found that no-till likely increased yield during drought periods by conserving soil moisture. Since arable land represents more than 10% of the global land base (FAO, 2011), arable soils could provide a C sink to offset fossil fuel emissions (Paustian et al, 2016;Lal, 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reducing CO2 Flux by Decreasing Tillage in Ohio: Overcoming Conjecture with Data

O'Dell¹,

Eash²,

Hicks³

et al. 2018

JAS

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While the literature is clear about excessive tillage decreasing soil carbon (C) content, there are few experimental studies that document the comparative effects of soil and crop management on C sequestration. Using micrometeorology we measured CO 2 flux from a maize crop grown on both no-till and tilled soils in north-central Ohio. We used Bowen Ratio Energy Balance (BREB) systems to quantify the flux between the atmosphere and either the soil surface (at crop planting) or 0.2 m above the canopy once the crop was established and growing. The no-till plot sequestered 263 g CO 2 m -2 (90% confidence interval -432.1 to -99.9) while the tilled plot emitted 146 g CO 2 m -2 (90% confidence interval -53.3 to 332.2) during 104 days of the 2015 growing season; a net difference of 410 g CO 2 m -2 . The difference is statistically significant at the 90% confidence level (based on a bootstrap analysis). The results indicate that no-tillage practices can sequester C, maintain soil productivity, and ensure landscape sustainability.

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“…A high N application rate will result in a high crop yield, but with high water pollution per hectare and per tonne of crop as well. The reason for the high water pollution per tonne of crop is that there is a threshold for the N application rate beyond which yield does not respond (Zhou et al, 2011), while the surplus N contributes to pollution (Carpenter et al, 1998;Vitousek et al, 2009). The form of N applied is another important factor affecting N losses.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Various studies show how increasing N application rates results in both increased crop yield and N leaching (Berenguer et al, 2009;Rong and Xuefeng, 2011;Valero et al, 2005;Zhou et al, 2011;Cooper et al, 2012;Good and Beatty, 2011). Pittelkow et al (2015) analysed the effect of tillage practices on crop yield, Yu et al (2016) explored the effect of different combinations of tillage practice and N fertilizer form on crop yield, Huang et al (2017) and Yanan et al (1997) considered the effect of manure versus inorganic N fertilizer application on nitrate leaching, and Huang et al (2015) analysed the effect of different tillage practices and N application rates on yield and N leaching.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reply to Referee #1

Chukalla¹

2017

Preprint

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Grey water footprint (WF) reduction is essential given the increasing water pollution associated with food production and the limited assimilation capacity of fresh water. Fertilizer application can contribute significantly to the grey WF as a result of nutrient leaching to groundwater and runoff to streams. The objective of this study is to explore the effect of the nitrogen application rate (from 25 to 300 kg N ha −1 ), nitrogen form (inorganic N or manure N), tillage practice (conventional or no-tillage) and irrigation strategy (full or deficit irrigation) on the nitrogen load to groundwater and surface water, crop yield and the N-related grey water footprint of crop production by a systematic model-based assessment. As a case study, we consider irrigated maize grown in Spain on loam soil in a semi-arid environment, whereby we simulate the 20year period 1993-2012. The water and nitrogen balances of the soil and plant growth at the field scale were simulated with the Agricultural Policy Environmental eXtender (APEX) model. As a reference management package, we assume the use of inorganic N (nitrate), conventional tillage and full irrigation. For this reference, the grey WF at a usual N application rate of 300 kg N ha −1 (with crop yield of 11.1 t ha −1 ) is 1100 m 3 t −1 , which can be reduced by 91 % towards 95 m 3 t −1 when the N application rate is reduced to 50 kg N ha −1 (with a yield of 3.7 t ha −1 ). The grey WF can be further reduced to 75 m 3 t −1 by shifting the management package to manure N and deficit irrigation (with crop yield of 3.5 t ha −1 ). Although water pollution can thus be reduced dramatically, this comes together with a great yield reduction, and a much lower water productivity (larger green plus blue WF) as well. The overall (green, blue and grey) WF per tonne is found to be minimal at an N application rate of 150 kg N ha −1 , with manure, no-tillage and deficit irrigation (with crop yield of 9.3 t ha −1 ). The paper shows that there is a trade-off between grey WF and crop yield, as well as a trade-off between reducing water pollution (grey WF) and water consumption (green and blue WF). Applying manure instead of inorganic N and deficit instead of full irrigation are measures that reduce both water pollution and water consumption with a 16 % loss in yield.

show abstract

Responses of corn physiology and yield to six agricultural practices over three years in middle Tennessee

Cited by 22 publications

References 51 publications

Grey water footprint reduction in irrigated crop production: effect of nitrogen application rate, nitrogen form, tillage practice and irrigation strategy

Grey water footprint reduction in irrigated crop production: effect of nitrogen application rate, nitrogen form, tillage practice and irrigation strategy

Reducing CO2 Flux by Decreasing Tillage in Ohio: Overcoming Conjecture with Data

Reply to Referee #1

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