Soil Condition and plant interrelations in dry years

Abstract

Our objectives were to assess and rank 3 soil condition variants - root zone improving (RI), mulch leaving (NIL) and minimum disturbing (MD) - suitability to soil quality improvement and demonstrate the plant responses to different soil state and rind a possible relation between soil condition and plant growth under extreme climate. To rank the soil-plant interrelations twelve soil and plant factors were assessed; quality and depth of loosening state, surface protection by plants and stubble residues, soil aggregation, earthworm number, water supply in the root zone, tillage-induced C-flux, rooting depth of plants, yield, dry biomass and biomass recycling. Finally, seven fundamental requirements were selected to mitigate climate-stress and to improve plant resistance to the heat damage. A climate damage mitigation soil tillage strategy can establish a harmony between soil conservation and the demands of crop production.