Dr A.D. (Jack) McHugh

Li Hongwen, Ma Zhongming, Cao Xinhui and Zhang Liqin

Short term agronomic gains from Conservation Agriculture in NW China

Wuwei

Zhangye Shandan

Jiuquan

Gansu Province & Hexi Corridor

Dust storms increase with mechanisation and tillage

Desertification near Wuwei city

58

13 14

20

0

5

10

15

20

25

50s 60s 70s 80s 90s

a decade

dust

sto

rm t

imes

dust storm

Data: Zhang Liqin – Gansu Academy of Agricultural Science

Comparative study between:CA No Till permanent raised beds (PRB) (20% land dedicated to furrows)Traditional farming (CT)Fresh raised beds (FRB) (20% land dedicated to furrows)Zero tillage (Flat system) (ZT) (20% land dedicated to permanent wheel tracks)

38

40

42

44

46

48

2006 2007 2009 Ave.years

weig

ht/t

hous

ands

gra

ins

PRB ZT FRB CT

25

28

31

34

37

40

2006 2007 2009 Ave.

years

kern

els/

ear

PRB ZT FRB CT

300000

350000

400000

450000

500000

2006 2007 2009 Ave.years

full

ear

s/66

6m2

PRB ZT FRB CT

ZT

PRB FRB

CT

6355. 926462. 80

5833. 46

5992. 34

5400

5700

6000

6300

6600

CT PRB FRB ZT

yiel

d(kg

/hm2 )

Yield – average of 3yrs

6520. 36680. 3

6200. 3

5542. 4

4000

5000

6000

7000

CT PRB ZT FRB

yield (kg/hm

2 )6088. 57

5575. 87

5420. 325306. 17

4800

5300

5800

6300

CT PRB ZT FRB

yield (kg/ha)

6458. 85

7132. 20

6356. 40

6651. 75

6000

6400

6800

7200

CT PRB ZT FRB

yield(kg/ha)

2006

2007

2009

Traditional Farming

Water Savings

Water Savings

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

2006 2007 2009years

irrigation water(mm)

FRB

PRB

CT

ZT

eff ect i verai nf ul l

21.21% 42.54% 34.64%

RainfallEffective

20

25

30

35

40

CT FRB ZT PRBTreatments

N.U.E(kg/kg)

PRB ~30% increase

Nitrogen use efficiency

Soil depth (cm) Treatment Macro-aggregates Micro-aggregates

>2mm 2-1mm 1-0.25mm <0.25mm 0-10 PRB 12.3 10.3 62.2 15.2

ZT 11.1 9.3 63.1 16.5 CT 9.6 8.4 63.9 18.1

10-20 PRB 14.2 12.6 58.4 14.8 ZT 13.1 13.8 58.1 15.0 CT 12.0 12.2 58.1 17.7

20-30 PRB 18.2 22.0 43.7 16.1 ZT 17.4 21.8 44.3 16.5 CT 15.2 19.8 47.1 17.9

Traditional farming

New beds each year (FRB)

ZT CTF

PRB

Darker colour, earthy, rough, soft, SOM

Grey colour, blocky, hard,

smooth

1 yr of maize and 3yr of wheat

After 4 years of no-till

Change in soil structure

Traditional

PRB

ZT CTF (flat)

Traditional

Crops Location

Cost difference in average （ yuan ∕mu）

Cost difference in percentage （ %）

A－ B A－ C B－ C

Barley

Shandan 2006 & 2008

9.132.3%

-47.5-12.2%

-56.6-14.9%

Wheat

Wuwei(Liangzhou)2008 & 2009

-2.0-0.6%

-21.0-6.2%

-18.9-5.3%

Shandan 2007 & 2009

-10-2.8%

-68.7-19.2%

-58.7-15.9%

Jiuquan(Suzhou)

2007

16.64.3%

-2.4-0.6%

-19.0 -5.2%

Corn

Jiuquan(Suzhou)

2008 & 2009

-22.6-5.1%

-83.6-18.6%

-61.0

-12.9%

PRB(A), ZT basin (B) and Traditional (C)

Difference in input costs (Fuel, Fertiliser, Labour,

Economic Savings

Converting to CA needs higher management skills

The first years might be very difficult for the farmers, therefore they might need support – from other farmers or from extension services – and perhaps even financial support to invest in new machinery - such as no-till planters

Necessary technologies are often unavailable (no till planters, herbicides and chemical spray equipment)

Few farmers cannot take the risk of buying new machinery

Machinery dealers might not wish to promote CA (smaller tractors, high machinery standards and lower farmer demand)

What are the issues?

Thank you