Long-Term Effects of Wheat Production Management Practices on Exchangeable Base Cations and Cation Exchange Capacity of a Plinthosol in Semi-arid South Africa

Changes in soil fertility indicators are mainly the result of management practices and usually influence crop yields over the long term. This study shows the effects of long-term wheat production management practices on exchangeable base cations and cation exchange capacity (CEC). Applied field treatments included two methods of straw management (unburned, burned), three methods of tillage (no tillage, stubble mulch, plowing), and two methods of weeding (chemical, mechanical). Samples were collected at six soil depths and analyzed for potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), and CEC. Burned wheat straw resulted in greater K and lower Ca concentrations compared to unburned wheat straw. No-tillage treatment increased K, Ca, Mg, Na, and CEC compared to both stubble mulch and plowing. Chemical weeding improved Na and CEC compared to mechanical weeding. The treatment combinations had positive influences mainly on CEC. Unburned straw and moldboard plowing with respect to burned straw and no tillage enhanced grain yield with 8%.