Conservation Agriculture-based Crop Management Technologies for Rainfed Production Systems in Mexico
Ken Sayre Consulting Agronomist with the CIMMYT Conservation Agriculture-Based Crop Management
Locations of the CIMMYT Main Rainfed Experiment Stations in Mexico where the CIMMYT Conservation Program is Working
Mexico City
Summary of weather variables during the wheat growing season at the rainfed Toluca and El Batan Experiment Stations (period covered 1973-1996).
Average Min. Max. Average total total total min. max. Months for rainfall rainfall rainfall temp temp. the wheat -----------------------------------------------------------Experiment growth Station cycle (mm) (mm) (mm) C
Toluca
May-Oct.
870 501
536 357
1127 618
5 9
21 24
El Batan May-Sept.
Rainfed maize and small grain-based production systems (some Beans too)
Annual average rainfall in the area ranges from 400 to 1000 mm per year distributed from late May to early October and highly variable both within year and year-to-year
Very erratic onset and ending of rains and very unpredictable distribution during the rainy season commonly with heavy downpours followed by extended dry periods
Crop/Livestock interactions are common with associated competition for crop residues
Crop Residue Status on Soil Surface after Removal Of Residues from Different Crops
After Maize - All Residues Removed for Fodder Almost No Ground Cover After Beans All Residues Removed Very Minimal Ground Cover
Planting rainfed wheat on permanent raised beds wheat into full retention of wheat residue
Early Stage Zero Till Rainfed Wheat Removed versus Retained Residues
Zero Till Residues Removed Zero Till Residues Retained
Later Stage Zero Till Rainfed Wheat Removed versus Retained Residues
Zero Till Residues Removed Zero Till Residues Retained
Comparison of Rainfed Wheat Yields for the Most Common Farmer Practice versus the Best Conservation Agriculture Practice at El Batan, Mexico from 1996 to 2006
8500 7500 Grain Yield (kg/ha) 6500 5500 4500 3500 2500 1500 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Farmer Practice Continuous Wheat: Conv. tillage: Residue Removed Best CA Practice Wheat-Maize: Zero tillage: Residue Retained
Effect of contrasting tillage, residue and rotation management practices of rainfed wheat yields over 11 years under optimum management at El Batan, Mexico from 1996 to 2006
8500 7500 6500 5500 4500 3500 2500 1500
LSD (0.05) = 475 kg/ha
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Farmer Practice - Continuous Wheat: Conv. tillage: Residue Removed Best CA-based Practice - Wheat-Maize: Zero tillage: Residue Retained Worst Practice - Wheat-Maize: Zero tillage: Residue Removed
Effect of Rotation, Tillage and Residue Management on Average Rainfed Wheat Grain Yields from 1997 to 2009 at El Batan in the Central Highlands of Mexico (Mean Annual Rainfall = 550mm)
6500 6000 5500 5000 4500 4000 3500 3000
Wh-Wh - Conv Wh-Wh - Zero Wh-Wh - Zero Wh-Mz - Zero Till - All Till - All Till - All Till - All Residues Residues Residues Residues Removed Removed Retained Retained (Farmer Practice) Wh-Mz - Zero Wh-Mz - Zero Till - 50% of Till - All Residues Residues Retained Removed
Effect of rotation, tillage and residue management for rainfed production systems on the distribution of soil wet aggregate distribution (0-20cm) at El Batan in the Central Highlands of Mexico
2.5
LSD (0.05) = 0.6 mm
M W D o f S o il W e t A g g re g a te s ( m m )
2 1.5 1 0.5 0
Wh-Wh - Conv. Till - Residue Removed (Farmer Practice) Wh-Wh - Zero Till - Residue Removed Wh-Wh - Zero Wh-Mz - Zero Till Wh-Mz - Zero Till Till - Residue - Residue - Residue Retained Removed Retained
18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0
Effect of rotation, tillage and residue management for rainfed production systems on the "time to pond" during the 2005 crop cycle at El Batan in the Central Highlands of Mexico
LSD (0.05) = 2.5 seconds
T im e to P o n d (S e c o n d s )
Planting with removal of previous crop residues for fodder Not Recommended
Planting Zero Till Rainfed Wheat after Maize with Full Residue Retention
Maize Residue Management
Zero Till Wheat Seeding into Maize Residue
Field after zero-tilled rainfed maize with full retention of maize straw rolled down and left on soil surface
Field after zero-tilled rainfed wheat with straw left on soil surface
Rainfed Maize After Full Retention of Wheat Residues from the Previous Crop
Daily Rainfall Ammounts (mm) from June 1 to August 31 , 2009, at El Batan in the Central Highlands of Mexico
25.0 D aily R a in fall (m m ) 20.0 15.0 10.0 5.0 0.0 1 5 9 13 17 21 25 29 33 37 41 45 49 53 57 61 65 69 73 77 81 85 89 Consecutive days from June 1 to August 32, 2009
Comparison of Rainfed Maize Yields for the Most Common Farmer Practice versus the Best Conservation Agriculture Practice at El Batan, Mexico from 1996 to 2006 7000
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Farmer Practice - Continuous Maize: Conv. Tilage: Residue Removed Best CA. Practice: Maize-Wheat: Zero tillage: Residue Retained
Comparison of Rainfed Maize Yields for the Most Common Farmer Practice versus the Best and Worst Conservation Agriculture Practice at El Batan, Mexico from 1996 to 2006
7000 Grain Y ield (kg/ha) 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Farmer Practice - Continuous Maize: Conv. Tilage: Residue Removed Best CA-based. Practice: Maize-Wheat: Zero tillage: Residue Retained Worst Practice - Continuous Maize: Zero Tillage: Residue Removed
Effect of Rotation, Tillage and Residue Management of Average Rainfed Maize Yields from 1997 to 2009 at El Batan in the Central Highlands of Mexico (Mean Annual Rainfall = 550 mm)
7000
LSD (0.05) = 239 kg/ha
Zero or Direct Seeding on the Flat is the Most Common Seeding System for Rainfed CA-based Production Systems
Permanent Beds = Controlled Traffic - ReducedSoil Compaction Tractor/Implement Wheels Run in the Furrows, not on Top of the Beds Where the Crops are Seeded
Permanent Beds = Reduced Water Logging Problems Following Heavy Rain Events
Permanent Beds Minimal Water Logging
WHEAT ON PERMANENT RAISED BEDS WITH TIED RIDGES AND WITH RESIDUE REMOVAL
Permanent Beds = Opportunity to Use Tied Ridges to Increase in situ Rain Water Harvest
Rainfed wheat planted on permanent beds with tied-ridges with minimal retention of the previous crops residue
Effect of Tillage, Residue Management and Use of Tied Ridges in Furrows on Average Rainfed Wheat Yields from 1999 to 2005 at El Batan in the Rainfed Highlands of Central Mexico 5,500
G r a i n Y i e l d (k g / h a )
Perm. bed Perm. bed Perm. bed Remove All Remove 60% Remove 60% Yes No Yes
Rainfed maize planted on permanent beds with tiedridges with minimal retention of the previous crops residue
Effect of tillage, residue management and field ridges on average maize grain yields produced in a rainfed, annual summer crop, maize-wheat rotation from 2000 to 2005 at El Batan
8,500 8,000 7,788 LSD (0.05) = 338 kg/ha 7,265 6,335 5,698 7,472 7,655
C onv. Incor. No
Perm. be d Retain No
Perm. be d Re move No
Conv: C onve ntional tillage , new beds made for e ach crop. Pe rm. Bed: Permanent beds, no tillage exce pt to re shape as nee de d. b Incor.: Incorporate; Re tain: C hop and leave on surface ; Re move : Remove for fodder; Partial: Re move whe at straw cut by combine and remove maiz e stove to just be low the ear.
Comparison of Rainfed Maize and Wheat Yields for Permanent and Tilled Wide Beds for 2009 (Dry Crop Cycle) and 2010 (Wet Crop Cycle) at El Batan
Year Permanent Wide Beds 0N - Residue Maize Yields kg/ha Permanent Wide Beds 0N + Residue Permanent Wide Beds 150 Basal N - Residue Permanent Wide Beds 150 Basal N + Residue Tilled Wide Beds 0N - Residue Tilled Wide Beds 0N + Residue Tilled Wide Beds 150 Basal N - Residue Tilled Wide Beds 150 Basal N + Residue
2009 2010
5620 7256
5463 7435
8169 9717
9132 9273
3612 6598
4839 7365
2207 6755
4505 6928
2009 2010
1981 3300
1825 3349
2205 4235
2161 4921
588 3477
584 3561
653 4128
590 4478
Thanks