Abstract
In China, deep tillage (DT; to >20 cm soil depth) has increased crop yields by improving soil properties, while no-tillage (NT) has been recommended to reduce the labor and machinery costs. Local farmers are willing to adopted rotary tillage (RT; harrowing to 10–15 cm depth) for easy management. However, the effects of these tillage management methods on agronomic productivity, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration, and economic return have not been quantified systematically, and their effectiveness remains in question. Here, we present a meta-analysis of the effects of these methods using 665 paired measurements from 144 peer-reviewed studies. The results indicated that DT significantly increased crop yields by 7.5% relative to RT, and even greater increases were observed in regions with low temperatures and with a wheat cropping system. In contrast, NT resulted in a yield reduction of 3.7% relative to RT, however, controlling for the appropriate temperature and long extension duration (>15 yr) could reduce yield losses and even increase the yield. Both DT and NT significantly enhanced SOC sequestration relative to RT. Adoption of DT would lead to both higher total GHG emissions (N2O and CH4) and increased energy costs, while NT reduced GHG emissions. DT management exhibited a positive net profit for all cropping systems; NT decreased the net profit for rice and wheat but increased the profit for maize. Our study highlighted the agronomic, environmental, and economic benefits and trade-offs for the different tillage methods and should enable investors and policymakers to ensure the best tillage management decisions are made depending on the location-specific conditions.
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Claims 13
Claim · model-written summary
Deep tillage increased crop yield by 7.5% relative to rotary tillage.
Verbatim
e0“DT significantly increased crop yields by 7.5% relative to RT”
Claim · model-written summary
Deep tillage yield gains were greater in low temperature regions and wheat systems.
- Taxon
- wheat
Triticum aestivume0 - Outcome
- greater increasese0
- Direction
- greater increasese0
- Setting
- regions with low temperaturese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“even greater increases were observed in regions with low temperatures and with a wheat cropping system”
Claim · model-written summary
No tillage reduced crop yield by 3.7% relative to rotary tillage.
Verbatim
e0“NT resulted in a yield reduction of 3.7% relative to RT”
e1“crop yields by improving soil properties”
Claim · model-written summary
Appropriate temperature and long extension duration could reduce no tillage yield losses or increase yield.
Verbatim
e0“controlling for the appropriate temperature and long extension duration (>15 yr) could reduce yield losses and even increase the yield”
e1“crop yields by improving soil properties”
Claim · model-written summary
Deep tillage enhanced soil organic carbon sequestration relative to rotary tillage.
Verbatim
e0“Both DT and NT significantly enhanced SOC sequestration relative to RT”
e1“crop yields by improving soil properties”
Claim · model-written summary
No tillage enhanced soil organic carbon sequestration relative to rotary tillage.
Verbatim
e0“Both DT and NT significantly enhanced SOC sequestration relative to RT”
e1“crop yields by improving soil properties”
Claim · model-written summary
Deep tillage increased total greenhouse gas emissions.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“Adoption of DT would lead to both higher total GHG emissions (N2O and CH4) and increased energy costs”
e1“crop yields by improving soil properties”
Claim · model-written summary
Deep tillage increased energy costs.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“Adoption of DT would lead to both higher total GHG emissions (N2O and CH4) and increased energy costs”
e1“crop yields by improving soil properties”
Claim · model-written summary
No tillage reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“NT reduced GHG emissions”
e1“crop yields by improving soil properties”
Claim · model-written summary
Deep tillage had positive net profit across cropping systems.
Verbatim
e0“DT management exhibited a positive net profit for all cropping systems”
e1“crop yields by improving soil properties”
Claim · model-written summary
No tillage decreased rice net profit.
- Taxon
- rice
Oryza sativae0 - Treatment
- NTe0
- Outcome
- net profite0
- Direction
- decreasede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“NT decreased the net profit for rice and wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
No tillage decreased wheat net profit.
- Taxon
- wheatTriticum aestivume0
- Treatment
- NTe0
- Outcome
- net profite0
- Direction
- decreasede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“NT decreased the net profit for rice and wheat”
Claim · model-written summary
No tillage increased maize profit.
Zea maysNot reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“NT decreased the net profit for rice and wheat but increased the profit for maize”
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