ENERGY CONVERSION AND BALANCE OF SOIL TILLAGE SYSTEMS AND DIFFERENT WINTER CROPS
Abstract
From 1986 to 1995, in Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil, the effects of soil tillage systems and crop rotation
were assessed. Four soil tillage systems 1) no-tillage, 2) minimum tillage, 3) conventional tillage using disk plow,
and 4) conventional tillage using moldboard plow and three crop rotation systems [system I (wheat/soybean),
system II (wheat/soybean and common vetch/corn or sorghum), and system III (wheat/soybean, black oats or
white oats/soybean, and common vetch/corn or sorghum)] were compared. An experimental design of blocks at
random with split-plots and three replications was used. The main plot was formed by the soil tillage systems, while
the split-plots consisted of the crop rotation systems. Energy conversion (energy produced/energy consumed)
and balance (energy produced - energy consumed) during a tem-year period is presented in this paper. For energy
conversion and balance, no-tillage (6.38 e 16,252 Mcal/ha) and minimum tillage (6.53 e 16,434 Mcal/ha) presented
the higher rates, while conventional tillage using disk plow remained in an intermediate position (6.27 e 17,578
Mcal/ha) and tillage using moldboard showed the lowest rate (6.06 e 14,987 Mcal/ha), respectively. The crop
rotation for wheat was more efficient in energy than the monoculture of this cereal. Corn presented the higher
efficient in energy.
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