Meta-analysis of the Effect of Conservation Tillage on Potato Yield

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Department of Agricultural Engineering Research, Hamadan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension organization (AREEO), Hamadan, Iran

Abstract

Most farmers perceive that moldboard ploughing prior to potato planting is necessary, despite its negative impacts on inherent soil fertility and soil structure. Conservation tillage may be an alternative system for potato production due to its potential to reduce production costs and soil conservation. Many studies have investigated the effect of different tillage methods on various factors such as soil physical properties, costs and yield in potato cultivation. Most of the studies only cover a small range of field experiments, in a region. In order to gain a better perspective on the impact of tillage methods on potato yield, available studies were systematically reviewed and their findings were analyzed by meta-analysis (1966-2021). All articles published in journals, final reports of research projects and related articles presented at congresses, as well as student dissertations were reviewed using standard keywords. Finally, after quality control, 25 studies (5 national studies and 20 international studies) were entered into the meta-analysis process to compare the method of minimum tillage with conventional tillage using a random model. The results showed that the minimum tillage method (chisel ploughing conducted in the spring immediately before potato planting) compared to conventional tillage (moldboard ploughing) caused a slight increase in potato yield (+ 0.13%). It is suggested that the reduced tillage method (plowing with a chisel plow in the spring before planting + disc) replaces the conventional tillage method (moldboard plow + disc + leveler).

Keywords

References

Abeyasekera, S., Ritchie, J. M., and Lawson-McDowall, J. (2002). Combining ranks and scores to determine farmers’preferences for bean varieties in southern Malawi. Experimental Agriculture. 38: 97–109.
Al-Hamed, S. A., Wahby, M. F., and Sayedahmed, A. A. (2016). Effect of three tillage implements on potato yield and water use efficiency. American Journal of Experimental Agriculture. 12(3): 1–6.
Arabkhedri, M., Shadfar, S., Ardakani, A. J., Bayat, R., Khajavi, E., and Mahdian, M. H. (2018). Improving Water Erosion Estimates for Iran. Watershed Management Research. 31(120): 13–27.
Bakker, M. M., Govers, G., and Rounsevell, M. D. A. (2004). The crop productivity-erosion relationship: an analysis based on experimental work. Catena, 57: 55–76.
Bakker, M. M., Govers, G., Jones, R.A., and Rounsevell, M. D. A. (2007). The effect of soil erosion on Europe’s crop yields. Ecosystems. 10: 1209–1219.
Barakat, M. A., Abd El-Mageed, T. A., Elsayed, I. N., and Semida, W. M. (2020). Effect of soil mulching on growth, productivity, and water use efficiency of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) under deficit irrigation. Archives of Agriculture and Environmental Science. 5(3):328–336.
Begg, C. B., and Mazumdar, M. (1994). Operating characteristics of a rank correlation test for publication bias. Biometrics. 50:1088–1101.
Boligłowa, E., and Gleń, K. (2003). Yielding and quality of potato tubers depending on the kind of organic fertilization and tillage method. Electronic Journal of Polish Agricultural Universities. 6(1): 1–8.
Borenstein, M., Hedges, L. V., Higgins, J. P. T., and Rothstein, H. R. (2009). Introduction to Meta-analysis. Wiley, London.
Buxton, D. R., and Zalewski, J. C. (1983). Tillage and Cultural Management of Irrigated Potatoes 1. Agronomy journal. 75(2): 219–225.
Carter, M. R., and Sanderson, J. B. (2001). Influence of conservation tillage and rotation length on potato productivity, tuber disease and soil quality parameters on a fine sandy loam in eastern Canada. Soil and Tillage Research. 63(1-2): 1–13.
Carter, M. R., Sanderson, J. B., & Peters, R. D. (2009). Long-term conservation tillage in potato rotations in Atlantic Canada: Potato productivity, tuber quality and nutrient content. Canadian Journal of Plant Science. 89(2): 273–280.
Carter, M. R., Sanderson, J. B., and MacLeod, J. A. (1998). Influence of time of tillage on soil physical attributes in potato rotations in Prince Edward Island. Soil and Tillage Research. 49(1-2): 127–137.
Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences. 2nd Edition. Hillsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Collins, H. P., Alva, A. K., and Boydston, R. (2010). Reduced tillage in an irrigated potato rotation. CSANR research report. 1: 1–18.
Collins, H. P., Boydston, R. A., AAlva, A. K., Piece, F., and Hamm, P. (2005). Reduced tillage in three year potato rotation. In Proceedings Washington State Potato conference. 44: 13–44.
Cooper, J., Baranski, M., Stewart, G., Nobel-de Lange, M., Bàrberi, P., Fließbach, A., . . . Casagrande, M. 2016. Shallow non-inversion tillage in organic farming maintains crop yields and increases soil C stocks: a meta-analysis. Agronomy for Sustainable Development. 36 (1), 22.
Dickersin, K. (1990). The existence of publication bias and risk factors for its occurrence. Jama. 263 (10): 1385–1389.
Dumanski, J., and Smyth, A. J. (1994). The issues and challenges of sustainable land management. International Workshop on Sustainable Land Management for the 21st Century. Agricultural Institute of Canada, Ottawa. p 381.
Egger, M., Davey Smith, G., Schneider, M., and Minder, C. (1997). Bias in meta-analysis detected by a simple, graphical test. BMJ. 315 (7109): 629–634.
Ekeberg, E., and Riley, H. C. F. (1997). Tillage intensity effects on soil properties and crop yields in a long-term trial on morainic loam soil in southeast Norway. Soil and Tillage Research. 42 (4), 277–293.
French, G. W., and Blake, G. R. (1966). Primary tillage for potatoes. American Potato Journal, 43 (10): 375–380.
Gates, S. (2002). Review of methodology of quantitative reviews using. Meta-analysis in ecology. Journal of Animal Ecology. 71 (4): 547–557.
Ghazavi, M. A., Hosseinzadeh, B., and Lotfalian, A. (2010). Evaluating physical properties of potato by a combined tillage machine. Nature and Science. 8 (11), 66–70.
Gholami Parshoukohi, M., and Zaree Barazandeh, A. (2018). The effect of different tillage methods on the number and size of potato cv. Sante. The first National Conference of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences of Iran. Khuzestan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. (In Persian).
Gholami Parshoukohi, M., Tabrizi Namini, S., Salimi Beni, M., & Ahmad beyki, A. (2016). Effect of several tillage methods on yield and yield components of potato cv. Sante. Agroecology Journal. 12 (1): 1–8. (In Persian).
Grant, W. J., and Epstein, E. (1973). Minimum tillage for potatoes. American Potato Journal, 50 (6): 193–203.
Heidari, A., and Heidari, N. (2008). Effect of wheat residue management on potato yield. The 5th National Congress of Agricultural Machinery and Mechanization Engineering. Mashhad Ferdowsi University. (In Persian).
Higgins, J. P., Thomas, J., Chandler, J., Cumpston, M., Li, T., Page, M. J., and Welch, V. A. (Eds.). (2019). Cochrane handbook for systematic reviews of interventions. John Wiley & Sons.
Hobbs, P. R., Sayre, K. D., and Gupta, R. (2008). The role of conservation agriculture in sustainable agriculture. Philos Trans R Soc Lond Ser B Biol Sci. 363:543–555.
Holland, J. (2004). The environmental consequences of adopting conservation tillage in Europe: reviewing the evidence. Agriculture Ecosystems and Environment. 103: 1–25.
Ivany, J. A., Arsenault, W., & Holmstrom, D. (2007). Response of potatoes to reduced tillage and different nitrogen fertility levels. Canadian Journal of Plant Science. 87(4): 985–988.
Kassam, A., Friedrich, T., and Derpsch, R. (2022). Successful Experiences and Lessons from Conservation Agriculture Worldwide. Agronomy 2022, 12: 769. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/agronomy12040769.
Koga, N., and Tsuji, H. (2009). Effects of reduced tillage, crop residue management and manure application practices on crop yields and soil carbon sequestration on an Andisol in northern Japan. Soil Science and Plant Nutrition. 55(4): 546–557.
Li, Q., Li, H., Zhang, L., Zhang, S., and Chen, Y. (2018). Mulching improves yield and water-use efficiency of potato cropping in China: a meta-analysis. Field crops research. 221: 50–60.
Liebman, M., Drummond, F. A., Corson, S., and Zhang, J. (1996). Tillage and rotation crop effects on weed dynamics in potato production systems. Agronomy Journal. 88(1): 18–26.
Martin, M., Daouze, J.P., Derancourt, F., Poutrain, B., (2004). No-till is suitable for potatoes. Perspectives Agricoles, 300.
Meyer‐Aurich, A., Gandorfer, M., Gerl, G., and Kainz, M. (2009). Tillage and fertilizer effects on yield, profitability, and risk in a corn‐wheat‐potato‐wheat rotation. Agronomy journal. 101(6): 1538–1547.
Noble, J. H. (2006). Meta-analysis: Methods, strengths, weaknesses, and political uses. Journal of Laboratory and Clinical Medicine. 147(1): 7–20.
Omidmehr, Z., Mohammadi,A., and Hedayatipoor, A. (2016). Conservation Tillage Effect as Residue Maintaining on Potato Yield. Journal of Agicultural Science and Sustainable Production. 26(4): 91–101. (In Persian).
Özgöz, E., Altuntaş, E., and Asiltürk, M. (2017). Effects of soil tillage on energy use in potato farming in Central Anatolia of Turkey. Energy. 141: 1517–1523.
Ried, K. (2000). Interpreting and understanding meta-analysis graphs: A practical guide. Australian family physician. 35(8): 635–638.
Rusu, T., Gus, P., and Bogdan, I. (2006). The influence of minimum soil tillage systems on weed density, frequency of phytopatogenous agents and crop yields of soybean, wheat, potato, rape and corn. Journal of Food Agriculture and Environment. 4(1): 225.
Soane, B. D., Ball, B.C., Arvidsson, J., Basch, G., Moreno, F., and Roger-Estrade, J. (2012). No-till in northern, western and south-western Europe: a review of problems and opportunities for crop production and the environment. Soil Tillage Res 118:66–87. doi:10.1016/j.still.2011. 10.015.
Sojka, R. E., Westermann, D. T., Kincaid, D. C., McCann, I. R., Halderson, J. L., and Thornton, M. (1993). Zone-subsoiling effects on potato yield and grade. American potato journal. 70(6): 475–484.
Soltani, E., and Soltani, A. (2014). Necessity of using meta-analysis in field crops researches. Journal of Crop Production. 7(3): 203–216. (In Persian).
Van den Putte, A., Govers, G., Diels, J., Gillijns, K., and  Demuzere, M. (2010). Assessing the effect of soil tillage on crop growth: A meta-regression analysis on European crop yields under conservation agriculture. European Journal of agronomy. 33(3): 231–241.
 
Agricultural Mechanization
Volume 7, Issue 2
January 2023
Pages 19-30

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 09 August 2022
  • Revise Date: 14 November 2022
  • Accept Date: 12 December 2022

Share

How to cite

Statistics