Integrated soil management in eroded land augments the crop yield and water-use efficiency

Figures & data

Figure 1.  Total rainfall at Fatehjang-average of 1988–2003 and experimental years 2004–2006 during crop-growth period: a) winter season; b) summer season.

Table I. Basic characteristic of the original soils under experiment; ±standard deviation of the mean.

	Missa soil series		Rajar soil series
Soil characteristic	0–15 cm	30–45 cm	0–15 cm	30–45 cm
pHs (1:1)	7.92±0.15	8.05±0.03	7.91±0.05	8.02±0.02
ECs (1:1) (dS m^−1)	0.32±0.06	0.22±0.04	0.21±0.13	0.25±0.17
Organic matter (%)	0.87±0.06	0.53±0.19	0.95±0.31	0.54±0.25
CaCO3 (%)	5.99±4.95	10.86±5.16	12.45±7.38	10.8±5.93
Nitrate-N (mg kg^−1)	4.97±2.59	1.93±0.52	4.16±1.71	2.08±0.80
Phosphorus (mg kg^−1)	1.37±0.71	0.05±0.03	0.76±0.59	0.76±1.02
Potassium (mg kg^−1)	94±21	71±10	76±13	73±12
Copper (mg kg^−1)	1.88±0.44	1.44±0.35	1.67±0.61	1.48±0.58
Iron (mg kg^−1)	4.95±2.60	3.46±0.66	3.81±1.10	3.64±1.22
Manganese (mg kg^−1)	5.17±3.07	2.01±1.32	2.00±1.79	2.83±1.23
Zinc (mg kg^−1)	0.6±0.15	0.18±0.08	0.33±0.05	0.21±0.06
Boron (mg kg^−1)	0.12±0.11	0.07±0.10	0.15±0.04	0.05±0.16
Soil texture	Silt loam		Silty clay loam
Geomorphology	Loess plain		Loess plain

Figure 2.  Grain yield of wheat and maize under different soil-management practices; FP, farmers' practices; IF, improved fertilization; SWC, soil-water conservation. Vertical lines above each bar show standard deviation. Different uppercase letters indicate significant difference between the treatments at a level of P <0.05.

Figure 3.  Influence of soil series on the grain yield of wheat and maize. Vertical lines above each bar show standard deviation. Different uppercase letters indicate significant difference between the treatments at a level of P <0.05.

Figure 4.  Straw/stover yield of wheat and maize under different soil-management practices; FP, farmers' practices; IF, improved fertilization; SWC, soil-water conservation. Vertical lines above each bar show standard deviation. Different uppercase letters indicate significant difference between the treatments at a level of P <0.05.

Figure 5.  Influence of soil series on the straw/stover yield of wheat and maize. Vertical lines above each bar show standard deviation. Different uppercase letters indicate significant difference between the treatments at a level of P <0.05.

Table II. Nutrient uptake (kg ha⁻¹) by wheat under different soil-management practices (average of two years' data).

	Missa				Rajar
Treatment	N	P	Zn	B	N	P	Zn	B
Farmers' practices (FP)	63	8	0.13	0.10	55	7	0.10	0.05
Improved fertilization (IF)	82	14	0.21	0.11	77	13	0.15	0.08
Soil-water conservation + FP	59	7	0.17	0.08	60	8	0.11	0.10
Soil-water conservation + IF	79	13	0.25	0.14	84	15	0.19	0.10
Average	70.8	10.5	0.19	0.11	69	10.8	0.14	0.08

Table III. Nutrient uptake (kg ha⁻¹) by maize under different soil-management practices (average of two years' data).

	Missa				Rajar
Treatment	N	P	Zn	B	N	P	Zn	B
Farmers' practices (FP)	66	10	0.28	0.06	63	9	0.24	0.01
Improved fertilization (IF)	91	14	0.37	0.06	93	14	0.35	0.06
Soil-water conservation + FP	74	11	0.37	0.03	72	9	0.26	0.02
Soil-water conservation + IF	93	18	0.41	0.05	91	16	0.39	0.09
Average	81	13	0.35	0.05	79.8	12	0.31	0.04

Figure 6.  Water-use efficiency of wheat and maize under different soil-management practices; FP, farmers' practices; IF, improved fertilization; SWC, soil-water conservation. Vertical lines above each bar show standard deviation. Different uppercase letters indicate significant difference between the treatments at a level of P <0.05.