Abstract
A 2-year study was carried out in a Croatia to assess the impacts of tillage and fertilisation on soil bulk density (BD), penetration resistance (PR), CO2 emissions and grain yields. The tillage treatments were: conventional tillage (CT), minimum tillage (MT) and reduced tillage (RT). Inside these plots, subplots were fertilised with organic fertiliser, 600 kg ha−1 (CF), 15 t ha−1 (FYM15) and 30 t ha−1 (FYM30) of farmyard manure. In 2017, BD at 10–20 cm was significantly higher in MT than in RT and CT. The same was observed in 2018 at 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm. In 2017, RT had a significantly lower PR than MT and CT. In 2018, PR in RT was significantly lower than MT. In 2017 and 2018 FYM30 and FYM15 application decreased significantly BD in comparison to CF. In 2017, the highest dose of farmyard manure (FYM30 50, 5 kg ha−1 day−1) increased significantly CO2 fluxes comparing to CF (40.7 kg ha−1 day−1). Soil CO2 fluxes under CT (47.9 and 52.3 kg ha−1 day−1 in 2017 and 2018, respectively) were significantly higher than RT (39.1 kg ha−1 day−1) in 2017 and MT (41.7 kg ha−1 day−1) in 2018. Conventional tillage (2.26 t ha−1) had significant lower oat yields than RT (2.72 t ha−1) and MT (2.56 t ha−1). The opposite occurred in barley yields. Farmyard manure significantly increased oat yields in 2017 compared to CF. Overall, reduced tillage with addition of FYM30 can be considered a sustainable management practice, since improved soil physical properties, reduced CO2 fluxes and increased grain yield.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Afzalinia S, Zabihi J (2014) Soil compaction variation during corn growing season under conservation tillage. Soil Tillage Res 137:1–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2013.11.003
Aksakal EL, Sari S, Angin I (2016) Effects of vermicompost application on soil aggregation and certain physical properties. Land Degrad Dev 27:983–995. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.2350
Alarcón R, Hernández-Plaza E, Navarrete L, Sánchez MJ, Escudero A, Hernanz JL, Sánchez-Giron V, Sánchez AM (2018) Effects of no-tillage and non-inversion tillage on weed community diversity and crop yield over nine years in a Mediterranean cereal-legume cropland. Soil Tillage Res 179:54–62. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.2350
Alletto L, Coquet Y (2009) Temporal and spatial variability of soil bulk density and near-saturated hydraulic conductivity under two contrasted tillage management systems. Geoderma 152:85–94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2009.05.023
Alvarez R, Steinbach HS (2009) A review of the effects of tillage systems on some soil physical properties, water content, nitrate availability and crops yield in the Argentine Pampas. Soil Tillage Res 104:1–15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2009.02.005
Álvaro-Fuentes J, Cantero-Martínez C, López MV, Arrúe JL (2007) Soil carbon dioxide fluxes following tillage in semiarid Mediterranean agroecosystems. Soil Tillage Res 96:331–341. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2007.08.003
Álvaro-Fuentes J, López MV, Arrúe JL, Cantero-Martínez C (2008) Management effects on soil carbon dioxide fluxes under semiarid Mediterranean conditions. Soil Sci Soc Am J 72:194–200
Arvidsson J, Westlin A, Sörensson F (2013) Working depth in non-inversion tillage—effects on soil physical properties and crop yield in Swedish field experiments. Soil Tillage Res 126:259–266. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2012.08.010
Askegaard M, Olesen JE, Rasmussen IA, Kristensen K (2011) Nitrate leaching from organic arable crop rotations is mostly determined by autumn field management. Agric Ecosyst Environ 142:149–160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2011.04.014
Berner A, Hildermann I, Fliessbach A, Pfiffner L, Niggli U, Mäder P (2008) Crop yield and soil fertility response to reduced tillage under organic management. Soil Tillage Res 101:89–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2008.07.012
Bilandzija D, Zgorelec Z, Kisic I (2014a) Soil carbon loss by soil respiration under different tillage treatments. Agric Conspec Sci 79:1–6
Bilandzija D, Zgorelec Z, Kisic I (2014b) The influence of agroclimatic factors on soil CO2 emissions. Coll Antropol 38:77–83
Bilandzija D, Zgorelec Z, Kisic I (2016) Influence of tillage practices and crop type on soil CO2 emissions. Sustainability 8:90. https://doi.org/10.3390/su8010090
Birkás M, Antos G, Neményi M, Szemők A (2008) Environmentally-sound adaptable tillage. Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest
Blanco-Moure N, Gracia R, Bielsa AC, López MV (2016) Soil organic matter fractions as affected by tillage and soil texture under semiarid Mediterranean conditions. Soil Tillage Res. 155:381–389. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2015.08.011
Bogunovic I, Bilandzija D, Andabaka Z, Stupic D, Comino JR, Cacic M, Brezinscak L, Maletic E, Pereira P (2017) Soil compaction under different management practices in a Croatian vineyard. Arab J Geosci 10:340. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-017-3105-y
Bogunovic I, Pereira P, Kisic I, Sajko K, Sraka M (2018a) Tillage management impacts on soil compaction, erosion and crop yield in Stagnosols (Croatia). CATENA 160:376–384. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.01.062
Bogunovic I, Vukadinovic V, Kisic I, Chiavalon S, Vucic H, Durdevic B (2018b) Tillage and soil amendments effect on soil physical properties and yield of oats (Avena sativa L.) in organic farm in Mediterranean Croatia. Agric Conspec Sci. 83:17–23
Büchi L, Charles R, Schneider D, Sinaj S, Maltas A, Fossati D, Mascher F (2016) Performance of eleven winter wheat varieties in a long term experiment on mineral nitrogen and organic fertilisation. Field Crops Res 191:111–122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2016.02.022
Buragienė S, Šarauskis E, Romaneckas K, Sasnauskienė J, Masilionytė L, Kriaučiūnienė Z (2015) Experimental analysis of CO2 emissions from agricultural soils subjected to five different tillage systems in Lithuania. Sci Total Environ 514:1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.01.090
Casagrande M, Peigné J, Payet V, Mäder P, Sans FX, Blanco-Moreno JM, Antichi D, Bàrberi P, Beeckman A, Bigongiali F, Cooper J, Dierauer H, Gascoyne K, Grosse M, Heß J, Kranzler A, Luik A, Peetsmann E, Surböck A, Willekens K, David C (2015) Organic farmers’ motivations and challenges for adopting conservation agriculture in Europe. Org Agric 6:281–295. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13165-015-0136-0
Chatskikh D, Olesen JE (2007) Soil tillage enhanced CO2 and N2O emissions from loamy sand soil under spring barley. Soil Tillage Res 97:5–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2007.08.004
Cordovil CMDS, de Varennes A, Pinto RMDS, Alves TF, Mendes P, Sampaio SC (2017) Decomposition rate and enzymatic activity of composted municipal waste and poultry manure in the soil in a biofuel crops field. J Sci Food Agric 97:2245–2255. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.8035
Crittenden SJ, Poot N, Heinen M, Van Balen DJM, Pulleman MM (2015) Soil physical quality in contrasting tillage systems in organic and conventional farming. Soil Tillage Res 154:136–144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2015.06.018
D’Haene K, Vermang J, Cornelis WM, Leroy BL, Schiettecatte W, De Neve S, Gabriels D, Hofman G (2008) Reduced tillage effects on physical properties of silt loam soils growing root crops. Soil Tillage Res 99:279–290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2008.03.003
Dam RF, Mehdi BB, Burgess MSE, Madramootoo CA, Mehuys GR, Callum IR (2005) Soil bulk density and crop yield under eleven consecutive years of corn with different tillage and residue practices in a sandy loam soil in central Canada. Soil Tillage Res 84:41–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2004.08.006
Darwish OH, Persaud N, Martens DC (1995) Effect of long term application of animal manure on physical properties of three soils. Plant Soil 176:289–295. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00011793
Dawson JJ, Smith P (2007) Carbon losses from soil and its consequences for land-use management. Sci Total Environ 382(2–3):165–190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2007.03.023
de Moraes MT, Debiasi H, Carlesso R, Franchini JC, da Silva VR, da Luz FB (2016) Soil physical quality on tillage and cropping systems after two decades in the subtropical region of Brazil. Soil Tillage Res 155:351–362. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2015.07.015
Dekemati I, Simon B, Vinogradov S, Birkás M (2019) The effects of various tillage treatments on soil physical properties, earthworm abundance and crop yield in Hungary. Soil Tillage Res 194:104334. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2019.104334
Dıaz-Zorita M, Perfect E, Grove JH (2002) Disruptive methods for assessing soil structure. Soil Tillage Res 64:3–22. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-1987(01)00254-9
Doltra J, Lægdsmand M, Olesen JE (2011) Cereal yield and quality as affected by nitrogen availability in organic and conventional arable crop rotations: a combined modeling and experimental approach. Eur J Agron 34:83–95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2010.11.002
Gao W, Whalley WR, Tian Z, Liu J, Ren T (2016) A simple model to predict soil penetrometer resistance as a function of density, drying and depth in the field. Soil Tillage Res 155:190–198. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2015.08.004
Głąb T (2013) Impact of soil compaction on root development and yield of meadow-grass. Int Agrophys 27:7–13. https://doi.org/10.2478/v10247-012-0062-2
Grant CA, Lafond GP (1993) The effects of tillage systems and crop sequences on soil bulk density and penetration resistance on a clay soil in southern Saskatchewan. Can J Soil Sci 73:223–232. https://doi.org/10.4141/cjss93-024
Hammad EA, Dawelbeit MI (2001) Effect of tillage and field condition on soil physical properties, cane and sugar yields in Vertisols of Kenana Sugar Estate, Sudan. Soil Tillage Res 62:101–109. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-1987(01)00221-5
Hati KM, Mandal KG, Misra AK, Ghosh PK, Bandyopadhyay KK (2006) Effect of inorganic fertilizer and farmyard manure on soil physical properties, root distribution, and water-use efficiency of soybean in Vertisols of central India. Bioresour Technol 97:2182–2188. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2005.09.033
IUSS Working Group (2014) World reference base for soil resources: international soil classification system for naming soils and creating legends for soil maps. World Soil Resources Reports
Jabro JD, Iversen WM, Stevens WB, Evans RG, Mikha MM, Allen BL (2016) Physical and hydraulic properties of a sandy loam soil under zero, shallow and deep tillage practices. Soil Tillage Res 159:67–72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2016.02.002
Kirchmann H, Lundvall A (1993) Relationships between N immobilization and volatile fatty acids in soil after application of pig and cattle slurry. Biol Fertil Soils 15:161–164. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00361605
La Scala Jr N, Bolonhezi D, Pereira GT (2006) Short-term soil CO2 emission after conventional and reduced tillage of a no-till sugar cane area in southern Brazil. Soil Tillage Res 91:244–248. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2005.11.012
Laddha KC, Totawat KL (1997) Effects of deep tillage under rainfed agriculture on production of sorghum (Sorghum biocolor L. Moench) intercropped with green gram (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek) in western India. Soil Tillage Res 43:241–250. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-1987(97)00027-5
Lampurlanés J, Cantero-Martinez C (2003) Soil bulk density and penetration resistance under different tillage and crop management systems and their relationship with barley root growth. Agron J 95:526–536
Magdoff F, Van Es H (2010) Building soils for better crops, 3rd edn. Sustainable Agriculture Network, Beltsville
Marquina S, Pérez T, Donoso L, Giuliante A, Rasse R, Herrera F (2015) NO, N2O and CO2 soil emissions from Venezuelan corn fields under tillage and no-tillage agriculture. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 101:123–137. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-014-9659-0
Moos JH, Schrader S, Paulsen HM, Rahmann G (2016) Occasional reduced tillage in organic farming can promote earthworm performance and resource efficiency. Appl Soil Ecol 103:22–30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2016.01.017
Morell FJ, Álvaro-Fuentes J, Lampurlanés J, Cantero-Martínez C (2010) Soil CO2 fluxes following tillage and rainfall events in a semiarid Mediterranean agroecosystem: effects of tillage systems and nitrogen fertilization. Agric Ecosyst Environ 139:167–173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2010.07.015
Mujdeci M, Isildar AA, Uygur V, Alaboz P, Unlu H, Senol H (2017) Cooperative effects of field traffic and organic matter treatments on some compaction-related soil properties. Solid Earth 8:189–198. https://doi.org/10.5194/se-8-189-2017
Muñoz-Rojas M, Jordán A, Zavala LM, De la Rosa D, Abd-Elmabod SK, Anaya-Romero M (2015) Impact of land use and land cover changes on organic carbon stocks in Mediterranean soils (1956–2007). Land Degrad Dev 26:168–179. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.2194
Pearson CJ, Mann IG, Zianhua Z (1991) Changes in root growth within successive wheat crops in a cropping cycle using minimum and conventional tillage. Field Crops Res 28:117–133. https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-4290(91)90078-A
Peigné J, Vian JF, Payet V, Saby NP (2018) Soil fertility after 10 years of conservation tillage in organic farming. Soil Tillage Res 175:194–204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2017.09.008
Pereira P, Bogunovic I, Munoz-Rojas M, Brevik EC (2018) Soil ecosystem services, sustainability, valuation and management. Curr Opin Environ Sci Health 5:7–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coesh.2017.12.003
Puerta VL, Pereira EIP, Wittwer R, van der Heijden M, Six J (2018) Improvement of soil structure through organic crop management, conservation tillage and grass-clover ley. Soil Tillage Res 180:1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2018.02.007
Reicosky DC, Lindstrom MJ, Schumacher TE, Lobb DE, Malo DD (2005) Tillage-induced CO2 loss across an eroded landscape. Soil Tillage Res 81:183–194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2004.09.007
Sacco D, Moretti B, Monaco S, Grignani C (2015) Six-year transition from conventional to organic farming: effects on crop production and soil quality. Eur J Agron 69:10–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2015.05.002
Salem HM, Valero C, Muñoz MÁ, Rodríguez MG, Silva LL (2015) Short-term effects of four tillage practices on soil physical properties, soil water potential, and maize yield. Geoderma 237:60–70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2014.08.014
Seufert V, Ramankutty N, Foley JA (2012) Comparing the yields of organic and conventional agriculture. Nature 485:229–232
Sharratt B, Zhang M, Sparrow S (2006) Twenty years of tillage research in subarctic Alaska: I. Impact on soil strength, aggregation, roughness, and residue cover. Soil Tillage Res 91:75–81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2005.11.006
Six J, Bossuyt H, Degryze S, Denef K (2004) A history of research on the link between (micro) aggregates, soil biota, and soil organic matter dynamics. Soil Tillage Res. 79:7–31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2004.03.008
Spiegel H, Dersch G, Baumgarten A, Hösch J (2010) The international organic nitrogen long-term fertilisation experiment (IOSDV) at Vienna after 21 years. Arch Agron Soil Sci 56:405–420. https://doi.org/10.1080/03650341003645624
Taylor HM, Gardner HR (1963) Penetration of cotton seedling taproots as influenced by bulk density, moisture content, and strength of soil. Soil Sci 96:153–156
Verdi L, Mancini M, Ljubojevic M, Orlandini S, Dalla Marta A (2018) Greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions from soil: the effect of organic matter and fertilisation method. Ital J Agron 13:260–266. https://doi.org/10.4081/ija.2018.1124
Wang Y, Li C, Tu C, Hoyt GD, DeForest JL, Hu S (2017) Long-term no-tillage and organic input management enhanced the diversity and stability of soil microbial community. Sci Total Environ 609:341–347. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.07.053
Whitmore AP, Whalley WR, Bird NR, Watts CW, Gregory AS (2011) Estimating soil strength in the rooting zone of wheat. Plant Soil 339:363–375. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-010-0588-7
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful on the financial support of organic Family farm Chiavalon and Ministry of Agriculture trough the project “Sustainable soil management measures in organic agriculture for climate conditions of Mediterranean Croatia”.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Electronic supplementary material
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bogunovic, I., Pereira, P., Galic, M. et al. Tillage system and farmyard manure impact on soil physical properties, CO2 emissions, and crop yield in an organic farm located in a Mediterranean environment (Croatia). Environ Earth Sci 79, 70 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-020-8813-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-020-8813-z