Development of conservation cropping systems in the drylands of northern Iraq (2005-11)PartnersSyria - ICARDAIraq - Ministry of Agriculture, University of MosulAustralia - UniWA, UniAdelaide, AgWA

Development and promotion of zero tillage in Iraq and Syria

Colin Piggin, Atef Haddad, Yaseen Khalil

ICARDA, Syria

WCCA

Brisbane, Aust

26-29 Sept 2011

Middle Eastern dryland cropping systems

Iraq

Characteristics• excessive cultivation• grazing/burning of

stubbles• late sowing (Dec-Jan)

Consequences• low yields (<1t/ha for

wheat)

Syria

ZT is the key to conservation cropping- minimal soil disturbance- stubble retention

Widely adopted around the world

Little awareness/adoption in ME region

Logical R&D program to promote ZT

• verification and adaptation research

1. does ZT work?

2. what are benefits of early sowing?

3. are special varieties needed for ZT?

• addressing the major constraint

4. local availability of effective, affordable ZT seeders

• promoting awareness, experience and uptake

5. demonstrations and ZT evaluation by farmers on-farm

Zero tillage (ZT) and conventional cultivation (CC)

ZT system

• seeding into uncultivated soil under stubble

CC system• 1-3+ cultivations - mouldboard, disc, chisel

• seeding – seed drill or broadcasting above disc plow

Long term Trial (commenced 2006-07 at ICARDA)

Cereal-legume rotation

Treatments (0.5ha plots x 3 replicates)

Tillage- conventional cultivation- zero-till

Date of sowing- early- late

Verification and adaptation research

1. Does ZT work?

Lentil on wheat stubble – C16

Early sowing

28-29 Nov 07

Conventional tillZero-till

Late sowing

23 Dec 07

2007-08

29 April 08

Barley on lentil stubble - C16

Early sowing

22 Oct 08

Conventional tillZero-till

Late sowing

6 Dec 08

2008-09

2 June 09

1.29

0.81

3.74

3.37

1.08

0.67

3.41 3.35

0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

3.00

3.50

4.00

29-Nov-07 23-Dec-07 22-Oct-08 6-Dec-08

Gra

in y

ield

(t/h

a)

Date of sowing

ZT

CC

LentilSig main effects: T**; DOS**LSD = 0.15 t/ha for T and 0.20 t/ha for DOS

BarleySig effects: DOS**; TxDOS**LSD = 0.28 t/ha between T or 0.16 t/ha within T

1. Does ZT work?

Lentil response/ha: Straw Grain

CC/late vs ZT/early 1227kg 615kg

$261 $716

Barley response/ha Grain

CC/late vs ZT/early 390kg

$80

R/F 222mm R/F 291mm

Tillage Early Late Delay/loss Loss/day

Lentil 2007-08 28 Nov 07 23 Dec 07 24 days

CC 1077 kg 670 kg 407 kg 17.0 kg

ZT 1285 kg 810 kg 475 kg 19.8 kg

Barley 2008-09 22 Oct 08 6 Dec 08 45 days

CC 3406 kg 3346 kg 60 kg 1.3 kg

ZT 3737 kg 3373 kg 364 kg 8.1 kg

C16 long-term trial

Grain yield responses to time of sowing in lentil and barley under ZT and CC

Verification and adaptation research

2. The importance of early sowing?

Generally- ZT ≥ CC- early ≥ late planting

Yields over 5 years - C16 2006-11

Wheat 06-07 Lentil 07-08 Barley 08-09 Wheat 09-10 Lentil 10-110.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

CC Early

CC Late

ZT Early

ZT Late

Crop and year

Gra

in y

ield

(t/h

a)

315mmNS

222mmT*; D**

291mmD**; Tx D**

270mmD*

259mmNS

2009-10

Details

Replicates: 4Seed rate: 100kg/haPlot size: 1.62m * 10mHarvest area: 3 rows*0.275m*8m

Verification and adaptation research

3. are special varieties needed for ZT?

10 lines/varieties under ZT vs CC

CerealsBread wheat, durum wheat, barley, oats

LegumesChickpea, lentil, faba bean, peas

15May; 19June10

19-20Nov09

Effect of tillage on grain yield (kg/ha) of 10 varieties of barley, bread

wheat, durum wheat and oats at ICARDA Syria 2009-10Al

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Barley Bread wheat Durum wheat Oats

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

CT

ZT

Crop and variety

Gra

in y

ield

(t/h

a)

Significant effects: C**; CxV**

No significant TxCxV interactions

Tillage

Addressing constraints

4. Local availability of effective, affordable ZT seeders - Syria

• ICARDA and workshop visits - Mar/Apr 08

• experimental manufacture of local ZT seeders

Workshop visits

ICARDA visitsZT seeder fabrication

Local ZT seeders: first production in Syria - Sept 2008

Kamishley - local

El Bab - local

Qabbasin - local

Amazon – imported ($60000)

Indian – imported ($2500)

Local seeders (3PL; 2.3m)

• narrow points

• widely spaced spring tines

• seed/fertilizer delivery

• price ≈ $1400-2500

ZT seeders comparisons 2008-09

Kamishley PW Kamishly AlBab Qabbaseen Amazone Indian 0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

Yield of wheat, barley, lentil and chickpea with different ZT seeders sown early and late

Barley earlyBarley lateChickpea earlyChickpea lateLentil earlyLentil lateWheat earlyWheat late

ZT seeder

Yiel

d t/

ha

Significant effects: Seeders NSEarly > late for barley, wheat and chickpea

ZT seeder advances in Syria - 2009-10

Responding to feedback- 4m wide- trailed or 3PL- wider tine spacing- more robust construction3-point linkage

- $4000- El Bab

Trailed- $5500- Qabassin

Farmer innovation – ZT modification of local Rama (John Shearer) seeder

2007-08

Testing depth, soil throw, backfill from points

2009-10

Sowed 1025ha with 3 seeders

Lead farmers- Sinan Jalili- Yasser Fathi- Gazee Fatehi

Fabricating and testing tines/points

4. Local availability of effective, affordable ZT seeders - Iraq

Fabrication of ZT modification kits in Iraq 2010-11

ZT points/openers

ZT openers –wide tine spacing

Press wheels

ZT modification of local seeders in Ninevah 2010-11

18 farmersModification cost: $1200/seeder

Afrin

El Bab Musselmiya

Maara

ZT CC

Promoting awareness, experience and uptake

5. Demonstrations and ZT evaluation by farmers on-farm

Syria

on-farm testing

2006-09

university Farm

Roubel Sharo

Roubel Sharo

Moh Ebrahim Basha

Basem Ebrahim Basha

Abo Nadim Ali A. Elewi Ali A. Elewi Toma Khano

Barley Chickpea Lentil Wheat

0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

3.00

3.50 Comparison of ZT and CC Grain Yields in Farmer Demonstrations Syria 2008-09

ZT CT

Gra

in Y

ield

t/h

a

Participatory extension of conservation cropping in Syria 2009-11

ACIAR-

ICARDA

ACIAR-ICARDA Iraq Project NARES

o Research Commission (GCSAR)o Directorate of Extensiono Aleppo University

NGOo Aga Khan Foundation

Private sectoro farmerso seeder manufacturerso Syrian Libyan Company (SYLICO)o private consultants

Stakeholder meeting6 August 2009

123

4

5 6

79

810

ZT extension working groups 2009-11

Syria on-farm ZT testing 2009-11

Farmer experience

• ZT gave better yields with lower costs than CC

Ali Alewi Kamishley

Extension training visit 22Apr10

800ha wheat

Sulamiya 14Oct09ZTCC

Edriss Saleh10Apr10

Kamishley field day 22Apr10

Hani Debah 9Apr10Kannasar 4Nov09

Farmer planting Farm visits/training

Field days

Demonstrations 2005/06 – 2010/11

Locations

• High Rainfall(>450mm)Al ShikhanRabeeaAl Qush

• Moderate Rainfall (200-400mm)

Al HamdaniaTel KiefBaashiqa

• Low Rainfall(<200mm)Tel AbtaAl HatraAl Mahalabya

• Supp Irrigation:Rabeea (HRA)Al Nimrud (MRA)Hummaidat (LRA)

ICARDA

ZT, varieties, early sowing, low seed rates

Baashika MRA planting

19 January 2007

2006-07

Fig(1) Effect of planting methods on grains yields (Kg/hectar) of Barley in LRA lacation

0

100

200

300

400

500

Local black (C.V.) Zanbaka (C.V.) Local black (C.V.) Zanbaka (C.V.) Local black (C.V.) Zanbaka (C.V.)

Alhatra Location Tell Abta Location Almahalabia Location

Kg/

hect

ar

Z.T

Chisel

Con.

LRA barley 2006-07

Iraq on-farm demonstration and testing

Syrian 4m ZT seeder

Farmer-modified ZT seeder

Field day in Alshykhan

2007-11

Tel Kief MRA 3 Feb 10

Farmer experience

• ZT gave better yields with lower costs than CC

Farmer planting

Farm inspections

Field days

Iraq and SyriaIncreases in ZT farmers, area and seeders

06-07 07-08 08-09 09-10 10-11

Iraq Farmers 12 16 18 31 ≈50

Area (ha) 52 252 492 1806 ≈6000

Seeders Manufactured 3 India 2 Iraq 4 Syria 1 Iraq, 14 Syria*

Farmer modified 1 2 18

Syria Farmers 3 6 43 119 ≈350

Area (ha) 15 30 2075 4918 ≈15,000

Seeders Man. for ICARDA 1 India 3 Syria 6 Syria 2 Syria

Man. for farmers 2 Syria 4 Syria ≈20 Syria

Farmer modified 2 3

* 14 Syrian ZT seeders for Ninevah funded by USA Ambassador

Conservation cropping R & D in Iraq and Syria

Conclusions (2005-11)

• ZT more productive, profitable and sustainable than CC

• early planting important in achieving high yields – facilitated by ZT

• no special varieties indicated for ZT – no VxT interaction for any crops

• local ZT seeders effective and affordable

• participatory R&D effectively raising awareness, experience, adoption

• strong prospects for wide ZT adoption over next 5-10 years

• MOA in Iraq/Syria adopting ZT as recommended cropping system

Farmer attraction to ZT system- some indicative returns and savings for wheat

Operation Change Return or saving ($/ha)

Iraq Syria

Use ZT +500 kg/ha wheat 350 200

Stop plowing 2 → 0 times 50 50

Reduce seed rate 300 → 100 kg/ha 140 80

---------- ----------

540 330

Increasing dryland crop productivity and profitability

• stop plowing

• keep as much stubble as possible (don’t burn)

• use ZT for all crops

• control pre-sowing weeds with glyphosate (if necessary)

• plant early (November)

• use best adapted current varieties

• use optimum seed rate (50-100 kg/ha cereals; 100-150kg/ha for pulses)

• sow at optimum depth (4-6cm)

• use optimum management (fertility, weed/disease/pest control, rotations)

• stubbles can be grazed (OM/nutrients returned) – doesn’t negate ZT benefits

ZT guidelines and technology options for farmers