Abstract
Conservation agriculture (CA) has been proposed as a viable strategy to enhance soil health and the resilience of farms to climate change, and to support the sustainability of agricultural production systems. While CA is a well-established approach, research results are lacking regarding its long-term impact on nitrogen (N) dynamics in the soil–plant system. In this study, a 20-year experiment was used to investigate the long-term effects of no-tillage in CA on soil organic carbon (SOC) and nitrogen (N) mineralization, plant N uptake, grain yields, and the grain quality of durum wheat. A CA system based on no-tillage (NT) was evaluated and compared with conventional tillage (CT) used for wheat/legumes biennial crop rotation. Results showed that soil samples from CA plots experienced significantly more N mineralization than those under CT, which was attributed to increased SOC and N. Topsoil sampled from the CA plots 20 years after the implementation of the experiment had 43% more absolute potentially mineralizable N (N0) than the CT plots, with no significant differences observed in deeper soil layers (15–30 cm and 30–45 cm). The absolute potentially mineralizable carbon (C0) in soils from the CA system was 49% and 35% higher than in soils from the CT system, at soil depths of 0–15 and 15–30 cm, respectively. Furthermore, CA resulted in higher amounts of remobilized N and higher rates of N uptake during the critical growth stages of durum wheat. The amount of N remobilized during the kernel-filling phase under CA was 59% higher than under CT. Total N uptake in wheat plants was 45% greater under CA compared to CT. The most significant differences in N uptake between the CA and CT systems were observed during two critical growth stages: late tillering to heading (1.7 times higher in CA than CT) and heading to anthesis (1.5 times higher in CA than CT). The most significant differences for N uptake were shown during the late tillering to heading stage and the heading to anthesis stage. The amount of N remobilized during the kernel filling phase under CA was 59% higher than CT. CA adoption resulted in 21% and 35% higher grain and straw yields, respectively, compared to CT. The grain and straw N yields were 21% and 51% higher, respectively, under CA than CT. Moreover, the CA system exhibited higher partial factor productivity of nitrogen fertilizer (PFP N) for both grain and straw yields. Thousand kernel weight (TKW) and hectoliter weight were also significantly higher under CA than CT. The grain protein content, wet gluten content, vitreousness, and falling number were similar between the CA and CT systems. These results highlight the benefits of long-term CA adoption to increase soil N mineralization, providing a substantial base for N uptake during the critical growth stages of durum wheat, thus leading to increased crop yield. The findings underscore the potential of CA systems in promoting sustainable agriculture and mitigating the impacts of soil degradation.
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Claims 18
Claim · model-written summary
Soil from no-tillage CA plots had significantly more N mineralization than soil under conventional tillage CT.
- Taxon
- durum wheat
Triticum turgidum subsp. durume2 - Treatment
- CAe1
- Outcome
- N mineralizatione1
- Direction
- moree1
- Comparator
- CTe1
- Setting
- Semi-Arid Tunisiat0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“soil samples from CA plots experienced significantly more N mineralization than those under CT”
e2“grain quality of durum wheat”
t0“Semi-Arid Tunisia”
Claim · model-written summary
Topsoil of CA plots had 43% more absolute potentially mineralizable N (N0) than CT plots 20 years after establishment.
- Taxon
- durum wheatTriticum turgidum subsp. durume2
- Organ / stage
- Topsoile1
- Treatment
- CAe1
- Outcome
- absolute potentially mineralizable N (N0)e1
- Direction
- moree1
- Value
- 43%e1
- Comparator
- CT plotse1
- Setting
- Semi-Arid Tunisiat0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“Topsoil sampled from the CA plots 20 years after the implementation of the experiment had 43% more absolute potentially mineralizable N (N0) than the CT plots”
e2“grain quality of durum wheat”
t0“Semi-Arid Tunisia”
Claim · model-written summary
In deeper soil layers (15-30 and 30-45 cm) there was no significant difference in absolute potentially mineralizable N (N0) between CA and CT.
- Taxon
- durum wheatTriticum turgidum subsp. durume2
- Organ / stage
- deeper soil layers (15–30 cm and 30–45 cm)e1
- Treatment
- CAe4
- Outcome
- absolute potentially mineralizable N (N0)e1
- Direction
- no significant differencese1
- Comparator
- CT plotse1
- Setting
- Semi-Arid Tunisiat0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“absolute potentially mineralizable N (N0) than the CT plots, with no significant differences observed in deeper soil layers (15–30 cm and 30–45 cm)”
e2“grain quality of durum wheat”
e4“Topsoil sampled from the CA plots”
t0“Semi-Arid Tunisia”
Claim · model-written summary
Absolute potentially mineralizable carbon (C0) in CA soils was 49% higher than in CT soils at 0-15 cm depth.
- Taxon
- durum wheatTriticum turgidum subsp. durume2
- Organ / stage
- soil depths of 0–15e1
- Treatment
- CA systeme1
- Outcome
- absolute potentially mineralizable carbon (C0)e1
- Direction
- highere1
- Value
- 49%e1
- Comparator
- CT systeme1
- Setting
- Semi-Arid Tunisiat0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“The absolute potentially mineralizable carbon (C0) in soils from the CA system was 49% and 35% higher than in soils from the CT system, at soil depths of 0–15 and 15–30 cm, respectively”
e2“grain quality of durum wheat”
t0“Semi-Arid Tunisia”
Claim · model-written summary
Absolute potentially mineralizable carbon (C0) in CA soils was 35% higher than in CT soils at 15-30 cm depth.
- Taxon
- durum wheatTriticum turgidum subsp. durume2
- Organ / stage
- 15–30 cme1
- Treatment
- CA systeme1
- Outcome
- absolute potentially mineralizable carbon (C0)e1
- Direction
- highere1
- Value
- 35%e1
- Comparator
- CT systeme1
- Setting
- Semi-Arid Tunisiat0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“The absolute potentially mineralizable carbon (C0) in soils from the CA system was 49% and 35% higher than in soils from the CT system, at soil depths of 0–15 and 15–30 cm, respectively”
e2“grain quality of durum wheat”
t0“Semi-Arid Tunisia”
Claim · model-written summary
CA increased the amount of N remobilized during the kernel-filling phase by 59% relative to CT.
- Taxon
- durum wheatTriticum turgidum subsp. durume2
- Organ / stage
- kernel-filling phasee1
- Treatment
- CAe1
- Outcome
- amount of N remobilizede1
- Direction
- highere1
- Value
- 59%e1
- Comparator
- CTe1
- Setting
- Semi-Arid Tunisiat0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“The amount of N remobilized during the kernel-filling phase under CA was 59% higher than under CT”
e2“grain quality of durum wheat”
t0“Semi-Arid Tunisia”
Claim · model-written summary
Total N uptake in wheat plants was 45% greater under CA than under CT.
- Taxon
- durum wheatTriticum turgidum subsp. durume2
- Treatment
- CAe1
- Outcome
- Total N uptakee1
- Direction
- greatere1
- Value
- 45%e1
- Comparator
- CTe1
- Setting
- Semi-Arid Tunisiat0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“Total N uptake in wheat plants was 45% greater under CA compared to CT”
e2“grain quality of durum wheat”
t0“Semi-Arid Tunisia”
Claim · model-written summary
Under CA, N uptake at late tillering to heading was 1.7 times higher than under CT.
- Taxon
- durum wheatTriticum turgidum subsp. durume2
- Organ / stage
- late tillering to headinge1
- Treatment
- CAe1
- Outcome
- N uptakee1
- Direction
- highere1
- Value
- 1.7 timese1
- Comparator
- CTe1
- Setting
- Semi-Arid Tunisiat0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“The most significant differences in N uptake between the CA and CT systems were observed during two critical growth stages: late tillering to heading (1.7 times higher in CA than CT) and heading to anthesis (1.5 times higher in CA than CT)”
e2“grain quality of durum wheat”
t0“Semi-Arid Tunisia”
Claim · model-written summary
Under CA, N uptake at heading to anthesis was 1.5 times higher than under CT.
- Taxon
- durum wheatTriticum turgidum subsp. durume2
- Organ / stage
- heading to anthesise1
- Treatment
- CAe1
- Outcome
- N uptakee1
- Direction
- highere1
- Value
- 1.5 timese1
- Comparator
- CTe1
- Setting
- Semi-Arid Tunisiat0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“The most significant differences in N uptake between the CA and CT systems were observed during two critical growth stages: late tillering to heading (1.7 times higher in CA than CT) and heading to anthesis (1.5 times higher in CA than CT)”
e2“grain quality of durum wheat”
t0“Semi-Arid Tunisia”
Claim · model-written summary
CA gave 21% higher grain yield than CT.
- Taxon
- durum wheatTriticum turgidum subsp. durume2
- Organ / stage
- graine1
- Treatment
- CA adoptione1
- Outcome
- yieldse1
- Direction
- highere1
- Value
- 21%e1
- Comparator
- CTe1
- Setting
- Semi-Arid Tunisiat0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“CA adoption resulted in 21% and 35% higher grain and straw yields, respectively, compared to CT”
e2“grain quality of durum wheat”
t0“Semi-Arid Tunisia”
Claim · model-written summary
CA gave 35% higher straw yield than CT.
- Taxon
- durum wheatTriticum turgidum subsp. durume2
- Organ / stage
- strawe1
- Treatment
- CA adoptione1
- Outcome
- yieldse1
- Direction
- highere1
- Value
- 35%e1
- Comparator
- CTe1
- Setting
- Semi-Arid Tunisiat0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“CA adoption resulted in 21% and 35% higher grain and straw yields, respectively, compared to CT”
e2“grain quality of durum wheat”
t0“Semi-Arid Tunisia”
Claim · model-written summary
Under CA, grain N yield was 21% higher than under CT.
- Taxon
- durum wheatTriticum turgidum subsp. durume2
- Organ / stage
- graine1
- Treatment
- CAe1
- Outcome
- N yieldse1
- Direction
- highere1
- Value
- 21%e1
- Comparator
- CTe1
- Setting
- Semi-Arid Tunisiat0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“The grain and straw N yields were 21% and 51% higher, respectively, under CA than CT”
e2“grain quality of durum wheat”
t0“Semi-Arid Tunisia”
Claim · model-written summary
Under CA, straw N yield was 51% higher than under CT.
- Taxon
- durum wheatTriticum turgidum subsp. durume2
- Organ / stage
- strawe1
- Treatment
- CAe1
- Outcome
- N yieldse1
- Direction
- highere1
- Value
- 51%e1
- Comparator
- CTe1
- Setting
- Semi-Arid Tunisiat0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“The grain and straw N yields were 21% and 51% higher, respectively, under CA than CT”
e2“grain quality of durum wheat”
t0“Semi-Arid Tunisia”
Claim · model-written summary
The CA system had higher partial factor productivity of nitrogen fertilizer (PFP N) for grain and straw yields.
- Taxon
- durum wheatTriticum turgidum subsp. durume2
- Organ / stage
- grain and strawe1
- Treatment
- CA systeme1
- Outcome
- partial factor productivity of nitrogen fertilizer (PFP N)e1
- Direction
- highere1
- Setting
- Semi-Arid Tunisiat0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“Moreover, the CA system exhibited higher partial factor productivity of nitrogen fertilizer (PFP N) for both grain and straw yields”
e2“grain quality of durum wheat”
t0“Semi-Arid Tunisia”
Claim · model-written summary
Under CA, thousand kernel weight (TKW) was significantly higher than under CT.
- Taxon
- durum wheatTriticum turgidum subsp. durume2
- Treatment
- CAe1
- Outcome
- Thousand kernel weight (TKW)e1
- Direction
- highere1
- Comparator
- CTe1
- Setting
- Semi-Arid Tunisiat0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“Thousand kernel weight (TKW) and hectoliter weight were also significantly higher under CA than CT”
e2“grain quality of durum wheat”
t0“Semi-Arid Tunisia”
Claim · model-written summary
Under CA, hectoliter weight was significantly higher than under CT.
- Taxon
- durum wheatTriticum turgidum subsp. durume2
- Treatment
- CAe1
- Outcome
- hectoliter weighte1
- Direction
- highere1
- Comparator
- CTe1
- Setting
- Semi-Arid Tunisiat0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“Thousand kernel weight (TKW) and hectoliter weight were also significantly higher under CA than CT”
e2“grain quality of durum wheat”
t0“Semi-Arid Tunisia”
Claim · model-written summary
Grain protein content, wet gluten content and vitreousness were similar under CA and CT.
- Taxon
- durum wheatTriticum turgidum subsp. durume2
- Treatment
- CAe1
- Outcome
- grain protein content, wet gluten content, vitreousnesse1
- Direction
- similare1
- Comparator
- CT systemse1
- Setting
- Semi-Arid Tunisiat0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“The grain protein content, wet gluten content, vitreousness, and falling number were similar between the CA and CT systems”
e2“grain quality of durum wheat”
t0“Semi-Arid Tunisia”
Claim · model-written summary
Falling number was similar under CA and CT.
- Taxon
- durum wheatTriticum turgidum subsp. durume2
- Treatment
- CAe1
- Outcome
- falling numbere1
- Direction
- similare1
- Comparator
- CT systemse1
- Setting
- Semi-Arid Tunisiat0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“The grain protein content, wet gluten content, vitreousness, and falling number were similar between the CA and CT systems”
e2“grain quality of durum wheat”
t0“Semi-Arid Tunisia”
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Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.