Field Crop 2025, Vol.8, No.4, 187-194 http://cropscipublisher.com/index.php/fc 187 Feature Review Open Access Evaluating the Impact of Conservation Tillage on Water Use Efficiency in Barley Fields Zhengqi Ma, Wei Wang Institute of Life Sciences, Jiyang College of Zhejiang A&F University, Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China Corresponding email: wei.wang@jicat.org Field Crop, 2025, Vol.8, No.4 doi: 10.5376/fc.2025.08.0018 Received: 21 May, 2025 Accepted: 09 Jul., 2025 Published: 29 Jul., 2025 Copyright © 2025 Ma and Wang, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Ma Z.Q., and Wang W., 2025, Evaluating the impact of conservation tillage on water use efficiency in barley fields, Field Crop, 8(4): 187-194 (doi: 10.5376/fc.2025.08.0018) Abstract Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivation is increasingly challenged by water scarcity, a pressing concern in many agricultural regions worldwide. This study evaluates the impact of conservation tillage practices-such as no-till, strip-till, and mulch till-on improving water use efficiency (WUE) in barley cropping systems. We investigated how conservation tillage modifies soil structure and moisture dynamics, reduces evaporation, enhances infiltration, and influences root development for more efficient water uptake. The study compared conservation and conventional tillage methods, analyzed long-term data from field trials in China, and integrated remote sensing and soil moisture monitoring to quantify outcomes. Results show that conservation tillage improves WUE and yield stability under drought-prone conditions while offering environmental benefits like reduced erosion and increased soil carbon. However, trade-offs such as weed pressure and equipment requirements present adoption challenges. These findings support conservation tillage as a promising strategy for sustainable barley production, with potential for integration with other agroecological practices. Continued research, farmer support, and policy incentives are essential to maximize adoption and long-term benefits. Keywords Conservation tillage; Water use efficiency; Barley; Soil moisture retention; Sustainable agriculture 1 Introduction In the fields around the world, barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) has always been an important food crop, especially in those areas where rainfall is unstable and the land is relatively dry. Everyone knows that water plays a decisive role in its growth and yield, but the problem is that water is not always sufficient. Production is often limited when water sources are tight or rainfall is frequent (Lopez and Arrue, 1997; Fonteyne et al., 2021). At present, the situation is still getting more complicated. Climate change is intensifying, groundwater levels are continuously dropping, and the competition for water resources among agriculture, cities and industries is becoming increasingly fierce. Take the Mediterranean Basin and Bascio in Mexico as examples. The barley production in these regions is under the dual threat of groundwater depletion and unpredictable precipitation. Food security is precarious in the long term. Therefore, water-saving agricultural technologies and practices are not an option but a path that must be taken (Cantero-Martinez et al., 2003; Morell et al., 2011). Among all the coping methods, conservation tillage has received the most attention in recent years. Reducing tillage, no-tillage, and stubble mulching-these measures may seem simple, but they have obvious effects. If the soil is not frequently disturbed, it can retain more water. With less evaporation, the water consumption of crops will be more reasonable. Experimental data show that in some cases, irrigation water consumption can be reduced by approximately 17%, and this will not lead to a decrease in output. Even under water-scarce conditions, it can still push up both water use efficiency and output (Bahia et al., 2025). Of course, not all scenarios can replicate such results, but the overall trend is positive. This study mainly aims to string together these data and experiences from different regions and under different management conditions to see how much impact conservation tillage has on the water use efficiency of wheat fields. The goal is straightforward: to find a balance point among water conservation, stable production and environmental sustainability. If this can be achieved, it will not only provide a reference for barley cultivation in water-scarce areas, but also offer a more resilient path for a broader agricultural system.
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