Conservation Tillage Technologies for Double-Crop Regions in North China

摘要

Conservation tillage integrates essential technologies of no-till or reduced-tillage, residue coverage on farmland, biological pest control and crop rotation for maximum soil protection and soil water storage. The objective of this study was to investigate the conservation tillage patterns suitable for semi-humid and dry regions in North China. This paper reports on the experiment design and performance of related farm implements for conservation tillage technology. Ten different mechanized patterns of no-till or reduced-tillage for two crops (winter wheat and summer corn) within one year were set up at the "Yangling Experiment and Demonstration Site for Mechanized New Technique and Machinery" and these conservation tillage patterns were compared with conventional tillage. Preliminary test results show that crop yield increased by 53%, average soil water storage increased by 1% to 1.2% at different depth and organic matter increased by 1% to 2% for the conservation tillage system with wheat residue cover and no-till seeding of corn immediately after wheat harvest, compared with conventional bare soil plowing. Moreover, the efficiency of yield increasing and water storage for deep soil loosening was higher than for deep plowing; and no-till seeding of corn on high stubble mulching was better than seeding on low stubble.