Do no-till and pig slurry application improve barley yield and water and nitrogen use efficiencies in rainfed Mediterranean conditions?

摘要: Tillage and N fertilization strategies including mineral organic sources need to be studied in combination given their importance on the production cost that farmers face potential interaction crop performance. A four-year (2010–2014) experiment based barley monocropping was carried out NE Spain a typical rainfed Mediterranean area. Two tillage treatments (CT, conventional tillage; NT, no-tillage) three rates of (0; 75 kg ha−1, applied at top-dressing; 150 pre-sowing top-dressing equal rate), with two types fertilizers (ammonium-based fertilizer pig slurry), were compared randomized block design replications. Different soil (water nitrate contents) (above-ground biomass, grain yield, yield components concentration biomass grain) measurements performed. Water- nitrogen use efficiencies (WUE NUE) as well other N-related indexes (grain above-ground uptake; NHI, harvest index; NAR, apparent recovery efficiency) calculated. Barley highly variable depended rainfall received each cropping season (ranging between 280 mm 537 mm). affected yields. No-tillage showed 1.0, 1.7 6.3 times greater than CT four seasons result water storage until tillering. Water scarcity during definition number spikes per m2 under would have compromised compensation mechanism components. Pig slurry application led same (3 4 years) or higher (1 an equivalent rate fertilizer. Regardless origin, did not respond ha−1 split top-dressing. significant accumulation over experimental period observed CT. Greater efficiency for (WUEy), uptake content found NT studied. Moreover, rate, increased significantly WUEy average NT. When used, NHI when using years However, different (rates types) increase NUE control. Our study demonstrates agronomic leads water- nitrogen-use traditional management fertilization.