Improved soil characteristics in the deeper plough layer can increase grain yield of winter wheat

In the North China Plain (NCP), soil deterioration threatens winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production. Although rotary tillage or plowing tillage are two methods commonly used in this region, research characterizing the effects of mixed tillage on soil characteristics and wheat yield has been...

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Main Authors: Jin CHEN, Dang-wei PANG, Min JIN, Yong-li LUO, Hao-yu LI, Yong LI, Zhen-lin WANG
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. 2020-05-01
Series:Journal of Integrative Agriculture
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095311919626791
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author Jin CHEN
Dang-wei PANG
Min JIN
Yong-li LUO
Hao-yu LI
Yong LI
Zhen-lin WANG
author_facet Jin CHEN
Dang-wei PANG
Min JIN
Yong-li LUO
Hao-yu LI
Yong LI
Zhen-lin WANG
author_sort Jin CHEN
collection DOAJ
description In the North China Plain (NCP), soil deterioration threatens winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production. Although rotary tillage or plowing tillage are two methods commonly used in this region, research characterizing the effects of mixed tillage on soil characteristics and wheat yield has been limited. A fixed-site field trial was carried out during 2011–2016 to examine the impacts of three tillage practices (5-year rotary tillage with maize straw removal (RT); 5-year rotary tillage with maize straw return (RS); and annual RS and with a deep plowing interval of 2 years (RS/DS)) on soil characteristics and root distribution in the plough layer. Straw return significantly decreased soil bulk density, increased soil organic carbon (SOC) storage and SOC content, macro-aggregate proportion (R0.25) and its stability in the plough layer. The RS/DS treatment significantly increased the SOC content, total nitrogen (TN), and root length density (RLD) in the 10–40 cm layer, and enhanced the proportion of RLD in the 20–30 and 30–40 cm layers. In the 20–30 and 30–40 cm layers, an increase in SOC and TN could lead to higher grain production than commensurate increases in the surface layer, resulting in a sustainable increase in grain yield from the RS/DS treatment. Thus, the RS/DS treatment could lead to high productivity of winter wheat by improving soil characteristics and root distribution at the deeper plough layer in the NCP.
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publisher KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
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spelling doaj-art-b2b1eb672d034ed3936a0f1614be11742025-08-20T03:57:39ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Journal of Integrative Agriculture2095-31192020-05-011951215122610.1016/S2095-3119(19)62679-1Improved soil characteristics in the deeper plough layer can increase grain yield of winter wheatJin CHEN0Dang-wei PANG1Min JIN2Yong-li LUO3Hao-yu LI4Yong LI5Zhen-lin WANG6College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, P.R.China; State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, P.R.ChinaCollege of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, P.R.China; State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, P.R.ChinaCollege of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, P.R.China; State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, P.R.ChinaCollege of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, P.R.China; State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, P.R.ChinaCollege of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, P.R.China; State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, P.R.ChinaCollege of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, P.R.China; State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, P.R.China; Correspondence LI YongCollege of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, P.R.China; State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, P.R.China; Correspondence WANG Zhen-linIn the North China Plain (NCP), soil deterioration threatens winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production. Although rotary tillage or plowing tillage are two methods commonly used in this region, research characterizing the effects of mixed tillage on soil characteristics and wheat yield has been limited. A fixed-site field trial was carried out during 2011–2016 to examine the impacts of three tillage practices (5-year rotary tillage with maize straw removal (RT); 5-year rotary tillage with maize straw return (RS); and annual RS and with a deep plowing interval of 2 years (RS/DS)) on soil characteristics and root distribution in the plough layer. Straw return significantly decreased soil bulk density, increased soil organic carbon (SOC) storage and SOC content, macro-aggregate proportion (R0.25) and its stability in the plough layer. The RS/DS treatment significantly increased the SOC content, total nitrogen (TN), and root length density (RLD) in the 10–40 cm layer, and enhanced the proportion of RLD in the 20–30 and 30–40 cm layers. In the 20–30 and 30–40 cm layers, an increase in SOC and TN could lead to higher grain production than commensurate increases in the surface layer, resulting in a sustainable increase in grain yield from the RS/DS treatment. Thus, the RS/DS treatment could lead to high productivity of winter wheat by improving soil characteristics and root distribution at the deeper plough layer in the NCP.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095311919626791soil characteristicsroot length densitytillage practicestraw returnwinter wheat
spellingShingle Jin CHEN
Dang-wei PANG
Min JIN
Yong-li LUO
Hao-yu LI
Yong LI
Zhen-lin WANG
Improved soil characteristics in the deeper plough layer can increase grain yield of winter wheat
Journal of Integrative Agriculture
soil characteristics
root length density
tillage practice
straw return
winter wheat
title Improved soil characteristics in the deeper plough layer can increase grain yield of winter wheat
title_full Improved soil characteristics in the deeper plough layer can increase grain yield of winter wheat
title_fullStr Improved soil characteristics in the deeper plough layer can increase grain yield of winter wheat
title_full_unstemmed Improved soil characteristics in the deeper plough layer can increase grain yield of winter wheat
title_short Improved soil characteristics in the deeper plough layer can increase grain yield of winter wheat
title_sort improved soil characteristics in the deeper plough layer can increase grain yield of winter wheat
topic soil characteristics
root length density
tillage practice
straw return
winter wheat
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095311919626791
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AT minjin improvedsoilcharacteristicsinthedeeperploughlayercanincreasegrainyieldofwinterwheat
AT yongliluo improvedsoilcharacteristicsinthedeeperploughlayercanincreasegrainyieldofwinterwheat
AT haoyuli improvedsoilcharacteristicsinthedeeperploughlayercanincreasegrainyieldofwinterwheat
AT yongli improvedsoilcharacteristicsinthedeeperploughlayercanincreasegrainyieldofwinterwheat
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