Título : Towards the development of cover crop - reduced tillage systems without herbicides and synthetic fertilizers in onion cultivation: Promising but challenges remain
Autor(es) : Scarlato, Mariana
Rieppi, Magdalena
Alliaume, Florencia
Illarze, Gabriela
Bajsa, Natalia
Bertoni, Paloma
Bianchi, F.J.J.A.
Echeverriborda, Gimena
Galván, Guillermo
García de Souza, Margarita
Gilsanz, Juan Carlos
González Barrios, Pablo
Dieste, José Pedro
Trasante, Tania
Rossing, W.A.H
Dogliotti, Santiago
Fecha de publicación : 2024
Tipo de publicación: Artículo
Versión: Publicado
Publicado por: Elsevier
Publicado en: Soil and Tillage Research
Areas del conocimiento : Ciencias Agrícolas
Agricultura, Silvicultura y Pesca
Horticultura, Viticultura
Otros descriptores : Conservation agriculture
Agroecology
Weeds
Nitrogen
Participatory research
Resumen : Cover crops with reduced tillage technology (CC-RT) can foster soil health and functioning, a crucial agroecological principle in any transition strategy to more sustainable agricultural systems. However, CC-RT commonly strongly relies on herbicides and synthetic fertilizers, and vegetable crop yields are variable and often low. We assessed the effects of two tillage systems (RT and conventional tillage) and the application of native effective microorganisms (NEM) on onion crop growth and development, yield, N-status, weed pressure, and soil physico-chemical and biological quality after a summer CC, without using herbicides or synthetic fertilizers. Using a participatory research strategy, we conducted a two-year experiment at an experimental station and a one-year trial on two commercial farms. Onion yields were generally low (between 10 and 16 Mg ha−1) and lower in 2019 than in 2020, and lower in RT than in CT in 2020. The relatively low yields in 2019 and RT were associated with poor crop growth and development and leaf-N concentrations below the critical threshold in the early stages of crop development. Soil bulk density was not limiting crop growth in any treatment. Soil mineral N was lower in 2019 than in 2020 and did not significantly differ between treatments. Soil biological activity was higher in RT than in CT. Although the CC residue soil cover in the early stages of the onion crop in RT was more than 50%, RT had a higher weed pressure than CT, which was reversed later in the growing season. The NEM application did not significantly affect most crop, weed, and soil variables. In conclusion, a reduced tillage system for onions without herbicides and synthetic fertilizers is within reach. However, further research is needed to manage weeds and soil N supply dynamics to make CC-RT feasible for no or low agrochemical input systems.
URI / Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12381/3474
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2024.106061
Institución responsable del proyecto: Universidad de la República
Wageningen University
Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable
Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias
Financiadores: Agencia Nacional de Investigación e Innovación
The Dutch Research Council (NWO) - WOTRO Science for Global Development
Identificador ANII: POS_EXT_2016_1_134356
Nivel de Acceso: Acceso abierto
Licencia CC: Reconocimiento 4.0 Internacional. (CC BY)
Aparece en las colecciones: Publicaciones de ANII

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