Microbial biomass and activity at various soil depths in a Brazilian oxisol after two decades of no-tillage and conventional tillage

The advantages of no-tillage (NT) over conventional tillage (CT) systems in improving soil quality are generally accepted, resulting from benefits in soil physical, chemical and biological properties. However, most evaluations have only considered surface soil layers (maximum 0-30 cm depth), and values have not been corrected to account for changes in soil bulk density. The objective of this study was to estimate a more realistic contribution of the NT to soil fertility, by evaluating C- and N-related soil parameters at the 0-60 cm depth in a 20-year experiment established on an oxisol in southern Brazil, with a soybean (summer)/wheat (winter) crop succession under NT and CT. At full flowering of the soybean crop, soil samples were collected at depths of 0-5, 5-10, 10-20, 20-30, 30-40, 40-50 and 50-60 cm. For the overall 0-60 cm layer, correcting the values for soil bulk density, NT significantly increased the stocks of C (18%) and N (16%) and microbial biomass C (35%) and N (23%) (MB-C and -N) in comparison to CT. Microbial basal respiration and microbial quotient (qMic) were also significantly increased under NT. When compared with CT, NT resulted in gains of 0.8 Mg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ (67% of which was in the 0-30 cm layer) and 70 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ (73% in the 0-30 cm layer). In the 0-5-cm layer, MB-C was 82% higher with NT than with CT; in addition, the 0-30 cm layer accumulated 70% of the MB-C with NT, and 58% with CT. In comparison to CT, the NT system resulted in total inputs of microbial C and N estimated at 38 kg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ and 1.5 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹, respectively. Apparently, N was the key nutrient limiting C and N stocks, and since adoption of NT resulted in a significant increase of N in soils which were deficient in N, efforts should be focused on increasing N inputs on NT systems.     

Changes in soil chemical characteristics with different tillage practices in a semi-arid environment

We examined the effects of various tillage intensities: no-tillage (NT), minimum tillage with chisel plow (MT), conventional tillage with mouldboard plow (CT), and zone-tillage subsoiling with a paraplow (ZT) applied in alternate years in rotation with NT, on the topsoil profile distribution (0–30 cm) of pH, soil organic carbon (SOC), organic N and available nutrients on a semi-arid soil from Central Spain. The equivalent depth approach was used to compare SOC, N and nutrient stocks in the various tillage treatments. Measurements made at the end of 5 years showed that in the 0–30 cm depth, SOC and N had increased under NT and ZT compared with MT and CT. Most dramatic changes occurred within the 0–5 cm depth where plots under NT and ZT had respectively 7.0 Mg ha⁻¹ and 6.2 Mg ha⁻¹ more SOC and 0.5 Mg ha⁻¹ and 0.3 Mg ha⁻¹ more N than under MT or CT. No-tillage and ZT plots, however, exhibited strong vertical gradients of SOC and N with concentrations decreasing from 0–5 to 20–30 cm. In the 0–20 cm layer, higher concentrations of P and K under NT and ZT than under MT or CT were also found. Soil pH under NT and ZT was 0.3 units lower than under MT or CT at a depth of 0–5 cm. This acidifying effect was restricted at the surface layer and in the 20–30 cm interval, pH values under NT and ZT were higher than in MT and CT plots. These results suggest that in the soil studied, ZT in rotation with NT maintain most advantages associated with NT, and present a definite potential for use as a partial-width rotational tillage practice.     

Grazing effect on soil properties in conventional and no-till systems

Diversification of production is a concern for farmers in many regions of the world, raising a renewed interest in crop-animal rotations. However little information is available on whether the introduction of grazing animals in a no-till system could be a sustainable practice. The present long-term study was carried out in the semiarid region of Argentina, on an Entic Haplustoll (A, AC, C and C_k profile). The experimental plots were established in August 1993, with two treatments, no-till (NT) and conventional tillage (CT). Stubble was regularly used for grazing until 2002, when plots were divided into grazed (G) and non-grazed (NG) sub-treatments. Soil samples were taken at 0–0.10 and 0.10–0.20 m depth at the beginning of the experiment (1993) and during 2007, with the following determinations: clay + silt contents, bulk density (BD), total carbon (C), total nitrogen (N), available P, C contents of aggregate fractions of 2000–100 (POC), 100–50 (IOC) and <50 (FOC) μm diameter, aggregate size distribution and mean weight diameter change. NT showed a strong effect on all analyzed soil attributes: it had higher total carbon stocks (NT 16.6 Mg ha⁻¹ vs. CT 13.2 Mg ha⁻¹) and higher amounts in all C fractions, even in FOC (11.3 Mg ha⁻¹ vs. 9.2 Mg ha⁻¹). For BD, we found no difference between NT and CT at the surface and an even lower value for NT at 0.10–0.20 m depth. Under NT no depletion of available P occurred, while CT lost about 23 kg ha⁻¹. Grazing had a negative effect on BD when averaging BD data across tillage systems, while there was no effect on aggregate stability, and a positive one on the proportion of >8 mm aggregates (23.3% vs. 11.7% for CT G and CT NG, respectively). C stratification showed a differential effect of grazing: NT G had the highest index (1.31) and CT G the lowest one (0.98). Our results indicated that the introduction of grazing animals in NT crop systems would not be detrimental to soil conditions and quality, at least in semiarid conditions of Argentina.     

Determinants of annual fluxes of CO2 and N2O in long-term no-tillage and conventional tillage systems in northern France

The greenhouse gases CO₂ and N₂O emissions were quantified in a long-term experiment in northern France, in which no-till (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) had been differentiated during 32 years in plots under a maize–wheat rotation. Continuous CO₂ and periodical N₂O soil emission measurements were performed during two periods: under maize cultivation (April 2003–July 2003) and during the fallow period after wheat harvest (August 2003–March 2004). In order to document the dynamics and importance of these emissions, soil organic C and mineral N, residue decomposition, soil potential for CO₂ emission and climatic data were measured. CO₂ emissions were significantly larger in NT on 53% and in CT on 6% of the days. From April to July 2003 and from November 2003 to March 2004, the cumulated CO₂ emissions did not differ significantly between CT and NT. However, the cumulated CO₂ emissions from August to November 2003 were considerably larger for NT than for CT. Over the entire 331 days of measurement, CT and NT emitted 3160 ± 269 and 4064 ± 138 kg CO₂-C ha⁻¹, respectively. The differences in CO₂ emissions in the two tillage systems resulted from the soil climatic conditions and the amounts and location of crop residues and SOM. A large proportion of the CO₂ emissions in NT over the entire measurement period was probably due to the decomposition of old weathered residues. NT tended to emit more N₂O than CT over the entire measurement period. However differences were statistically significant in only half of the cases due to important variability. N₂O emissions were generally less than 5 g N ha⁻¹ day⁻¹, except for a few dates where emission increased up to 21 g N ha⁻¹ day⁻¹. These N₂O fluxes represented 0.80 ± 0.15 and 1.32 ± 0.52 kg N₂O-N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ for CT and NT, respectively. Depending on the periods, a large part of the N₂O emissions occurred was probably induced by nitrification, since soil conditions were not favorable for denitrification. Finally, for the period of measurement after 32 years of tillage treatments, the NT system emitted more greenhouses gases (CO₂ and N₂O) to the atmosphere on an annual basis than the CT system.     

Effects of zone-tillage in rotation with no-tillage on soil properties and crop yields in a semi-arid soil from central Spain

A limiting factor to the no-tillage system in arid and semi-arid regions is the possibility of soil densification from lack of tillage. This research examines the extent and duration of the effects of periodic (rotational) zone-tillage over 2 years, on selected soil physical and chemical properties and crop yields. In the first year four tillage treatments were applied: conventional tillage with mouldboard plow (CT), minimum tillage with chisel plow (MT), no-tillage (NT) and zone-tillage subsoiling with a paraplow (ZT). In the second year, the ZT plots were returned to NT to follow the residual effects of ZT. The soil was a loamy sand (Calcic Haploxeralf) from semi-arid Central Spain and the crop rotation was grey pea (Pisum sativum L.)–barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). Crop residues on the soil surface after sowing grey pea were 85% in NT plots, 55% in ZT plots and 15% in MT plots. When comparing NT and ZT, the immediate effects of subsoiling on soil physical properties were significant (P < 0.05). Soil strength as measured by cone index approached 3.0 MPa in NT and was reduced to <1.0 MPa by ZT over 300 mm sampling depth. Soil moisture content and bulk density were improved by ZT. No-till and ZT favoured surface accumulation of soil organic carbon (SOC), total N and available P and K. Stratification ratio of SOC was not different among tillage systems, but soil N stratification ratio followed the order NT > ZT > MT > CT. Grey pea yields were reduced by 3 Mg ha⁻¹ in the NT and MT compared with ZT. Crop residues on the soil surface after barley sowing were 80% in NT, 56% in ZT, and 12% in MT. At the end of the second year, soil strength, soil moisture and bulk density in ZT declined to NT levels at all soil depths. The positive effect of ZT in increasing SOC in the top layer had also disappeared. However, total N, and available P and K concentrations under NT and ZT were still significantly higher than in MT and CT. Stratification ratios of SOC under NT and ZT were >2 and more than two-fold those under MT and CT. Nitrogen stratification ratio under ZT increased and no significant differences between NT and ZT could be reported. Barley yield was 0.6 Mg ha⁻¹ higher in ZT compared with NT. Our results suggest that ZT improved the physical and chemical condition of the soil studied in months following subsoiling. These positive effects, however, diminished with time and only some residual effects on total N and available P and K content in the top-layer were still evident after 2 years.     

Impact of perennial pasture and tillage systems on carbon input and soil quality indicators

Soil degradation associated with tillage is a major problem in Uruguayan agriculture. Either rotation of crops with pastures (ROT) or no-till (NT) cropping have been proposed as alternatives to minimize the impact of agriculture on soil quality. The combined impact on soil properties of ROT and NT has not been evaluated. In this study, we report results of the first 12 years of a long-term experiment established on a clay loam soil in western Uruguay. The objective was to determine the influence of conventional tillage (CT) and NT on systems under continuous cropping (CC, two crops per year) or ROT (3.5-year annual crops/2.5-year pastures). Soil samples taken at the beginning of the experiment in 1994 and in 2004 were analyzed for organic carbon (SOC), total organic carbon (TSOC) and total nitrogen content (STN), and for water-stable aggregation (WAS). Soil loss and erodibility indicators were studied using microrain simulator. With 12 years, the cumulative carbon (C) inputs of aboveground biomass were similar between tillage, but C input in CC was 50% higher than ROT. This difference was explained because 84% of the pastures dry matter was consumed by animals. Nevertheless we estimated a higher below ground biomass in ROT compared to CC systems (24.9 Mg ha⁻¹ vs. 10.9 Mg ha⁻¹). NT presented 7% higher SOC than CT (0–18 cm) with no differences between rotation systems. While all treatments declined in STN during 12 years, ROT had 11% and 58% higher STN and WAS than CC systems, with a large impact of the pasture under CT. Runoff and erosion were minimized under NT in both rotations systems. Thus, including pastures in the rotation, or switching from CT to NT improved soil quality properties. The expected benefit of combining NT and ROT will likely require more years for the cumulative effect to be detectable in both C input and soil properties.     

Carbon sequestration in agricultural soils in the Cerrado region of the Brazilian Amazon

The introduction of crop management practices after conversion of Amazon Cerrado into cropland influences soil C stocks and has direct and indirect consequences on greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions. The aim of this study was to quantify soil C sequestration, through the evaluation of the changes in C stocks, as well as the GHG fluxes (N₂O and CH₄) during the process of conversion of Cerrado into agricultural land in the southwestern Amazon region, comparing no-tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) systems. We collected samples from soils and made gas flux measurements in July 2004 (the dry season) and in January 2005 (the wet season) at six areas: Cerrado, CT cultivated with rice for 1 year (1CT) and 2 years (2CT), and NT cultivated with soybean for 1 year (1NT), 2 years (2NT) and 3 years (3NT), in each case after a 2-year period of rice under CT. Soil samples were analyzed in both seasons for total organic C and bulk density. The soil C stocks, corrected for a mass of soil equivalent to the 0–30-cm layer under Cerrado, indicated that soils under NT had generally higher C storage compared to native Cerrado and CT soils. The annual C accumulation rate in the conversion of rice under CT into soybean under NT was 0.38 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹. Although CO₂ emissions were not used in the C sequestration estimates to avoid double counting, we did include the fluxes of this gas in our discussion. In the wet season, CO₂ emissions were twice as high as in the dry season and the highest N₂O emissions occurred under the NT system. There were no CH₄ emissions to the atmosphere (negative fluxes) and there were no significant seasonal variations. When N₂O and CH₄ emissions in C-equivalent were subtracted (assuming that the measurements made on 4 days were representative of the whole year), the soil C sequestration rate of the conversion of rice under CT into soybean under NT was 0.23 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹. Although there were positive soil C sequestration rates, our results do not present data regarding the full C balance in soil management changes in the Amazon Cerrado.     

Nitrous oxide and methane emissions from long-term tillage under a continuous corn cropping system in Ohio

Nitrous oxide (N₂O) and methane (CH₄) emitted by anthropogenic activities have been linked to the observed and predicted climate change. Conservation tillage practices such as no-tillage (NT) have potential to increase C sequestration in agricultural soils but patterns of N₂O and CH₄ emissions associated with NT practices are variable. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of tillage practices on N₂O and CH₄ emissions in long-term continuous corn (Zea mays) plots. The study was conducted on continuous corn experimental plots established in 1962 on a Crosby silt loam (fine, mixed, mesic Aeric Ochraqualf) in Ohio. The experimental design consisted of NT, chisel till (CT) and moldboard plow till (MT) treatments arranged in a randomized block design with four replications. The N₂O and CH₄ fluxes were measured for 1-year at 2-week intervals during growing season and at 4-week intervals during the off season. Long-term NT practice significantly decreased soil bulk density (ρ_b) and increased total N concentration of the 0–15 cm layer compared to MT and CT. Generally, NT treatment contained higher soil moisture contents and lower soil temperatures in the surface soil than CT and MT during summer, spring and autumn. Average daily fluxes and annual N₂O emissions were more in MT (0.67 mg m⁻² d⁻¹ and 1.82 kg N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) and CT (0.74 mg m⁻² d⁻¹ and 1.96 kg N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) than NT (0.29 mg m⁻² d⁻¹ and 0.94 kg N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹). On average, NT was a sink for CH₄, oxidizing 0.32 kg CH₄-C ha⁻¹ year⁻¹, while MT and CT were sources of CH₄ emitting 2.76 and 2.27 kg CH₄-C ha⁻¹ year⁻¹, respectively. Lower N₂O emission and increased CH₄ oxidation in the NT practice are attributed to decrease in surface ρ_b, suggesting increased gaseous exchange. The N₂O flux was strongly correlated with precipitation, air and soil temperatures, but not with gravimetric moisture content. Data from this study suggested that adoption of long-term NT under continuous corn cropping system in the U.S. Corn Belt region may reduce GWP associated with N₂O and CH₄ emissions by approximately 50% compared to MT and CT management.     

Soil microbial activity and crop sustainability in a long-term experiment with three soil-tillage and two crop-rotation systems

Reduction in soil disturbance can stimulate soil microbial biomass and improve its metabolic efficiency, resulting in better soil quality, which in turn, can increase crop productivity. In this study we evaluated microbial biomass of C (MB-C) by the fumigation-extraction (FE) or fumigation-incubation (FI) method; microbial biomass of N (MB-N); basal respiration (BR) induced or not with sucrose; metabolic quotient (obtained by the ratio BR/MB-C) induced (qCO₂(S)), or not with sucrose (qCO₂); and crop productivity in a 14-year experiment in the state of Paraná, southern Brazil. The experiment consisted of three soil-tillage systems [no-tillage (NT), conventional tillage (CT) and no-tillage using a field cultivator every 3 years (FC)] and two cropping systems [a soybean–wheat-crop sequence (CS), and a soybean–wheat–white lupin–maize–black oat–radish crop rotation (CR)]. There were six samplings in the 14th year, starting at the end of the winter crop (wheat in the CS and lupin in the CR plots) and finishing at full flowering of the summer crop (soybean in the CS and maize in the CR). Differences in microbiological parameters were greater than those detected in the total C (TCS) and total N (TNS) contents of the soil organic matter (SOM). Major differences were attributed to tillage, and on average NT was higher than the CT in the following parameters: TCS (19%), TNS (21%), MB-C evaluated by FE (74%) and FI (107%), and MB-N (142%). The sensibility of the microbial community and processes to soil disturbance in the tropics was highlighted, as even a moderate soil disturbance every 3 years (FC) affected microbial parameters but not SOM. The BR was the parameter that most promptly responded to soil disturbance, and strong differences were perceived by the ratio of qCO₂ evaluated with samples induced and non-induced with sucrose. At plowing, the qCO₂(S):qCO₂ was five times higher under CT, indicating a C-starving low-effective microbial population in the C-usage. In general, crop rotation had no effect on microbial parameters or SOM. Grain yield was affected by tillage and N was identified as a limiting nutrient. Linear regressions between grain yields and microbial parameters showed that soybean was benefited from improvements in the microbial biomass and metabolic efficiency, but with no significant effects observed for the maize crop. The results also indicate that the turnover of C and N in microbial communities in tropical soils is rapid, reinforcing the need to minimize soil disturbance and to balance inputs of N and C.     

A method for estimating coefficients of soil organic matter dynamics based on long-term experiments

The one-compartment C model C_t=C₀e^−k₂t+k₁A/k₂(1−e^−k₂t) is being long used to simulate soil organic C (SOC) stocks. C_t is the SOC stock at the time t; C₀, the initial SOC stock; k₂, the annual rate of SOC loss (mainly mineralization and erosion); k₁, the annual rate to which the added C is incorporated into SOC; and A, the annual C addition. The component C₀e^−k₂t expresses the decay of C₀ and, for a time t, corresponds to the remains of C₀ (C_0 remains). The component k₁A/k₂(1−e^−k₂t) refers, at time t, to the stock of SOC derived from C crops (C_crop). We herein propose a simple method to estimate k₁ and k₂ coefficients for tillage systems conducted in long-term experiments under several cropping systems with a wide range of annual C additions (A) and SOC stocks. We estimated k₁ and k₂ for conventional tillage (CT) and no-till (NT), which has been conducted under three cropping systems (oat/maize −O/M, vetch/maize −V/M and oat + vetch/maize + cowpea −OV/MC) and two N-urea rates (0 kg N ha⁻¹ −0 N and 180 kg N ha⁻¹ −180 N) in a long-term experiment established in a subtropical Acrisol with C₀ = 32.55 Mg C ha⁻¹ in the 0–17.5 cm layer. A linear equation (C_t = a + bA) between the SOC stocks measured at the 13th year (0–17.5 cm) and the mean annual C additions was fitted for CT and NT. This equation is equivalent to the equation of the model C_t=C₀e^−k₂t+k₁A/k₂(1−e^−k₂t), so that a=C₀e^−k₂t and bA=k₁A/k₂(1−e^−k₂t). Such equivalences thus allow the calculation of k₁ and k₂. NT soil had a lower rate of C loss (k₂ = 0.019 year⁻¹) than CT soil (k₂ = 0.040 year⁻¹), while k₁ was not affected by tillage (0.148 year⁻¹ under CT and 0.146 year⁻¹ under NT). Despite that only three treatments had lack of fit (LOFIT) value lower than the critical 5% F value, all treatments showed root mean square error (RMSE) lower than RMSE 95% indicating that simulated values fall within 95% confidence interval of the measurements. The estimated SOC stocks at steady state (C_e) in the 0–17.5 cm layer ranged from 15.65 Mg ha⁻¹ in CT O/M 0 N to 60.17 Mg ha⁻¹ in NT OV/MC 180 N. The SOC half-life (t_1/2 = ln 2/k₂) was 36 years in NT and 17 years in CT, reflecting the slower C turnover in NT. The effects of NT on the SOC stocks relates to the maintenance of the initial C stocks (higher C_0 remais), while increments in C_crop are imparted mainly by crop additions.     

Gaseous and leaching nitrogen losses from no-tillage and conventional tillage systems following surface application of cattle manure

Previous studies have demonstrated inconsistent results on the impact of tillage systems on nitrogen (N) losses from field-applied manure. This study assessed the impact of no-tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) systems on gaseous N losses, N₂O:N₂O + N₂ ratios and NO₃⁻-N leaching following surface application of cattle manure. The study was undertaken during the 2003/2004 and 2004/2005 seasons at two field sites in Nova Scotia namely, Streets Ridge (SR) in Cumberland County and the Bio-environmental Engineering Centre (BEEC) in Truro. Results showed that the NT system had higher (p < 0.05) NH₃ losses than CT. Over the two seasons, manure incorporation in CT reduced NH₃ losses on average by 86% at SR and 78% at BEEC relative to NT. At both sites and during both seasons, denitrification rates and N₂O fluxes in NT were generally higher than in CT plots, presumably due to higher soil water and organic matter content in NT. Over the two seasons, mean denitrification rates at SR were 239 and 119 g N ha⁻¹ d⁻¹, while N₂O fluxes were 120 and 64 g N ha⁻¹ d⁻¹ under NT and CT, respectively. At BEEC mean denitrification rates were 114 and 71 g N ha⁻¹ d⁻¹, while N₂O fluxes were 52 and 27 g N ha⁻¹ d⁻¹ under NT and CT, respectively. Conversely, N₂O:N₂O + N₂ ratios were lower in NT than CT suggesting more complete reduction of N₂O to N₂ under NT. When averaged across all soil depths, NO₃⁻-N was higher (p < 0.05) in CT than NT. Nitrate-N decreased with depth at both sites regardless of tillage. In most cases, NO₃⁻-N was higher under CT than NT at all soil depths. Similarly, flow-weighted average NO₃⁻-N concentrations in drainage water were generally higher under CT. This may be partly attributed to higher denitrification rates under NT. Therefore, NT may be a viable strategy to remove NO₃⁻-N from the soil, and thus, reduce NO₃⁻-N contamination of groundwater. However, it should be noted that while the use of NT reduces NO₃⁻-N leaching it may come with unintended environmental tradeoffs, including increased NH₃ and N₂O emissions.     

Impact of tillage and crop rotation on light fraction and intra-aggregate soil organic matter in two Oxisols

It is well known that no-tillage (NT) practices can promote greater stocks of soil organic matter (SOM) in the soil surface layer compared to conventional tillage (CT) by enhancing the physical protection of aggregate-associated C in temperate soils. However, this link between tillage, aggregation and SOM is less well established for tropical soils, such as Oxisols. The objective of this study was to investigate the underlying mechanisms of SOM stabilization in Oxisols as affected by different crop rotations and tillage regimes at two sites in southern Brazil. Soils were sampled from two agricultural experiment sites (Passo Fundo and Londrina) in southern Brazil, with treatments comparing different crop rotations under NT and CT management, and a reference soil under native vegetation (NV). Free light fraction (LF) and intra-aggregate particulate organic matter (iPOM) were isolated from slaking-resistant aggregates. Of the total C associated with aggregates, 79–90% was found in the mineral fraction, but there were no differences between NT and CT. In contrast, tillage drastically decreased LF-C concentrations in the 0–5 cm depth layer at both sites. In the same depth layer of NT systems at Londrina, the concentrations of iPOM-C were greater when a legume cover crop was included in the rotation. At Londrina, the order of total iPOM-C levels was generally NV > NT > CT in the 0–5 cm depth interval, but the difference between NT and CT was much less than in Passo Fundo. At Passo Fundo, the greatest concentrations and differences in concentrations across tillage treatments were found in the fine (53–250 μm) iPOM fractions occluded within microaggregates. In conclusion, even though no aggregate hierarchy exists in these Oxisols, our results corroborate the concept of a stabilization of POM-C within microaggregates in no-tillage systems, especially when green manures are included in the rotation.     

Transitioning from standard to minimum tillage: Trade-offs between soil organic matter stabilization, nitrous oxide emissions, and N availability in irrigated cropping systems

Few studies address nutrient cycling during the transition period (e.g., 1–4 years following conversion) from standard to some form of conservation tillage. This study compares the influence of minimum versus standard tillage on changes in soil nitrogen (N) stabilization, nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions, short-term N cycling, and crop N use efficiency 1 year after tillage conversion in conventional (i.e., synthetic fertilizer-N only), low-input (i.e., alternating annual synthetic fertilizer- and cover crop-N), and organic (i.e., manure- and cover crop-N) irrigated, maize–tomato systems in California. To understand the mechanisms governing N cycling in these systems, we traced ¹⁵N-labeled fertilizer/cover crop into the maize grain, whole soil, and three soil fractions: macroaggregates (>250 μm), microaggregates (53–250 μm) and silt-and-clay (<53 μm). We found a cropping system effect on soil N_new (i.e., N derived from ¹⁵N-fertilizer or -¹⁵N-cover crop), with 173 kg N_new ha⁻¹ in the conventional system compared to 71.6 and 69.2 kg N_new ha⁻¹ in the low-input and organic systems, respectively. In the conventional system, more N_new was found in the microaggregate and silt-and-clay fractions, whereas, the N_new of the organic and low-input systems resided mainly in the macroaggregates. Even though no effect of tillage was found on soil aggregation, the minimum tillage systems showed greater soil fraction-N_new than the standard tillage systems, suggesting greater potential for N stabilization under minimum tillage. Grain-N_new was also higher in the minimum versus standard tillage systems. Nevertheless, minimum tillage led to the greatest N₂O emissions (39.5 g N₂O–N ha⁻¹ day⁻¹) from the conventional cropping system, where N turnover was already the fastest among the cropping systems. In contrast, minimum tillage combined with the low-input system (which received the least N ha⁻¹) produced intermediate N₂O emissions, soil N stabilization, and crop N use efficiency. Although total soil N did not change after 1 year of conversion from standard to minimum tillage, our use of stable isotopes permitted the early detection of interactive effects between tillage regimes and cropping systems that determine the trade-offs among N stabilization, N₂O emissions, and N availability.     

The influence of 12 years of tillage and crop rotation on total and labile organic carbon in a sandy loam soil

Information on which management practices can enhance soil organic matter (SOM) content and quality can be useful for developing sustainable crop production systems. We tested the influence of 12 years of no-till (NT) versus conventional tillage (CT), and four crop sequences on the organic C pools of a Grey Luvisolic sandy loam soil in northwestern Alberta, Canada. The crop sequences were: continuous wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), field pea (Pisum sativum L.)–wheat–canola (Brassica rapa L.)–wheat, red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) green manure–wheat–canola–wheat/red clover and fallow–wheat–canola–wheat. Soil samples from 1992, when the study was initiated, and 1996, 2000 and 2004 were analyzed for total organic C (TOC), the light fraction (LF) and its C content, and water-soluble and mineralizable C. Total organic C in the top 15 cm of soil was higher in the red clover rotation than either the pea or fallow rotation by 1996. The tillage effect became significant only in 2004 with NT having a higher TOC than CT. The LF dry matter (DM) increased from 6.9 g kg⁻¹ soil in 1992 to a range of 10–13 g kg⁻¹ in 2000 and 2004. It was higher under NT than CT in 2 of 3 years and in the red clover rotation than the pea or fallow rotation in 1 of 3 years. The LF C content exhibited a similar trend as LF DM. The water-soluble and mineralizable C pools were not affected by tillage but decreased with time. Among crop rotations, the red clover rotation tended to result in higher levels of hot water-soluble and mineralizable C. It is concluded that tillage had a greater influence than crop rotation on the LF DM and LF C (as indicators of C storage), whereas the converse effect applied to mineralizable C and, to a lesser degree, hot water-soluble C (as indicators of SOM quality).     

Carbon and nitrogen stocks in a Brazilian clayey Oxisol: 13-year effects of integrated crop–livestock management systems

Integrated crop–livestock management systems (ICLS) have been increasingly recommended in Brazilian agroecosystems. However, knowledge of their effect on soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) concentrations and stocks is still limited. The study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of ICLS under two tillage and fertilization regimes on SOC and TN concentrations and stocks in the 0–30 cm soil layer, in comparison with continuous crops or pasture. The following soil management systems were studied: continuous pasture; continuous crop; 4 years’ crop followed by 4 years’ pasture and vice-versa. The adjacent native Cerrado area was used as a control. Under the rotation and continuous crop systems there were two levels of soil tillage (conventional and no-tillage) and fertility (maintenance and corrective fertility). The stock calculations were done using the equivalent soil mass approach. The land use systems had a significant effect on the concentrations of SOC and TN in the soil, but no effect was observed for the soil tillage and fertilizer regimes. For these two latter, some significant discrepancies appeared in the distribution of SOC and TN concentrations in the 0–30 cm layer. Carbon storage was 60.87 Mg ha⁻¹ under Cerrado, and ranged from 52.21 Mg ha⁻¹ under the ICLS rotation to 59.89 Mg ha⁻¹ with continuous cropping. The decrease in SOC stocks was approximately 8.5 and 7.5 Mg ha⁻¹, or 14 and 12%, for continuous pasture and ICLS respectively. No-tillage for 10 years after the conversion of conventional tillage to no-tillage under the continuous crop system, and 13 years of conventional tillage in continuous cropping did not result in significant changes in SOC stocks. The SOC and TN stocks in surface layers, using the equivalent soil mass approach rather than the equivalent depth, stress the differences induced by the calculation method. As soil compaction is the principal feature of variability of stocks determinations, the thickness should be avoid in these types of studies.     

No tillage and crop rotation effects on soil aggregation and organic carbon in a Rhodic Ferralsol from southern Brazil

In Brazil, no tillage (NT) is a soil conservation practice now widely adopted by farmers, including smallholders. The effect of NT and conventional tillage (disc ploughing followed by two light disc harrowings, CT) was investigated on the aggregation properties of a clayey Rhodic Ferralsol from southern Brazil under different crop rotations. The same soil type under secondary forest was used as reference. Macro- and microaggregate classes were separated by wet sieving using a series of eight sieves (8, 4, 2, 1, 0.5, 0.25, 0.125, 0.053 mm) at four sampling layers (0–5, 5–10, 10–20, 20–30 cm). The soil in general had high structural stability. At 0–5 cm, meanweight diameter (MWD, 11.1 mm) and total organic C in macroaggregates (TOC, 39 g kg⁻¹ soil) were highest for the forest soil. Soil under NT had a more similar distribution of aggregate size classes and TOC to the forest soil than CT. The most pronounced difference between tillage systems was observed in the surface soil layer (0–5 cm). In this layer, NT had higher aggregate stability (AS_NT: 96%; AS_CT: 89%), had higher values of aggregate size distribution (MWD_NT: 7.9 mm, MWD_CT: 4.3 mm), and had on average 28% greater TOC in all aggregate size classes than CT. Soil under NT had greater TOC in macroaggregates (NT: 22 g kg⁻¹; CT: 13 g kg⁻¹). Crop rotation did not have a significant effect on soil aggregate distribution and TOC. By increasing macroaggregation NT increased organic carbon accumulation in soil.     

Tillage and cropping effects on soil quality indicators in the northern Great Plains

The extreme climate of the northern Great Plains of North America requires cropping systems to possess a resilient soil resource in order to be sustainable. This paper summarizes the interactive effects of tillage, crop sequence, and cropping intensity on soil quality indicators for two long-term cropping system experiments in the northern Great Plains. The experiments, located in central North Dakota, were established in 1984 and 1993 on a Wilton silt loam (FAO: Calcic Siltic Chernozem; USDA¹: fine-silty, mixed, superactive frigid Pachic Haplustoll). Soil physical, chemical, and biological properties considered as indicators of soil quality were evaluated in spring 2001 in both experiments at depths of 0–7.5, 7.5–15, and 15–30 cm. Management effects on soil properties were largely limited to the surface 7.5 cm in both experiments. For the experiment established in 1984, differences in soil condition between a continuous crop, no-till system and a crop–fallow, conventional tillage system were substantial. Within the surface 7.5 cm, the continuous crop, no-till system possessed significantly more soil organic C (by 7.28 Mg ha⁻¹), particulate organic matter C (POM-C) (by 4.98 Mg ha⁻¹), potentially mineralizable N (PMN) (by 32.4 kg ha⁻¹), and microbial biomass C (by 586 kg ha⁻¹), as well as greater aggregate stability (by 33.4%) and faster infiltration rates (by 55.6 cm h⁻¹) relative to the crop–fallow, conventional tillage system. Thus, soil from the continuous crop, no-till system was improved with respect to its ability to provide a source for plant nutrients, withstand erosion, and facilitate water transfer. Soil properties were affected less by management practices in the experiment established in 1993, although organic matter related properties tended to be greater under continuous cropping or minimum tillage than crop sequences with fallow or no-till. In particular, PMN and microbial biomass C were greatest in continuous spring wheat (with residue removed) (22.5 kg ha⁻¹ for PMN; 792 kg ha⁻¹ for microbial biomass C) as compared with sequences with fallow (SW–S–F and SW–F) (Average=15.9 kg ha⁻¹ for PMN; 577 kg ha⁻¹ for microbial biomass C). Results from both experiments confirm that farmers in the northern Great Plains of North America can improve soil quality and agricultural sustainability by adopting production systems that employ intensive cropping practices with reduced tillage management.     

Soil carbon dioxide and methane fluxes from long-term tillage systems in continuous corn and corn–soybean rotations

Although the Midwestern United States is one of the world's major agricultural production areas, few studies have assessed the effects of the region's predominant tillage and rotation practices on greenhouse gas emissions from the soil surface. Our objectives were to (a) assess short-term chisel (CP) and moldboard plow (MP) effects on soil CO₂ and CH₄ fluxes relative to no-till (NT) and, (b) determine how tillage and rotation interactions affect seasonal gas emissions in continuous corn and corn–soybean rotations on a poorly drained Chalmers silty clay loam (Typic Endoaquoll) in Indiana. The field experiment itself began in 1975. Short-term gas emissions were measured immediately before, and at increasing hourly intervals following primary tillage in the fall of 2004, and after secondary tillage in the spring of 2005, for up to 168 h. To quantify treatment effects on seasonal emissions, gas fluxes were measured at weekly or biweekly intervals for up to 14 sampling dates in the growing season for corn. Both CO₂ and CH₄ emissions were significantly affected by tillage but not by rotation in the short-term following tillage, and by rotation during the growing season. Soil temperature and moisture conditions in the surface 10 cm were significantly related to CO₂ emissions, although the proportion of variation explained by temperature and moisture was generally very low (never exceeded 27%) and varied with the tillage system being measured. In the short-term, CO₂ emissions were significantly higher for CP than MP and NT. Similarly, mean seasonal CO₂ emissions during the 2-year period were higher for CP (6.2 Mg CO₂-C ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) than for MP (5.9 Mg CO₂-C ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) and NT (5.7 Mg CO₂-C ha⁻¹ year⁻¹). Both CP and MP resulted in low net CH₄ uptake (7.6 and 2.4 kg CH₄-C ha⁻¹ year⁻¹, respectively) while NT resulted in net emissions of 7.7 kg CH₄-C ha⁻¹ year⁻¹. Mean emissions of CO₂ were 16% higher from continuous corn than from rotation corn during the two growing seasons. After 3 decades of consistent tillage and crop rotation management for corn and soybean producing grain yields well above average in the Midwest, continuous NT production in the corn–soybean rotation was identified as the system with the least soil-derived C emissions to the atmosphere from among those evaluated prior to and during corn production.     

No-tillage and conventional tillage effects on durum wheat yield, grain quality and soil moisture content in southern Italy

No-tillage (NT) is becoming increasingly attractive to farmers because it clearly reduces production costs relative to conventional tillage (CT). However, many producers in southern Italy are reluctant to adopt this practice because NT can have contrasting consequences on grain yield depending on weather conditions. The effect of NT and CT on continuous durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) under rainfed Mediterranean conditions was studied, over a 3-year period (2000–2002) at two locations (Foggia and Vasto) in southern Italy. Yield, grain quality [thousand kernel weight (TKW), test weight (TW) and protein content (PC)] and soil water content were assessed.Higher yield was obtained with NT than CT in the first 2 years at Foggia. In contrast, mean yield and quality parameters at Vasto were similar for the two treatments, except in the third year in which CT produced more than NT (4.6 Mg ha⁻¹ versus 2.9 Mg ha⁻¹). At Foggia, TW and TKW were higher in NT than CT in all years. Highest PC was obtained under CT (19.6% and 15.5% for CT versus 14.7% and 11.4% for NT, respectively, in the growing season 2000–2001 and 2001–2002) indicating that grain was shriveled with low starch accumulation.At Foggia, where this study was part of a long-term experiment started in 1995, a strong correlation was observed between yield and rainfall during the wheat growing season. The coefficient of determination (R²) values for CT and NT were 0.69^* and 0.31 ns, respectively, and the regression straight line crossed around 300 mm of rainfall. These results indicate that NT was superior below this rainfall value, whereas more rainfall enhanced yield in CT. We conclude that NT performed better at Foggia with limited rainfall during the durum wheat growing season. The superior effect of NT in comparison to CT, was due to lower water evaporation from soil combined with enhanced soil water availability.     

Long-term effects of tillage, cover crops, and nitrogen fertilization on organic carbon and nitrogen concentrations in sandy loam soils in Georgia, USA

Maintaining and/or conserving organic carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) concentrations in the soil using management practices can improve its fertility and productivity and help to reduce global warming by sequestration of atmospheric CO₂ and N₂. We examined the influence of 6 years of tillage (no-till, NT; chisel plowing, CP; and moldboard plowing, MP), cover crop (hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth.) vs. winter weeds), and N fertilization (0, 90, and 180 kg N ha⁻¹) on soil organic C and N concentrations in a Norfolk sandy loam (fine-loamy, siliceous, thermic, Typic Kandiudults) under tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) and silage corn (Zea mays L.). In a second experiment, we compared the effects of 7 years of non-legume (rye (Secale cereale L.)) and legume (hairy vetch and crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.)) cover crops and N fertilization (HN (90 kg N ha⁻¹ for tomato and 80 kg N ha⁻¹ for eggplant)) and FN (180 kg N ha⁻¹ for tomato and 160 kg N ha⁻¹ for eggplant)) on soil organic C and N in a Greenville fine sandy loam (fine-loamy, kaolinitic, thermic, Rhodic Kandiudults) under tomato and eggplant (Solanum melogena L.). Both experiments were conducted from 1994 to 2000 in Fort Valley, GA. Carbon concentration in cover crops ranged from 704 kg ha⁻¹ in hairy vetch to 3704 kg ha⁻¹ in rye in 1999 and N concentration ranged from 77 kg ha⁻¹ in rye in 1996 to 299 kg ha⁻¹ in crimson clover in 1997. With or without N fertilization, concentrations of soil organic C and N were greater in NT with hairy vetch than in MP with or without hairy vetch (23.5–24.9 vs. 19.9–21.4 Mg ha⁻¹ and 1.92–2.05 vs. 1.58–1.76 Mg ha⁻¹, respectively). Concentrations of organic C and N were also greater with rye, hairy vetch, crimson clover, and FN than with the control without a cover crop or N fertilization (17.5–18.4 vs. 16.5 Mg ha⁻¹ and 1.33–1.43 vs. 1.31 Mg ha⁻¹, respectively). From 1994 to 1999, concentrations of soil organic C and N decreased by 8–16% in NT and 15–25% in CP and MP. From 1994 to 2000, concentrations of organic C and N decreased by 1% with hairy vetch and crimson clover, 2–6% with HN and FN, and 6–18% with the control. With rye, organic C and N increased by 3–4%. Soil organic C and N concentrations can be conserved and/or maintained by reducing their loss through mineralization and erosion, and by sequestering atmospheric CO₂ and N₂ in the soil using NT with cover crops and N fertilization. These changes in soil management improved soil quality and productivity. Non-legume (rye) was better than legumes (hairy vetch and crimson clover) and N fertilization in increasing concentrations of soil organic C and N.