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Agronomy
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Tillage Systems and Fertilizer Application on Soil Health
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Tillage Systems and Fertilizer Application on Soil Health

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Soil and Plant Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 February 2025 | Viewed by 4500

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Cezar F. Araujo Junior

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Rural Development Institute of the State of Paraná–IAPAR–EMATER (IDR-Paraná), Rod. Celso Garcia Cid, km 375, Londrina 86047-902, PR, Brazil
Interests: conservation agriculture systems; soil physics; soil and water conservation
Prof. Dr. Eduardo Da Costa Severiano

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Graduate Program in Agricultural Sciences/Agronomy, Instituto Federal Goiano, Rio Verde 75901-970, Brazil
Interests: agriculture-livestock integration systems; soil physics; soil conservation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Across the globe, the intensive traffic of machines used in mechanized agriculture is currently the main cause of soil compaction, causing concerns about soil health. Soil tillage affects soil structure stabilization, organic matter stocks, and the quality and distribution of nutrients throughout the soil profile. No-tillage systems have become one of the most recomended soil management techniques that, by placing crop residues over the soil surface, protect the soil against raindrop impact, soil erosion, and compaction. Covering the soil with crop residues is one of the main factors that influence soil water infiltration. Moreover, the residues alleviate the stress induced by the wheels, tracks, and implements. The root systems of crops create the biogenic soil porosity that increases the soil’s resistance to compaction and facilitates the flux of water, air, and heat in the soil profile.

Prof. Dr. Cezar F. Araujo Junior
Prof. Dr. Eduardo Da Costa Severiano
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • (sub) tropical soils
  • brazilian cerrado
  • no-tillage system
  • soil health

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 3491 KiB  
Article
Integrated Crop–Livestock Systems as a Strategy for the Sustainable Production of Corn and Soybean Grain in Tropical Sandy Soils
by Deyvison de Asevedo Soares, Gelci Carlos Lupatini, Bianca Midori Souza Sekiya, Gustavo Pavan Mateus, Cristiana Andrighetto, Viviane Cristina Modesto, Junio Reina da Silva, João Henrique Silva da Luz, Fernando Shintate Galindo, Carlos Alexandre Costa Crusciol, Paulo Sergio Pavinato and Marcelo Andreotti
Agronomy 2024, 14(9), 2071; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14092071 - 10 Sep 2024
Viewed by 663
Abstract
Integrated crop–livestock systems (ICLS) have sustainably intensified modern agricultural practices worldwide. This research assessed how production systems and crop types impact the chemical properties of an Oxisol in the Brazilian Cerrado, the grain yield of corn intercropped with palisade grass (Urochloa) [...] Read more.
Integrated crop–livestock systems (ICLS) have sustainably intensified modern agricultural practices worldwide. This research assessed how production systems and crop types impact the chemical properties of an Oxisol in the Brazilian Cerrado, the grain yield of corn intercropped with palisade grass (Urochloa) in the off-season in an ICLS, and the grain yield (GY) of soybean in succession. Intercropped and monocropped systems were assessed in a three-year field experiment: corn + Urochloa ruziziensis–soybean; corn + U. brizantha cv. Piatã–soybean; corn + U. brizantha cv. Paiaguás–soybean (ICL–Paiaguás); corn–soybean under a no-tillage system (NTS); corn–soybean under a conventional tillage system (CTS); Piatã grass–continuous grazing (Perennial Piatã); and Paiaguás grass–continuous grazing (Perennial Paiaguás). The residual impact of phosphate fertilization was more pronounced in the ICLS treatments. In the soil layer from 0.0 to 0.2 m depth, ICLS–Paiaguás and Perennial Piatã had the most positive effects on soil chemical quality. In the last year, grain yield was highest in corn monoculture under the NTS and soybean in succession under the ICLS. ICL–Paiaguás improved soil chemical properties for soybean in succession. These results confirm that an intermittent pasture system for legume crops in sequence is an alternative that can maintain or improve soil chemical composition, and that CTS should be avoided in tropical sandy soils. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tillage Systems and Fertilizer Application on Soil Health)
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15 pages, 1561 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of the Improvement Effect of Chemical Fertilizer Combined with Different Additives on Newly Built Paddy Soil
by Nannan Wang, Tibin Zhang, Hao Shi, Xianhua Zhang, Shiwen Wang and Hongyi Li
Agronomy 2024, 14(8), 1706; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14081706 - 2 Aug 2024
Viewed by 669
Abstract
Exploring the effects of different additives on the improvement of newly cultivated farmland in mountainous areas can provide rational soil fertilization plans for regions lacking means of production. We conducted a paddy planting experiment in Ankang City, Shaanxi Province. Six treatments were set [...] Read more.
Exploring the effects of different additives on the improvement of newly cultivated farmland in mountainous areas can provide rational soil fertilization plans for regions lacking means of production. We conducted a paddy planting experiment in Ankang City, Shaanxi Province. Six treatments were set up, including sole chemical fertilizer (CK); fertilizer + bacteria agent (NB); chemical fertilizer + alginate bio-organic fertilizer (NO); fertilizer + fulvic acid biomass nutrient solution (NF); chemical fertilizer + acid soil conditioner (NC); fertilizer + silicon–calcium–magnesium–potassium fertilizer (NSi). We collected topsoil samples after paddy harvest, analyzed their physical, chemical, and biological properties, and selected indicators to construct a Total Data Set (TDS) and a Minimum Data Set (MDS). The Soil Quality Index (SQI) was used to evaluate the soil improvement effects after different fertilization regimes. The SQI calculated by the TDS and the MDS showed that the SQI after NF treatment was higher than that under other treatments. The SQI based on the TDS (SQITDS) and the SQI based on the MDS (SQIMDS) were significantly positively correlated with yield. The SQI calculated based on both the TDS and the MDS can objectively reflect the soil fertility quality. The paddy yield and total dry matter accumulation were the highest under the NF treatment, and the SQI was the largest. Thus, the effect of chemical fertilizer combined with fulvic acid biomass nutrient solution on soil fertility was the most significant. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tillage Systems and Fertilizer Application on Soil Health)
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15 pages, 2242 KiB  
Article
Effects of Straw Returning on Soil Aggregates and Its Organic Carbon and Nitrogen Retention under Different Mechanized Tillage Modes in Typical Hilly Regions of Southwest China
by Chengyi Huang, Huijuan Huang, Shengjie Huang, Weibo Li, Kairui Zhang, Yian Chen, Liu Yang, Ling Luo and Liangji Deng
Agronomy 2024, 14(5), 928; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14050928 - 28 Apr 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 998
Abstract
Tillage modes and straw returning influence soil aggregate stability and the distribution of organic carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) in aggregates of different particle sizes. In the typical hilly regions of southwest China, the predominant soil type is purple soil, characterized by heavy [...] Read more.
Tillage modes and straw returning influence soil aggregate stability and the distribution of organic carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) in aggregates of different particle sizes. In the typical hilly regions of southwest China, the predominant soil type is purple soil, characterized by heavy texture and high stickiness, with relatively lower soil fertility compared to other soil types. The improper use of fertilizers and field management practices further exacerbates soil compaction. However, abundant straw resources in the region provide an opportunity for comprehensive straw utilization. The effective utilization of straw resources is of significant importance for stabilizing agricultural ecological balance, improving resource utilization efficiency, and alleviating ecological pressure. Previously, most studies have focused on the impact of different mechanized tillage systems on the physical and chemical properties of soil in hilly areas, while research on the preservation of water-stable aggregates’ organic C and N content remains limited. In this study, the soil properties of fields under a winter pea–summer corn rotation for two years were studied with regards to the effects of straw returning on its water-stable aggregate distribution, macroaggregate content (R0.25), mean weight diameter (MWD), geometric mean diameter (GMD), and the organic C and N content in soil aggregates of different particle sizes and at different depths. The effects of five different tillage modes were assessed, namely rotary tillage with straw mixed retention (RTM), conventional tillage with straw burial retention (CTB), no-tillage with straw covered retention (NTC), subsoiling with straw covered retention (STC), and no-tillage without straw retention (NT). Based on the study results, under different tillage modes, straw returning effectively enhanced the soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) reserves at the plow layer (0–30 cm), SOC increased by 17.2% to 88%, and TN increased by 8.6% to 85.9%. At the same time, the content of 0.25–2 mm aggregates increased under the straw-return treatments under different tillage patterns. The NT treatment had the lowest R0.25 and MWD and GMD values for soil aggregates at different depths, which were significantly different (p < 0.05) from the other treatment modes. The correlation coefficients between SOC and soil aggregate stability indices ranged from 0.68 to 0.90, with most of them showing highly significant positive correlations (p < 0.01). In conclusion, straw returning under different tillage systems has improved soil aggregate stability and promoted soil structure stability. Specifically, the STC treatment has shown more pronounced effects on soil improvement in the upper soil layer of the hilly regions in southwest China, while the RTM treatment is beneficial for improving the lower soil layer. Therefore, the comprehensive experimental results indicate that the combination of STC and RTM treatments represents the most promising mechanized tillage and straw returning practices for the hilly regions in southwest China. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tillage Systems and Fertilizer Application on Soil Health)
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15 pages, 31831 KiB  
Article
Changes in Microbial Community and Activity of Chernozem Soil under Different Management Systems in a Long-Term Field Experiment in Hungary
by Andrea Balla Kovács, Evelin Kármen Juhász, Áron Béni, Ida Kincses, Magdolna Tállai, Zsolt Sándor, János Kátai, Tamás Rátonyi and Rita Kremper
Agronomy 2024, 14(4), 745; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14040745 - 4 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1113
Abstract
The effects of intensive and reduced tillage, fertilization, and irrigation on soil chemical and microbiological parameters were studied in a long-term field experiment in Hungary. The treatments were plowing tillage, ripper tillage, strip tillage; control (without fertilization), NPK fertilization (N: 160 kg/ha; P: [...] Read more.
The effects of intensive and reduced tillage, fertilization, and irrigation on soil chemical and microbiological parameters were studied in a long-term field experiment in Hungary. The treatments were plowing tillage, ripper tillage, strip tillage; control (without fertilization), NPK fertilization (N: 160 kg/ha; P: 26 kg/ha; K: 74 kg/ha); and non-irrigation and irrigation. Soil samples were collected through maize monoculture in the fall of 2021 in the 30th year of the experiment. The soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, soil microbial biomass (based on PLFA analysis), and soil enzyme activity were observed to be significantly high in the strip tillage plots, but were lower in the ripper tillage plots, and even lower in the plowing tillage plots. The fungal, arbuscular mycorrhiza fungal, and bacterial biomasses were significantly higher in the strip tillage and ripper tillage plots compared to the plowing tillage plots. The strip tillage treatment was found to be the most favorable cultivation method for improving the microbial biomass and activity of Chernozem soil, followed by the ripper tillage and plowing tillage treatments. The long-term use of chemical fertilizers greatly reduced the soil microbial biomass and negatively impacted the soil microbial community, leading to a decrease in fungi and Gram-negative bacteria. The ratio of cyclopropyl PLFA precursors to cyclopropyl PLFAs, as a “stress factor”, indicated the most stressful bacterial environment was that found in the fertilized, non-irrigated plowed soil. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tillage Systems and Fertilizer Application on Soil Health)
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