[Effects of tillage and sowing practices on plant growth, soil nutrient uptake and utilization of wheat after rice]

From 2016 to 2018, a field trial on three tillage and sowing practices, deep rotary tillage before sowing (DRT), shallow rotary tillage with simultaneous sowing (SRT), and strip tillage under no tillage conditions along with sowing (NT), was conducted to evaluate shoot growth, soil nutrient uptake, and utilization of wheat (Triticum aestivum) after rice (Oryza sativa) in Guanghan, Sichuan Province, China. Compared with DRT, both SRT and NT improved tillering capacity and fertile shoot rate. In 2016-2017, grain yield did not differ among the treatments, whereas in 2017-2018, NT had significantly higher grain yield (10.9%) than DRT. Furthermore, the diffe-rence in dry matter accumulation among the treatments mainly occurred prior to wheat jointing. Total nitrogen uptake of plants was higher by 9.9% in NT than in DRT, whereas nitrogen harvest index was higher in DRT than in NT. Total phosphorus uptake was not different among the treatments. Total potassium uptake was higher in NT plants than in DRT plants. Overall, the results showed that compared with the traditional tillage practice (i.e., DRT), strip tillage practice along with sowing (i.e., NT) is an effective method for increasing grain yield and soil nutrient uptake for wheat after rice.