NDLI: No-till strip row farming using yearly maize-soybean rotation increases yield of maize by 75 %

Content Provider	Springer Nature Link
Author	Islam, Rafiq Glenney, Dean C. Lazarovits, George
Copyright Year	2015
Abstract	Development of agronomic practices that maximize the use of natural resources to improve soil health and crop productivity is critical for long-term sustainability of agricultural technologies. In Ontario, Canada, the most conventional maize production practice follows a 3-year rotation with soybeans and ploughing of the land before planting and after harvesting. This technology yields 8–10 t ha$^{−1}$ of maize. We became aware of a long-term no-till strip row farming system developed by an Ontario grower where maize yields are double that of the average for the province. This study set out to identify what factors contribute to such a massive yield increase and the basis for this superior method of maize production. In a 2-year field study, we compared a variety of biotic and abiotic factors associated with yields at this highly productive site with those of two average yielding sites. The no-till strip row farming system grew maize and soybeans in alternate strips rotated yearly and had higher plant populations, better root architecture, higher plant biomass, and 75 % greater (18.35 t ha$^{−1}$) grain yield compared to a nearby farm that used conventional production practices. About 21 % of the yield increase resulted from early planting, greater number of seeds planted, and healthier ears/seeds. The remaining 54 % increase was linked to larger ears, which we tentatively attribute to beneficial effects conferred by the microorganisms that develop in this unique agro-ecosystem. The average net return at the no-till site was estimated to be CDN (Canadian) $2000 ha$^{−1}$, which was 400 % higher than the net returns of the conventional sites. The study concludes that no-till management where soil remains undisturbed when combined with yearly rotations of an appropriate legume crop, growing crops exactly on the same cropping rows every year, and optimization of plant density creates a sustainable technology for maximizing maize yields.
Starting Page	837
Ending Page	846
Page Count	10
File Format	PDF
ISSN	17740746
Journal	Agronomy for Sustainable Development
Volume Number	35
Issue Number	2
e-ISSN	17730155
Language	English
Publisher	Springer Paris
Publisher Date	2015-02-27
Publisher Institution	Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)
Publisher Place	Paris
Access Restriction	One Nation One Subscription (ONOS)
Subject Keyword	Long-term no-till Strip row farming Conventional production practice Yearly maize-soybean rotation Optimum plant density Maize yield improvement Increased net return Agriculture Soil Science & Conservation Sustainable Development
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Environmental Engineering Agronomy and Crop Science

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