ARS | Publication request: A NEW RESERVOIR TILLAGE SYSTEM FOR CROP PRODUCTION IN SEMIARID AREAS

Submitted to: ASAE Annual International Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: March 10, 2003
Publication Date: July 25, 2003
Citation: Ventura, E., Norton, L.D., Ward, K., Lopez-Bautista, M., Tapia-Naranjo, A. A new reservoir tillage system for crop production in semiarid areas. 2003. American Society of Agricultural Engineers Annual International Meeting. Paper No. 03-2315.

Technical Abstract: Many arid or semiarid countries experience significant problems with water for rainfed crop production. Semiarid regions may receive sufficient rainwater to support crops, but it is distributed so unevenly in time and/or space that rainfed agriculture is not always successful. Developing technologies to increase agricultural water use efficiency through water harvesting and conservation is a need. The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate a new integrated Reservoir Tillage System (RTS) for crop production in semiarid areas. The system included the design of a horizontal-cut subsoiler, a modified row planter and a roller formed with plastic wheels to improve soil tilth and create minireservoirs on the soil surface for "in situ" rainwater harvesting. The roller was tested in laboratory conditions for soil and water conservation using simulated rainfall. The new RTS was implemented in field during the 2002 rainy season at three locations in semiarid Central Mexico. Five different varieties of common beans were planted. A control plot was planted according to the farmer´s conventional procedures. The roller was able to reduce soil erosion and runoff and increase infiltration significantly as compared to the control in the laboratory experiments. In the field, a more uniform seedling emergence and greater standing population was observed in the three sites where the system was implemented. Soil water content was greater in the new RTS than the conventional system, which resulted in greater crop growth and increments of yields in the average of 100% for the different beans varieties.