Beaton, J.D.

Campbell, C.A.

Nicholaichuk, W.

Parker, G.E.

English

eCommons@USASK

Effect of zero-till, snow trapping, and fertilization on spring wheat and winter wheat (1983-84)

University of Saskatchewan Research Archive

EFFECT OF ZERO TILL, SNOW TRAPPING AND FERTILIZATION ON SPRING WHEAT AND WINTER WHEAT (1983-84) C.A. Campbell, W. Nicholaichuk, G.E. Parker and J.D. Beaton Research Station Research Branch; ·Agriculture Canada Swift Current, Saskatchewan S9H 3X2 iNTRODUCTION In the past two years we have described and reported on the ongoing results of this study at this meeting. Therefore, the des~ription of treatments will be very limited this year so as to spend more time on the results. MATERIALS AND METHODS Two experiments are carried out -- one on spring wheat and the other on winter wheat. In both experiments there are four test blocks for the current year's study and eight filler blocks carried with minimum ferti-lizer for the two subsequent years' studies. The test blocks are split into tall vs. short stubble treatments (main split). The latter is further split thrice more. In the case of spring wheat, this allows comparison of fall vs. spring application of N fertilizer, deep banded N vs. broadcast N, and finally, co~parison of five rates of N and three rates of P. Urea is the N source. In winter wheat (Fig. 1) the second split also allows com-parison of fall vs. spring applied N, the third split compares urea vs. ammonium nitrate,· sources of N and the final ·split allows comparison of the same rates of N and ·P as for spring wheat. Soil temperatures are monitored in the winter wheat continuously and snow depth is measured during winter and soil moisture measured in fall, early spring, and at regular intervals during the growing season. 247 6 11 I 50N~ 120 P20 5 18! I T .... ;;; Cl: 0 J J: "' ~ ~ j_ . j ~ _l_ _L j_ j_ _l_ _l 2 N i4 -----------------------2 "' 0 i4 .. >-~ N i: -----------------------~l! !Il~ ~l ·q£ ~l~ :i"f£ :; L!--:-----------l~ 1+-----145 ---~;.j Direction of Operation {SeedinQ ......... Sampling Harve$ting ALL DIMENSIONS ARE IN METRES * Fertilizing Fig. 1. General field plan for winter wheat test RESULTS · Snow Conservation 1983-84 Winter precipitation in 1983-84 was only 7. 2 em, down 35% compared to the two previous years. But, as seen in Table 1, the efficiency of water entry into the soil from snowmelt was much higher than for the previous year. This was perhaps due to the generally warmer than average winter months that occurred in 1983-84 (Fig. 2). Moisture conserved by tall stubble exceeded that conserved by short stubble by 2.4 em in spring wheat (5 times that conserved in 1982-83) and by one em on winter wheat (the same as in 1982-83) (Table i). 248 20 10 Air Temp. S Precip. During 1983-84 at Swift Current ~ Av. Temp. for Month 0 Long Term Av. ~ o~~~~~~~~.v,-~~~~~~~~LL~~~~~L-"' ,_ e e -ro -20 60 !!; 40 u "' a: 0. 20 ~ Total Precip. for Month 0 LonCJ Term Av. Fig. 2. Air temperature and precipitation at Swift Current for the period August 1983 - August 1984 Experiment Spring wheat _ Winter wheat Winter Wheat Table 1. · Soil Moisture Capture (1983-84) Tall Stubble Short Stubble Fall-83 Spring-84 Cons. Fall-83 Spring-84 Cons. - Available water (cm/120 em soil) - - -1.4 0.4 5.8 4.2 4.4 3.8 2.2 0.4 4.2 3.2 2.0 2.8 Ad"ll:tg. Tall over Short 2.4 1.0 The winter wheat was seeded into very dry soil in early September. Although the seedbed was good, precipitation between August 1 and October 31, 1983, was down by 64% compared to the long-term average (Fig. 2), con-sequently there was no germina~ion in the fall. Seeds dug_out of the plots in late November and grown out in the growth chamber did not head, showing that no vernalization had taken piace to that time. Soil temperatures even in December, which was colder than average, were always higher than the critical temperatures for Nor star survival, thus even if the winter wheat had germinated in the fall, it might not have winter killed. In fact, many farmers in this area grew good crops of winter wheat on conventional fallow last year. Precipitation in April and May, 1984, was well below average (Fig. 2) and winter wheat germination in the stubble-seeded plots was very poor and sporadic (Fig. 3). Consequently, the experiment had to be aband-oned. In contrast, in a nearby area winter wheat that had been seeded with the same seed on the same day but into chemical-fallowed land grew well (Fig. 4) and eventually yielded 2700 kg/ha. 249 Fig. 3. Poor stand of stubbled-in winter wheat (July, 1984). Fig. 4. Good stand of winter wheat in chemical fallow (J~ly, 1984). 250 We have concluded that 1n the very dry Brown soils stubbling-in winter wheat might be chancey due to erratic fall soil moisture. Secondly, the economics of seeding winter wheat into chemical fallow should be research-ed. Alternately, a flexible approach could be adopted which depended on the precipitation received in late August to mid-September. Spring Wheat At the 3-leaf stage, moisture in the top 90 em of soil was 4 em less than at the same stage the previous year (Table 2) but moisture was still enough to ensure good germination. Unfortunately, growing season rainfall was only 10 em, i.e., 40% below average (Fig. 2). Furthermore, no rain fell between June 18 and July 29 (stem extension and soft dough); conse-quently, spring wheat yields were very low. Table " Soil moistures l.n top 90 em of soil at various .... growth stages (spring wheat) Soil moisture (em) in top 90 em Sampling stage Fert. appli- Stubble N rate ( kg/ha) Rate of P§%S (kg/ha)_ and date cation 1n height 25 50 75 100 30 120 (based on yr. 3 test plots) "'~~* 3-leaf Fall 15.2 14.3 15.3 15.3 14.6 14.6 15.3 (5/6/84) Spring 15.0 14.5 14.2 15.2 14.2 14.4 15.2 *** Stem ext. Short 14.6 13.8 13.3 14.2 14.0 13.8 14o2 (26/6/84) Tall 15.4 15. 1 15.6 15.3 16.2 16.7 15.3 **** Heading Short 11. 2 10. 7 10.1 12.9 10.5 10.7 12.9 (10-11/7/84) Tall ll.O 11.0 11.5 11.5 ll. 5 12.2 11.5 ** Milk dough Short 9.1 9.2 8.5 8.5 9.1 8.9 8.5 (1-2/8/84) Tall 9. 7 8.9 9.5 9.0 9.1 9.3 9.0 ** Maturity Short 8.5 8.1 8.4 8.5 7.9 8.3 8.5 (31/8~5/9/84) Tall 8.3 8. 1 8.3 8.0 8.4 8.4 8.0 * Soil moisture held at the lower limit of availability was assumed to be that found at harvest, i.e., about 8 em in top 90 em of soil. *** **** No factor significant. Stubble height almost significant (P < 0.05). Fertilizer and the interaction of fert. x stubble height significant at P (. 0.001). In contrast to the two previous years, filler plots with their low fertilizer rates outyielded all the test plots (Fig. 5). Furthermore, fer-tilizer treatments in the test plots had no effect on yield irrespective of rate, placement, or time of N application (Fig. 5). Yields were, however, significantly (P < 0. 01) increased by tall stubble. For example, in the 251 test plots, short stubble treatments yielded 475 kg/ha (7 bu/ac) while tall stubble yielded 678 kg/ha (10 bu/ ac). On the filler plots, short stubble treatments yielded 625 kg/ha (9. 3 bu/ ac) while tall stubble treatments yielded 875 kg/ha (13 bu/ac). For comparison, note that spring wheat grown on conventionally tilled stubble yielded only 270 .kg/ha (4 bu/ ac) while wheat grown on conventional fallow yielded 1140 kg/ha (17 bu/ac). Q .... u <[ -' Stubble Height Significant( P<O.Oil Q. 1'250 Follow 0 18.6 .... Crop .... Cl) • .... a: .... 100.0. ! r ''"o .. , 1 14.9 0 ~\ Bonded in Fa II u .c 0 ' ' 01 750 11.2 ~ "" ', ........ ----· x '·• •.. TALL _ _, •• ---0 0 ...J t~~;~ ' ...J UJ UJ >- 500 7.5 >= z ......__x_x __ z Stubble z,.,T;o,_j <( Crop <( 0:: 0:: <::! 250 • 3. 7 <::! ~nventiono~ Tillage 0 o. N ~0 25 25 25 50 75 100 P2o5~25 . 40 25 120 120 120 120 kg/ho Fig. 5. Effect of trap strips and N fertilizer rate on yield of spring wheat grown on zero-till in 1984. Data from Swift Current long~term crop rotations on conventional tillage included for comparison. The extra 2.5 em of water conserved by tall stubble cannot account for all of the increase in yield caused by trap strips. We believe, as we have stated each year, that the zero till-trap strip combination is also in-creasing yield by reducing evapotranspiration (i.e., the standing tall stubble strips act as windbreaks during the growing season). In 1984, the latter effect was particularly obvious by comparing stubbled-in wheat on conventionally tilled land vs. wheat grown on zero-tilled land and on zero till-trap strip land in the midst of the drought. Crops in the zero till short stubble treatment remained green for at least two weeks longer than crops grown on conventionally tilled stubble and crops grown on zero till combined with tall stubble strips remained green for a further two weeks. This preservation of the crop during drought could make a large difference in some years when rains are not absent but only late in coming. 252 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS The twelve-month period, September, 1983 to August, 1984, was the third driest on record at Swift Current. It was therefore not surprising that wheat grown on stubble on conventionally-tilled land yielded only 4 bu/ac and wheat grown on fallow yielded 17 bu/ac. But, it was promising to note that wheat grown on zero tillage yielded 9 bu/ac, and when zero till was combined with cereal trap strips, yields as high as 13 bu/ac were ob-tained; i.e., 77% of yield on fallow. The leaves of crops grown on zero-tilled land remained green and turgid for at least two weeks longer than those of crops grown on conventionally-tilled stubble land during the drought. Furthermore, if the stubble trap strips were preserved during croppLng, plant survival was prolonged by at least another week. This study clearly shows that with the adoption of new water efficient management techniques, southern Saskatchewan farmers stand a good chance of intensifying their cropping system without losing their shirts at the ·same time. 253 

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Effect of zero-till, snow trapping, and fertilization on spring wheat and winter wheat (1983-84)

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