Weed seedbank response to tillage and crop rotation in a semi-arid environment

Seedbanks of five weed species were monitored in response to tillage and crop rotations in a semi-arid location in northern Jordan. Tillage practices of mouldboard- or chisel-plowing and cropping patterns of barley (Hordeum vulgare) planting or fallow were evaluated on permanently established subplots. Soil samples were collected from the upper 10 cm for three consecutive years, immediately after performing tillage and prior to planting. Soil seedbanks of the five dominant weed species (Anthemis palestina, Diplotaxis erucoides, Hordeum marinum, Rhagadiolus stellatus, and Trigonella caelesyriaca) were estimated by recovering viable seeds through greenhouse and laboratory procedures. At initiation, more viable seeds were present in soil subjected to mouldboard plowing than chisels plowing. In the following two sampling seasons, significant rotation by tillage interaction affected the seedbank of each species. Generally, mouldboard plowing increased weed seedbanks when combined with frequent fallowing. Conversely, chisel plowing combined with barley cropping generally reduced weed seedbank sizes. Results emphasized the importance of managing weeds during fallow to avoid the build up of H. marinum, a serious grass weed in semi-arid environments.     

Short-term effects of tillage on mineralization of nitrogen and carbon in soil

Tillage is known to decrease soil organic nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) pools with negative consequences for soil quality. This decrease is thought partly to be caused by exposure of protected organic matter to microbial degradation by the disturbance of soil structure. Little is known, however, about the short-term effects of tillage on mineralization of N and C, and microbial activity. We studied the short-term effects of two types of tillage (conventional plough- and a non-inverting-tillage) on mineralization and microbial N and C pools in a sandy loam under organic plough-tillage management. The release of active and protected (inactive) N by tillage was further studied in the laboratory by use of ¹⁵N labelling of the active pool of soil N followed by simulation of tillage by sieving through a 2 mm sieve. Results showed that the two types of tillage as well as the simulation of tillage had very few effects on mineralization and microbial pools. The simulation of tillage caused, however, a small release of N from a pool which was otherwise protected against microbial degradation. The use of soil crushing for disruption of larger macroaggregates (>425 μm) and chloroform fumigation for perturbation of the microbial biomass increased the release from both active and protected N pools. The relative contribution from the protected N pool was, however, similar in the three treatments (22-27%), thus the pools subjected to mineralization were characterised by similar degree of protection. On the basis of isotopic composition the pools of N mineralised were indistinguishable. This suggests that the released N originated from the same pool, that is the soil microbial biomass. The study points to the microbial pool as the main source of labile N which may be released by tillage, and thus to its importance for sustained soil fertility in agricultural systems.     

Dryland plant biomass and soil carbon and nitrogen fractions on transient land as influenced by tillage and crop rotation

Soil and crop management practices may alter the quantity, quality, and placement of plant residues that influence soil C and N fractions. We examined the effects of two tillage practices [conventional till (CT) and no-till (NT)] and five crop rotations [continuous spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) (CW), spring wheat–fallow (W–F), spring wheat–lentil (Lens culinaris Medic.) (W–L), spring wheat–spring wheat–fallow (W–W–F), and spring wheat–pea (Pisum sativum L.)–fallow (W–P–F)] on transient land previously under 10 years of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) planting on the amount of plant biomass (stems + leaves) returned to the soil from 1998 to 2003 and soil C and N fractions within the surface 20 cm in March 2004. A continued CRP planting was also included as another treatment for comparing soil C and N fractions. The C and N fractions included soil organic C (SOC), soil total N (STN), microbial biomass C and N (MBC and MBN), potential C and N mineralization (PCM and PNM), and NH₄-N and NO₃-N contents. A field experiment was conducted in a mixture of Scobey clay loam (fine-loamy, mixed, Aridic Argiborolls) and Kevin clay loam (fine, montmorillonitic, Aridic Argiborolls) in Havre, MT, USA. Plant biomass yield varied by crop rotation and year and mean annualized biomass was 45–50% higher in CW and W–F than in W–L. The SOC and PCM were not influenced by treatments. The MBC at 0–5 cm was 26% higher in W–W–F than in W–F. The STN and NO₃-N at 5–20 cm and PNM at 0–5 cm were 17–1206% higher in CT with W–L than in other treatments. Similarly, MBN at 0–5 cm was higher in CT with W–L than in other treatments, except in CT with W–F and W–P–F. Reduction in the length of fallow period increased MBC and MBN but the presence of legumes, such as lentil and pea, in the crop rotation increased soil N fractions. Six years of tillage and crop rotation had minor influence on soil C and N storage between croplands and CRP planting but large differences in active soil C and N fractions.     

Evaluation of potentially labile soil organic carbon and nitrogen fractionation procedures

Particulate organic matter (POM) and light fraction (LF) organic matter are potentially labile (active) fractions of soil organic matter (SOM) that have been shown to be indicators of short-term changes in soil management practices (e.g. tillage, manure and fertilizer applications, and crop rotation). These two fractions consist mainly of partially decomposed plant residues, microbial residues, seeds, and spores forming organo-mineral complexes with soil mineral particles; however, they cannot be used as synonyms because of their different chemical composition and structure. Particulate-OM is recovered by size-based procedures while LF is generally recovered in two distinct fractions [free-LF (FLF) and occluded-LF (OLF)] using density-based solutions in conjunction with soil-aggregate disruption. Solutions used in these density-based separations have most commonly varied in density from 1.6 to 2.0 g cm⁻³. Sodium iodide (NaI) and sodium polytungstate (SPT) are the chemicals most often used to prepare the density solutions in LF recovery but comparisons of the effectiveness of two solutions have not been conducted. The objectives of this research were: (1) compare the efficiency of similar density solutions of NaI and SPT in recovering FLF; and (2) compare POM, FLF, and OLF as possible sensitive indices of short-term soil changes due to tillage management. Soil samples were collected at 0-15 cm depth from a cropping system experiment conducted on a silt loam Ultisol. Plots selected for sampling had received either reduced till (RT) or no-till (NT), and cropping was continuous corn silage for a period of 3 years prior to sampling. Solutions of NaI and SPT at densities of 1.6 and 1.8 g cm⁻³ were used to recover FLF, and OLF was recovered with SPT solution at a density of 2.0 g cm⁻³ from the soil pellet remaining after FLF recovery with SPT 1.6 g cm⁻³. The average total soil organic carbon (SOC) content of these samples was of 12.7 g kg⁻¹, and carbon-POM (C-POM), carbon-FLF (C-FLF), and carbon-OLF (C-OLF) represented 22.4, 5.5, and 5.2% of it, respectively. In general, C-FLF and nitrogen-FLF (N-FLF) contents recovered did not differ significantly between chemical solutions (NaI or SPT) adjusted to the same density (1.6 or 1.8 g cm⁻³). Increasing the density within a specific solution (NaI or SPT) resulted in significantly higher C-FLF and N-FLF recovery. For instance, C-FLF recovery averaged 637 and 954 mg kg⁻¹ at 1.6 and 1.8 g cm⁻³, respectively. For both chemicals increasing density from 1.6 to 1.8 g cm⁻³ reduced the variability in recovering C-FLF and N-FLF with coefficient of variation values decreasing from a range of 14.9-19.1% for densities of 1.6 g cm⁻³ to 6.7-10.4% when densities increased to 1.8 g cm⁻³. In the present work, POM and OLF were more sensitive than FLF to changes in tillage management, with significantly greater amounts of the sensitive fractions in RT samples. A better sensitivity of FLF would be expected if treatments dealing with residue input (e.g. crop rotation and cover crop) were evaluated.     

Long-term tillage and rotation effects on soil microbial biomass,carbon and nitrogen

Summary Three mollisols, typical of the Palouse winter wheat region of eastern Washington and northern Idaho, were analyzed for microbial biomass, total C and total N after 10 years of combined tillage and rotation treatments. Treatments included till, no-till and three different cereal-legume rotations. All crop phases in each rotation were sampled in the same year. Microbial biomass was monitored from April to October, using a respiratory-response method. Microbial biomass, total C and total N were highest under no-till surface soils (0–5 cm), with minimal differences for tillage or depth below 5 cm. Microbial biomass differences among rotations were not large, owing to the relative homogeneity of the treatments. A rotation with two legume crops had the highest total C and N. Microbial biomass was significantly higher in no-till surface soils where the current crop had been preceded by a high-residue crop. The opposite was true for the tilled plots. There was little change in microbial biomass over the seasons until October, when fresh crop residues and rains had a strong stimulatory effect. The seasonal pattern of biomass in no-till surface soils reflected the dry summer/winter rainfall climate of the region. The results of this study show that numerous factors affect soil microbial biomass and that cropping history and seasonal changes must be taken into account when microbial biomass data are compared.Scientific paper no. 7634     

Nutrient management effects on organic carbon pools in a sandy loam soil under rice-wheat cropping

Agricultural management practices are known to influence soil organic C. While changes in total organic C (TOC) are relatively less discernible over short to medium-term, some extractable pools of TOC are considered early indicators of changes in TOC. Therefore, to devise nutrient management practices that can lead to C sequestration, it is important to study their effect on soil organic C pools that may respond rapidly to management. We studied the impact of balanced (NPK) and imbalanced (N, NP, NK and PK) application of fertilizer nutrients without and with farmyard manure (FYM) on total and labile pools of organic C viz. water soluble (WEOC), potassium permanganate oxidizable (KMnO₄-C), microbial biomass (MBC) and fractions of decreasing oxidizability after 5-cycles of rice-wheat cropping. Integrated use of NPK and FYM significantly increased TOC and extractable C pools in both surface (0–7.5 cm) and sub-surface (7.5–15 cm) soil. Majority of TOC (72%) was stabilized in less labile and recalcitrant fractions; the magnitude being higher under balanced (NPK+FYM) than imbalanced nutrient management (N+FYM). The results showed that balanced fertilizer application conjointly with FYM besides enlarging TOC pool favorably impacts soil organic matter composition under rice-wheat system.     

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.     

Effects of tillage and crop rotation on physical properties of a loam soil

Advances in the development of non-residual herbicides have increased the interest in minimum tillage systems as an alternative to conventional cultivation. This study compared the effects of conventional tillage (CT), minimum tillage (MT) and zero-till (ZT) with continuous winter wheat, winter wheat-summerfallow, and winter wheat-barley-summerfallow on various properties of a Brown Chernozemic loam. Saturated hydraulic conductivity (HC), soil moisture retention, bulk density (BD) and infiltration rate of the soil were measured. The effects of crop rotation by tillage or crop rotation on these soil physical properties were not significant after 8 years of tillage. In general, the BD of the soil under ZT was greater than that under CT in the tillage zone and was lower below the tillage zone. The HC of ZT soil was less than that of CT soil in the tillage zone and greater below the tillage zone. Infiltration rates were not different among the tillage treatments. Although significant differences in some soil properties occurred among tillage treatments, these differences were likely to be too small to affect crop production.     

Total and labile soil organic nitrogen as influenced by crop rotations and tillage in Canadian prairie soils

Crop rotations and tillage practices influence the quantity and quality of soil organic N (SON). We evaluated the impact of crop rotations and tillage practices on SON and mineralizable N at a depth of 0–15 cm in six field experiments, varying in duration over 8–25 years, that were being conducted in three Chernozemic soil zones in Saskatchewan, Canada. In a Brown Chernozem, continuous wheat increased SON at 0–15 cm by 7–17 kg N ha^–1year^–1 more than fallow/wheat. In a Dark Brown Chernozem, continuous cropping increased SON by 30 kg N ha^–1year^–1, compared with cropping systems containing fallow once every 3 years; and, in a Rego Black Chernozem, the increase in SON was 29 kg N ha^–1 year^–1, compared with cropping systems containing fallow once every 4 years. The increase in SON due to increased cropping frequency was accompanied by an increase in the proportion of mineralizable SON in the Brown Chernozem, but not in the Dark Brown and Black Chernozems. In the Brown Chernozemic soil zone, no-tillage management increased SON, compared with conventional tillage, varying from 16 kg N ha^–1year^–1 to 28 kg N ha^–1year^–1. In the Dark Brown Chernozemic soil zone, it increased SON by 35 kg N ha^–1year^–1 and, in the Black Chernozemic soil zone, by about 40 kg N ha^–1year^–1. Increases in SON at a depth of 0–7.5 cm due to no-tillage management was accompanied by a greater increase in the mineralizable N for Hatton fine sandy loam, Melfort silty clay and Indian Head clay than for other soils, indicating that the material responsible for the increased SON due to no-tillage was more labile than the soil humus N. However, the increased SON under no-till in Swinton loam, Sceptre clay and Elstow clay loam was not associated with an increase in the mineralizable N, indicating that this increased SON was no more susceptible to decomposition than the soil humus N. Therefore, increases in SON under improved management practices, such as conservation tillage and extended crop rotations, do not necessarily increase the potential soil N availability.     

Estimating soil labile organic carbon and potential turnover rates using a sequential fumigation-incubation procedure

Labile carbon is the fraction of soil organic carbon with most rapid turnover times and its oxidation drives the flux of CO₂ between soils and atmosphere. Available chemical and physical fractionation methods for estimating soil labile organic carbon are indirect and lack a clear biological definition. We have modified the well-established Jenkinson and Powlson's fumigation-incubation technique to estimate soil labile organic carbon using a sequential fumigation-incubation procedure. We define soil labile organic carbon as the fraction of soil organic carbon degradable during microbial growth, assuming that labile organic carbon oxidizes according to a simple negative exponential model. We used five mineral soils and a forest Oa horizon to represent a wide range of organic carbon levels. Soil labile organic carbon varied from 0.8 mg/g in an Entisol to 17.3 mg/g in the Oa materials. Potential turnover time ranged from 24 days in an Alfisol to 102 days in an Ultisol. Soil labile organic carbon contributed from 4.8% in the Alfisol to 11.1% in the Ultisol to the total organic carbon. This new procedure is a relatively easy and simple method for obtaining indices for both the pool sizes and potential turnover rates of soil labile organic carbon and provides a new approach to studying soil organic carbon.     

耕作与轮作方式对黑土有机碳和全氮储量的影响

土壤有机碳(SOC)及全氮(TN)对土壤肥力、作物产量、农业可持续发展以及全球碳、氮循环等都具有重要影响。为探索不同耕作和轮作方式对耕层黑土SOC和TN储量的影响,本文以吉林省德惠市进行了8 a的田间定位试验中层黑土为研究对象,对免耕、垄作和秋翻三种耕作方式及玉米-大豆轮作和玉米连作两种轮作方式下SOC和TN在各土层的含量变化进行了分析,并采用等质量土壤有机质储量计算方法,对比分析了不同处理对0～30 cm SOC和TN储量的影响。结果表明,与试验开始前相比,玉米-大豆轮作系统中,秋翻下SOC和TN储量均有所降低;免耕显著增加了0～5 cm SOC及TN含量,但SOC在亚表层亏损,导致其储量并未增加;而垄作处理下SOC及TN含量在0～5、5～10 cm的均显著增加,0～30 cm储量亦分别增加了4.9%和10.7%。玉米连作系统的两种耕作处理(免耕和秋翻)下SOC和TN储量均有所增加,且TN储量增幅均高于玉米-大豆轮作系统,其中免耕下TN储量增幅是玉米-大豆轮作的3.2倍。所有处理下C/N均呈降低趋势,其中垄作0～5 cm C/N由12.05降至11.04,降低幅度分别是免耕和秋翻的3.2和2.8倍。综上可知,对质地黏重排水不良的中层黑土,玉米-大豆轮作系统下免耕并不是促进SOC固定的有效形式,而垄作则促进了黑土SOC和TN的积累,这不仅有利于土壤肥力的改善,而且是使农田黑土由CO2"源"变为"汇"的有效形式之一。与玉米-大豆轮作相比,玉米连作下三种耕作方式都有利于SOC和TN积累。     

Soil organic carbon and nitrogen in a Minnesota soil as related to tillage, residue and nitrogen management

Soil organic carbon (SOC) and nitrogen (N) are directly influenced by tillage, residue return and N fertilization management practices. Soil samples for SOC and N analyses, obtained from a 23-year field experiment, provided an assessment of near-equilibrium SOC and N conditions. Crops included corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean [Glycine max L. (Merrill)]. Treatments of conventional and conservation tillage, residue stover (returned or harvested) and two N fertilization rates were imposed on a Waukegan silt loam (fine-silty over skeletal, mixed, superactive, mesic Typic Hapludoll) at Rosemount, MN. The surface (0–20 cm) soils with no-tillage (NT) had greater than 30% more SOC and N than moldboard plow (MB) and chisel plow (CH) tillage treatments. The trend was reversed at 20–25 cm soil depths, where significantly more SOC and N were found in MB treatments (26 and 1.5 Mg SOC and N ha⁻¹, respectively) than with NT (13 and 1.2 Mg SOC and N ha⁻¹, respectively), possibly due to residues buried by inversion. The summation of soil SOC over depth to 50 cm did not vary among tillage treatments; N by summation was higher in NT than MB treatments. Returned residue plots generally stored more SOC and N than in plots where residue was harvested. Nitrogen fertilization generally did not influence SOC or N at most soil depths. These results have significant implications on how specific management practices maximize SOC storage and minimize potential N losses. Our results further suggest different sampling protocols may lead to different and confusing conclusions regarding the impact of tillage systems on C sequestration.     

Changes in total, mineralizable and light fraction soil organic matter with cropping and tillage intensities in semiarid southern Alberta, Canada

There has been a trend toward increased cropping intensity and decreased tillage intensity in the semiarid region of the Canadian prairies. The impact of these changes on sequestration of atmospheric CO₂ in soil organic carbon (C) is uncertain. Our objective was to quantify the changes in total, mineralizable and light fraction organic C and nitrogen (N) due to the adoption of continuous cropping and conservation tillage practices. We sampled three individual long-term experiments at Lethbridge, Alberta, in September 1992: a spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)-fallow tillage study, a continuous spring wheat tillage study and a winter wheat rotation-tillage study. Treatments had been in place for 3–16 years. In the spring wheat-fallow study, different intensities (one-way disc > heavy-duty cultivator > blade cultivator) of conventional tillage (CT) were compared with minimum tillage (MT) and zero tillage (ZT). After 16 years, total organic C was 2.2 Mg ha⁻¹ lower in more intensively worked CT treatments (one-way disc, heavy-duty cultivator) than in the least-intensive CT treatment (blade cultivator). The CT with the blade cultivator and ZT treatments had similar levels of organic C. The CT treatments with the one-way disc and heavy-duty cultivator had light fraction C and N and mineralizable N amounts that were about 13–18% lower than the CT with the blade cultivator, MT or ZT treatments. In the continuous spring wheat study, 8 years of ZT increased total organic C by 2 Mg ha⁻¹, and increased mineralizable and light fraction C and N by 15–27%, compared with CT with a heavy-duty cultivator prior to planting. In the winter wheat rotation-tillage study, total organic C was 2 Mg ha⁻¹ higher in a continuous winter wheat (WW) rotation compared with that in a winter wheat-fallow rotation. The lack of an organic C response to ZT on the WW rotation may have been due to moldboard plowing of the ZT treatment in 1989 (6 years after establishment and 3 years before soil sampling), in an effort to control a severe infestation of downy brome (Bromus tectorum L.). Our results suggest that although relative increases in soil organic matter were small, increases due to adoption of ZT were greater and occurred much faster in continuously cropped than in fallow-based rotations. Hence intensification of cropping practices, by elimination of fallow and moving toward continuous cropping, is the first step toward increased C sequestration. Reducing tillage intensity, by the adoption of ZT, enhances the cropping intensity effect.     

Soil carbon and nitrogen changes as affected by tillage system and crop biomass in a corn–soybean rotation

A wide range of tillage systems have been used by producers in the Corn-Belt in the United States during the past decade due to their economic and environmental benefits. However, changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) and nitrogen (SON) and crop responses to these tillage systems are not well documented in a corn–soybean rotation. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of different tillage systems on SOC and SON, residue C and N inputs, and corn and soybean yields across Iowa. The first experiment consisted of no-tillage (NT) and chisel plow (CP) treatments, established in 1994 in Clarion–Nicollet–Webster (CNW), Galva–Primghar–Sac (GPS), Kenyon–Floyd–Clyde (KFC), Marshall (M), and Otley–Mahaska–Taintor (OMT) soil associations. The second experiment consisted of NT, strip-tillage (ST), CP, deep rip (DR), and moldboard plow (MP) treatments, established in 1998 in the CNW soil association. Both corn and soybean yields of NT were statistically comparable to those of CP treatment for each soil association in a corn–soybean rotation during the 7 years of tillage practices. The NT, ST, CP, and DR treatments produced similar corn and soybean yields as MP treatment in a corn–soybean rotation during the 3 years of tillage implementation of the second experiment. Significant increases in SOC of 17.3, 19.5, 6.1, and 19.3% with NT over CP treatment were observed at the top 15-cm soil depth in CNW, KFC, M, and OMT soil associations, respectively, except for the GPS soil association in a corn–soybean rotation at the end of 7 years. The NT and ST resulted in significant increases in SOC of 14.7 and 11.4%, respectively, compared with MP treatment after 3 years. Changes in SON due to tillage were similar to those observed with SOC in both experiments. The increases in SOC and SON in NT treatment were not attributed to the vertical stratification of organic C and N in the soil profile or annual C and N inputs from crop residue, but most likely due to the decrease in soil organic matter mineralization in wet and cold soil conditions. It was concluded that NT and ST are superior to CP and MP in increasing SOC and SON in the top 15 cm in the short-term. The adoption of NT or CP can be an effective strategy in increasing SOC and SON in the Corn-Belt soils without significant adverse impact on corn and soybean yields in a corn–soybean rotation.     

Effects of soil management practices and tillage systems on surface soil water conservation and crust formation on a sandy loam in semi-arid Kenya

The effect of different soil management practices on crust strength and thickness, soil water conservation and crop performance was investigated on a ferric lixisol in a semi-arid environment of eastern Kenya.

The study proved that manure and mulching with minimum tillage have a greater effect on the water balance of crusted soils and maize emergence. There was increase in steady infiltration rates, amount of soil water stored in the soil and better drainage. The physical effect of mulch was less important in the rehabilitation of crusted soils in the study site when it was incorporated into the soil. Manure and surface mulch with minimum tillage should therefore be taken into account in land management and water conservation in the semi-arid areas of Kenya. The response of crops to the improved water availability due to manure with minimum and with conventional tillage and surface mulch was very clear. These management practices should be recommended when considering the effectiveness of soil and water management techniques in the study area.     

Long-term tillage and crop rotation effects on microbial biomass and C and N mineralization in a Brazilian Oxisol

Crop rotation and tillage impact microbial C dynamics, which are important for sequestering C to offset global climate change and to promote sustainable crop production. Little information is available for these processes in tropical/subtropical agroecosystems, which cover vast areas of terrestrial ecosystems. Consequently, a study of crop rotation in combination with no tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) systems was conducted on an Oxisol (Typic Haplorthox) in an experiment established in 1976 at Londrina, Brazil. Soil samples were taken at 0–50, 50–100 and 100–200 mm depths in August 1997 and 1998 and evaluated for microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and mineralizable C and N. There were few differences due to crop rotation, however there were significant differences due to tillage. No tillage systems increased total C by 45%, microbial biomass by 83% and MBC:total C ratio by 23% at 0–50 mm depth over CT. C and N mineralization increased 74% with NT compared to CT systems for the 0–200 mm depth. Under NT, the metabolic quotient (CO₂ evolved per unit of MBC) decreased by 32% averaged across soil depths, which suggests CT produced a microbial pool that was more metabolically active than under NT systems. These soil microbial properties were shown to be sensitive indicators of long-term tillage management under tropical conditions.     

Soil organic carbon changes after 12 years of no-tillage and tillage of Grantsburg soils in southern Illinois

Many factors including management history, soil type, climate, and soil landscape processes affect the dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC). The primary objective of this research was to determine the effects of no-tillage and tillage systems on the SOC content after 12 years of controlled treatments. A tillage experiment with three treatments (no-till (NT), chisel plow (CP) and moldboard plow (MP)) was initiated in the spring of 1989 in southern Illinois. The plot area was previously in a tall fescue hayland for 15 years and had a 6% slope. Maize (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) were grown in the plot area on a yearly rotation system starting with maize. Periodically, the SOC content of various soil layers, to a depth of either 30 or 75 cm, was measured and expressed on both a gravimetric and volumetric basis. After 12 years, the 0–15 cm surface soil layer of MP was significantly lower in SOC than the NT and CP plots. For all but 2 values, the significance of findings did not change with the form of expression (gravimetric versus volumetric). The surface layer (0–15 cm), subsoil (15–75 cm), and rooting zone (0–75 cm) of all treatments had reduction in SOC on a volumetric basis when compared to the pre-treatment values for sod. At the end of the 12-year study, the MP system had significantly less SOC in the surface layer, subsurface layer and rooting zone than the NT system at comparable depths. After 12 years of tillage under a maize–soybean rotation, the NT treatment sequestered or maintained more SOC stock (47.0 Mt ha⁻¹) than the CP (43.7 Mt ha⁻¹) and MP (37.7 Mt ha⁻¹) treatments. The annual rate of SOC stock build up in the root zone (0–75 cm), above the MP system base, was 0.71 Mt ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ for the NT system and 0.46 Mt ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ for the CP system. For land coming out of the Conservation Reserve Program and returning to row crop production, NT and CP systems would maintain more SOC stock than MP system and reduce CO₂ emissions to the atmosphere.     

不同有机厩肥输入量对土壤团聚体有机碳组分的影响

土壤是重要的有机碳库,其微小变化可能引起大气CO2浓度水平的较大变异。土壤团聚体对土壤有机碳具有物理保护作用。有机厩肥的输入既可以提高土壤有机碳含量,又可以促进土壤团聚体的形成,对土壤有机碳的截获和保持有重要意义。本实验采用湿筛的方法分离土壤团聚体,并对团聚体进行有机碳组分分离。通过对连续8年施加不同量有机厩肥试验的研究发现:适量的有机厩肥施用可以显著地提高土壤的平均质量直径(MWD),改善土壤结构;过量施用有机厩肥则明显降低了>2 000μm团聚体含量。潮棕壤有机碳主要分布在250～53μm和2 000～250μm团聚体中,两者相加约占有机碳全量的73.7%～78.5%。并且随着有机碳输入量的增加,土壤有机碳主要贮存在2 000～250μm团聚体中。有机厩肥的施加明显地加快了>2 000μm团聚体的更新速率。土壤轻组分有机碳含量也随有机厩肥输入量的增加而不断增加,高量有机厩肥下占全量的22.1%。土壤固定有机碳的能力有限,存在明显的等级饱和现象。因此,在有机质匮乏的土壤施用有机肥意义重大,应尽量减少向高有机质土壤输入有机碳。     

Influence of tillage, crop rotation and nitrogen fertilization on soil organic matter and nitrogen under rain-fed Mediterranean conditions

The long-term effects of cropping systems and management practices on soil properties provide essential information for assessing sustainability and environmental impact. Field experiments were undertaken in southern Spain to evaluate the long-term effects of tillage, crop rotation and nitrogen (N) fertilization on the organic matter (OM) and mineral nitrogen (N_min) contents of soil in a rain-fed Mediterranean agricultural system over a 6-year period. Tillage treatments included no tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT), crop rotations were of 2 yr with wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)-sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) (WS), wheat-chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) (WP), wheat-faba bean (Vicia faba L.) (WB), wheat-fallow (WF), and in addition, continuous wheat (CW). Nitrogen fertilizer rates were 50, 100, and 150 kg N ha⁻¹. A split-split plot design with four replications was used. Soil samples were collected from a depth of 90 cm at the beginning of the experiment and 6 yr later. Soil samples were also collected from a depth of 30 cm after 4 yr. These samples, like those obtained at the beginning of the experiment, were subjected to comprehensive physico-chemical analyses. The soil samples that were collected 6 yr later were analyzed for OM, NH₄⁺---N and NO₃⁻---N at the 0–30, 30–60 and 60–90 cm soil depths. The tillage method did not influence the OM or N_min contents of the soil, nor did legume rotations increase the OM content of soil relative to CW. A longer period may have been required for differences between treatments to be observed owing to the small amount of crop residue that is returned to soil under rain-fed conditions of semi-arid climates. The WF rotation did not raise the N_min content of the soil relative to the other rotations. The consistent significant interaction between tillage and crop rotation testifies to the differential effect of the management system on the OM content and N status of the soil. The ammonium levels clearly exceeded those of NO₃⁻---N throughout the soil profile. The high N_min content of the soils reveals the presence of abundant N resources that should be borne in mind in establishing N fertilization schemes for crops under highly variable climatic conditions including scant rainfall such as those of the Mediterranean region.     

深松和秸秆还田对旋耕农田土壤有机碳活性组分的影响

土壤有机碳(soil organic carbon,SOC)及其活性组分能够敏感响应耕作方式变化及有机物输入。为对比长期旋耕农田进行深松后土壤有机碳各活性组分及比例变化,该研究基于连续7a的旋耕转变为深松和秸秆管理长期定位试验,对比了旋耕无秸秆还田处理(rotary tillage with straw removal,RT)、旋耕秸秆还田处理(rotary tillage with straw return,RTS)、旋耕转变为深松无秸秆还田处理(rotary tillage conversion to subsoiling with straw removal,RT-DT)、旋耕转变为深松秸秆还田处理(rotary tillage conversion to subsoiling with straw return,RTS-DTS)下土壤有机碳(soil organic carbon,SOC)、颗粒有机碳(particulate organic carbon,POC)、易氧化有机碳(readily oxidizable organic carbon,ROC)、微生物生物量碳(microbial biomass carbon,MBC)、溶解性有机碳(dissolved organic carbon,DOC)、活性有机碳(labile organic carbon,LOC)在土壤有机碳中比例的变化及各组分间的相互关系。研究结果表明,耕作方式从旋耕转变为深松和秸秆还田对SOC及其各活性组分均产生显著影响,耕作方式转变、秸秆还田及两者的交互效应是影响SOC及其活性组分的主要因素。秸秆还田显著提高了RTS处理和RTS-DTS处理的SOC含量,分别比RT和RT-DT处理高6.1%~15.6%和19.1%~32.3%。并且转变耕作方式后RTS-DTS处理比于RTS处理SOC含量提高16.9%~20.0%。同时,RTS-DTS处理的POC含量比RTS处理高13.6%~53.8%;但RT-DT和RTS-DTS处理的土壤ROC含量较RT和RTS处理都呈下降趋势,RTS-DTS处理的ROC含量比RTS处理下降4.6%~10%;MBC含量降低23.8%~30.6%。虽然秸秆还田显著提高了各处理的DOC含量,但RTS转变为RTS-DTS处理后,其3个土层的DOC含量下降了8%~41%。相比于RT和RTS处理,RT-DT和RTS-DTS处理0~30 cm各土层中LOC在SOC中的比例显著下降。相关性分析结果表明,除POC与ROC之间无显著性相关关系外,SOC及各组分间均呈显著(P<0.05)或极显著(P<0.01)的相关关系。耕作方式转变为深松和秸秆还田提高了SOC含量的同时,显著降低了SOC中的活性有机碳组分,这更有利于SOC的有效积累,促进土壤碳库的稳定固存。