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Effect of Rotations, Tillage Methods, and N Fertilization on Winter Wheat Production 1
Author(s) -
Tucker Billy B.,
Cox M. B.,
Eck H. V.
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj1971.00021962006300050012x
Subject(s) - agronomy , tillage , loam , mulch , mathematics , fertilizer , crop rotation , straw , crop , environmental science , biology , soil water , soil science
Winter wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) was grown continuously and in rotation with alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) or grass on Pond Creek and Grant silt loams in the 64‐cm rainfall area of north central Oklahoma. Studies were conducted from 1956 through 1967. Stubble mulch and clean tillage were compared in continuous wheat and alfalfa‐wheat systems. The principal effect of alfalfa on wheat yield was to supply N. Wheat in rotation with alfalfa (3 years alfalfa, 3 years wheat) yielded 2,020 kg/ha, while continuous wheat fertilized annually with 45 kg N/ha yielded 2,180 kg/ha. Yields of wheat in a grass‐wheat rotation were inferior to those of continuous wheat plus N because of N deficiency. Without N fertilizer, clean‐tilled continuous wheat outyielded stubble‐mulched continuous wheat by 23% (clean tilled: 1,790 kg/ha; stubble‐mulched: 1,460 kg/ha). With 45 kg N/ha, the advantage for clean tillage was reduced to about 8% (clean tilled: 2,160 kg/ha; stubble‐mulched: 2,000 kg/ha). The 45 kg/ha N fertilizer rate was sufficient for near maximum wheat yields under both clean and stubble‐mulch tillage.