• Adequate soil management represents an important strategy for sustainable agricultural systems. Soil tillage influences soil chemical, physical and biological characteristics, crop yield, energy consumption and consequently farmers’ income. Soil tillage can increase soil erosion and CO2 emission reducing soil carbon pool. These aspects are particularly important in Italy where arable land is mostly spread in hilly regions and conventional tillage is more intensive than in other countries: ploughing depth is often > 40 cm for summer crops and > 30 cm for winter cereals.

• In this context, soil tillage reduction can provide agronomic and environmental benefits as well as cut tillage costs. Since 1981 CIRAA is conducting long-term experiments comparing different tillage systems for various crops and soil types to evaluate their agronomic, economic and environmental sustainability.

 Deep ploughing on sloping land

• These are the oldest of the 9 long-term experiments carried out at CIRAA, started in 1981. These experiments compare five tillage systems for (a) continuous grain maize (Zea mays) cropping and (b) a soyabean (Glycine max)-common wheat (Triticum aestivum) two-year rotation on silty-loam soil. In experiment (b), only one crop is present every year.

• Tillage systems are the same in both experiments: (a) deep ploughing at 50 cm depth; (b) shallow ploughing at 25 cm; (c) shallow ploughing at 25 cm + subsoiling at 25 cm; (d) chisel ploughing at 50 cm and (e) minimum tillage (disc harrowing at 10-15 cm). Tillage is alternatively performed along crop rows on one year and across crop rows in the next year. Hence, both trials host a 5 x 5 grid of tillage treatments (5 tillage systems for year "n" crop x 5 tillage systems for year "n-1" or "n+1" crop), thereby allowing evaluation of any possible combinations between tillage systems.

• In 1990, in both experiments each tillage system plot was split in three sub-plots to evaluate the effect of three mineral nitrogen rates (0-200-300 kg/ha for maize and 0-100-200 kg/ha for wheat).

• Crop grain yield and total biomass are monitored every year as well as soil moisture, soil bulk density and weed development. Soil chemical characteristics are analysed periodically. Additional assessments are based on protocols of specific research projects carried out in the two long-term experiments.

For further information, please contact:

Prof. Marco Mazzoncini, University of Pisa (mazzo@agr.unipi.it)

Dr Marco Ginanni, CIRAA E. Avanzi (ginanni@tiscali.it)

• This long term-experiment started in 1986 on silty-loam soil. Its initial objective was to evaluate the agronomic, mechanical and economic aspects of no-till (an innovative tillage system for Italy at those times) for soyabean and winter wheat as compared to conventional tillage (ploughing at 30-35 cm depth). Only one crop is present in each year.

• From 1996 onwards, the objective of the experiment was extended to the study of soil chemical, physical and microbiological characteristics as affected by the two tillage systems. In particular, soil organic carbon variations in time are used as indicators of C sequestration capacity of the systems.

• Crop grain yields and total biomass yields, as well as soil moisture, soil bulk density and weed presence are monitored yearly, whereas soil chemical and microbiological characteristics and weed seedbank size and composition are analysed periodically. Additional assessments are based on protocols of specific research projects carried out in the long-term experiment.

For further information, please contact:

Prof. Marco Mazzoncini, University of Pisa (mazzo@agr.unipi.it)

Dr Marco Ginanni, CIRAA E. Avanzi (ginanni@tiscali.it)

Dr Paolo Bàrberi, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa (barberi@sssup.it)

• Three tillage methods for a grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor)-durum wheat (Triticum durum) two-year rotation were compared from 1993 to 2000 at CIRAA on a clayey plain soil. Tillage systems were: (a) ploughing at 25 cm depth (CT), disc harrowing at 7-10 cm (RT) and no-till (NT). This research was aimed to identify the most suitable tillage systems for the two crops, to improve their production and economic return.

• Durum wheat responded well to the adoption of the NT system in terms of crop productivity, soil fertility conservation and energy saving. After the first two years of trial, the untilled soil did not show any worsening of soil properties compared to CT, with the exception of soil penetration (cone) resistance. In contrast, although RT showed constant time and fuel savings, it proved less suitable to preserve soil structure and to sustain adequate crop grain yield.

• Another experiment was carried out from 1992 to 1999 at a hilly site (Spedaletto, ca. 60 km SE of Pisa) with 20% average slope and a heavy clayey texture (clay > 40%). Three tillage systems [ploughing at 30-35 cm (CT), disc harrowing at 10 cm (RT), and no-till (NT)] were compared on a durum wheat continuous crop. Soil physical and chemical characteristics, surface runoff, soil erosion and nutrient and pesticide losses in soil and water were monitored from 1993 to 1994 as part of the activities of a EU-funded project.

• The NT system significantly reduced soil losses with respect to CT (by 85-90%), whereas surface runoff was reduced under no-till in 1993 only. Disc harrowing was not able to reduce soil erosion as compared to ploughing, due to formation of a harrow pan. Nitrogen losses in sediments and runoff water were constantly lower under no-tillage.

For further information, please contact:

Prof. Marco Mazzoncini, University of Pisa (mazzo@agr.unipi.it)

Dr Marco Ginanni, CIRAA E. Avanzi (ginanni@tiscali.it)

• Bonari E. & Mazzoncini M. (1986). Primi risultati sperimentali sulle lavorazioni del terreno in suoli tendenzialmente limosi del litorale tirrenico. Rivista di Agronomia 2-3, 277-287.

• Bonari E., Mazzoncini M. & Masoni A. (1987). Sulla scelta della più adatta tecnica di preparazione del terreno per la coltura del frumento tenero in funzione della lavorazione riservata alla precedente coltura da rinnovo. Rivista di Agronomia 4 suppl., 68-72.

• Pagliai M., Pezzarossa B., Bonari E. & Mazzoncini M. (1989). Effects of tillage on porosity and microstructure of a loam soil. Soil Technology 2, 345-358.

• Genovese L., Pagliai M., Carloni L. & Mazzoncini M. (1991). Influenza di diverse modalità di lavorazione sulla struttura di un terreno alluvionale limoso. Agrochimica 4, 343-355.

• Caliandro A., Rizzo V., Mosca G., Stefanelli G., Manzini S., Mazzoncini M., Bonari E., Bonciarelli F., Archetti R., De Giorgio D., Basso F., Postiglione L, .Rubino P., Lo Cascio B. & Venezia G. (1992). Risultati sperimentali ottenuti su cereali a paglia con diverse tecniche di lavorazione al terreno. Rivista di Agronomia 3, 215-222.

• Bonari E., Peruzzi A., Coli A. & Bàrberi P. (1993). Primi risultati sperimentali sull'adozione della semina diretta per la coltura del frumento tenero nell'Italia centro-settentrionale. Atti del V Convegno Nazionale dell'Associazione Italiana di Genio Rurale, Maratea (IT), 7-11 June, 459-466.

• Bonari E., Mazzoncini M., Silvestri N., Pagliai M. (1994). Effects of different soil tillage systems on soil physical characteristics and maize yield. Proceedings 3rd ESA Congress, Abano Terme, 19-24 September, 454-455.

• Bàrberi P. (1994). Modificazioni indotte dalla tecnica di preparazione del letto di semina sullo sviluppo della flora infestante reale e potenziale. Dissertazione finale del Dottorato di Ricerca in: "Tecniche agronomiche innovative ambiente-compatibili", Università degli Studi di Pisa (IT), 123 pp.

• Bonari E., Mazzoncini M. & Ginanni M. (1996). Lavorazione del terreno e concimazione azotata per la soia ed il frumento tenero in avvicendamento biennale. Agricoltura Ricerca 164-166, 319-332.

• Angelini L., Mazzoncini M. & Ceccarini L. (1996). Change in photosynthetic capacity associated with soil water depletion in maize grown under conventional and minimum tillage. Proceedings 4th ESA Congress, Veldhoven, 7-11 July, 516-517.

• Bàrberi P., Ginanni M., Menini S., Silvestri N. & Mazzoncini M. (1996). Effect of tillage systems on weed presence and diversity in maize continuous crop. Proceedings 4th ESA Congress, Veldhoven (NL), 7-11 Jul, 520-521.

• Mazzoncini M., Bonari E., Ginanni M., Menini S. & Sancarlo S. (1996). Earthworms presence as affected by tillage system in clay soil. Proceedings 4th ESA Congress, Veldhoven, 7-11 July, 684-685.

• Bonari E., Mazzoncini M., Silvestri N. & Angelini L. (1996). Effects of different tillage systems on sunflower yields and soil physical characteristics. Proceedings 14th International Sunflower Conference, Beijing, 12-20 June, 333-337.

• Bonari E., Mazzoncini M., Ginanni M. & Menini S. (1996). Influenza delle tecniche di lavorazione del terreno sull’erosione idrica dei terreni argillosi della collina Toscana. Rivista di Agronomia 3 suppl., 470-477.

• Bonari E., Bàrberi P., Mazzoncini M. & Silvestri N. (1996). Utilizzazione del modello "GLEAMS" per la simulazione del ruscellamento superficiale e dell’erosione da tecniche alternative di lavorazione del terreno nella collina Toscana. Rivista di Agronomia 3 suppl., 478-487.

• Angelini, L.G., Mazzoncini M. & Tonioni A. (1997). Long-term effects of reduced tillage practices and differential nitrogen fertilization on yield and nutrient uptake of winter wheat. Fragmenta Agronomica 2, 27-30.

• Mazzoncini M., Peruzzi A., Coli A. & Ginanni M. (1997). Effects of tillage systems on durum wheat yield, soil properties and work chain characteristics in central Italy. Fragmenta Agronomica 2, 449-452.

• Tebrügge F., Borin M., Basch G. & Mazzoncini M. (1997). Effects of tillage system on physical, chemical and biological soil characterists. In: Effects of tillage system on herbicide dissipation (eds M. Borin, L. Sartori, C. Giupponi, M. Mazzoncini, R. Düring & G. Basch). Unipress, Padova, 41-72.

• Bàrberi P. (1997). Sensitivity analysis. In: "Effects of tillage systems on herbicide dissipation. An experimental approach at field scale". Commission of the European Communities, ed. M. Borin, L. Sartori, C. Giupponi, M. Mazzoncini, R.A. Düring e G. Basch; Chapter 5: Field scale modelling of herbicide fate, Unipress, Padova (IT), 115-167.

• Mariotti M., Bonari E., Mazzoncini M. & Masoni A. (1998). Accrescimento delle radici del mais da granella in relazione alla modalità di lavorazione del terreno. Rivista di Agronomia 32 (1), 54-61.

• Bàrberi P., Macchia M. & Bonari E. (1998). Comparison between the seed extraction and seedling emergence methods for weed seedbank evaluation. Aspects of Applied Biology, 51: "Weed seedbanks: determination, dynamics & manipulation", 9-14.

• Peruzzi A., Raffaelli M., Bàrberi P. & Silvestri N. (1998). Experimental tests of weed control by means of finger harrowing in durum wheat. Proceedings 3rd EWRS Workshop on Physical Weed Control, Wye College, University of London (UK), 23-25 March.

• Peruzzi A., Bàrberi P., Ginanni M., Nasorri V., Raffaelli M. & Silvestri N. (1998). Controllo meccanico delle infestanti del frumento con erpice strigliatore su terreno lavorato e sodo. L’Informatore Agrario, 42, 83-89.

• Mazzoncini M., Lorenzi R., Risaliti R., Sorce C., Ginanni M., Curadi M. & Pini R. (1998). Diclofop-methyl dissipation in clay soil under different tillage systems in central Italy. Soil Tillage Research 12, 1-10.

• Mazzoncini M., Lorenzi R., Risaliti R., Sorce C., Ginanni M. & Curadi M. (1999). Chlortoluron dissipation in clay soil under different tillage systems. Proceeding of the XI Symposium Pesticide Chemistry, Cremona, 12-15 September, 413-423.

• Bàrberi P., Silvestri N., Peruzzi A. & Raffaelli M. (2000). Finger harrowing of durum wheat under different tillage systems. Biological Agriculture and Horticulture, 17, 285-303.

• Mazzoncini M., Bonari E., Risaliti R., Piccotino D. & Pezzarossa B. (2001). Modificazioni indotte da diversi tipi di lavorazione del terreno su alcune caratteristiche chimiche di un suolo Tipic Xerofluvent. Bollettino della Società Italiana di Scienza del Suolo, suppl. 50, 193-202.

• Mazzoncini M., Crocè L., Bàrberi P., Menini S. & Bonari E. (2001). Crop management systems to conserve soil fertility after long-term setaside in Southern Italy. In: Sustainable Management of Soil Organic Matter, eds. R.M. Rees, B.C. Ball, C.D. Campbell & C.A. Watson, CABI Publishing, Wallingford (UK), 163-172.

• Bàrberi P., Bonari E. & Mazzoncini M. (2001). Weed density and composition in winter wheat as influenced by tillage systems. In: "Conservation Agriculture, a Worldwide Challenge" Ed. Garcia-Torres, Benites, Martinez-Vilela; 451-455. ECAF-FAO.

• Mazzoncini M., Bonari E., Coli A., Risaliti R., Ginanni M. & Bàrberi P. (2001). Effects of tillage systems on durum wheat yield in hilly central Italy. In: "Conservation Agriculture, a Worldwide Challenge" Ed. Garcia-Torres, Benites, Martinez-Vilela; 551-555. ECAF-FAO.

• Mazzoncini M., Bonari E., Silvestri N., Bàrberi P. & Coli A. (2001). Effetto di differenti tecniche di lavorazione del terreno sulle rese granellari della soia. In: "Strategie Agronomiche al servizio della moderna agricoltura"; 63-64. Felici Editore, Pisa.

• Mazzoncini M., Risaliti R., Coli A. & Ginanni M. (2001). Effetto della non lavorazione su alcune caratteristiche microbiologiche del terreno. Atti del Convegno Annuale della Società Italiana di Scienza del Suolo, Gressoney 22-25 June, 55-56.

• Mazzoncini M., Bonari E., Silvestri N., Bàrberi P., Risaliti R. & Coli A. (2001). Effetti di lungo periodo della non lavorazione del terreno su alcune caratteristiche fisiche, chimiche e microbiologiche del terreno. In: "Strategie Agronomiche al servizio della moderna agricoltura"; 61-62. Felici Editore, Pisa.

• Mazzoncini M., Bonari E., Silvestri N., Bàrberi P. & Coli A. (2001). Effetto di differenti tecniche di lavorazione del terreno sulle rese granellari della soia. In: "Strategie Agronomiche al servizio della moderna agricoltura"; 63-64. Felici Editore, Pisa.