[Numerical evaluation of soil quality under different conservation tillage patterns].
A 9-year field experiment was conducted on the Guanzhong Plain of Shaanxi Province to study the effects of subsoiling, rotary tillage, straw return, no-till seeding, and traditional tillage on the soil physical and chemical properties and the grain yield in a winter wheat-summer maize rotation system, and a comprehensive evaluation was made on the soil quality under these tillage patterns by the method of principal components analysis (PCA). Comparing with traditional tillage, all the conservation tillage patterns improved soil fertility quality and soil physical properties. Under conservative tillage, the activities of soil urease and alkaline phosphatase increased significantly, soil quality index increased by 19.8%-44.0%, and the grain yield of winter wheat and summer maize (expect that under no till seeding with straw covering) increased by 13%-28% and 3%-12%, respectively. Subsoiling every other year, straw-chopping combined with rotary tillage, and straw-mulching combined with subsoiling not only increased crop yield, but also improved soil quality. Based on the economic and ecological benefits, the practices of subsoiling and straw return should be promoted.
Wu
Yu-Hong
YH
College of Resource and Environment, Northwest A & F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China. wuyuhong_yang@163.com
Tian
Xiao-Hong
XH
Chi
Wen-Bo
WB
Nan
Xiong-Xiong
XX
Yan
Xiao-Li
XL
Zhu
Rui-Xiang
RX
Tong
Yan-An
YA
D000383:Agriculture / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D018533:Biomass; D002681:China; D003246:Conservation of Energy Resources; D005308:Fertilizers; D018547:Plant Stems; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis*; D014908:Triticum / Q000254:growth & development*; D014510:Urease / Q000032:analysis; D003313:Zea mays / Q000254:growth & development*
D005308:Fertilizers; D012987:Soil; D014510:Urease