introduction phosphorus (p) is an essential element in crop nutrition, which can be growth limiting or an environmental contaminant, if present in excess. on the other hand, tillage practices have a direct effect on behavior and availability of soil p. since, application of different tillage methods lead to different patterns of soil phosphorus distribution, hence p fertilizer needs and p avail...

rotation is also more effective in preventing deep leaching of nitrate N than continuous corn (Katupitiya et al., Reduced tillage, including no-till, and crop rotation are common 1997; Varvel and Peterson, 1990). Reduced stress from practices for corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] production in the Midwest. Benefits of no-till vary with latitude pests may be one of the reas...

Increased CO2 release from soils resulting from agricultural practices such as tillage has generated concerns about contributions to global warming. Maintaining current levels of soil C and/or sequestering additional C in soils are important mechanisms to reduce CO2 in the atmosphere through production agriculture. We conducted a study in northern Alabama from 2003 to 2006 to measure CO2 efflux...

Soil loss through wind and water erosion is an ongoing problem in semiarid regions. A thin layer of top soil loss over a hectare of cropland could be corresponding to tons of productive soil loss per hectare. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the influence of beef feedlot manure, tillage and legume grass mixtures on changes in soil quality and nutrient components. The study was init...

Background: Soils contain the greatest terrestrial carbon (C) pool on the planet. Since approximately 12 % of soil C is held in cultivated soils, management of these agricultural areas has a huge potential to affect global carbon cycling; acting sometimes as a sink but also as a source. Tillage is one of the most important agricultural practices for soil management and has been traditionally un...

Hardpans (plough/hoe pans) are commonly believed to restrict plant root growth and crop yields under conventional small-scale agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa. This study questions the notion of widespread hardpans in Zambia and their remedy under conservation tillage. Soil penetration resistance was measured in 8x12 grids, covering 80 cm wide and 60 cm deep profiles in 32 soil pits. Large and...

Tillage practices and weather affect the release of greenhouse gases but there have been few integrated studies of the quantities released or the mechanisms involved. No-tillage may increase emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O) and the ®xation of carbon by decreasing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Tillage may also decrease the oxidation rate of atmospheric methane (CH4) in aerobic soil. These effe...

In order to harvest higher yield of wheat, selection of suitable sowing technologies are of great importance. The objective of the present study included evaluation of profitability of innovative sowing technologies for wheat cultivation with limited water application by partial budgeting. Different sowing technologies i.e. Bed planting, Conventional tillage and Zero tillage were evaluated with...

Recent developments in biofuel demand and the rapid adoption of modern transgenic hybrids are changing production systems towards more corn after corn, more intensive tillage, higher plant populations, and ever higher crop residue levels at harvest. Meeting society’s needs for food, feed, and fuel from grain corn, and in the future from corn stover, requires continued refinement of tillage syst...

A two year (2010-2012) study was conducted to assess the effects of different agronomic management practices on the emissions of CO2 from a field of non-irrigated wheat planted on China's Loess Plateau. Management practices included four tillage methods i.e. T1: (chisel plow tillage), T2: (zero-tillage), T3: (rotary tillage) and T4: (mold board plow tillage), 2 mulch levels i.e., M0 (no corn re...