Effects of Varied Tillage Practices on Soil Quality in the Experimental Field of Red-Soil Sloping Farmland in Southern China

Keyu Yan, Jing Li, Jianxing Li (), Zhengfa Chen (), Chuan Zhang, Daoxiang Wang, Yanmei Hu and Zhongliang Wang
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Keyu Yan: College of Water Conservancy, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, China
Jing Li: College of Water Conservancy, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, China
Jianxing Li: Institute of International Rivers and Eco-Security, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China
Zhengfa Chen: College of Water Conservancy, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, China
Chuan Zhang: College of Water Conservancy, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, China
Daoxiang Wang: College of Water Conservancy, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, China
Yanmei Hu: College of Water Conservancy, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, China
Zhongliang Wang: Green Smart Agricultural Field and Carbon Emission Reduction Engineering Research Center of University in Yunnan Province, Kunming 650201, China

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 17, 1-18

Abstract: Red-soil sloping farmland in southern China plays a crucial role in the local economy and food production. However, improper tillage practices have resulted in topsoil degradation and deteriorating soil quality. This study investigated changes in soil physico-chemical properties under four tillage methods—cross-slope ridge tillage (RT), down-slope ridge tillage (DT), plastic mulching (PM), and conventional tillage (CT)—on red-soil sloping farmland. The study applied the Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF) to assess the influence of these tillage practices on soil quality. Results indicated that PM can increase the total porosity of the soil, reduce soil bulk density, and simultaneously decrease soil surface-water evaporation, significantly improving the soil’s water-retention capacity. RT improved soil aggregate formation and stability, leading to increased macro-aggregate content, mean weight diameter, and soil water-stable aggregate stability rates. PM and RT effectively preserved soil nutrients like total nitrogen and organic matter, although PM lowered soil pH, potentially causing acidification. RT demonstrated the highest soil quality, with PM following. Crop growth positively impacted soil macro-aggregate content and stability, showing continuous improvement in soil structure and quality ( p < 0.05). Priority should be given to RT in red-soil sloping farmland, followed by PM and CT, while avoiding DT if possible. This research furnishes valuable scientific substantiation for the selection of optimal tillage practices in the preservation of soil quality on red-soil slopes.

Keywords: tillage practices; red-soil sloping farmland; soil quality; Soil Management Assessment Framework; crop growth stages; minimal data set (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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