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Identification of soil and biological factors in crop rotation systems with significance to wheat crop performance in the Overberg production area of South Africa

Thesis (MScAgric (Agronomy)--University of Stellenbosch, 2008.

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Main Author: Human, Hans Jurie
Other Authors: Agenbag, G. A.
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch 2008
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access_status_str Open Access
author Human, Hans Jurie
author2 Agenbag, G. A.
author_browse Agenbag, G. A.
Human, Hans Jurie
author_facet Agenbag, G. A.
Human, Hans Jurie
author_sort Human, Hans Jurie
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv University of Stellenbosch
description Thesis (MScAgric (Agronomy)--University of Stellenbosch, 2008.
format Thesis
id oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/2286
institution Stellenbosch University (South Africa)
language English
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:43:29.289Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
publishDate 2008
publishDateRange 2008
publishDateSort 2008
publisher Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
publisherStr Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
record_format dspace
source_str SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
spelling oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/2286 Identification of soil and biological factors in crop rotation systems with significance to wheat crop performance in the Overberg production area of South Africa Human, Hans Jurie Agenbag, G. A. University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Agrisciences. Dept. of Agronomy. Crop rotation Soil fertility Dissertations -- Agriculture Dissertations -- Agronomy Theses -- Agriculture Soils -- Analysis Wheat -- Yields -- South Africa -- Overberg Theses -- Agronomy Wheat -- Quality -- South Africa -- Overberg Thesis (MScAgric (Agronomy)--University of Stellenbosch, 2008. A two year experiment (2004-2005) was conducted at the Tygerhoek Experimental Farm near Riviersonderend in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. The effect of different crop rotation systems on soil properties, disease and insect pests, weed populations, wheat growth, yield and quality in the wheat crop phase, included in these crop rotation systems, was determined. This trial was part of a long term crop rotation experiment started in 2002. This trial was laid out as a block design with four replications. Crop rotation systems included wheat, barley, canola, lupins and pasture phases which consisted of medics and clovers planted collectively. Soil samples were taken at each replication for N-incubations for determination of mineral N (NO3 - -N plus NH4 + -N) at 0-150 mm soil depth. A basic soil chemical analysis was done at 0-150 mm and 150-300 mm soil depths, respectively. Each sub-plot (replication) consisted of a 3 m2 block that was divided into a 1.5 m2 block for harvest and smaller 0.25 m2 blocks for samples that were taken at different growth stages throughout both seasons. Dry mass and nitrogen (N) content of different plant components, leaf area index, disease symptoms and pest damage were recorded from each sample. Trends in basic soil chemical properties mostly differed between crop rotation systems during different seasons while similar trends in soil mineral nitrogen occurred. Highest soil mineral N levels occurred after one or two consecutive years of pasture while levels after a lupin phase were disappointingly low in both seasons. These high soil mineral N levels showed similar trends to wheat grain quality and some wheat yields, while the most influencing factors on wheat grain yield were probably soil physical properties. Soil mineral N after canola was high during plant after which levels were much lower than many other crop rotation systems. This occurrence will probably need a re-evaluation of N fertilizing programs if the same trends are found in similar, but longer trials. Lolium spp. was the most prominent weed that occurred in both seasons at some crop rotation systems seemingly with no direct effect from crop rotation. Highest disease incidence mainly from Septoria spp. and Puccinia spp. occurred, particularly in wheat/wheat rotations, except for Puccinia which showed high ratings of disease symptoms in all crop rotations in the drier 2004 season. Lower ratings occurred in crop rotation systems when wheat was preceded by nonwheat crops. Insect pest damage showed no similar trends indicating no direct effect of crop rotation on these pests and/or effective control from applied pesticides in both seasons. It was concluded that climate was one of the most influencing factors affecting differences and seem to be the main cause for different trends found between these two seasons in similar crop rotation systems. A similar trial with longer duration than this one is thus needed to obtain conclusive trends. This also indicates the importance of integration of crop rotation and management practices that are most optimal during dry and wet seasons, thus limiting risk. Masters 2008-06-17T10:29:17Z 2010-06-01T08:45:09Z 2008-06-17T10:29:17Z 2010-06-01T08:45:09Z 2008-03 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/2286 en University of Stellenbosch application/pdf Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
spellingShingle Crop rotation
Soil fertility
Dissertations -- Agriculture
Dissertations -- Agronomy
Theses -- Agriculture
Soils -- Analysis
Wheat -- Yields -- South Africa -- Overberg
Theses -- Agronomy
Wheat -- Quality -- South Africa -- Overberg
Human, Hans Jurie
Identification of soil and biological factors in crop rotation systems with significance to wheat crop performance in the Overberg production area of South Africa
title Identification of soil and biological factors in crop rotation systems with significance to wheat crop performance in the Overberg production area of South Africa
title_full Identification of soil and biological factors in crop rotation systems with significance to wheat crop performance in the Overberg production area of South Africa
title_fullStr Identification of soil and biological factors in crop rotation systems with significance to wheat crop performance in the Overberg production area of South Africa
title_full_unstemmed Identification of soil and biological factors in crop rotation systems with significance to wheat crop performance in the Overberg production area of South Africa
title_short Identification of soil and biological factors in crop rotation systems with significance to wheat crop performance in the Overberg production area of South Africa
title_sort identification of soil and biological factors in crop rotation systems with significance to wheat crop performance in the overberg production area of south africa
topic Crop rotation
Soil fertility
Dissertations -- Agriculture
Dissertations -- Agronomy
Theses -- Agriculture
Soils -- Analysis
Wheat -- Yields -- South Africa -- Overberg
Theses -- Agronomy
Wheat -- Quality -- South Africa -- Overberg
url http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/2286
work_keys_str_mv AT humanhansjurie identificationofsoilandbiologicalfactorsincroprotationsystemswithsignificancetowheatcropperformanceintheoverbergproductionareaofsouthafrica