Survival of pathogens on soybean debris under no-tillage and conventional tillage systems

A study was conducted in the subtropical area of Southern Brazil to determine the survival of pathogens in soybean residues under conventional and no-tillage cultivation systems from March to September of 1998 and 1999. The pathogens most frequently isolated were Colletotrichum truncatum, Phomopsis spp., Cercospora kikuchii, Fusarium spp., Macrophomina phaseolina, and Rhizoctonia solani. Other fungi isolated were Myrothecium roridum, Penicillium sp., Chaetomium sp., Epicoccum sp., Corynespora cassiicola and Trichoderma sp. The percent of survival of each pathogen varied according to the month and the year. Survival of C. truncatum, Phomopsis spp. and C. kikuchii were significantly reduced (p<0.05) from the first to the last evaluation either on buried debris or maintained on the soil surface. On the other hand, M. phaseolina and Fusarium spp. were either not affected or favored by burying the debris. The frequency of recovery of Fusarium spp. increased specially in debris kept under the soil. The loss of biomass, measured by debris weight along the period of this study, showed a reduction of 44.4% in the conventional system and 34.9% in the no-tillage system in 1998, when rain was better distributed. In 1999, the reduction was 48.2% and 39.0% for the conventional and no-tillage system, respectively.

Reduced tillage: influence on erosion and nutrient losses in a clayey field in southern Finland

Selostus: Aurattoman viljelyn vaikutus eroosioon ja ravinnehuuhtoumiin eteläsuomlaisella, savimaalla sijaitsevalla pellolla

Potato plant growth and macronutrient uptake as affected by soil tillage and irrigation systems

The objective of this study was to evaluate potato plant growth and macronutrient uptake, as affected by soil tillage methods, in sprinkle and drip irrigated experiments. Eight treatments were set: T1, no tillage, except for furrowing before planting; T2, one subsoiling (SS); T3, twice rotary hoeing (RH); T4, one disc plowing (DP) + twice disc harrow leveling (DL); T5, 1DP + 2DL + 1RH; T6, 1DP + 2DL + 2RH; T7, 1SS + T6; T8, one moldboard plowing (MP) + 2DL. Treatments were arranged in a randomized block design with four replications. In both irrigation systems, plants presented higher emergence velocity index (EVI), when the soil was not tillaged, and the EVI was inversely related to the maximum tuber dry mass production. In both experiments, a functional direct relationship was found between the leaf area index and maximum tuber dry mass yield. The growth of plant organs (tuber, leaf, stem and root) and the macronutrient (N, P, K, Ca and Mg) contents in potato plant responded positively to a deeper soil revolving caused by plowing, especially with moldboard plow.

Soil carbon and nitrogen mineralization caused by pig slurry application under different soil tillage systems

The objective of this work was to evaluate the change in soil C and N mineralization due to successive pig slurry application under conventional tillage (CT) and no tillage (NT) systems. The experiment was carried out in a clayey Latossolo Vermelho eutrófico (Rhodic Eutrudox) in Palotina, PR, Brazil. Increasing doses of pig slurry (0, 30, 60 and 120 m³ ha-1 per year) were applied in both tillage systems, with three replicates. Half of the pig slurry was applied before summer soil preparation, and the other half before the winter crop season. The areas were cultivated with soybean (Glycine max L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) in the summers of 1998 and 1999, respectively, and with wheat (Triticum sativum Lam.) in the winters of both years. Soil samples were collected at 0-5, 5-10, and 10-20 cm depths. Under both CT and NT systems, pig slurry application increased C and N mineralization. However, increasing pig slurry additions decreased the C to N mineralization ratio. Under the NT system, C and N mineralization was greater than in CT system.

Intercepted solar radiation by maize crops subjected to different tillage systems and water availability levels

The objective of this work was to evaluate changes in the photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) interception efficiency and PPFD extinction coefficient for maize crop subjected to different soil tillage systems and water availability levels. Crops were subjected to no-tillage and conventional tillage systems combined with full irrigation and non-irrigation treatments. Continuous measurements of transmitted PPFD on the soil surface and incoming PPFD over the canopy were taken throughout the crop cycle. Leaf area index and soil water potential were also measured during the whole period. Considering a mean value over the maize cycle, intercepted PPFD was higher in the conventional tillage than in the no-tillage system. During the initial stages of plants, intercepted PPFD in the conventional tillage was double the PPFD interception in the no-tillage treatment. However, those differences were reduced up to the maximum leaf area index, close to tasseling stage. The lowest interception of PPFD occurred in the conventional tillage during the reproductive period, as leaf senescence progressed. Over the entire crop cycle, the interception of PPFD by the non-irrigated plants was about 20% lower than by the irrigated plants. The no-tillage system reduced the extinction coefficient for PPFD, which may have allowed a higher penetration of solar radiation into the canopy

Cover crops and herbicide timing management on soybean yield under no-tillage system

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of cover crops and timing of pre-emergence herbicide applications on soybean yield under no-tillage system. The experiment consisted of four cover crops (Panicum maximum, Urochloa ruziziensis, U. brizantha, and pearl millet) and fallow, in addition to four herbicide timings (30, 20, 10, and 0 days before soybean sowing), under no-tillage system (NTS), and of two control treatments under conventional tillage system (CTS). The experimental design was a completely randomized block, in a split-plot arrangement, with three replicates. Soybean under fallow, P. maximum, U. ruziziensis, U. brizantha, and pearl millet in the NTS and soybean under U. brizantha in the CTS did not differ significantly regarding yield. Soybean under fallow in the CTS significantly reduced yield when compared to the other treatments. The amount of straw on soil surface did not significantly affect soybean yield. Chemical management of P. maximum and U. brizantha near the soybean sowing date causes significant damage in soybean yield. However, herbicide timing in fallow, U. ruziziensis, and pearl millet does not affect soybean yield.

Effect of conservation tillage and peat application on weed infestation on a clay soil

Selostus: Kynnöstä luopumisen ja turvelisäyksen vaikutus savimaan rikkakasvillisuuteen kevätviljakasvustossa

Fusarium wilt incidence and common bean yield according to the preceding crop and the soil tillage system

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of preceding crops and tillage systems on the incidence of Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. phaseoli) and common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) yield. The cultivar BRS Valente was cultivated under center‑pivot irrigation in the winter seasons of 2003, 2004 and 2005, after several preceding crops established in the summer seasons. Preceding crops included the legumes Cajanus cajan (pigeon pea), Stylosanthes guianensis, and Crotalaria spectabilis; the grasses Pennisetum glaucum (millet), Sorghum bicolor (forage sorghum), Panicum maximum, and Urochloa brizantha; and a consortium of maize (Zea mays) and U. brizantha (Santa Fé system). Experiments followed a strip‑plot design, with four replicates. Fusarium wilt incidence was higher in the no‑tillage system. Higher disease incidences corresponded to lower bean yields in 2003 and 2004. Previous summer cropping with U. brizantha, U. brizantha + maize consortium, and millet showed the lowest disease incidence. Therefore, the choice of preceding crops must be taken into account for managing Fusarium wilt on irrigated common bean crops in the Brazilian Cerrado.

Stalk and sucrose yield in response to nitrogen fertilization of sugarcane under reduced tillage

The objective of this work was to evaluate the agroindustrial production of sugarcane (millable stalks and sucrose yield) after successive nitrogen fertilizations of plant cane and ratoons in a reduced tillage system. The experiment was carried out at Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil, on a Rhodic Eutrustox soil, during four consecutive crop cycles (March 2005 to July 2009). Plant cane treatments consisted of N-urea levels (control, 40, 80, and 120 kg ha-1 N + 120 kg ha-1 P2O5 and K2O in furrow application). In the first and second ratoons, the plant cane plots were subdivided in N-ammonium nitrate treatments (control, 50, 100, and 150 kg ha-1 N + 150 kg ha-1 K2O as top dressing over rows). In the third ratoon, N fertilization was leveled to 100 kg ha-1 in all plots, including controls, to detect residual effects of previous fertilizations on the last crop's cycle. Sugarcane ratoon was mechanically harvested. A weighing truck was used to evaluate stalk yield (TCH), and samples were collected in the field for analysis of sugar content (TSH). Increasing N doses and meteorological conditions promote significant responses in TCH and TSH in cane plant and ratoons, in the average and accumulated yield of the consecutive crop cycles.

Toxicity of organic farming‑compatible products to the coffee leaf miner

The objective of this work was to evaluate the toxicity of organic farming‑compatible products to the coffee leaf miner Leucoptera coffeella. Lime sulphur, enriched Bordeaux mixture (Viça Café Plus), and the "supermagro" biofertilizer were first tested in laboratory. The most promising product was tested afterwards under field conditions. In laboratory, different concentrations of each product were applied on L. coffeella eggs and on infested coffee‑mined leaves. Only lime sulphur had ovicidal effects at an acceptable concentration (1.6%) for field applications, but no significant effect on larvae mortality was found. Enriched Bordeaux mixture and the "supermagro" biofertilizer had no effect on L. coffeella eggs and larvae. In the field trial, biweekly or monthly sprayings of lime sulphur at different concentrations caused population decrease after 30 days; however, this effect was not significant after 60 or 90 days.

Short communication. Potential to mitigate anthropogenic CO2 emissions by tillage reduction in dryland soils of Spain

Spain is one of the countries with the highest greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within the EU-27. Consequently, mitigation strategies need to be reported and quantified to accomplish the goals and requirements of the Kyoto Protocol. In this study, a first estimation of the carbon (C) mitigation potential of tillage reduction in Mediterranean rainfed Spain is presented. Results from eight studies carried out in Spain under rainfed agriculture to investigate the effects of no-tillage (NT) and reduced tillage (RT) compared with conventional tillage (CT) on soil organic carbon (SOC) were used. For current land surface under conservation tillage, NT and RT are sequestering 0.14 and 0.08 Tg C yr-1, respectively. Those rates represent 1.1% and 0.6% of the total CO2 emissions generated from agricultural activities in Spain during 2006. Alternatively, in a hypothetical scenario where all the arable dryland was under either NT or RT management, SOC sequestration would be 2.18 and 0.72 Tg C yr-1 representing 17.4% and 5.8% of the total 2006 CO2 equivalent emissions generated from the agricultural sector in Spain. This is a significant estimate that would help to achieve GHG emissions targets for the current commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol.

Soil carbon and nitrogen mineralization under different tillage systems and Permanent Groundcover cultivation between Orange trees

The objective of this work was to evaluate the alterations in carbon and nitrogen mineralization due to different soil tillage systems and groundcover species for intercropped orange trees. The experiment was established in an Ultisol soil (Typic Paleudults) originated from Caiuá sandstone in northwestern of the state of Paraná, Brazil, in an area previously cultivated with pasture (Brachiaria humidicola). Two soil tillage systems were evaluated: conventional tillage (CT) in the entire area and strip tillage (ST) with a 2-m width, each with different groundcover vegetation management systems. The citrus cultivar utilized was the 'Pera' orange (Citrus sinensis) grafted onto a 'Rangpur' lime rootstock. The soil samples were collected at a 0-15-cm depth after five years of experiment development. Samples were collected from under the tree canopy and from the inter-row space after the following treatments: (1) CT and annual cover crop with the leguminous Calopogonium mucunoides; (2) CT and perennial cover crop with the leguminous peanut Arachis pintoi; (3) CT and evergreen cover crop with Bahiagrass Paspalum notatum; (4) CT and cover crop with spontaneous B. humidicola grass vegetation; and (5) ST and maintenance of the remaining grass (pasture) of B. humidicola. The soil tillage systems and different groundcover vegetation influenced the C and N mineralization, both under the tree canopy and in the inter-row space. The cultivation of B. humidicola under strip tillage provided higher potential mineralization than the other treatments in the inter-row space. Strip tillage increased the C and N mineralization compared to conventional tillage. The grass cultivation increased the C and N mineralization when compared to the others treatments cultivated in the inter-row space.

Annual and seasonal changes in production and composition of grazed clover-grass mixtures in organic farming

Selostus: Alsike-, puna- ja valkoapilan vaikutus laitumen tuottoon luonnonmukaisessa tuotannossa