SSSAJ Journal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Education
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
 QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     


This Article
Right arrow Abstract Freely available
Right arrow Figures Only
Right arrow Full Text (PDF) Free
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (67)
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Halvorson, A. D.
Right arrow Articles by Black, A. L.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Halvorson, A. D.
Right arrow Articles by Black, A. L.
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Halvorson, A. D.
Right arrow Articles by Black, A. L.
Related Collections
Right arrow Dryland Cropping Systems
Right arrow Other Soil Management
Right arrow Tillage
Soil Science Society of America Journal 66:906-912 (2002)
© 2002 Soil Science Society of America

DIVISION S-6—SOIL & WATER MANAGEMENT & CONSERVATION

Tillage, Nitrogen, and Cropping System Effects on Soil Carbon Sequestration

Ardell D. Halvorson*,a, Brian J. Wienholdb and Alfred L. Blackc

a USDA-ARS, P.O. Box E, Fort Collins, CO 80522
b USDA-ARS, 119 Keim Hall, East Campus, Univ. of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583
c USDA-ARS, retired, 226 E. Circle Dr., Canon City, CO 81212

* Corresponding author (adhalvor{at}lamar.colostate.edu)


    ABSTRACT
 TOP
 NOTES
 ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
 CONCLUSIONS
 REFERENCES
 
Soil C sequestration can improve soil quality and reduce agriculture's contribution to CO2 emissions. The long-term (12 yr) effects of tillage system and N fertilization on crop residue production and soil organic C (SOC) sequestration in two dryland cropping systems in North Dakota on a loam soil were evaluated. An annual cropping (AC) rotation [spring wheat (SW) (Triticum aestivum L.)–winter wheat (WW)–sunflower (SF) (Helianthus annuus L.)] and a spring wheat-fallow (SW-F) rotation were studied. Tillage systems included conventional-till (CT), minimum-till (MT), and no-till (NT). Nitrogen rates were 34, 67, and 101 kg N ha-1 for the AC system and 0, 22, and 45 kg N ha-1 for the SW-F system. Total crop residue returned to the soil was greater with AC than with SW-F. As tillage intensity decreased, SOC sequestration increased (NT > MT > CT) in the AC system but not in the SW-F system. Fertilizer N increased crop residue quantity returned to the soil, but generally did not increase SOC sequestration in either cropping system. Soil bulk density decreased with increasing tillage intensity in both systems. The results suggest that continued use of a crop-fallow farming system, even with NT, may result in loss of SOC. With NT, an estimated 233 kg C ha-1 was sequestered each year in AC system, compared with 25 kg C ha-1 with MT and a loss of 141 kg C ha-1 with CT. Conversion from crop-fallow to more intensive cropping systems utilizing NT will be needed to have a positive impact on reducing CO2 loss from croplands in the northern Great Plains.

Abbreviations: AC, annual crop • CT, conventional-till • F, fallow • LSD, least significant difference • MT, minimum-till • NT, no-till • Db, soil bulk density • SF, sunflower • SOC, soil organic C • SW, spring wheat • WW, winter wheat


    INTRODUCTION
 TOP
 NOTES
 ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
 CONCLUSIONS
 REFERENCES
 
NO-TILL AND MT SYSTEMS have allowed producers in the semi-arid Great Plains to intensify the frequency of cropping when compared with the traditional crop-fallow system (Aase and Schaefer, 1996; Farahani et al., 1998; Halvorson, 1990; Halvorson and Reule, 1994; Halvorson et al., 1999a,b, 2000a). Deibert et al. (1986) and Peterson et al. (1996) point out that more continuous cropping and less crop-fallow is needed in the Great Plains to attain more efficient use of limited water supplies. Cihacek and Ulmer (1995) point out that more intensive cropping systems than crop-fallow along with reduced tillage is needed to prevent the loss of SOC from Great Plains soils. The fallow period represents a time of high microbial activity and decomposition of soil organic matter with no input of crop residue. Annual cropping reduces the amount of time decomposition is occurring without crop residue inputs. Fallow also represents a time when the soil is susceptible to wind erosion which is another major loss mechanism for soil organic matter in the northern Great Plains (Haas et al., 1974).

With increased cropping intensity, one would expect that more crop residue and C would be added to the soil than with a crop-fallow system (Campbell et al., 1995, 2000b; Janzen et al., 1998a; Peterson et al., 1998). As the amount of crop residue returned to the soil is increased, SOC sequestration is expected to increase if the residue C is not lost as CO2 to the atmosphere because of tillage induced decomposition (Larney et al., 1997; Reicosky, 1997a, b). Research in the Great Plains has shown that SOC sequestration is enhanced by N fertilization (Campbell and Zentner, 1993; Campbell et al., 2000a; Halvorson et al., 1999c, 2000c; Nyborg et al., 1995). Campbell et al. (1996)(1997, 1998) reported increased SOC levels as fallow frequency and tillage intensity decreased within Canadian Prairie Province cropping systems in the northern Great Plains. Bauer and Black (1994) demonstrated the value of SOC in enhancing soil water–soil fertility–crop productivity relationships. The benefit of increasing SOC is not only improved soil structure and water-nutrient relationships, but includes the ability to store C in the soil to reduce atmospheric CO2, a greenhouse gas (Janzen et al., 1999; Lal et al., 1998, 1999).

Bauer and Black (1981) pointed out the lack of long-term cropping systems data evaluating SOC sequestration in the northern Great Plains. In 1983, A.L. Black, USDA-ARS, at Mandan, ND initiated a long-term cropping system study to evaluate the influence of tillage and N fertility level on crop yields and soil C and N changes within SW-F and annual cropping (SW-WW-SF) rotations (Black and Tanaka, 1997). Grain yields for this study have been reported by Halvorson et al. (1999a)(b, 2000a,b). Since initiation of this study, numerous Canadian Prairie Province studies have reported on the effects of tillage system, fertility, and crop rotation on SOC sequestration as summarized by Janzen et al. (1998b). Peterson et al. (1998) summarized the positive influences of reduced tillage and intensified cropping systems on soil C in the U.S. Great Plains. No dryland studies on SOC sequestration were found in the northern Great Plains that included sunflower in the intensive crop rotation. This paper reports on the long-term effects of tillage system (CT, MT, and NT) and N fertilizer rate on crop residue production and SOC sequestration within two dryland cropping systems (SW-WW-SF and SW-F) located in the U.S. northern Great Plains.


    MATERIALS AND METHODS
 TOP
 NOTES
 ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
 CONCLUSIONS
 REFERENCES
 
The study was initiated in 1984 on a Temvik-Wilton silt loam soil (fine-silty, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic and Pachic Haplustolls) with a 2 to 4% southeasterly slope located about 5 km southwest (lat. 46° 46'25'' N, long. 100° 57'7'' W) of Mandan, ND. The soil was fairly uniform over the research site. The soil was broken out of native sod in about 1951. The area was cropped to silage corn (Zea mays L.) and SW until 1982, with occasional years of summer fallow following SW. No set crop rotation was followed by the farmer during this 32-yr cropping period, but silage corn was produced more frequently than SW. Silage corn yields usually ranged from 18 to 22 Mg ha-1 and SW yields from 1300 to 1700 kg ha-1. A tandem disk was used as the primary tillage implement during noncrop periods to control weeds. Planting of both crops was with a plow-packer-drill combination. Tillage depth with the plow was generally <15 cm, with all surface crop residue buried after the planting operation. Little, if any, N fertilizer had been applied during the 33-yr cropping period prior to 1984. Some P fertilizer had been applied by the farmer. At the initiation of this study, 45 kg P ha-1 was broadcast applied over the entire study area to eliminate P deficiency in 1984. No more fertilizer P was applied to the plot area during the study period. Unfertilized sunflower was grown on the entire plot area in 1983 to establish uniform soil water and N levels.

An AC rotation (SW-WW-SF) and a SW-F rotation were managed under three tillage systems, CT, MT, and NT. Hard-red wheats and oil sunflowers were grown in the rotations. The SW and SF were planted with no-till disk-opener planters and the WW with a no-till narrow-hoe opener type planter. Nitrogen fertilizer was applied in early spring each year to each crop as a broadcast application of NH4NO3 at rates of 34, 67, and 101 kg N ha-1 in the annual cropping rotation and 0, 22, and 45 kg N ha-1 in the SW-F rotation, except for 1991 and 1992, when no N was applied because of a build-up of residual soil NO3-N because of drought conditions and low yields from 1988 through 1990. The total quantity of N applied during the 12 yr was 336, 672, and 1008 kg N ha-1 for the AC 34, 67, and 101 kg N ha-1 treatments, respectively, and 112 and 224 kg N ha-1 for the SW-F 22 and 45 kg N ha-1 treatments, respectively.

Each main block of the study was 137.2 by 73.1 m in size. Tillage plots (45.7 by 73.1 m) were oriented in a north-south direction and N plots (137.2 by 24.4 m) in an east-west direction across tillage plots with individual plot size being 45.7 by 24.4 m. Triplicate sets of AC plots (SW-WW-SF, WW-SF-SW, and SF-SW-WW crop sequences) and duplicate sets of SW-F plots (SW-F and F-SW sequences) were established in 1984 to allow all phases of the rotations to be represented each year. The experimental design was a strip-split plot with tillage and N rate treatments stripped with three replications.

In the AC system, the CT treatments were generally disked once in the fall following harvest and prior to spring planting with generally <30% surface residue cover at planting. Minimum-till treatments were generally undercut once with a sweep plow at a shallow depth (<7.5 cm) following harvest and again prior to spring planting with 30 to 60% residue cover at planting. No-till treatments generally received one application of glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine] herbicide to control fall weed growth after harvest and prior to spring planting with generally >60% surface residue cover at planting.

In the SW-F system, the fallow period began in August or September each year following SW harvest and continued until SW planting 20 to 21 mo later. The CT treatments were generally not tilled in the fall following SW harvest. Tillage operations for the fallow period generally began the following spring and summer, with one shallow (<8 cm) tillage operation with a sweep plow just prior to SW planting. Residue cover was generally <30% at planting. A burn-down herbicide was generally applied in mid to late July during the summer of fallow to eliminate weeds and help maintain surface residue cover in the CT treatment by reducing the number of tillage operations. All tandem disk operations were performed at a depth of 8 to 12 cm. Minimum-till treatments were generally not tilled in the fall following SW harvest, but were tilled once with a sweep plow the following spring. Burn-down herbicide applications were made as needed throughout the fallow period with one sweep plow operation just prior to SW planting. Residue cover was 30 to 60% at planting. All sweep plow operations were performed at a shallow depth (<8 cm). No-till treatments received burn-down herbicide applications as needed to control weed growth during the fallow period. Residue cover was generally >60% at planting.

Spring-applied herbicides were used to control weeds within the growing crop in both cropping systems. The grain yields and production details have been reported by Halvorson et al. (1999a)( b; 2000a,b). The total crop residue amount and total residue N presented here are the average of the SW, WW, and SF crops grown in the triplicate sets of AC plots over 12 yr. This was done to obtain an overall impact of the cropping system, tillage and N treatments on SOC sequestration.

Annual precipitation at the research site from 1984 through 1996 varied from a low of 205 mm in 1988 to a high of 659 mm in 1993 (Halvorson et al., 2001). The average annual precipitation during the study at the research site was 418 mm, slightly more than the 82-yr average of 409 mm at the nearby Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory, Mandan, ND. Monthly precipitation deviated greatly from the 13-yr average monthly precipitation. Three consecutive years, 1988 to 1990, were droughty with reduced grain yields (Halvorson et al., 1999a,b; 2000a,b). Annual precipitation in 1986, 1993, 1994, and 1995 was above the average for the research site.

Yearly crop residue samples were collected at harvest of each crop and analyzed for N content using a wet-acid digest procedure (Lachat Instrument, 1992). Samples were ground to pass a 0.85-mm screen prior to analysis. In 1994 and 1996, crop residue N and C were determined by dry combustion with a Carlo-Erba1 C-N analyzer (Haake Buchler Instruments, Inc., Saddle Brook, NJ) (Schepers et al., 1989). The total amount of residue N returned to the soil in each cropping system was determined.

Soil samples, four 3-cm diam. cores per plot, were collected at random from each tillage and N fertilizer treatment of each rotation phase following harvest of each crop in the fall of 1996, including the fallow phase of the SW-F plots. Samples were collected from the 0- to 7.6-, 7.6- to 15.2-, and 15.2- to 30.5-cm soil depths. After the soils were dried and ground, a 0.1 M HCl fizz-test was done on each sample to verify that CO3-C was not present. Each soil core was analyzed separately for total soil N and C with the Carlo-Erba C-N analyzer. Soil bulk density (Db) was determined for each sampling depth in each plot using a soil-core method (Culley, 1993).

Soil organic C reported for 1983 by Black and Tanaka (1997) was determined by the Walkley–Black method (Peech et al., 1947) on soil samples (two cores for each soil depth) collected from each tillage treatment of each main block (all rotation phases) in the study. Soil Db reported by Black and Tanaka (1997) was determined in 1990 similarly to the method used in the 1996 soil sampling in each of the tillage and N treatments from all rotation phases. Because a CT production system was used prior to initiation of the study in 1984, the average soil Db value reported for each soil depth in 1990 for the CT treatments of SW-F (Black and Tanaka, 1997) were used to calculate an estimated mass of SOC present in fall of 1983.

Analysis of variance procedures were conducted using SAS statistical procedures (SAS Institute Inc., 1991). Each cropping system was analyzed separately. All differences discussed are significant at the P <= 0.05 probability level unless otherwise stated. A least significant difference (LSD) was calculated only when the analysis of variance F-test was significant at the P <= 0.05 probability level.


    RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
 TOP
 NOTES
 ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
 CONCLUSIONS
 REFERENCES
 
Crop Residue
The total crop residue returned to the soil surface during 12 yr (six crops) in the SW-F rotation was less with NT than with CT and MT systems (Table 1). In contrast, the AC rotation total crop residue returned to the soil during 12 yr or 12 crops increased with decreasing tillage intensity (NT > MT > CT). Residue returned to the soil with AC rotation was 164, 180, and 199% of that with SW-F rotation for the CT, MT, and NT treatments, respectively. The greater level of crop residue with the AC rotation resulted because six more crops were grown in 12 yr with this rotation compared with the SW-F rotation.


View this table:
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Table 1. Total crop residue and residue N returned to the soil during 12 yr for a spring wheat-fallow (SW-F) and an annual cropping (spring wheat-winter wheat-sunflower) rotation as a function of tillage and N rate treatments at Mandan, ND.

 
The total amount of N in the residue returned to the soil was greater with CT and MT than with NT for the SW-F rotation (Table 1). Total residue N for the AC rotation followed the same trends for tillage treatments as with SW-F rotation with differences in total residue N being significant at P = 0.09. Although more residue was produced with NT in the AC rotation than with MT or CT, residue N tended to be lower with NT. This probably reflects the lower level of available soil N with the NT system than with CT and MT (Halvorson et al., 1999a,b, 2000a, 2001).

Total crop residue and total residue N returned to the soil generally increased with increasing N rate for both cropping rotations (Table 1); however, in the SW-F cropping system, differences in crop residue N were only significant between the 0 and 45 kg N ha-1 treatments. Nitrogen fertilization increased residue levels more in the AC rotation, which had higher N rates, than with the SW-F rotation. The amount of residue N returned to the soil with the AC rotation was more than double that with the SW-F rotation when averaged across N rates.

Soil Carbon
Soil organic C mass in the soil depths sampled was not significantly affected by tillage or N treatment in the SW-F rotation after 12 yr (Table 2). In contrast, SOC mass in the 0- to 7.6-cm soil depth increased as tillage intensity decreased within the AC rotation. This reflects the increasing level of crop residue returned to the soil with decreasing tillage intensity in AC rotation (Table 1). As tillage intensity increases, crop residue-soil contact is increased and incorporated residues are placed into moister conditions than those left on the soil surface. In addition, tillage creates a more oxidative soil environment resulting in more rapid decomposition of crop residues and soil organic matter (Doran, 1980). Although N fertilization increased the level of residue returned to the soil, SOC sequestration was not affected by N fertilization in the AC rotation, except for a significant tillage x N rate interaction in the 7.6- to 15.2-cm soil depth (Fig. 1) . At this soil depth, NT had a higher level of SOC than with CT at the 34 and 67 kg ha-1 N rates. The decrease in SOC mass with NT at the 101 kg ha-1 N rate probably reflects the decrease in soil Db shown in Fig. 2 . The same trend was observed for TSN at this depth (Fig. 3) , which would indicate that soil Db (Fig. 2) affected the measured mass of SOC at this depth for the NT treatment. Neither tillage or N fertilization rate had an effect on SOC in the 15.2- to 30.4-cm soil depth in either cropping system.


View this table:
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Table 2. Soil organic C (SOC) by soil depth after 12 yr in a spring wheat-fallow (SW-F) and an annual crop (spring wheat-winter wheat-sunflower) rotation as a function of tillage and N rate treatments at Mandan, ND.

 


View larger version (28K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Fig. 1. Soil organic carbon (SOC) in the 7.6- to 15.2-cm depth in the annual crop (spring wheat-winter wheat-sunflower) rotation as a function of N fertilizer rate for the no-till (NT), minimum-till (MT), and conventional-till (CT) treatments.

 


View larger version (28K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Fig. 2. Soil bulk density in the 7.6- to 15.2-cm depth in the annual crop (spring wheat-winter wheat-sunflower) rotation as a function of N fertilizer rate for the no-till (NT), minimum-till (MT), and conventional-till (CT) treatments.

 


View larger version (28K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Fig. 3. Total soil N (TSN) in the 7.6- to 15.2-cm depth in the annual crop (spring wheat-winter wheat-sunflower) rotation as a function of N fertilizer rate for the no-till (NT), minimum-till (MT), and conventional-till (CT) treatments.

 
Soil organic C mass in the 0- to 15.2-cm depth for the CT, MT, and NT systems were 4, 6, and 19% less, respectively, in the SW-F rotation compared with the AC rotation. The benefits of the AC system in sequestering SOC over that of SW-F system is demonstrated here along with the benefits of reducing tillage intensity to sequester SOC in the more intensive cropping system. These results are in agreement with the Canadian observations summarized by Janzen et al. (1998a) and those reported by Peterson et al. (1998) for the U.S. Great Plains.

Based on residue C measurements in 1994 and 1996, the average residue C content was 437 g kg-1 for SW, 432 g kg-1 for WW, and 434 g kg-1 for SF. Based on an average residue C for all treatments of 434 g C kg-1 for all crops, C inputs would be ~15.5, 16.8, and 17.4 Mg C ha-1 for the CT, MT, and NT treatments, respectively, for the AC system. Residue C inputs for the SW-F system would be 9.5, 9.3, and 8.8 Mg C ha-1 for the CT, MT, and NT treatments, respectively.

Soil samples collected in the fall of 1983 after SF harvest had an average soil C content of 21.4, 20.5, and 14.1 g C kg-1 for the 0- to 7.6-, 7.6- to 15.2-, and 15.2- to 30.5-cm soil depths, respectively, as reported by Black and Tanaka (1997). The estimated mass of SOC in the fall of 1983 was 18.7, 20.7, and 28.1 Mg C ha-1 in the 0- to 7.6-, 7.6- to 15.2-, and 15.2- to 30.5-cm soil depths, respectively. Based on this information for 1983 and the data in Table 2 for 1996, SOC mass decreased within the SW-F system from the fall of 1983 to the fall of 1996. Changes in SOC mass from the fall of 1983 to the fall of 1996 in the SW-F system was -2.4, -0.8, and +1.3 Mg C ha-1 for the 0- to 7.6-, 7.6- to 15.2-, and 15.2- to 30.5-cm soil depths, respectively, in the CT treatment. Changes in SOC mass in the MT treatments were -0.9, -0.9, and -0.2 Mg C ha-1 for these same respective soil depths, while changes in SOC mass in NT treatments were -1.3, -2.5, and -0.8 Mg C ha-1, respectively. The above comparisons assume that the two methods used for SOC analysis provided similar estimates of SOC (Bowman et al., 2002) and that the 1990 soil Db used to calculate C mass were representative the soil Db in 1983.

In the AC system, changes in SOC mass from Fall 1983 to Fall 1996 in CT treatments were -0.3, -1.4, and -1.7 Mg C ha-1 for the 0- to 7.6-, 7.6- to 15.2-, and 15.2- to 30.5-cm soil depths, respectively. Changes in SOC mass in the MT treatments were +0.8, -0.5, and +1.1 Mg C ha-1 for these same respective soil depths, while changes in SOC mass in the NT treatments were +2.1, +0.7, and +0.3 Mg C ha-1, respectively.

The above changes in SOC mass indicate that in the SW-F system, a net loss of SOC occurred from 1983 to 1996 for all tillage treatments in the 0- to 15.2-cm depth. Since the plot area had been in a CT more intensive cropping system than SW-F from 1951 to 1983, the loss in SOC from that initially present in the native sod may have been slower than would have occurred with a SW-F system (Jenzen et al., 1998b). Therefore, conversion to a SW-F system in 1984, where a fallow period was more frequent than in years prior to 1983, may explain some of the loss in SOC with all tillage systems within the SW-F system as a new SOC equilibrium level was being established for SW-F. The soil in 1983 was possibly at a higher level of SOC than could be sustained by the SW-F system.

In the AC system, there was a net loss (-1.7 Mg C ha-1) in SOC with CT, a slight gain (0.3 Mg C ha-1) with MT, and a larger gain (2.8 Mg C ha-1) with NT in the 0- to 15.2-cm soil depth. Thus, the more intensive AC system using NT was the most efficient in storing SOC in this study, with ~16% of the residue C sequestered in the soil during the 12 yr. This compares with ~2% of the residue C sequestered in the soil with the MT, AC system. These residue C conversion efficiencies to SOC are slightly lower than those reported by Campbell et al. (2000a) for southern Saskatchewan.

Soil Nitrogen
Total soil N (TSN) in the soil depths sampled was not influenced by tillage or N treatment after 12 yr within the SW-F rotation (Table 3), similar to that of SOC. In contrast, TSN increased with decreasing tillage intensity within the AC rotation in the 0- to 7.6- and 7.6- to 15.2-cm soil depths, with a significant tillage x N interaction for the 7.6- to 15.2-cm soil depth. This is in agreement with the increase in N mineralization potential with NT compared with CT reported by Wienhold and Halvorson (1999) for this site.


View this table:
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Table 3. Total soil N (TSN) by soil depth after 12 yr in a spring wheat-fallow (SW-F) and an annual crop (spring wheat-winter wheat-sunflower) rotation as a function of tillage and N rate treatments at Mandan, ND.

 
Although increasing N rate increased the amount of residue N returned to the soil, N rate did not affect TSN in the 0- to 7.6-cm soil depth after 12 yr in the AC rotation. In the 7.6- to 15.2-cm soil depth, TSN was affected by tillage and N rate (Fig. 3). At this soil depth, NT had higher levels of TSN than CT at all N rates. With NT, TSN increased at the 67 kg ha-1 N rate compared with the 34 kg ha-1 N rate, then decreased at the 101 kg ha-1 N rate. This decrease in TSN mass reflects the decrease in soil Db at this depth shown in Fig. 2. Total soil N in the 0- to 15.2-cm depth was ~8% less with the CT and MT system in the SW-F rotation compared with the AC rotation, and 18% less with NT after 12 yr. Total soil N in the 15.2- to 30.4-cm depth was not affected by N fertilization rate or tillage in the AC system.

Soil Bulk Density
Soil Db was measured in each plot to enable the calculation of mass of SOC and N per unit area. Soil Db generally increased with decreased tillage intensity within the SW-F rotation at all soil depths (Table 4); however, differences were not significant in the 7.6- to 15.2-cm depth. Soil Db was greater with NT than with CT and MT at the 15.2- to 30.4-cm depth within the SW-F rotation. Similar trends in soil Db were present in the 0- to 7.6- (not significant) and 7.6- to 15.2-cm depths within the AC rotation with regard to tillage treatment, but not at the 15.2- to 30.4-cm soil depth which was not affected by tillage. The increased amount of crop residue returned to the soil with NT compared with CT in the AC rotation did not reduce soil Db to CT levels. These data are in agreement with those reported by Grant and Lafond (1993) who found that soil Db in the surface soil layers increased as tillage intensity decreased.


View this table:
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Table 4. Soil bulk density (Db) by soil depth after 12 yr in a spring wheat-fallow (SW-F) and an annual crop (spring wheat-winter wheat-sunflower) rotation as a function of tillage and N rate treatments at Mandan, ND.

 
Nitrogen fertility rate generally had no effect on soil Db in the 0- to 7.6-cm depth within the SW-F rotation (Table 4). Soil bulk density decreased with increasing N rate in the 0- to 7.6-cm soil depth within the AC rotation. This reflects the increased amount of crop residue returned to the soil with increasing N rate and a likely increase in root biomass produced. This observation is in agreement with the findings reported by Halvorson et al. (1999c) from the central Great Plains who found soil Db decreased as residue amount returned to the soil increased with increasing N rate.

A significant tillage x N rate interaction for soil Db was present for the 7.6- to 15.2-cm soil depth for both cropping systems. Soil Db in the SW-F rotation tended to increase with increasing N rate for the CT and MT treatments, but decrease with increasing N rate with NT (Fig. 4) . The trends in soil Db were similar (Fig. 2) within the AC system. The underlying cause for this interaction is unclear. None of the measured bulk densities are sufficiently high to suggest that root growth would be restricted. Soil Db in the 15.2- to 30.5-cm depth was not affected by N fertilization in the SW-F or AC systems (Table 4).



View larger version (27K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Fig. 4. Soil bulk density in the 7.6- to 15.2-cm depth in the spring wheat-fallow (SW-F) rotation as a function of N fertilizer rate for the no-till (NT), minimum-till (MT), and conventional-till (CT) treatments.

 

    CONCLUSIONS
 TOP
 NOTES
 ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
 CONCLUSIONS
 REFERENCES
 
Results of this study show that SOC mass did not increase during the 12 yr in the SW-F system, even with the use of NT. No-till tended to have the greatest loss of SOC in the 0- to 15.2-cm depth when compared with the other tillage treatments within the SW-F system. In contrast, NT had the greatest accumulation of SOC within the AC system for this same soil depth while SOC levels declined during the 12 yr with CT. Nitrogen fertilization had little effect on SOC sequestration in this study, even though crop residue production was increased by N fertilization in both cropping systems. Changes in TSN within tillage and N treatments mirrored those of SOC. Soil bulk density increased with decreased tillage intensity in both cropping systems. Soil bulk density decreased with increasing N rate in the 0- to 7.6-cm soil depth within the AC system. The results suggest that continued use of a crop-fallow farming system, even with NT, may result in loss of SOC. Intensifying the cropping rotation, even including SF in the rotation, and utilizing NT farming practices will have a positive impact on SOC sequestration. With NT, an estimated 233 kg C ha-1 was sequestered each year in the AC system which included SF, compared with 25 kg C ha-1 with MT and a loss of 141 kg C ha-1 with CT. The yearly gain in SOC in the AC system with NT is similar to yearly gains in SOC reported by Campbell et al. (2000a) for well fertilized AC systems in Canada. Conversion from crop-fallow to more intensive cropping systems utilizing NT will be needed to have a positive impact on reducing CO2 loss from croplands in the U.S. northern Great Plains.


    ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
 
The authors acknowledge the contribution of the Area IV Soil Conservation Districts in North Dakota for providing the land and assisting with financial resources to conduct this long-term study, the assistance of Dr. Gary Richardson, retired USDA-ARS Statistician, Fort Collins, CO, with the statistical analyses, and the assistance of F. Jacober, J. Harms, L. Renner, and G. Brucker in conducting the study and collecting the field and laboratory data.


    NOTES
 TOP
 NOTES
 ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
 CONCLUSIONS
 REFERENCES
 
Contribution from USDA-ARS. The USDA offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, age, sex, or national origin, and is an equal opportunity employer.

1 Trade and company names are included for the benefit of the reader and do not imply endorsement or preferential treatment of the product by USDA-ARS. Back

Received for publication April 9, 2001.


    REFERENCES
 TOP
 NOTES
 ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
 CONCLUSIONS
 REFERENCES
 




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
Journal of Soil and Water ConservationHome page
C.J. Dell, P.R. Salon, C.D. Franks, E.C. Benham, and Y. Plowden
No-till and cover crop impacts on soil carbon and associated properties on Pennsylvania dairy farms
Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, May 1, 2008; 63(3): 136 - 142.
[Abstract] [PDF]


Home page
J. Environ. Qual.Home page
U. M. Sainju, Z. N. Senwo, E. Z. Nyakatawa, I. A. Tazisong, and K. C. Reddy
Tillage, Cropping Systems, and Nitrogen Fertilizer Source Effects on Soil Carbon Sequestration and Fractions
J. Environ. Qual., May 1, 2008; 37(3): 880 - 888.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Soil Sci.Home page
B. Majumder, B. Mandal, P. K. Bandyopadhyay, A. Gangopadhyay, P. K. Mani, A. L. Kundu, and D. Mazumdar
Organic Amendments Influence Soil Organic Carbon Pools and Rice-Wheat Productivity
Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., May 1, 2008; 72(3): 775 - 785.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Soil Sci.Home page
M. F. Pampolino, E. V. Laureles, H. C. Gines, and R. J. Buresh
Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Changes in Long-Term Continuous Lowland Rice Cropping
Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., May 1, 2008; 72(3): 798 - 807.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Soil Sci.Home page
T. J. Purakayastha, D. R. Huggins, and J. L. Smith
Carbon Sequestration in Native Prairie, Perennial Grass, No-Till, and Cultivated Palouse Silt Loam
Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., February 15, 2008; 72(2): 534 - 540.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Soil Sci.Home page
H. Minoshima, L. E. Jackson, T. R. Cavagnaro, and H. Ferris
Short-Term Fates of Carbon-13-Depleted Cowpea Shoots in No-Till and Standard Tillage Soils
Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., October 29, 2007; 71(6): 1859 - 1866.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J. Environ. Qual.Home page
S. A. Khan, R. L. Mulvaney, T. R. Ellsworth, and C. W. Boast
The Myth of Nitrogen Fertilization for Soil Carbon Sequestration
J. Environ. Qual., October 24, 2007; 36(6): 1821 - 1832.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Soil Sci.Home page
U. M. Sainju, T. Caesar-TonThat, A. W. Lenssen, R. G. Evans, and R. Kolberg
Long-Term Tillage and Cropping Sequence Effects on Dryland Residue and Soil Carbon Fractions
Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., September 28, 2007; 71(6): 1730 - 1739.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Agron. J.Home page
J. M. Krupinsky, A. D. Halvorson, D. L. Tanaka, and S. D. Merrill
Nitrogen and Tillage Effects on Wheat Leaf Spot Diseases in the Northern Great Plains
Agron. J., March 12, 2007; 99(2): 562 - 569.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Soil Sci.Home page
D. R. Huggins, R. R. Allmaras, C. E. Clapp, J. A. Lamb, and G. W. Randall
Corn-Soybean Sequence and Tillage Effects on Soil Carbon Dynamics and Storage
Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., January 1, 2007; 71(1): 145 - 154.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J. Environ. Qual.Home page
U. M. Sainju, A. Lenssen, T. Caesar-Thonthat, and J. Waddell
Carbon sequestration in dryland soils and plant residue as influenced by tillage and crop rotation.
J. Environ. Qual., July 1, 2006; 35(4): 1341 - 1347.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J. Environ. Qual.Home page
S. Machado, K. Rhinhart, and S. Petrie
Long-term cropping system effects on carbon sequestration in eastern Oregon.
J. Environ. Qual., July 1, 2006; 35(4): 1548 - 1553.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Agron. J.Home page
D. E. Clay, C. G. Carlson, S. A. Clay, C. Reese, Z. Liu, J. Chang, and M. M. Ellsbury
Theoretical Derivation of Stable and Nonisotopic Approaches for Assessing Soil Organic Carbon Turnover
Agron. J., April 11, 2006; 98(3): 443 - 450.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Soil Sci.Home page
U. M. Sainju, A. Lenssen, T. Caesar-Tonthat, and J. Waddell
Tillage and Crop Rotation Effects on Dryland Soil and Residue Carbon and Nitrogen
Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., February 27, 2006; 70(2): 668 - 678.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J. Environ. Qual.Home page
M. M. Al-Kaisi and X. Yin
Tillage and Crop Residue Effects on Soil Carbon and Carbon Dioxide Emission in Corn-Soybean Rotations
J. Environ. Qual., March 1, 2005; 34(2): 437 - 445.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Agron. J.Home page
C. A. Campbell, H. H. Janzen, K. Paustian, E. G. Gregorich, L. Sherrod, B. C. Liang, and R. P. Zentner
Carbon Storage in Soils of the North American Great Plains: Effect of Cropping Frequency
Agron. J., March 1, 2005; 97(2): 349 - 363.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Agron. J.Home page
A. J. Schlegel, C. A. Grant, and J. L. Havlin
Challenging Approaches to Nitrogen Fertilizer Recommendations in Continuous Cropping Systems in the Great Plains
Agron. J., March 1, 2005; 97(2): 391 - 398.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Soil Sci.Home page
A. E. Russell, D. A. Laird, T. B. Parkin, and A. P. Mallarino
Impact of Nitrogen Fertilization and Cropping System on Carbon Sequestration in Midwestern Mollisols
Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., March 1, 2005; 69(2): 413 - 422.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Soil Sci.Home page
K. F. Bronson, T. M. Zobeck, T. T. Chua, V. Acosta-Martinez, R. S. van Pelt, and J. D. Booker
Carbon and Nitrogen Pools of Southern High Plains Cropland and Grassland Soils
Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., September 1, 2004; 68(5): 1695 - 1704.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Agron. J.Home page
A. D. Halvorson, G. A. Peterson, and C. A. Reule
Tillage System and Crop Rotation Effects on Dryland Crop Yields and Soil Carbon in the Central Great Plains
Agron. J., November 1, 2002; 94(6): 1429 - 1436.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


This Article
Right arrow Abstract Freely available
Right arrow Figures Only
Right arrow Full Text (PDF) Free