Long-term effect of crop rotation and tillage on soil properties

Zuber, Stacy

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/46708 Copy

Description

Title

Long-term effect of crop rotation and tillage on soil properties

Author(s)

Zuber, Stacy

Issue Date

2014-01-16T17:59:50Z

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

• Villamil, Maria B.
• Nafziger, Emerson D.

Department of Study

Crop Sciences

Discipline

Crop Sciences

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

M.S.

Degree Level

Thesis

Keyword(s)

• Crop Rotation
• Tillage
• Soil
• Management Practice
• Long-Term
• Continuous Corn
• No-Till

Abstract

Shifts in cropping systems from long-term rotations including forages to mostly annual crops has intensified tillage, and led to the development of conservation tillage practices such as no-till. There is a shortage of information about the interactive effects of rotation and tillage on soil productivity, and consequently, the long-term effect of these management practices. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of rotation and tillage on soil physical and chemical properties. Continuous corn (Zea mays L.), corn-soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.), corn-soybean-wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and continuous soybean sequences were split into conventional tillage and no-till subplots at two western Illinois sites and were sampled 15 years after establishment. Bulk density (BD) at both sites was greater under no-till than conventional tillage over the top 20 cm but did not vary below that depth. BD varied with crop sequence only at Monmouth, with the greatest BD under continuous soybean followed by continuous corn, corn-soybean, and the lowest BD under corn-soybean-wheat. Total carbon (TC), total nitrogen (TN), and available phosphorus (P) and water aggregate stability (WAS) varied with treatment effects of rotation and tillage at Perry, but not at Monmouth, where soils had higher initial soil organic matter content. At Perry, TC, TN and P were greater at 0-10 cm depth under no-till, but were higher under conventional tillage at 10-20 cm depth. WAS over 0-20 cm at Perry was 84.7 g g-1 under no-till and was 81.6 g g-1 under conventional tillage. Soils under continuous soybean had lower TC, TN, and WAS than those soils under sequences with corn at Perry, likely due to lower residue accumulation of soybean and the use of N fertilizer on corn and wheat. Over both sites, P was greater in soils under continuous soybean than under those with corn. Within the sequences with corn, TC varied only at the 0-10 cm soil depth at Perry with 13.54, 13.27, and 12.20 g C kg soil-1 under corn-soybean-wheat, continuous corn, and corn-soybean, respectively. At Perry, WAS over 0-20 cm was 87.2, 83.6, and 82.6 g g-1 for corn-soybean-wheat, continuous corn, and corn-soybean sequences, respectively. These results indicate increased aggregate stability under no-till along with differences in nutrient stratification over the top 20 cm of the soil. The addition of wheat to the corn-soybean rotation increased TC and WAS, but levels were similar to those under continuous corn.

Graduation Semester

2013-12

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/46708

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2013 Stacy Zuber

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