Maize residues, soil quality, and wheat growth in China. A review

Abstract

Crop residue retention is a key component of sustainable cropping systems. In recent years, retention of crop residue is a means of improving soil quality and nutrient capacity and reducing the adverse effects of residue burning. Maize-wheat rotation is a major double-cropping system practiced on more than one fifth of agricultural lands worldwide. Currently, more than 50 % of maize residues are retained immediately after harvesting. In China, this practice has beneficial effects on soil properties and productivity of the succeeding wheat crop. However, increasing the retention of maize residues without proper soil management has also led to a series of concerns, such as short-term nitrogen immobilization, rapid moisture loss, and high susceptibility to freezing during winter as a result of increased soil porosity. Therefore, other practices for maize residue retention are needed to promote wheat growth and the release of nutrients. This article reviews recent developments in China concerning the consequences of maize residue retention on the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil quality and the growth, productivity, and quality of wheat. Major patterns of maize residue retention are discussed. In particular, this review provides three complementary approaches for maize residue management. © 2013 INRA and Springer-Verlag France.