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Tillage System, Preceding Crop, and Nitrogen Fertilizer in Wheat Crop: I. Soil Water Content
Author(s) -
LópezBellido Rafael J.,
LópezBellido Luis,
BenítezVega Jorge,
LópezBellido Francisco J.
Publication year - 2007
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/agronj2006.0025
Subject(s) - agronomy , tillage , sowing , sunflower , vertisol , helianthus annuus , conventional tillage , fertilizer , soil water , rainfed agriculture , crop rotation , summer fallow , monoculture , environmental science , crop , biology , agriculture , ecology , cropping , soil science
Under rainfed Mediterranean conditions, water economy must be based on a suitable choice of agronomic techniques. A 6‐yr study was undertaken to determine the effects of tillage system, preceding crop, and N fertilizer on soil water at wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) planting and harvest in a Vertisol. Tillage treatments were no‐tillage and conventional tillage. Preceding crops, in 2‐yr rotations, were sunflower ( Helianthus annuus L.), chickpea ( Cicer arietinum L.), faba bean ( Vicia faba L.), fallow, and continuous wheat. Nitrogen fertilizer rates were 0, 50, 100, and 150 kg N ha −1 applied to wheat only. No‐tillage did not provide more water at wheat planting for any of the rotations. Preceding crop effect on soil water content (SWC) at planting was as follows: fallow ≥ faba bean > wheat ≥ chickpea > sunflower. At harvest, SWC was higher in continuous wheat. Only at harvest were there differences among N fertilizer rates for SWC. Besides, measurement of SWC at harvest for sunflower, chickpea, faba bean, and fallow were performed to determine soil water storage and precipitation storage efficiency (PSE) for 2 yr. Soil water storage was higher for rotations with sunflower or fallow. Nevertheless, fallow PSE was the lowest (10%). The mean PSE was 29%. Under the conditions of this study, no‐tillage is not more efficient than conventional tillage in soil water accumulation. Fallow is not a useful tool for increasing water availability.