© Australian Society of Agronomy www.agronomy.org.au. Edited by MJ Unkovich. Conservation tillage research on the Loess Plateau of China

Conservation tillage was evaluated under local subsistence-orientated farming conditions found on the Loess Plateau of western China. Over six years, average wheat grain yield under an experimental no-tillage, stubble-retained treatment (NTS) was 18 % higher (2.0 versus 1.7 t/ha) than under the traditional tillage and complete stubble removal treatment. The corresponding figures for field pea were 1.4 and 1.1 t/ha (20% increase). The main mechanism for higher grain yield under NTS was increased supply of soil water due to reduced soil evaporation and increased infiltration (reduced runoff). Soil quality was also improved and profitability under NTS was higher due to increased grain yield and decreased input costs (reduced labour due to no-tillage). Despite these significant benefits, the adoption of NTS systems in China remains low. The constraints to adoption, and future research and extension needs are discussed