Impact of erosion and tillage on the productivity and quality of selected semiarid soils of Iran
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1
Soil Science Department, Faculty of Agricultural Science, University of Guilan, Rasht, 41889-58643, Iran
 
2
Griffith School of Environment, Centre for Environmental future, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia
 
 
Int. Agrophys. 2013, 27(3): 291-297
 
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ABSTRACT
This greenhouse research was carried out to study the effects of water and tillage erosion on agricultural productivity and soil quality in soil samples from a semiarid region of Iran. A factorial experiment of complete randomized block design was used to compare the effects of soil erosion (eroded and non-eroded soils), slope position, water stress and fertilizer (N-P-K) on yield and yield components of wheat as soil productivity index. The results showed that erosion ie water and tillage erosion has a significant effect (p<0.01) in decreasing soil productivity due to its negative impact on soil organic matter, nutrients (N and K) and hydraulic conductivity. Complete N-P-K fertilization and water stress had significant effects on increasing and decreasing of wheat yield, respectively. The effect of water stress in particular was so high that it could eclipse the erosion impact on yield reduction. Wheat dry matter and grain mass on foot and mid slopes were significantly higher than that on upslope positions where total N and available K were the lowest and equivalent calcium carbonate the highest. Saturated hydraulic conductivity and total nitrogen were found to be the most important soil properties as far as their correlations to wheat yield are concerned.
eISSN:2300-8725
ISSN:0236-8722
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