Experiment On Techniques Of Conservation Tillage In Guyuan Prefecture Of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region

Conservation tillage is an advanced technology of agriculture, of which the key components are no tillage, reduced tillage and covering the soil with crop stump to leave the soil less disturbed ,with proper moist and proper size of soil grain. The aim of the measure is to improve the soil structure, reduce soil erosion, increase rainfall storage and activate the micro-organism in the soil so as to alleviate the pressures imposed on environment.The practice of conservation tillage in some provinces has showed that conservation tillage is of the role to reduce wind erosion and water erosion to soil, increase the fertility of soil and drought resistance of crop.The experiment undertaken in Guyuan, Ningxia was intended to solve the problems of soil and water erosion, low water efficiency and high cost for production, and to try to probe a conservation tillage model with a higher economical benefits to winter wheat growing and wide feasible application. The theory and practice exploration will be of great implication to technical extension. The experiment site, located in Dabu village, Yuanzhou district of Guyuan, is 2 hm2 in area with four treatments used: I high stump, seeding under no tillage ; II high stump, subsoiling and seeding under strip-rotary cultivation; III high stump, subsoiling and seeding under no tillage; IV CK : high stump, mechanical cultivation, rotary tillage and seeding with machine. Compared with the traditional measures of cultivation , the experiment result showed a higher benefits through cost saving and water efficiency improvement. The conclusion was made as follows:i) In comparison with the traditional mode, conservation measures ( treatment II and treatment III) both had good performance at reducing operation cost by RMB 224 to 524.75 yuan /hm2 ,with exception of treatment I; enhancing water utilization efficiency by35.6% to 56.3%, and increasing crop yield by 41.5% to 59.6%. The total integrated benefits generated by conservation tillage reached RMB 1158.2yuan to 1565.2 yuan/hm2 .ii) In light of water saving, yield increase and income increase, the optimum model of conservation tillage in Guyuan for winter growing is high stump, subsoiling and seeding with rotary tillage. iii) In order to accelerate the technical extension of conservation tillage in Guyuan, long termed experiment for result accumulation and experience collection is needed, coupled with publicity, training and mechanical services.