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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 - ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY
item NYAKATAWA, ERMSON - ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY
item TAZISONG, IRENUS - ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY
item REDDY, K. CHANDRA - ALABAMA A&M UNIVERSITY

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.