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A 22-year implementation of no-tillage combined with stubble retention practice enhances the sustainability evaluation index by 54 % under a forage-crop rotation system in rainfed regions

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  • Dong, Xiu
  • Zhang, Yan
  • Yang, Qian
  • Shen, Yuying

Abstract

Conservation tillage practices, including no-tillage, stubble retention, and crop rotation, represents transformative strategies to enhance productivity, soil health, and long-term sustainability. However, quantifying their energy efficiency and environmental impacts of small-scale forage-crop rotation systems has not well explored, primarily due to intensive farming practices and labor requirements. To address this gap, a sustainability evaluation index (SEI) was developed to systematically assess the multidimensional performance of 22-years of conservation tillage practices, focusing on SOC sequestration, energy utilization, net benefits and carbon footprint (CF). Four tillage management practices were evaluated in a forage-crop rotation system, including conventional tillage (T), conventional tillage + stubble retention (TS), no-tillage (NT) and no-tillage + stubble retention (NTS) that the results showed that the implementation of T, TS, NT and NTS treatments for a period of 22 years increased SOC storage by 36.1 %, 53.1 %, 35.5 % and 64.5 % in the 0–30 cm soil layer, respectively. No-tillage decreased indirect greenhouse gas (IGHG) emissions from agricultural practices, while stubble retention improved net GHG mitigation through enhanced SOC sequestration. The NTS treatment enhanced energy use efficiency by 63.0 %, compared with T, resulting in net benefit of 717 $ ha−1 yr−1. Additionally, NTS reduced CF by 22.3 %–41.1 % and increased SEI by 53.5 %. The T treatment increased SOC storage, thereby challenging the prevailing assumptions regarding its long-term effects in smallholder systems. Overall, the NTS treatment demonstrated sustainable gains, underscoring its essential role in smallholder agroecosystems. This study redefines the paradigm of conservation tillage, highlighting the trade-offs and synergies among energy, economics, and GHG emissions.

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  • Dong, Xiu & Zhang, Yan & Yang, Qian & Shen, Yuying, 2025. "A 22-year implementation of no-tillage combined with stubble retention practice enhances the sustainability evaluation index by 54 % under a forage-crop rotation system in rainfed regions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 335(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:335:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225036606
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.138018
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