Permanent raised beds improved crop performance and water use on the North China Plain

• DOI: 10.2489/jswc.70.1.54
• Publication Date: 2015-01-02T09:57:35Z
• Authors: J. He; H. Li; A.D. McHugh; Q. Wang; Z. Lu; W. Li; Y. Zhang
• Keywords: Conservation Agriculture; Water Use Efficiency; Growing season; Conventional tillage; Cropping system; Multiple cropping; Water use

Conservation Agriculture (CA) has been shown to improve cropping system performance around the world. However, there is limited research on this practice in annual double areas of North China Plain and consequently uptake technology by farming community. Data from a field experiment (2005 2011) conducted Daxing, Beijing, China, were used compare effects tillage practices, namely permanent raised beds (PRB), no-tillage (NT), traditional (TT) growth, yield, water use winter wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) summer maize (<i>Zea mays</i> L.). Results demonstrated that PRB increased soil content (0 0.3 m [0 0.98 ft] depth; &gt;8%) reduced bulk density 5.1%. Permanent bed temperatures stabilized during production, compared NT TT treatments. Over six years, yields &gt;3% gross production index (GPWUI) improved &gt;2.5% TT, due properties crop performance. impact changed management practices was not realized until final two seasons, when &gt;6%. Accordingly, differences profits, viewed over years intangible, but significantly &gt;20% seasons. These improvements properties, are considerable importance for food security sustainable agriculture Plain; however, understanding extended timeframes required before realizing beneficial returns continue limit widespread adoption.