Influence of Long-term Tillage,Straw, and N Fertilizer Management on Crop Yield,N Uptake,and N Balance Sheet in Two Contrasting Soil Types |
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| Abstract: | Field experiments (established in autumn 1979, with monoculture barley from 1980 to 1990 and barley/wheat–canola–triticale–pea rotation from 1991 to 2008) were conducted on two contrasting soil types (Gray Luvisol Typic Haplocryalf] loam soil at Breton; Black Chernozem Albic Agricryoll] silty clay loam soil at Ellerslie) in north-central Alberta, Canada, to determine the influence of tillage (zero tillage and conventional tillage), straw management (straw removed SRem] and straw retained SRet]), and N fertilizer rate (0, 50 and 100 kg N ha?1in SRet, and only 0 kg N ha?1in SRem plots) on seed yield, straw yield, total N uptake in seed + straw (1991–2008), and N balance sheet (1980–2008). The N fertilizer urea was midrow-banded under both tillage systems in the 1991 to 2008 period. There was a considerable increase in seed yield, straw yield, and total N uptake in seed + straw with increasing N rate up to 100 kg N ha?1 under both tillage systems. On the average, conventional tillage produced greater seed yield (by 279 kg ha?1), straw yield (by 252 kg ha?1), and total N uptake in seed + straw (by 6.0 kg N ha?1) than zero tillage, but the differences were greater at Breton than Ellerslie. Compared to straw removal treatment, seed yield, straw yield, and total N uptake in seed + straw tended to be greater with straw retained at the zero-N rate used in the study. The amounts of applied N unaccounted for over the 1980 to 2008 period ranged from 1114 to 1846 kg N ha?1 at Breton and 845 to 1665 kg N ha?1 at Ellerslie, suggesting a great potential for N loss from the soil-plant system through denitrification, and N immobilization from the soil mineral N pool. In conclusion, crop yield and N uptake were lower under zero tillage than conventional, and long-term retention of straw suggests some gradual improvement in soil productivity. |
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| Keywords: | Crop yield N fertilizer N uptake straw management tillage |
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