Effects of Rotational Tillage on Soil Physicochemical Properties and Crop Yield in a Rice–Wheat Double Cropping Area

This paper aims to explore issues related destruction of soil nutrients and structure in a rice-wheat double-cropping area caused by over-tillage prior rice cultivation. A three-year cycle rotation tillage pattern (RT), consisting “no-tillage–no-tillage–plough”, with straw-returning direct rice-seeding technology, was designed tested, compared continuous no-tillage (CN) conventional ploughing & rotary (PR). The experiment the region is located on southeastern coast Shandong Province, warm, temperate, humid monsoon climate paddy type. Comparison experiments were conducted three farming patterns over period 3 years, continuously measuring physical chemical properties crop yields. results showed that under same conditions, RT significantly increased macroaggregates content enhanced their stability within 0~30 cm (p < 0.05). reduced bulk density below 1.5 g/cm3, which beneficial root growth Meanwhile, contents organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, are evenly distributed layer Another result panicle length, grains number per panicle, thousand-grain weigh. yield not different from PR, but higher than CN At time, cultivation measures had some after-effects wheat; average tillers, effective number, grain thousand-seed weight wheat yields 10.5% 13.3% respectively. study provides theoretical reference for improving areas.