Research Article

Measurements of Soil Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Two Maize Agroecosystems at Harvest under Different Tillage Conditions

Table 1

Crop management practices in the two sites (CT = conventional tillage site, NT = no-tillage site). All dates are referred to year 2012.

CT siteNT site

Plowing(i) 21 May
30 cm depth tillage, mouldboard plough
(ii) 22 May
Harrow clods reduction
No-tillage

Species and cultivarZea mays cv Pioner P0222Zea mays cv Decalb 6903

Sowing date23 May27 April

Sowing techniqueSeedbed prepared using harrows/cultivators (1-2 passes)Sod-seed

Seed population7.8 seed m−28.6 seed m−2

Interrow spacing70 cm70 cm

Fertilizations(i) 15 May
Cattle manure: 100 m3 ha−1
C : N = 9.7, N: 200 kg ha−1
(ii) 23 May
Perphosphate (46% of P), 30 Kg ha−1
(iii) 10 June
Urea (46% of N), 150 kg ha−1
(i) 27 April
Ammoniumsulphate N/S 21 : 24, 150 kg ha−1
Diammoniumphosphate N/P 18 : 46, 60 kg ha−1
(ii) 19 May 2012
Urea (46% of N), 175 kg ha−1

Irrigations(i) 9 July 2012
Flooding (2000 m3 ha−1 per irrigation)
(ii) 6 August 2012
Flooding (2000 m3 ha−1 per irrigation)
(i) 5 July 2012
Flooding (2000 m3 ha−1 per irrigation)
(ii) 27 July 2012
Flooding (2000 m3 ha−1 per irrigation)

Open field weeding(i) 21 June 2012
Du Pont “Codacide” 1.0 L ha−1
Syngenta “Callisto” 0.5 L ha−1
Du Pont “Titus ultra” 50 g ha−1
(ii) 2 October 2012
Dow “Hopper” (glyphosate), 3.5 L ha−1
(i) 27 April 2012
Syngenta “Force” 12 kg ha−1
(ii) 28 April 2012
Bayer “Merlin Gold” 1.2 L ha−1
Dow “Hopper” (glyphosate) 3 L ha−1
(iii) 26 May 2012
Du Pont “Codacide” 1.3 L ha−1
Syngenta “Callisto” 0.5 L ha−1
Du Pont “Titus ultra” 42 g ha−1
(iv) 8 October 2012
Dow “Hopper” (glyphosate), 3 L ha−1

Weedings within SASSFLUX(i) 16 July
Dow “Hopper” (glyphosate) 3 L ha−1
(ii) 28 September
Dow “Hopper” (glyphosate) 3 L ha−1
(iii) 24 October
Dow “Hopper” (glyphosate) 3 L ha−1
(i) 16 July
Dow “Hopper” (glyphosate) 3 L ha−1
(ii) 28 September
Dow “Hopper” (glyphosate) 3 L ha−1
(iii) 24 October 2012
Dow “Hopper” (glyphosate) 3 L ha−1

Harvest date2 September22 August

Harvest techniqueOne combined harvester
(thresher and chopper machine for silage)
Two tractors with wagon for fine
One combined harvester
(thresher and chopper machine)
Two tractors with wagon for fine