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The conversion from conventional tillage (CT) to no-tillage (NT) of the soil is often suggested for positive long-term effects on several physical and hydraulic soil properties. In fact, although shortly after the conversion a worsening of the soil may occur, this transition should evolve in a progressive improvement of soil properties. Therefore, investigations aiming at evaluating the effects of NT on porous media are advisable, since such information may be relevant to better address the farmers’ choices to this specific soil conservation management strategy. In this investigation, innovative and standard methods were applied to compare CT and NT on two farms where the conversion took place 6 or 24 years ago, respectively. Regardless of the investigated farm, results showed negligible differences in cumulative infiltration or infiltration rate, soil sorptivity, saturated hydraulic conductivity, conductive pores size, or hydraulic conductivity functions. Since relatively small discrepancies were also highlighted in terms of bulk density or soil organic carbon, it was possible to conclude that NT did not have a negative impact on the main physical and hydraulic properties of investigated clay soils. However, a significantly higher number of small pores was detected under long-term NT compared to CT, so we concluded that the former soil was a more conductive pore system, i.e., consisting of numerous relatively smaller pores but continuous and better interconnected. Based on measured capacity-based indicators (macroporosity, air capacity, relative field capacity, plant available water capacity), NT always showed a more appropriate proportion of water and air in the soil.
Mirko Castellini; Francesco Fornaro; Pasquale Garofalo; Luisa Giglio; Michele Rinaldi; Domenico Ventrella; Carolina Vitti; Alessandro Vittorio Vonella. Effects of No-Tillage and Conventional Tillage on Physical and Hydraulic Properties of Fine Textured Soils under Winter Wheat. Water 2019, 11, 484 .
AMA StyleMirko Castellini, Francesco Fornaro, Pasquale Garofalo, Luisa Giglio, Michele Rinaldi, Domenico Ventrella, Carolina Vitti, Alessandro Vittorio Vonella. Effects of No-Tillage and Conventional Tillage on Physical and Hydraulic Properties of Fine Textured Soils under Winter Wheat. Water. 2019; 11 (3):484.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMirko Castellini; Francesco Fornaro; Pasquale Garofalo; Luisa Giglio; Michele Rinaldi; Domenico Ventrella; Carolina Vitti; Alessandro Vittorio Vonella. 2019. "Effects of No-Tillage and Conventional Tillage on Physical and Hydraulic Properties of Fine Textured Soils under Winter Wheat." Water 11, no. 3: 484.
The impact of climate change could undermine the future grain production as a consequence of increased temperature and drought condition or improve the crop performance owing to the increased CO2 in the atmosphere. Wheat water demand and yield are strictly related to climate conditions of the area where the plants are cropped. In this study, we assessed the future trends of grain yield and water consumption in two European regions, Germany (Continental region) and Italy (Mediterranean region) in the light of the multiple sources of uncertainty related to climate and yield forecasts. Four crop models were set up under combinations of two European climate regions, five Global Circulation Models and two Representative CO2 Concentration Pathways, 486 ppm and 540 ppm in 2050. Yield and water use were assessed under rainfed and irrigated regimes, and the water footprint of green water and total water was estimated. Our results indicated that projected yields were comparable (Mediterranean area) or even improved (+9%; Continental area) in rainfed conditions in comparison to the current trend; and water supply enhanced crop performance (+22% in Germany and +19% in Italy, as mean). Crop water consumption (both green and blue) remained stable in future projections but the water footprint was 5% lower on average in Italy and 23% in Germany when compared to the baseline. Despite the uncertainty in future predictions related to the factors analysed, our result indicated that current wheat production and its water footprint could become more favourable under climate change.
Pasquale Garofalo; Domenico Ventrella; Kurt Christian Kersebaum; Anne Gobin; Miroslav Trnka; Luisa Giglio; Martin Dubrovský; Mirko Castellini. Water footprint of winter wheat under climate change: Trends and uncertainties associated to the ensemble of crop models. Science of The Total Environment 2018, 658, 1186 -1208.
AMA StylePasquale Garofalo, Domenico Ventrella, Kurt Christian Kersebaum, Anne Gobin, Miroslav Trnka, Luisa Giglio, Martin Dubrovský, Mirko Castellini. Water footprint of winter wheat under climate change: Trends and uncertainties associated to the ensemble of crop models. Science of The Total Environment. 2018; 658 ():1186-1208.
Chicago/Turabian StylePasquale Garofalo; Domenico Ventrella; Kurt Christian Kersebaum; Anne Gobin; Miroslav Trnka; Luisa Giglio; Martin Dubrovský; Mirko Castellini. 2018. "Water footprint of winter wheat under climate change: Trends and uncertainties associated to the ensemble of crop models." Science of The Total Environment 658, no. : 1186-1208.