Effect of Tillage Practices on Soil Aggregate Stability, Soil Quality and Maize Yield

doi:10.11924/j.issn.1000-6850.casb2025-0211

Abstract

Abstract:

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of tillage practices on soil properties, aggregate stability and soil quality, providing references for improving soil fertility and yield in drip-irrigated maize fields in Xinjiang. A field positioning experiment was conducted in Areoletuohai Ranch, Bole City, Xinjiang from 2022-2023 with the maize variety ‘Jinli1702’ as the test material. Four tillage treatments were set up, including conventional tillage with plastic film (CT), conventional tillage without plastic film (BT), no-tillage (NT) and shallow tillage (ST). The changes in soil properties, aggregate fractions and maize yield were analyzed to evaluate the effects of tillage practices on soil quality and maize yield. The results showed that compared with CT, both NT and ST significantly increased >2 mm aggregate contents, mean weight diameter (MWD), geometric mean diameter (GMD), and R_0.25 (P<0.05), indicating improved soil aggregate stability. Under the CT, soil temperature and moisture content were significantly higher than that in the NT and ST. Soil bulk density ranged from 1.35 to 1.70 g/cm³, with NT and ST showing significantly higher levels of available phosphorus, total nitrogen and organic carbon compared to CT. The soil quality index (SQI) in NT and ST increased by 19.82% and 15.29%, respectively, compared to CT. Maize yield under NT and ST was significantly higher than under CT and BT, reaching 20.67 t/hm² and 19.84 t/hm², respectively. But, there were no differences in ear grain number across four treatments, while the thousand-grain weight of NT was significantly higher than that of the others (P<0.05). Mantel analysis revealed significant positive correlations between yield and aggregate stability indices (MWD, GMD, D and R_0.25), soil properties, and SQI. Structural equation modeling showed that tillage practices affected soil quality by altering soil aggregate stability and soil properties, thereby indirectly influencing maize yield. The results showed that the yield of NT and ST increased by 9.13 % and 4.75 % compared with conventional tillage in drip irrigation maize farmland in Xinjiang, which had a significant effect on soil structure stability, soil quality and maize yield.

Key words: tillage practices, aggregates, soil quality, maize yield, soil physical and chemical properties, no-tillage, shallow tillage, conservation tillage

GU Jiacheng, WANG Jiaping, ZHANG Zengcheng, JIANG Guiju, LI Luhua, CHENG Zhibo. Effect of Tillage Practices on Soil Aggregate Stability, Soil Quality and Maize Yield[J]. Chinese Agricultural Science Bulletin, 2025, 41(17): 78-87.

Figures/Tables 7

References 15

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年份	土层深度/cm		耕作方式	pH	电导率EC/ (μS/cm)	SOC/ (g/kg)	全氮TN/ (g/kg)	全磷TP/ (g/kg)	全钾TK/ (g/kg)	速效磷AP/(mg/kg)	温度/ ℃	含水率/ %	容重/ (g/cm³)
2022	0~20		CT	7.81±0.15a	162.50±4.71d	23.48±7.29ab	1.86±0.03c	1.46±0.09a	32.32±2.70a	13.02±1.65a	9.81±1.10a	17.42±6.55a	1.38±0.02a
			BT	7.82±0.15a	178.07±1.36c	16.09±2.56b	1.55±0.09d	1.25±0.06ab	35.15±4.08a	11.51±0.28a	9.51±1.29a	11.10±0.47b	1.38±0.07a
			NT	7.88±0.19a	242.67±8.39b	19.70±1.14b	2.02±0.06b	1.12±0.23b	28.37±3.80a	12.17±1.78a	8.12±1.09b	13.51±0.84b	1.39±0.06a
			ST	7.71±0.06a	348.00±5.29a	27.64±0.34a	2.47±0.10a	1.38±0.09ab	33.26±2.88a	7.39±0.25b	8.58±0.27a	8.15±3.79c	1.37±0.02a
	20~40		CT	7.64±0.11c	278.33±14.36a	16.75±3.51b	1.80±0.05a	1.06±0.12a	35.76±3.03b	10.16±0.10a	5.89±2.28ab	16.32±3.70a	1.44±0.10a
			BT	8.13±0.11b	136.50±6.66d	12.04±2.56c	1.10±0.05c	1.05±0.07a	34.46±6.33b	2.82±0.04b	6.68±0.29a	12.54±1.95a	1.39±0.04a
			NT	8.07±0.11b	153.93±1.19c	17.84±0.19ab	1.49±0.00b	1.02±0.04a	37.16±5.33b	3.44±0.06b	4.89±1.50b	13.74±2.00a	1.35±0.08a
			ST	8.17±0.02a	245.33±49.34b	20.91±1.50a	1.85±0.09a	0.95±0.13a	41.91±3.71a	3.14±0.21b	7.36±0.80a	13.90±0.50a	1.37±0.01a
2023	0~20		CT	7.80±0.02a	165.00±4.36b	19.65±4.50ab	1.87±0.13b	1.26±0.04b	44.33±3.70a	31.45±0.83c	17.36±0.89ab	15.89±0.94a	1.58±0.02a
			BT	7.85±0.04a	128.33±3.51c	13.29±2.12c	1.46±0.05c	1.33±0.04a	38.17±2.37bc	28.60±0.64d	16.92±0.17ab	13.60±1.51b	1.68±0.23a
			NT	7.67±0.01b	124.67±2.08c	15.08±2.33bc	1.52±0.08c	1.34±0.01a	34.24±1.92c	36.26±1.05b	16.72±0.02b	12.91±1.88b	1.70±0.15a
			ST	7.54±0.05c	223.00±3.61a	23.68±0.79a	2.19±0.04a	1.24±0.04b	41.53±2.47ab	43.20±1.33a	17.80±0.33a	14.29±0.66b	1.54±0.09a
	20~40		CT	7.66±0.07b	148.67±6.03a	15.13±1.59b	1.97±0.06a	0.8±0.01d	42.03±0.44a	18.89±0.69b	16.84±0.63b	13.46±0.71a	1.57±0.03ab
			BT	7.75±0.02b	151.33±2.52a	10.66±1.60bc	1.13±0.03c	1.25±0.08a	42.86±1.67a	15.50±0.39c	16.35±0.06a	13.22±1.13a	1.65±0.26a
			NT	7.94±0.03a	102.33±3.79c	9.77±0.19c	1.42±0.09b	1.09±0.05b	46.55±6.31a	22.16±0.19a	16.90±0.02b	13.42±3.08a	1.66±0.12a
			ST	7.69±0.02b	129.00±2.65b	21.50±0.68a	1.88±0.02a	0.91±0.10c	40.72±3.93a	19.46±0.22b	16.68±0.07b	13.96±2.20a	1.49±0.07b
		Y		^**	^***	^*	ns	ns	^***	^***	^***	ns	^***
		T		ns	^**	^**	^***	ns	ns	ns	^**	^*	ns
		Y×T		^*	^*	ns	^*	ns	ns	ns	^*	ns	ns

年份	土层深度/cm		耕作方式	pH	电导率EC/ (μS/cm)	SOC/ (g/kg)	全氮TN/ (g/kg)	全磷TP/ (g/kg)	全钾TK/ (g/kg)	速效磷AP/(mg/kg)	温度/ ℃	含水率/ %	容重/ (g/cm³)
2022	0~20		CT	7.81±0.15a	162.50±4.71d	23.48±7.29ab	1.86±0.03c	1.46±0.09a	32.32±2.70a	13.02±1.65a	9.81±1.10a	17.42±6.55a	1.38±0.02a
			BT	7.82±0.15a	178.07±1.36c	16.09±2.56b	1.55±0.09d	1.25±0.06ab	35.15±4.08a	11.51±0.28a	9.51±1.29a	11.10±0.47b	1.38±0.07a
			NT	7.88±0.19a	242.67±8.39b	19.70±1.14b	2.02±0.06b	1.12±0.23b	28.37±3.80a	12.17±1.78a	8.12±1.09b	13.51±0.84b	1.39±0.06a
			ST	7.71±0.06a	348.00±5.29a	27.64±0.34a	2.47±0.10a	1.38±0.09ab	33.26±2.88a	7.39±0.25b	8.58±0.27a	8.15±3.79c	1.37±0.02a
	20~40		CT	7.64±0.11c	278.33±14.36a	16.75±3.51b	1.80±0.05a	1.06±0.12a	35.76±3.03b	10.16±0.10a	5.89±2.28ab	16.32±3.70a	1.44±0.10a
			BT	8.13±0.11b	136.50±6.66d	12.04±2.56c	1.10±0.05c	1.05±0.07a	34.46±6.33b	2.82±0.04b	6.68±0.29a	12.54±1.95a	1.39±0.04a
			NT	8.07±0.11b	153.93±1.19c	17.84±0.19ab	1.49±0.00b	1.02±0.04a	37.16±5.33b	3.44±0.06b	4.89±1.50b	13.74±2.00a	1.35±0.08a
			ST	8.17±0.02a	245.33±49.34b	20.91±1.50a	1.85±0.09a	0.95±0.13a	41.91±3.71a	3.14±0.21b	7.36±0.80a	13.90±0.50a	1.37±0.01a
2023	0~20		CT	7.80±0.02a	165.00±4.36b	19.65±4.50ab	1.87±0.13b	1.26±0.04b	44.33±3.70a	31.45±0.83c	17.36±0.89ab	15.89±0.94a	1.58±0.02a
			BT	7.85±0.04a	128.33±3.51c	13.29±2.12c	1.46±0.05c	1.33±0.04a	38.17±2.37bc	28.60±0.64d	16.92±0.17ab	13.60±1.51b	1.68±0.23a
			NT	7.67±0.01b	124.67±2.08c	15.08±2.33bc	1.52±0.08c	1.34±0.01a	34.24±1.92c	36.26±1.05b	16.72±0.02b	12.91±1.88b	1.70±0.15a
			ST	7.54±0.05c	223.00±3.61a	23.68±0.79a	2.19±0.04a	1.24±0.04b	41.53±2.47ab	43.20±1.33a	17.80±0.33a	14.29±0.66b	1.54±0.09a
	20~40		CT	7.66±0.07b	148.67±6.03a	15.13±1.59b	1.97±0.06a	0.8±0.01d	42.03±0.44a	18.89±0.69b	16.84±0.63b	13.46±0.71a	1.57±0.03ab
			BT	7.75±0.02b	151.33±2.52a	10.66±1.60bc	1.13±0.03c	1.25±0.08a	42.86±1.67a	15.50±0.39c	16.35±0.06a	13.22±1.13a	1.65±0.26a
			NT	7.94±0.03a	102.33±3.79c	9.77±0.19c	1.42±0.09b	1.09±0.05b	46.55±6.31a	22.16±0.19a	16.90±0.02b	13.42±3.08a	1.66±0.12a
			ST	7.69±0.02b	129.00±2.65b	21.50±0.68a	1.88±0.02a	0.91±0.10c	40.72±3.93a	19.46±0.22b	16.68±0.07b	13.96±2.20a	1.49±0.07b
		Y		^**	^***	^*	ns	ns	^***	^***	^***	ns	^***
		T		ns	^**	^**	^***	ns	ns	ns	^**	^*	ns
		Y×T		^*	^*	ns	^*	ns	ns	ns	^*	ns	ns

处理	产量/(t/hm²)	穗粒数/粒	千粒重/g	收获穗数/(×10⁴/hm²)
CT	18.94±0.34c	557±53a	385.83±7.84b	10.35±0.16a
BT	19.53±0.55bc	537±63a	389.39±5.86b	10.20±0.28a
NT	20.67±0.69a	604±27a	431.44±8.84a	9.12±0.22b
ST	19.84±0.38b	586±23a	385.36±11.59b	9.15±0.11b

处理	产量/(t/hm²)	穗粒数/粒	千粒重/g	收获穗数/(×10⁴/hm²)
CT	18.94±0.34c	557±53a	385.83±7.84b	10.35±0.16a
BT	19.53±0.55bc	537±63a	389.39±5.86b	10.20±0.28a
NT	20.67±0.69a	604±27a	431.44±8.84a	9.12±0.22b
ST	19.84±0.38b	586±23a	385.36±11.59b	9.15±0.11b