Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-26T13:39:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 426054 bytes, checksum: c0ad434551aa86070264961654fb175e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-07-05 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / Experiments were carried out at the Experimental Station of Coimbra, Minas Gerais, of the Department of Plant Science of the Universidade Federal de Viçosa to study the effect of Mo in mixture with glyphosate, applied on corn and brachiaria straw on bean plant crop under no-till system. Two field assays were carried out, the first on brachiaria straw and the second on corn straw. The experiment was set up in split-plots, with the plots consisting of five doses of molybdenum (0, 100, 200, 400 and 800 g ha-1), applied in combination with the a desiccating herbicide (glyphosate) and the split-plots consisting of two doses of molybdenum (0 and 100 g ha-1), applied via the leaves on the bean plant, in the DBC, with four repetitions. Each split-plot was composed by five 5 m long, 0.5 m spaced lines of bean plant, cultivar Ouro Vermelho. Molybdenum foliar fertilization was carried out at stage V4, with sodium molybdate (39% of Mo) being the source of Mo. The content of chlorophyll was evaluated in the third completely expanded leaf from the apex (index leaf), through the SPAD index (Soil Plant Analyses Development), with three readings per leaflet being carried out in ten leaves randomly selected from the split-plot plants. The contents of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Mn, Zn, Cu and Mo were evaluated in the leaves and grains under laboratory conditions. The number of plants per hectare (NP), number of pods per plant (NPP), number of grains per pod (NGP), mass of 100 grains (MG) and yield (Y) were later determined. The bean plant cultivated on the brachiaria straw absorbed MO applied on the latter, combined with glyphosate, increasing its yield. The content of Mo in the leaves increased in response to the application of the micronutrient, in mixture with glyphosate. Its concentration was even greater in the grains, when Mo was also applied via the leaves. The foliar content of nitrogen increased with the application of Mo mixed with glyphosate, when the micronutrient was not applied on the bean plant leaves, presenting a behavior similar to the SPAD index. When, besides the mixture of Mo with glyphosate, the former was applied via the leaves on the bean plants, these two factors decreased slightly. P content in the grains reduced when Mo was applied via the leaves. The content of K in the grains increased with the increase of the molybdenum dose, applied together with glyphosate on the brachiaria straw. On the other hand, when the bean plant was cultivated on the corn straw, the number of pods per plant (NPP) increased in response to the application of the Mo mixtures with glyphosate, when there was no foliar application of Mo on the bean plant. The foliar content of Mo was higher in the treatment Mo was applied on the bean plant leaves, regardless of the dose of this micronutrient, mixed with glyphosate. The content of Mo in the grains increased linearly with the increase of the micronutrient dose, applied together with glyphosate. The SPAD index was not altered, regardless of the Mo dose applied together with glyphosate, and/or applied via the leaves on the bean plant. / Com o objetivo de estudar o efeito do Mo em mistura com o dessecante, aplicado sobre palhadas de milho e braquiária para o plantio direto do feijoeiro, foram conduzidos experimentos na estação experimental de Coimbra, Minas Gerais, pertencente ao Departamento de Fitotecnia da Universidade Federal de Viçosa. Realizaram-se dois ensaios em campo, sendo o primeiro sobre palhada de braquiária e o segundo sobre palhada de milho. O experimento foi implantado utilizando-se parcelas subdivididas, sendo as parcelas constituídas por cinco doses de molibdênio (0, 100, 200, 400 e 800 g ha-1), aplicadas juntamente com o herbicida dessecante (glyphosate) e as subparcelas constituídas por duas doses de molibdênio (0 e 100 g ha-1), aplicadas via foliar no feijoeiro, no DBC, com quatro repetições. Cada subparcela foi composta por cinco linhas de feijão, cultivar Ouro Vermelho, com 5 m de comprimento, espaçadas de 0,5 m. A adubação foliar molíbdica foi realizada no estádio V4, sendo o molibdato de sódio (39% de Mo) a fonte de Mo. Avaliaram-se o conteúdo de clorofila na terceira folha completamente expandida a partir do ápice (folha índice), através do índice SPAD (Soil Plant Analyses Development), sendo realizadas três leituras por folíolo em dez folhas tomadas aleatoriamente nas plantas da subparcela. Em laboratório foram avaliados os teores de N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Mn, Zn, Cu e Mo, nas folhas e nos grãos. Posteriormente, foi determinado o número de plantas por hectare (NP), o número de vagens por planta (NVP), o número de grãos por vagem (NGP), a massa de 100 grãos (MG) e a produtividade (P). O feijoeiro cultivado sobre palhada de braquiária absorveu o Mo aplicado na braquiária, junto com o dessecante, aumentando sua produtividade. O teor de Mo nas folhas aumentou em resposta à aplicação do micronutriente, em mistura com o dessecante. Nos grãos, a sua concentração foi ainda maior, quando o Mo foi, também, aplicado via foliar. O teor foliar de nitrogênio aumentou com a aplicação de Mo misturado com o dessecante, quando não houve aplicação deste micronutriente nas folhas do feijoeiro, apresentando comportamento semelhante ao índice SPAD. Quando além da mistura do Mo com o dessecante houve aplicação do mesmo via foliar no feijoeiro, estes dois fatores diminuíram ligeiramente. O teor de P nos grãos reduziu quando o Mo foi aplicado via foliar. O teor K nos grãos aumentou com o aumento da dose de molibdênio aplicada junto com o dessecante na palhada da braquiária. Por outro lado, quando o feijoeiro foi cultivado sobre palhada de milho, o número de vagens por planta (NVP) aumentou em resposta à aplicação das misturas do Mo com o dessecante, quando não houve aplicação foliar de Mo sobre o feijoeiro. O teor foliar de Mo foi superior no tratamento que houve aplicação do mesmo nas folhas do feijoeiro, independentemente da dose deste micronutriente misturado com o dessecante. O teor de Mo nos grãos aumentou de forma linear com o aumento da dose do micronutriente aplicado junto com o dessecante. O índice SPAD não foi alterado, independentemente da dose de Mo aplicada juntamente com o dessecante e ou aplicado via foliar no feijoeiro.

O plantio direto (PD), associado a plantas de cobertura, pode melhorar os atributos químicos e a qualidade do solo, dependendo do tipo de solo. O objetivo da pesquisa foi avaliar o impacto do PD, associado a diferentes sistemas de cultura, durante longo período (~30 anos) sobre os atributos químicos e indicadores de qualidade de um solo de clima subtropical e de um solo de clima temperado (Estudos I e II), e da influência de sistemas de cultura sobre a eficiência da calagem superficial em PD em um solo de clima subtropical (Estudo III). Nos estudos I e II foram avaliados experimentos instalados em 1985 em Eldorado do Sul (Brasil) e em Concord (EUA) cultivados em PD e preparo convencional (PC). No experimento em Eldorado do Sul foram utilizados três sistemas de cultura: aveia (Avena strigosa)/milho (Zea mays) (A/M), ervilhaca (Vicia sativa)/milho (V/M) e aveia+ervilhaca/ milho+caupi (Vigna unguiculata) (AV/MC), em duas doses de N (0 e 180 kg ha-1). O experimento em Concord foi conduzido com dois sistemas de cultura: milho contínuo e milho-soja (Glycine max)], em três doses de N (0, 80 e 160 kg ha-1). O Estudo III foi conduzido em um experimento instalado em 1983 em PD, sendo avaliados atributos químicos relacionados à acidez do solo antes e dois anos após a calagem (5,0 Mg ha-1) em cinco sistemas de cultura: pousio/M (P/M), A/M, AV/M, AV/MC, LL (Lablab purpureus)+M (LLM), com e sem calagem e em duas doses de N (0 e 180 kg ha-1). As práticas de manejo de longa duração influenciaram os atributos químicos do solo, principalmente, na camada de 0 a 10 cm de profundidade, na qual o PD aumentou, em média, 23 % o teor de C orgânico do solo (COS), 30 % o teor de nitrogênio total (NT) e 100 % o teor de P disponível, em relação ao PC, nos dois solos. O COS e o NT aumentaram na ordem A/M<V/M<AV/MC, enquanto que, o pH, o P disponível e a saturação por bases reduziram na ordem A/M>V/M>AV/MC. O COS e o NT não foram influenciados, mas o pH e a saturação por bases aumentaram na rotação milho-soja. O COS aumentou 5% na dose de 160 kg N ha-1 no solo temperado. A adubação nitrogenada reduziu o pH e a saturação por bases nos dois solos, contudo reduziu 30 % o P disponível no solo subtropical, mas aumentou 20 % no solo temperado. O PD aumentou o estoque e o índice de estratificação (IE) do COS e do C orgânico particulado (COP) e o índice de labilidade (IL) nos dois solos. A inclusão de leguminosas aumentou o IE do COS e COP, e o IL em PD. Os sistemas com leguminosas de cobertura de solo aumentaram a acidificação e a saturação por Al3+ e reduziram a saturação por bases, comparado com sistemas exclusivamente de gramíneas. Após dois anos da calagem superficial o pH foi maior que 5,0 e a saturação por Al3+ foi < 4,0 % até 5 cm, independente do sistemas de cultura, porém, a saturação por bases aumentou para > 50 % até 7,5.cm. As práticas de manejo apresentam comportamento similar entre os diferentes solos, e os sistemas de culturas não influenciaram na eficiência da calagem na camada superficial do solo. / No-till (NT), associated with cover crops, can improve soil chemical properties and quality, which the magnitude of the effects possibly is dependent of soil type. The objective of this research was to evaluate the impact of NT, associated with different cropping systems, cultivated for long-term (~ 30 years) on soil chemical properties and quality indicators of subtropical soil in Southern Brazil and a temperate soil in Midwest US (Studies I and II), and cropping systems influence on liming efficiency in a subtropical soil under long-term NT (Study III). In Studies I and II were used two long-term experiments installed in 1985 in Eldorado do Sul (Brazil) and Concord (US) carried out under NT and conventional tillage (CT). In Brazil, the experiment was composed by three cropping systems: oat (Avena strigosa) / corn (Zea mays) (O/C), vetch (Vicia sativa)/corn (V/C) and oat+vetch/corn+cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) (OV/CC), with two N rates (0 and 180 kg ha-1). In US, the experiment was conducted with two crop rotations: continuous corn and corn-soybean (Glycine max), with three N rates (0, 80 and 160 kg ha-1). The Study III was conducted in a third experiment under NT and assessed soil chemical attributes related to acidity, before and two years after liming (5.0 Mg ha-1), in five cropping systems: fallow/C (F/C), O/C, OV/C,OV/CC, LL (Lablab purpureus)+C LLM), with and without liming and two N rates (0 and 180 kg ha-1). The long-term management effects on soil chemical properties were confined from 0 to 10 cm depth, in which NT system increased, in average, 23 % of soil organic C (SOC), 30 % of total N (TN), 100 % of available P, compared with CT in subtropical and temperate soil. Subtropical cropping systems increased SOC and TN in the order O/C<V/C<OV/CC, while soil pH, available P and base saturation decreased in the order O/C<V/C<OV/CC. Temperate crop rotation had no effects on SOC and TN, but soil pH and base saturation increased in corn-soybean rotation. Nitrogen fertilization increased 5 % of SOC in the N rate of 160 kg ha-1 in temperate soil. Nitrogen fertilization decreased soil pH and base saturation in both soils, but decreased 30% available P in subtropical soil, but increased 20% in temperate soil. No-till increased SOC and particulate organic C (POC) stocks, SOC and POC stratification ratio (SR) and lability index (LI) in both soils. Legume-based cropping systems increased the SOC and POC SR and LI under NT. Besides, legume-based cropping systems increased soil acidification and Al3+ saturation, and decreased base saturation, compared with grass crops. After two years of superficial liming, soil pH increased to >5.0 and Al3+ saturation decreased to <4.0% up to 5 cm, regardless of cropping systems, and base saturation increased to >50% up to 7.5 cm depth. Long-term management practices have similar behavior in the subtropical and temperate soil, and cropping systems has no influence on liming efficiency in topsoil.

O plantio direto (PD), associado a plantas de cobertura, pode melhorar os atributos químicos e a qualidade do solo, dependendo do tipo de solo. O objetivo da pesquisa foi avaliar o impacto do PD, associado a diferentes sistemas de cultura, durante longo período (~30 anos) sobre os atributos químicos e indicadores de qualidade de um solo de clima subtropical e de um solo de clima temperado (Estudos I e II), e da influência de sistemas de cultura sobre a eficiência da calagem superficial em PD em um solo de clima subtropical (Estudo III). Nos estudos I e II foram avaliados experimentos instalados em 1985 em Eldorado do Sul (Brasil) e em Concord (EUA) cultivados em PD e preparo convencional (PC). No experimento em Eldorado do Sul foram utilizados três sistemas de cultura: aveia (Avena strigosa)/milho (Zea mays) (A/M), ervilhaca (Vicia sativa)/milho (V/M) e aveia+ervilhaca/ milho+caupi (Vigna unguiculata) (AV/MC), em duas doses de N (0 e 180 kg ha-1). O experimento em Concord foi conduzido com dois sistemas de cultura: milho contínuo e milho-soja (Glycine max)], em três doses de N (0, 80 e 160 kg ha-1). O Estudo III foi conduzido em um experimento instalado em 1983 em PD, sendo avaliados atributos químicos relacionados à acidez do solo antes e dois anos após a calagem (5,0 Mg ha-1) em cinco sistemas de cultura: pousio/M (P/M), A/M, AV/M, AV/MC, LL (Lablab purpureus)+M (LLM), com e sem calagem e em duas doses de N (0 e 180 kg ha-1). As práticas de manejo de longa duração influenciaram os atributos químicos do solo, principalmente, na camada de 0 a 10 cm de profundidade, na qual o PD aumentou, em média, 23 % o teor de C orgânico do solo (COS), 30 % o teor de nitrogênio total (NT) e 100 % o teor de P disponível, em relação ao PC, nos dois solos. O COS e o NT aumentaram na ordem A/M<V/M<AV/MC, enquanto que, o pH, o P disponível e a saturação por bases reduziram na ordem A/M>V/M>AV/MC. O COS e o NT não foram influenciados, mas o pH e a saturação por bases aumentaram na rotação milho-soja. O COS aumentou 5% na dose de 160 kg N ha-1 no solo temperado. A adubação nitrogenada reduziu o pH e a saturação por bases nos dois solos, contudo reduziu 30 % o P disponível no solo subtropical, mas aumentou 20 % no solo temperado. O PD aumentou o estoque e o índice de estratificação (IE) do COS e do C orgânico particulado (COP) e o índice de labilidade (IL) nos dois solos. A inclusão de leguminosas aumentou o IE do COS e COP, e o IL em PD. Os sistemas com leguminosas de cobertura de solo aumentaram a acidificação e a saturação por Al3+ e reduziram a saturação por bases, comparado com sistemas exclusivamente de gramíneas. Após dois anos da calagem superficial o pH foi maior que 5,0 e a saturação por Al3+ foi < 4,0 % até 5 cm, independente do sistemas de cultura, porém, a saturação por bases aumentou para > 50 % até 7,5.cm. As práticas de manejo apresentam comportamento similar entre os diferentes solos, e os sistemas de culturas não influenciaram na eficiência da calagem na camada superficial do solo. / No-till (NT), associated with cover crops, can improve soil chemical properties and quality, which the magnitude of the effects possibly is dependent of soil type. The objective of this research was to evaluate the impact of NT, associated with different cropping systems, cultivated for long-term (~ 30 years) on soil chemical properties and quality indicators of subtropical soil in Southern Brazil and a temperate soil in Midwest US (Studies I and II), and cropping systems influence on liming efficiency in a subtropical soil under long-term NT (Study III). In Studies I and II were used two long-term experiments installed in 1985 in Eldorado do Sul (Brazil) and Concord (US) carried out under NT and conventional tillage (CT). In Brazil, the experiment was composed by three cropping systems: oat (Avena strigosa) / corn (Zea mays) (O/C), vetch (Vicia sativa)/corn (V/C) and oat+vetch/corn+cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) (OV/CC), with two N rates (0 and 180 kg ha-1). In US, the experiment was conducted with two crop rotations: continuous corn and corn-soybean (Glycine max), with three N rates (0, 80 and 160 kg ha-1). The Study III was conducted in a third experiment under NT and assessed soil chemical attributes related to acidity, before and two years after liming (5.0 Mg ha-1), in five cropping systems: fallow/C (F/C), O/C, OV/C,OV/CC, LL (Lablab purpureus)+C LLM), with and without liming and two N rates (0 and 180 kg ha-1). The long-term management effects on soil chemical properties were confined from 0 to 10 cm depth, in which NT system increased, in average, 23 % of soil organic C (SOC), 30 % of total N (TN), 100 % of available P, compared with CT in subtropical and temperate soil. Subtropical cropping systems increased SOC and TN in the order O/C<V/C<OV/CC, while soil pH, available P and base saturation decreased in the order O/C<V/C<OV/CC. Temperate crop rotation had no effects on SOC and TN, but soil pH and base saturation increased in corn-soybean rotation. Nitrogen fertilization increased 5 % of SOC in the N rate of 160 kg ha-1 in temperate soil. Nitrogen fertilization decreased soil pH and base saturation in both soils, but decreased 30% available P in subtropical soil, but increased 20% in temperate soil. No-till increased SOC and particulate organic C (POC) stocks, SOC and POC stratification ratio (SR) and lability index (LI) in both soils. Legume-based cropping systems increased the SOC and POC SR and LI under NT. Besides, legume-based cropping systems increased soil acidification and Al3+ saturation, and decreased base saturation, compared with grass crops. After two years of superficial liming, soil pH increased to >5.0 and Al3+ saturation decreased to <4.0% up to 5 cm, regardless of cropping systems, and base saturation increased to >50% up to 7.5 cm depth. Long-term management practices have similar behavior in the subtropical and temperate soil, and cropping systems has no influence on liming efficiency in topsoil.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-10T17:40:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Jean_Sergio_Rosset.pdf: 2088287 bytes, checksum: 9ca02116578977d869b0da816bb0878c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-02-27 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The evaluation of the quality of agricultural production systems is of great importance for the maintenance and increase of production capacity of agricultural areas. Soil organic matter (SOM) and their fractions, associated with other indicators, provides satisfactory results for the assessment of soil properties. The aims of this study were to determine the effects of management systems with different deployment times on soil chemical and physical properties, total soil organic carbon (TOC) stock and its indicators; to assess the distribution and stock of soil organic matter fractions; and to assess the carbon management index (CMI), soil structural quality indicators based on particle size and aggregate stability and evolution of carbon in the form of carbon dioxide (CO2) into aggregates incubated in the laboratory. Soil samples were collected in agricultural systems located in Guaíra, Paraná State, Brazil. Five managed areas and a reference area (native forest) without anthropic action were analyzed in a completely randomized design with five replications. Management systems include three areas with different time of first adoption of the no-till: 6 (NT6), 14 (NT14) and 22 years (NT22) under continuous soybean maize or wheat cropping system; 12 years of no-till under soybean maize or wheat cropping systems, and in the last four years with integration of maize and ruzigrass (Brachiaria ruziziensis) (NT+B) and an area of permanent and continuous extensive cattle pasture of coast-cross (Cynodon dactylon). Soil physical and chemical properties, TOC stock and distribution and stock of soil organic matter fractions were evaluated at depths from 0-0.05; 0.05-0.1; 0.1-0.2 and 0.2-0.4 m. Soil aggregate stability was evaluated at depths from 0-0.05 and 0.05-0.1 m. The managed areas showed the lowest values for total soil porosity, and higher values for soil bulk density and soil penetration resistance for area compared to the native forest area. There was slow and gradual increase in the TOC stocks due to the time of adoption of the no-till practices, with significant differences in the area with 22 years of no-tillage compared with other areas. There was increase of carbon in the deep layers of soil by the action of the root system of grasses. There was predominance of humin fraction (H) in relation fractions of the alkaline extract (AE), humic acid (HA) and fulvic acid (FA), with percolation of AE fractions in depth. The oxidizable fractions of soil organic matter showed a balance in their relative distribution, and continuous soybean, maize/wheat cropping system contributed to the increase of labile carbon fraction, especially F1. The NT22 area showed the best CMI indicators compared to other managed areas. The time of adoption of the NT improved the structural parameters of soil aggregation and biological activity through the evolution of CO2. The M+B consortium promoted improvements in the structural quality of soil aggregates. The best soil quality indicators among the managed areas were obtained after 22 years of no-till adoption, indicating the improvement of soil quality with the time of adoption of this conservation management system / A avaliação da qualidade dos sistemas agrícolas tem grande importância na manutenção e aumento da capacidade de suporte das áreas produtivas. A matéria orgânica do solo (MOS) e suas respectivas frações, associadas a outros indicadores, trazem resultados satisfatórios para a avaliação dos atributos edáficos. O presente trabalho teve como objetivos: avaliar os atributos químicos e físicos do solo, os teores e estoques de carbono orgânico total (COT) e seus indicadores, avaliar as frações químicas, físicas e oxidáveis da MOS, suas distribuições, relações e estoques, avaliar os índices de manejo de carbono (IMC), os parâmetros estruturais do solo via indicadores de tamanho e estabilidade de agregados e evolução de carbono (C) na forma de dióxido de C (CO2) em agregados incubados em laboratório, em sistemas de manejo com diferentes tempos de implantação. As coletas de solo foram realizadas em sistemas agrícolas localizados no município de Guaíra, PR. Foram avaliadas seis áreas em delineamento inteiramente casualizado com histórico de manejo diferenciado, sendo elas: áreas com diferentes tempos de adoção do sistema plantio direto (SPD) por 6, 14 e 22 anos sob sucessão de culturas soja (verão) e milho/trigo (inverno) (SPD6, SPD14 e SPD22, respectivamente); 12 anos de SPD no mesmo sistema de sucessão e mais 4 anos com introdução de braquiária em consórcio com o milho nos cultivos de inverno (M+B); pastagem permanente e mata nativa. Para análises dos atributos químicos, físicos, teores de COT, e frações da MOS, com seus respectivos cálculos de estoques, índices e relações, as amostras foram coletadas nas camadas de 0-0,05, 0,05-0,1, 0,1-0,2 e 0,2-0,4 m, em cinco amostras compostas para cada área e camada. Para as análises do estado de agregação do solo, as amostras foram coletadas em cinco repetições, nas camadas de 0-0,05 e 0,05-0,1 m. As áreas manejadas apresentaram menores valores para porosidade, e maiores valores para densidade e resistência a penetração em relação a área sob mata. Houve tendência de aumento lento e gradual nos teores e estoques de COT em função do tempo de adoção do SPD, com diferenças significativas após 22 anos de condução em relação as demais. Verificou-se contribuição em aumento de C de camadas mais profundas pela ação do sistema radicular das gramíneas. Houve predomínio da fração humina (HUM) em relação as frações do extrato alcalino (EA) (ácido húmico (AH) e ácido fúlvico (AF)), com movimentação das frações do EA em profundidade. As frações oxidáveis da MOS apresentaram equilíbrio em sua distribuição relativa, sendo que a sucessão de culturas contribui para aumento das frações lábeis do C, especialmente F1. A área de SPD22 apresentou os melhores indicadores de IMC em relação a demais áreas manejadas. O tempo de adoção do SPD beneficiou a evolução dos parâmetros estruturais de agregação do solo e maior atividade biológica via evolução de C-CO2. O consórcio M+B promoveu melhorias na qualidade estrutural dos agregados do solo. Os melhores parâmetros dentre as áreas manejadas foram obtidos após anos de condução em SPD, evidenciando a melhoria na qualidade do solo com o passar dos anos de adoção deste sistema conservacionista de manejo

Master of Agribusiness / Department of Agricultural Economics / Robert O. Burton Jr / This thesis analyses the economics of reduced tillage farming compared to no-till on a western Kansas farm using elevated crop residue levels and higher intensity opportunity cropping strategies to overcome obstacles. Farming expenses are from the author’s farm. Crop yields and rainfall data come from the Tribune Unit of the KSU-Southwest Research-Extension Center. Price and crop insurance data are from USDA sources on the Internet. Crop enterprise budgets are used to determine per acre expenses, net revenue, and the risks of high cropping intensity no-till (NT), and reduced tillage (RT), eco-fallow and with and without opportunity cropping. Grain sorghum was added to the NT rotation, the RT opportunity cropping and the NT opportunity cropping to potentially increase revenues and compete against perennial grasses. However, grain sorghum revenues for various reasons did not cover average variable costs. Results indicate that NT opportunity cropping can be as or more profitable than RT eco-fallow using corn, however risks and expenses are greater. Over the 10-year study, the NT opportunity cropping averaged $3.97 more net revenue than the RT rotation. The NT rotation averaged $5.40 less net revenue than the RT rotation. The RT opportunity cropping averaged $3.83 less net revenue than the RT rotation. The NT opportunity cropping produced the highest net revenue, followed by the RT rotation. The RT opportunity produced the third highest net revenue and the NT rotation produce the lowest net revenue. The RT rotation showed relatively little risk in the ability to recover variable expenses. These results only apply to this farm and should be extrapolated to other regions only after study and analysis. This case study is not necessary applicable to other farms. However, the ideas and analytical techniques may be used to address similar issues on other farms. This analysis reveals that higher intensity no-till cropping can increase net revenues as long as intensity is decreased when soil moisture at planting is not adequate. This allows farmers to benefit from increases in soil organic matter and decreases in soil erosion from no-till farming.

Tillage increases erosion rates and diminishes the quality of soils but has traditionally been a way to manage weeds and prepare a seedbed. No-till vegetable production can ameliorate the ill-effects of tillage in an economically effective way but has not been studied much in California. The objective of this thesis was to determine the viability of no-till vegetable cropping on the Central Coast of California. Tomatoes were grown in no-till and conventionally tilled treatments. Total yield, fruit weight, weed emergence, soil bulk density, soil aggregate stability, and soil organic carbon content were measured and compared. Yields and soil tests in both treatments were similar while weed emergence in the tilled plots was significantly higher than in no-till plots. The results may help vegetable producers determine how to make vegetable production on the Central Coast more sustainable.

Cotton (<i>Gossypium hirsutum</i> L.) is a low residue crop, that may not provide sufficient surface residue to reduce erosion and protect the soil. A winter annual cover crop could alleviate erosion between cotton crops. Field experiments were conducted to evaluate selected winter annual cover crops for biomass production, ground cover, and N assimilation. The cover crop treatments were monitored under no-till and conventional tillage systems for the effects on soil moisture, cotton yield and quality. Six cover crop treatments, crimson clover (<i>Trifolium incarnatum</i> L.), hairy vetch (<i>Vicia vilosa</i> L.), hairy vetch and rye (<i>Secale cereale</i> L.), rye, wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L. amend. Thell.), and white lupin (<i>Lupinus albus</i> L.), and two tillage systems (conventional and no-till) were arranged in a split-plot design with four replications. Cover crop biomass production depended on climate conditions. Ground cover percent and N assimilation by cover crops were directly correlated with the amount of biomass produced within cover crop treatments. Within a range of near average winter temperatures, all cover crops except lupin provided enough ground cover to comply with federal conservation tillage standards. More ground cover remained on the soil surface further into the cotton growing season following the small grain treatments compared to the legume cover crop treatments. Soil moisture was higher (P < 0.05) under no-till compared to conventional tillage during the periods of drought in 1997. Tillage system had no effect on cotton yield and quality in 1995 and 1996. High cover crop biomass production coupled with an extended cotton growing season in 1995 resulted in higher lint yield for cotton grown following the hairy vetch + rye treatment compared with cotton grown following the wheat treatment. High heat unit accumulation in October 1995 led to the over maturity of cotton fiber and high micronaire values for cotton grown following all cover crop treatments. The high micronaire values (5.0 - 5.2) for cotton grown in all cover crop treatments except hairy vetch + rye (4.9), resulted in a market price deduction of 1.4 cents per kilogram of lint in 1995. All cover crops used in this experiment, with the exception of lupin, provided enough ground cover within a range of average winter temperatures to meet federal conservation requirements. The winter annual cover crops in a no-till cotton production system provided greater soil moisture conservation during periods of drought, and produced cotton yields and quality comparable to conventional tillage. / Master of Science

This investigation involved three tillage treatments, fall plowed (conventional) (moldboard IS-centimeter depth), fall chiseled (ripped) (25-centimeter depth), and no-tillage (zero tillage) replicated four times on an established alfalfa field. Rye was planted in the fall and harvested prior to planting the corn. Soil samples contained an average of 5.9 ppm phosphorus in the 0-30 centimeter soil layer, indicating the need for additional phosphorus. Within each tillage treatment, six rows received 11 kilograms/hectare phosphorus with the seed and 34 kilograms/hectare phosphorus side-dressed. Six rows received 45 kilograms/hectare phosphorus side-dressed, and four rows received 0 phosphorus. All 16 rows received 64 kilograms/hectare of nitrogen to ensure it was a non-limiting factor. Yields were significantly higher in every tillage plot that received phosphorus compared to the 0 kilograms phosphorus/hectare treatments in the plots. There was a trend of higher yields with the treatments of 11 kilograms/hectare + 34 kilograms/hectare side-dressed compared to the 45 kilograms/ hectare phosphorus side-dressed treatments. However, these were not significantly higher. The no-till plots yielded higher than the ripped or plowed in each tillage treatment. The differences between the no-till and ripped plots were not significant. However, the no-till plots yielded significantly higher than the plowed plot. The no-till 11 kilograms phosphorus + 34 kilograms phosphorus plots averaged 3.1 Megegrams/hectare higher silage yield than the plowed 11 kilograms phosphorus + 34 kilograms phosphorus plots and 2. 5 Megegrams/hectare higher in the 45 kilograms phosphorus side -dressed plots. Phosphorus uptake was measured by leaf sampling and found to be significantly higher in the no-till plots compared to the ripped and plowed plots. TON and protein were also determined, however, no significant differences existed between any tillage treatments. The rye was intended to be cut prior to planting for forage use in a dairy or cattle feeding program. Although the average dry weight was only 598 kilograms/hectare due mainly to late planting, this method has great economical potential.

Corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) production in Illinois has a significant impact on the economy and environmental footprint in the state and the Midwest region. Nutrient leaching from Midwestern agricultural fields is one of the major reasons for the hypoxic zone developed in the Gulf of Mexico. Winter-fallow and early spring (after fertilizer application) are the two most critical periods for nutrient leaching due to increased precipitation and availability of nutrients. Cover crops (CCs) in these seasons are a promising best management practice (BMP) to reduce nutrient leaching in the winter-fallow season. No-till (NT) and reduced tillage (RT) are some other BMPs that farmers in Illinois adopt to reduce erosion. The adoption of CCs is limited due to the lack of knowledge and data on the yield and environmental benefits of CCs in different climatic and soil regimes. Thereby, this doctoral dissertation addresses several critical questions about CC and tillage impacts in claypan soils of southern Illinois with four principal projects with multiple objectives. Research study 1 was a field experiment conducted from 2013-to 2021 to understand the effect of CCs (CCs vs. noCC) and two tillage (NT and RT) practices on soil nitrate-N leaching. The experimental design was a complete randomized design with CC treatments that had two levels (two crop rotations) corn-cereal rye (Secale cereale L.)-soybean-hairy vetch (Vicia villosa R.) [CcrShv] and corn-noCC-soybean-noCC [CncSnc] and tillage treatments with two levels (NT and RT) replicated three times in the field. Each plot had a pan lysimeter installed below the A horizon (22-30 cm depth) to collect water samples weekly or biweekly depending on the rainfall. The corn yield was significantly greater in RT rotations compared to NT rotations with a 36% increase in the yield in 2019 and 2021 corn rotations. The yield was significantly greater in CcrShv rotations compared to the CncSnc rotations. The greatest yield was observed in the interaction of CcrShv-RT in all years. This increase in yield is inversely correlated to the remaining soil N values when the N credit from CCs was not accounted for. Soil nitrate-N leaching was significantly greater in CcrShv rotations compared to the CncSnc rotation in 2021 indicating vetch CC biomass decomposition can lead to increased leaching losses if the window between CC termination and corn planting is not minimized. Precipitation during the early spring can play a vital role in flushing the newly applied fertilizer as well as the N released from decomposing CC residue. The excessively wet year of 2019 showed that N losses are dominated by both nitrate-N leaching and nitrous oxide emissions, but in a typical growing season N losses are dominated by leaching compared to emissions. Research study 2 was designed to better understand the N cycling and fate of applied N in a complete corn-soybean rotation in southern Illinois with CCs and tillage practices. The research was overlayed in the same field with the same crop rotation and tillage practices. In this study, 15N labeled urea fertilizer (9.2% atom) was applied before the corn and soybean seasons. Soil, water, and biomass samples were collected to understand N distribution in each pool. In the corn season in 2017 a significantly greater 15N recovery was observed in CC (CcrShv) plots compared to the noCC plots in the sample collected seven days after planting (DAP). In the CC and depth interaction, a significantly greater 15N recovery was observed in 15-30 cm depth showing that the increased macropores due to CCs can lead to subsurface movement of N through the topsoil. The 15N recovery in water samples was high in CncSnc rotations in the cereal rye season but was significantly greater in CcrShv rotations (8.95 kg ha-1) in hairy vetch seasons. In the two years of complete rotation, the cumulative 15N recovery (quantity derived from fertilizer in water) was significantly greater in CC rotation. In the corn plants, the 15N recovered from the soil was greater than the 15N recovered from fertilizer. This shows the importance of the residual N from prior fertilizer and organic matter input. In the cereal rye season, CCs recovered significantly greater 15N from fertilizer compared to noCC rotations, assuring that cereal rye is an effective nutrient scavenger. A similar pattern was observed in the hairy vetch season as well. However, the soybean 15N recovery was greater in noCC rotations compared to CC rotations. The third study was a field trial on CCs and tillage to understand their individual and combined impact on soil physical parameters. Soil physical parameters were first measured in 2014 and were repeated in 2021. Bulk density at the 0-5 cm depth was 5% lower in 2021 compared to 2014 with the lowest BD in CC rotations with RT practices. For the depth of 0-15 cm, the lowest BD was observed in CC rotation with RT but, the largest reduction was observed in the CC rotation with NT. The wet aggregate stability was improved from 15-28 % over the years in all rotations. The lowest percentage improvement was observed in noCC rotation with RT practice. Penetration resistance was significantly lower in CC plots for the depth of 0-2.5 cm. CCs further improved the time to runoff in plots even though the infiltration rates were not affected. Chemical soil health indices were not significant overtime for CCs or tillage practices. However, a large number of earthworm counts were observed in NT systems compared to RT systems. The final project was a field trial to identify the soil P response to the CC and tillage practices. For this study, three different CC rotations, [corn-cereal rye-soybean-hairy vetch / corn-cereal rye-soybean-oats+radish / corn-noCC-soybean-noCC] and two tillage practices (NT and RT) were used. Soil samples were collected after the corn harvest in 2015 and 2021 and were analyzed for soil Phosphorus (P), inorganic P fractions by Chan and Jackson method, and dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) in leachate. The soil Mehlich-3 and Bray-1 P values indicate a great concentration of P in 0-15 cm depth for both years. More refined sampling in 2021 showed that the majority of P in 0-15 cm depth concentrates at the near-surface soil, in 0-5 cm depth irrespective of the CC and tillage treatment. Inorganic soil P fractions were not significantly different between CCs or tillage practices over time. Yet, irrespective of the treatment the non- labile P forms increased in 2021in the soil compared to 2015. The average and cumulative DRP values were highly dependent on the precipitation amounts and timing. However, in general, NT systems had greater average and cumulative DRP leaching compared to RT in both years. In general, CCs in the winter-fallow season is a good recommendation for farms that seek to maximize their production with a minimal environmental footprint. In the long run, CCs can improve soil physical and chemical properties which ultimately can increase the yield potential for corn and soybean. The added benefit of N credit due to leguminous CCs can reduce the fertilizer inputs. The CC benefits including the reduction in nutrient leaching depend on the type of CCs used in the field. More importantly, the CC termination time will be critical to obtain the maximum benefit of CCs. Even though the NT practices improve soil physical properties, long-term NT can increase the risk of soil P stratification in near-surface soils and can ultimately lead to more P loss via erosion, runoff, and soil water leaching. However, the combined use of CC and NT practices can help minimize the potential for erosion and runoff.

This study analyzes the change in whole-farm net revenues and nutrient reduction from the implementation of five best management practices (BMPs) on a typical beef and beef-poultry farm in Shenandoah County. Whole-farm net revenues, resource allocation, nutrient loss reductions, and the cost efficiency of reducing nutrient losses were analyzed to assess which BMPs are the most cost efficient to implement, assuming the baseline scenarios have no voluntarily applied BMPs. The effects of stacking additional BMPs, in combinations of two or more, were also assessed. No-till cropping, winter wheat cover crop, herbaceous riparian buffer, fencing, and P-based NMP were the BMPs that were analyzed. Incentive payments from state and federal governments were incorporated into the cost of BMP adoption. A brief analysis of a farmer's time value of money, with respect to incentive payments, was also conducted. Results indicated that no-till crop management was the most cost efficient BMP, and was the only BMP to increase net revenues for both farm models. Fencing and P-based NMP were the least cost efficient for the beef farm. For the beef-poultry farm, fencing was the least cost efficient. The implications of this study are that farmers that choose to adopt BMP should evaluate both their interests in maintaining (or increasing) farm net revenues along with their interest in improving water quality through the reduction of nutrient losses. There is potential for implementing multiple BMPs, while increasing net revenues from a farm's baseline scenario. For farmers and policy makers, no-till cropping can be a profitable and therefore cost efficient BMP to implement. Incentive payments are intended to encourage the adoption of BMPs by subsidizing a portion of the start-up costs. Policy makers should attempt to make cost-share payments reflect nutrient reduction goals. This can be done by analyzing both the compliance cost to farmers and the nutrient reduction effectiveness of BMPs. / Master of Science