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ARS Home » Plains Area » Sidney, Montana » Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory » Agricultural Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #211054
Title: Soil carbon fractions as influenced by tillage, cropping system, and nitrogen fertilization source

Author
item Sainju, Upendra
item SENWO, ZACHARY
item NYAKATAWA, ERMSON
item TAZISONG, IRENUS
item REDDY, K. CHANDRA

Submitted to: Agronomy Society of America, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society of America Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/4/2007
Publication Date: 11/4/2007
Citation: Sainju, U.M., Senwo, Z., Nyakatawa, E., Tazisong, I., Reddy, K. 2007. Soil carbon fractions as influenced by tillage, cropping system, and nitrogen fertilization source. Agronomy Society of America, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society of America Meeting, November 4-8, 2007. New Orleans, Louisianna. Paper no. 344-1. p. 169.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Quantification of soil C cycling as influenced by management practices is needed for C sequestration, greenhouse gas mitigation, and soil quality improvement. We evaluated the 10-yr effect of combinations of tillage (no-till, mulch till, and conventional till), cropping systems (cotton-cotton-corn and rye-cotton-corn), and N fertilization source and rate (0 and 100 kg N ha-1 from NH4NO3 and 100 and 200 kg N ha-1 from poultry litter) on crop residue (stems + leaves) production and soil organic C (SOC), particulate organic C (POC), microbial biomass C (MBC), and potential C mineralization (PCM) at the 0- to 20-cm depth in northern Alabama. Total amount of crop residue returned to the soil from 1997 to 2005 was greater in cotton-cotton-corn than in rye-cotton-corn and greater with poultry litter than with NH4NO3. While concentrations of soil C fractions at 10 to 20 cm were not influenced by treatments, SOC content at 0 to 20 cm was greater with poultry litter than with NH4NO3 at 100 kg N ha-1 in no-till and conventional till. This resulted in a C sequestration rate of 510 kg C ha-1 yr-1 with poultry litter compared with -120 to 147 kg C ha-1 yr-1 with NH4NO3. Poultry litter also increased PCM and MBC concentrations at 0 to 10 cm compared with NH4NO3. Cropping and fertilization increased SOC, POC, and PCM compared with fallow and no fertilization in no-till. Long-term poultry litter application at 100 kg N ha-1 increased crop residue production, soil C sequestration, and microbial biomass and activities, indicating improved soil quality compared with inorganic N fertilizer and the responses were similar to the application at 200 kg N ha-1.