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Fertility management in dryland conservation cropping systems of the Pacific Northwest

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 October 2009

Paul E. Rasmussen
Paul E. Rasmussen
Affiliation:
Soil Scientist, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Columbia Plateau Conservation Research Center, PO Box 370, Pendleton, OR 97801-0370.
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Abstract

The Pacific Northwest dryland region is moving toward conservation tillage to control excessive erosion on steep slopes, but progress has been slow because of adverse effects on plant growth and yield. Fertility relations in cereal grains with conventional tillage are well known, with deficiencies occurring for nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus, in declining order of frequency. N and S deficiencies are more severe in conservation tillage, although the pattern of crop response to nutrient application is the same as in conventional tillage. Placing nutrients in a subs urface band near the seed is more effective than broadcasting on the surface. Higher fertility is required near developing root systems to offset greater competition from grassy weeds and more intense pressure from root-pruning soil pathogens. Conservation tillage alters soil fertility and plant growth in different ways on different landscapes. These differences must be considered to ensure tha t conservation tillage will be effective over the entire field.

Keywords

dryland croppingconservation tillagesoil fertility
Type
Selected Papers from the U.S.-Middle East Conference on Sustainable Dryland Agriculture
Information
American Journal of Alternative Agriculture , Volume 11 , Issue 2-3 , September 1996 , pp. 108 - 114
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

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