Managing Global Resources for a Secure Future

2017 Annual Meeting | Oct. 22-25 | Tampa, FL

364-1 Soil Tillage and N Fertilization: Key Practices for the Sustainability of Mediterranean Agroecosystems.

See more from this Division: ASA Section: Environmental Quality
See more from this Session: Soil Carbon and Greenhouse Gas Emissions General Oral II

Wednesday, October 25, 2017: 9:35 AM
Tampa Convention Center, Room 14

Daniel Plaza-Bonilla1, Jorge Alvaro-Fuentes1, Jorge Lampurlanés2, Jose Luis Arrúe1, Evangelina Pareja Sanchez3, Samuel Franco-Luesma1 and Carlos Cantero-Martinez4, (1)Departamento de Suelo y Agua, Estación Experimental de Aula Dei (CSIC), Zaragoza, Spain
(2)Department of Agricultural and Forest Engineering, EEAD-CSIC Associated Unit, Agrotecnio, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain
(3)Crop and Forest Sciences Department, EEAD-CSIC Associated Unit, Agrotecnio, University of Lleida, Lleida, SPAIN
(4)Crop and Forest Sciences Department, EEAD-CSIC Associated Unit, Agrotecnio, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain
Abstract:
Soil tillage and N fertilization play an important role on the agronomic and environmental sustainability of Mediterranean agriculture. A series of long-term field experiments were established in NE Spain to compare different tillage systems and N fertilization strategies under rainfed and irrigated cropping systems. Soil water, mineral N and organic carbon dynamics as well as annual crop productivity have been continuously measured. Soil greenhouse gas emissions (N2O, CO2 and CH4) were measured under dryland and irrigated conditions with the static chamber method. At specific points in time, other soil quality attributes such as aggregation and organic C protection in aggregates were also measured. Tillage and N fertilization had a significant impact on most of the variables measured. Under dryland winter cereal production, no-tillage (NT) led to greater crop productivity and C sequestration than conventional intensive (CT) or reduced tillage (RT) given its positive impact on soil water storage. Crop biomass, grain yield and soil organic C sequestration response to mineral N fertilizer only occurred when using NT. Soil N2O emissions were similar between tillage systems and increased at increasing N rates under dryland barley production. Nevertheless, greater soil N2O emissions occurred when using NT at high N rates compared to CT or RT under irrigated maize. However, the use of RT and NT guaranteed a proper establishment of corn plantlets and increased corn yield when compared to CT, given the susceptibility of the soil to crusting when applying irrigation. Tillage and N fertilization had a minor impact on CH4 uptake by soil. The synthesis of long-term experimental and modelling results we present highlights the adequacy of NT and medium rates of N to maintain crop production and environmental sustainability in semiarid Mediterranean agroecosystems.

See more from this Division: ASA Section: Environmental Quality
See more from this Session: Soil Carbon and Greenhouse Gas Emissions General Oral II

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