No‐tillage effects on soil properties under different crops in Western Nigeria

Five years of no-tillage vs. the conventional method of tractor plowing significantly affected the physical and chemical properties of an Alfisol in western Nigeria. Continuous cropping of maize for 3 consecutive years was followed by 4 seasons of cultivation with cropping sequences of maize-maize (...

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Autor principal: Lal, R.
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: 1976
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/175101
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author Lal, R.
author_browse Lal, R.
author_facet Lal, R.
author_sort Lal, R.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Five years of no-tillage vs. the conventional method of tractor plowing significantly affected the physical and chemical properties of an Alfisol in western Nigeria. Continuous cropping of maize for 3 consecutive years was followed by 4 seasons of cultivation with cropping sequences of maize-maize (Zea mays L.), maize-cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata L. walp.), pigeon peas (Cajanus cajan Millsp.)-maize, soybeans-soybeans (Glycine max Merr.), maize-soybeans, and cowpeas-cowpeas. The no-tillage plots had higher organic matter contents in the surface soil horizons and higher concentrations of nitrate-nitrogen, Bray-1 available phosphorus, and ammonium acetate extractable cations such as Ca2+, Mg2+, and K+ than the plowed plots. The infiltration rates of no-tillage plots were higher than those of the plowed plots and, thus, runoff and erosion losses were minimal. Although maximum soil temperatures were higher in the plowed plots, the no-tillage plots had higher soil moisture contents throughout the growing seasons. Greater earthworm activity in the no-tillage plots reduced compaction and crust formation. Yields equal to those from the plowed plots were harvested from the no-tillage plots under suitable crop rotations.
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spelling CGSpace1751012025-12-08T10:06:44Z No‐tillage effects on soil properties under different crops in Western Nigeria Lal, R. soil properties soil crop rotation cropping systems Five years of no-tillage vs. the conventional method of tractor plowing significantly affected the physical and chemical properties of an Alfisol in western Nigeria. Continuous cropping of maize for 3 consecutive years was followed by 4 seasons of cultivation with cropping sequences of maize-maize (Zea mays L.), maize-cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata L. walp.), pigeon peas (Cajanus cajan Millsp.)-maize, soybeans-soybeans (Glycine max Merr.), maize-soybeans, and cowpeas-cowpeas. The no-tillage plots had higher organic matter contents in the surface soil horizons and higher concentrations of nitrate-nitrogen, Bray-1 available phosphorus, and ammonium acetate extractable cations such as Ca2+, Mg2+, and K+ than the plowed plots. The infiltration rates of no-tillage plots were higher than those of the plowed plots and, thus, runoff and erosion losses were minimal. Although maximum soil temperatures were higher in the plowed plots, the no-tillage plots had higher soil moisture contents throughout the growing seasons. Greater earthworm activity in the no-tillage plots reduced compaction and crust formation. Yields equal to those from the plowed plots were harvested from the no-tillage plots under suitable crop rotations. 1976 2025-06-16T09:22:38Z 2025-06-16T09:22:38Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/175101 en Open Access application/pdf Lal, R. (1976). No‐tillage effects on soil properties under different crops in Western Nigeria. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 40(5), 762-768.
spellingShingle soil properties
soil
crop rotation
cropping systems
Lal, R.
No‐tillage effects on soil properties under different crops in Western Nigeria
title No‐tillage effects on soil properties under different crops in Western Nigeria
title_full No‐tillage effects on soil properties under different crops in Western Nigeria
title_fullStr No‐tillage effects on soil properties under different crops in Western Nigeria
title_full_unstemmed No‐tillage effects on soil properties under different crops in Western Nigeria
title_short No‐tillage effects on soil properties under different crops in Western Nigeria
title_sort no tillage effects on soil properties under different crops in western nigeria
topic soil properties
soil
crop rotation
cropping systems
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/175101
work_keys_str_mv AT lalr notillageeffectsonsoilpropertiesunderdifferentcropsinwesternnigeria