Stubble retention and nitrogen fertilisation in a fallow-wheat rainfed cropping system. 1. Soil water and nitrogen conservation, crop growth and yield

Abstract

In semi-arid environments where water supply is the factor usually limiting grain yield, fallowing provides a way to increase water and nitrogen supply. An experiment was maintained from 1980 to 1990 at the Wimmera Research Station, Dooen, Australia. In each year, water use, growth and yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were measured following three tillage methods of year-long fallow. The three methods were; chemical (no tillage), blade plough (sub-surface tillage) and a fully tilled fallow following burning of stubble residues (conventional method). From 1984, the comparison was extended to include two levels of applied nitrogen (zero and from 20 to 60 kg N ha-1). Over the decade of the..