Stubble-mulching

About: Stubble-mulching is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 75 publications have been published within this topic receiving 1355 citations.

The Happy Seeder enables direct drilling of wheat into rice stubble

Abstract: Lack of suitable machinery is a major constraint to direct drilling into combine-harvested rice residues due to the heavy straw load, and the presence of loose tough straw deposited by the harvester. Therefore, most rice stubbles are burnt in the mechanised rice–wheat systems of south Asia and Australia, as this is a rapid and cheap option, and allows for quick turn around between crops. As well as loss of organic matter and nutrients, rice stubble burning causes very serious and widespread air pollution in the north-west Indo-Gangetic Plains, where rice–wheat systems predominate. A novel approach with much promise is the Happy Seeder, which combines the stubble mulching and seed drilling functions in the one machine. The stubble is cut and picked up in front of the sowing tynes, which engage bare soil, and deposited behind the seed drill as mulch. Evaluation of the technology over 3 years in replicated experiments and farmers’ fields in Punjab, India, showed that establishment of wheat sown into rice residues with the Happy Seeder was comparable with establishment using conventional methods (straw burnt followed by direct drilling or cultivation before sowing) for sowings around the optimum time into stubbles up to 7.5 t/ha. For late sowings, plant density declined significantly at straw loads above 5 t/ha. The mulch also reduced weed biomass by ~60%, and reduced soil evaporation. Yield of wheat sown around the optimum time into rice residues, using the Happy Seeder, was comparable with or higher than yield after straw removal or burning, in replicated experiments and farmers’ fields, for straw loads up to 9 t/ha. In farmers’ fields there was an average yield increase of 9 and 11% in 2004–05 and 2005–06, respectively, compared with farmer practice. For sowings after the optimum time, yield declined significantly at straw loads greater than 7.5 t/ha. The Happy Seeder offers the means of drilling wheat into rice stubble without burning, eliminating air pollution and loss of nutrients and organic carbon due to burning, at the same time as maintaining or increasing yield.

A study of soil erosion on vertisols of the eastern Darling Downs, Queensland .I. Effects of surface conditions on soil movement within Contour Bay catchments

Abstract: Effects of soil surface conditions on runoff and soil loss were studied on two major cracking clay soils of the Darling Downs, Queensland. Techniques used to measure soil loss between field contour bays under natural rainfall are described, and the results from 10 contour bay catchments (66 plot years) are presented. Soil movement was separated into rill, interrill, suspended sediment and channel deposition. Two slope lengths were considered (60 and 35 m), and interrill erosion appeared to be the major source of soil loss. Runoff and sediment concentration were both inversely related to surface cover and total soil movement was greatly reduced by surface cover. In an annual winter-wheat, summer-fallow system, removal of stubble resulted in soil movement of 29-62 t ha-1 year-1. Retention of stubble (stubble mulching) reduced soil movement to less than 5 t ha-1 year-1. Greater than 75% of the variance in soil movement from single events was explained by surface cover and peak runoff rate. Surface cover is a measure of the surface area protected from soil detachment and entrainment. Peak runoff rate describes the amount of energy or stream power available for detachment and entrainment.

Stubble Mulch Farming

Abstract: Publisher Summary Stubble mulching is a system of farming primarily developed in the arid and semiarid areas. Stubble mulching is demonstrated to be of practical value in reducing soil erosion by wind and water and in resisting surface runoff. Under some conditions, the practice of stubble mulching may reduce soil losses from intense rains to only a portion of those occurring with plowing. Corresponding runoff reductions can also be obtained. The moisture content of soil profile with stubble mulching may not be greatly different from that with plowing. On the other hand, it is not too difficult to demonstrate increased soil moisture storage on stubble mulched plots shortly after a substantial rain. In the drier regions of the Great Plains, stubble mulching usually results either in increased wheat yields or in little change in yield. In more humid areas of the Great Plains and in the Pacific Northwest, there may be substantial decreases in grain yield with stubble mulching. These yield reductions with stubble mulch tillage are apparently due to decreased nutrient availability, particularly nitrogen, inadequate weed control, or a combination of both factors.

Fallow Management Practices for Wheat Production in the Central Great Plains

Abstract: () (I) conventional stubble mulch tillage; three practices where weed control was achieved with herbicides except for (II) one tillage operation performed as needed for weed control in early spring, (III) immediately after harvest, and (IV) late fall (october); (V) chemical weed control except for one tillage after harvest and one tillage the following summer; (VI) chemical weed control with three tillage operations just prior to wheat seeding; (VII) and no-till, all weed control achieved with herbicides ()