Agronomy · 2024
Status of Soil Health Indicators after 18 Years of Systematic Tillage in a Long-Term Experiment
Ibrahim, H. T. M., Modiba, M. M., Dekemati, I., Gelybó, G., Birkás, M., Simon, B.
Export
Status of Soil Health Indicators after 18 Years of Systemati…
Abstract
Long-term cultivation experiments are gaining more attention due to the possibility of following the changes in soil parameters (e.g., soil organic carbon (SOC), stock and soil health indicators, etc.). Our objective was to assess the status of soil in an 18-year-old tillage experiment after almost two decades of systematic tillage. In this research, soil physical (bulk density, moisture content), chemical (pH, SOC), and biological properties (soil microbial respiration, abundance, biomass, species composition of earthworms, yield) were used as indicators in three soil cultivation methods representing different degrees of disturbance (no-till—NT; shallow cultivation—SC; and ploughing—P). Based on our results, there were significant differences in bulk density (NT > SC, P) in 0–10 cm, and NT > P in deeper layers (10–20, 20–30, 30–40 cm), while the SOC content in 0–10 cm was the highest in NT (2.5%), followed by SC (2.4%) and P (2.0%). Soil microbial respiration was significantly greater in NT than in SC and P. The abundance and biomass of earthworms was the highest in NT (189 ind m−2, 41.26 g m−2), followed by SC (125 ind m−2, 36.9 g m−2) and P (48 ind m−2, 7.4 g m−2). We concluded that NT offered a beneficial habitat for earthworms and microorganisms and a high SOC storage capacity; however, bulk density was less convenient due to soil compaction in our experiment. Therefore, SC can be used as an alternative approach for sustainable soil tillage.
Show all
Long-term cultivation experiments are gaining more attention due to the possibility of following the changes in soil parameters (e.g., soil organic carbon (SOC), stock and soil health indicators, etc.). Our objective was to assess the status of soil in an 18-year-old tillage experiment after almost two decades of systematic tillage. In this research, soil physical (bulk density, moisture content), chemical (pH, SOC), and biological properties (soil microbial respiration, abundance, biomass, species composition of earthworms, yield) were used as indicators in three soil cultivation methods representing different degrees of disturbance (no-till—NT; shallow cultivation—SC; and ploughing—P). Based on our results, there were significant differences in bulk density (NT > SC, P) in 0–10 cm, and NT > P in deeper layers (10–20, 20–30, 30–40 cm), while the SOC content in 0–10 cm was the highest in NT (2.5%), followed by SC (2.4%) and P (2.0%). Soil microbial respiration was significantly greater in NT than in SC and P. The abundance and biomass of earthworms was the highest in NT (189 ind m−2, 41.26 g m−2), followed by SC (125 ind m−2, 36.9 g m−2) and P (48 ind m−2, 7.4 g m−2). We concluded that NT offered a beneficial habitat for earthworms and microorganisms and a high SOC storage capacity; however, bulk density was less convenient due to soil compaction in our experiment. Therefore, SC can be used as an alternative approach for sustainable soil tillage.
Long-term cultivation experiments are gaining more attention due to the possibility of following the changes in soil parameters (e.g., soil organic carbon (SOC), stock and soil health indicators, etc.). Our objective was to assess the status of soil in an 18-year-old tillage experiment after almost two decades of systematic tillage. In this research, soil physical (bulk density, moisture content), chemical (pH, SOC), and biological properties (soil microbial respiration, abundance, biomass, species composition of earthworms, yield) were used as indicators in three soil cultivation methods representing different degrees of disturbance (no-till—NT; shallow cultivation—SC; and ploughing—P). Based on our results, there were significant differences in bulk density (NT > SC, P) in 0–10 cm, and NT > P in deeper layers (10–20, 20–30, 30–40 cm), while the SOC content in 0–10 cm was the highest in NT (2.5%), followed by SC (2.4%) and P (2.0%). Soil microbial respiration was significantly greater in NT than in SC and P. The abundance and biomass of earthworms was the highest in NT (189 ind m−2, 41.26 g m−2), followed by SC (125 ind m−2, 36.9 g m−2) and P (48 ind m−2, 7.4 g m−2). We concluded that NT offered a beneficial habitat for earthworms and microorganisms and a high SOC storage capacity; however, bulk density was less convenient due to soil compaction in our experiment. Therefore, SC can be used as an alternative approach for sustainable soil tillage.
Similar papers
The effects of various tillage treatments on soil physical properties, earthworm abundance and crop yield in Hungary
Dekemati et al. · 2019 · Soil and Tillage Research
7 shared concepts
12 findings1 site
Long Term Effects of Ploughing and Conservation Tillage Methods on Earthworm Abundance and Crumb Ratio
Dekemati et al. · 2020 · Agronomy
4 shared concepts
14 findings1 site
Three-Year Investigation of Tillage Management on the Soil Physical Environment, Earthworm Populations and Crop Yields in Croatia
Dekemati et al. · 2021 · Agronomy
4 shared concepts