Scholarship & Research
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Item An Overview of the Impact of Tillage and Cropping Systems on Soil Health in Agricultural Practices(Hindawi Limited, 2023-05) Bishnu Angon, Prodipto; Anjum, Nafisa; Masuma Akter, Mst.; KC, Shreejana; Parvin Suma, Rucksana; Jannat, SadiaThere is currently a demand to grow more crops in less area as a result of urbanization’s reduction of agricultural land. As a result, soil fertility is gradually declining. To maintain soil fertility, various management methods are used in modern times. The conventional tillage method is a traditional tillage method that damages soil structure, but zero tillage can improve soil quality. By maintaining soil structure with no-tillage, biological processes are frequently improved and microbial biodiversity is increased. This review helps to understand the role of tillage as well as cropping systems in increasing crop production by maintaining soil fertility. For agricultural production and environmental protection to be sustained for future generations, soil quality must be maintained and improved in continuous cropping systems. The nodulation, nitrogen fixation, and microbial community are all impacted by different cropping systems and tillage methods. They also alter soil properties including structure, aeration, and water utilization. The impact of tillage and cropping system practices such as zero and conventional tillage systems, crop rotation, intercropping, cover cropping, cultivator combinations, and prairie strip techniques on soil fertility is carefully summarized in this review. The result highlights that conservational tillage is much better than conventional tillage for soil quality and different aspects of different tillage and their interaction. On the other hand, intercropping, crop rotation, cover cropping, etc., increase the crop yield more than monocropping. Different types of cropping systems are highlighted along with their advantages and disadvantages. Using zero tillage can increase crop production as well as maintain soil fertility which is highlighted in this review. In terms of cropping systems and tillage management, our main goal is to improve crop yield while minimizing harm to the soil’s health.Item Soil bacterial community response to cover crop introduction in a wheat-based dryland cropping system(Frontiers Media SA, 2022-11) Eberly, Jed O.; Bourgault, Maryse; Dafo, Julia M.; Yeoman, Carl J.; Wyffels, Samuel A.; Lamb, Peggy F.; Boss, Darrin L.The incorporation of cover crops into cropping systems is important for enhancing soil health in agricultural systems. Soil microbes contribute to soil health by supplying key nutrients and providing protection against plant pests, diseases, and abiotic stress. While research has demonstrated the connection between cover crops and the soil microbiology, less is known regarding the impact of cover crops on the soil microbial community in semi-arid regions of the Northern Great Plains. Our objectives were to evaluate changes in the soil bacterial community composition and community networks in wheat grown after multi-species cover crops. Cover crops were compared to continuous cropping and crop/fallow systems and the effects of cover crop termination methods were also evaluated. Cover crops consisted of a cool season multispecies mix, mid-season multispecies mix, and a warm season multispecies mix, which were grown in rotation with winter wheat. A continuous cropping (wheat/barley) and wheat/fallow system were also included along with cover crop termination by grazing, herbicide application, and haying. Cover crop treatments and termination methods had no significant impact on microbial community alpha diversity. Cover crop termination methods also had no significant impact on microbial community beta diversity. Families belonging to the phyla Actinobacteria, Bacterioidota, and Proteobacteria were more abundant in the cool season cover crop treatment compared to the warm season cover crop treatment. Co-occurrence network analysis indicated that incorporation of cool season cover crops or mid-season mixes in a wheat-based cropping system led to greater complexity and connectivity within these microbial networks compared to the other treatments which suggests these communities may be more resilient to environmental disturbances.