Permanent raised beds improved crop performance and water use on the North China Plain

Abstract

Conservation Agriculture (CA) has been shown to improve cropping system performance around the world. However, there is limited research on this practice in the annual double cropping areas of the North China Plain and consequently limited uptake of the technology by the farming community. Data from a field experiment (2005 to 2011) conducted in Daxing, Beijing, China, were used to compare the effects of tillage practices, namely permanent raised beds (PRB), no-tillage (NT), and traditional tillage (TT) on growth, yield, and water use of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and summer maize (Zea mays L.). Results demonstrated that PRB increased soil water content (0 to 0.3 m [0 to 0.98 ft] depth; >8%) and reduced bulk density by 5.1%. Permanent raised bed soil temperatures were stabilized during winter wheat and summer maize production, compared to NT and TT treatments. Over the six years, PRB yields increased by >3% and gross production water use index (GPWUI) improved by >2.5% compared to TT, due to improved soil properties and crop performance. However, the impact of the changed management practices was not realized until the final two seasons, when yields improved by >6%. Accordingly, differences in farming profits, when viewed over the six years were intangible, but improved significantly by >20% in the final two seasons. These improvements in soil properties, yield, and water use are of considerable importance for food security and sustainable agriculture in the North China Plain; however, limited understanding of the farming system and extended timeframes required before realizing beneficial returns continue to limit widespread adoption.