Life Sciences Commons^™

Evaluation Of Crop Production And Water Use Efficiency Of Autumn-Sown Annual Forage Crops On The Rainfed Region Of Loess Plateau China, Qingping Zhang, Lihua Tian, Yuanbo Liu, Lindsay W. Bell, Jeremy P. M. Whish, Yuying Shen

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The Loess Plateau is one of the most important rainfed regions in China, but rainfall is the most significant factor limiting crop production. In this region rainfall from July to September accounts for 56% of the annual total, providing enough water resources for the growth of autumn-sown crops. Although increasing forage production with autumn sown crops is considered an important means of balancing crop forage and livestock management, suitable species with high yields and good water use efficiency (WUE) are not well defined.

The relationship between yield and water use efficiency has been shown to vary with plant species and …

Changes In Soil Microbiology Under Conventional And No-Till Production During Crop Rotation, C. J. Hsiao, G. F. Sassenrath, L. Zeglin, G. Hettiarachchi, C. Rice

Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports

Soil microbial activity is important for crop production. Soil microbes are involved in nutrient and water cycling within the soil, and interact with crop plants to provide the basic nutrient and water resources needed for crop production. Claypan soils have unique physical characteristics that impact soil biology. This study explored the tempo­ral changes in soil microbiology in a claypan soil under conventional and no-till produc­tion during a crop rotation of corn/winter wheat/soybean/fallow commonly planted in southeast Kansas. We found soil microbial activity changed more in the top two inches of soil than in the lower soil layers. Wheat resulted in …