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Biologically Defined Soil Organic Matter Pools as Affected by Rotation and Tillage

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Abstract

The importance of soil organic matter is well recognized; however, changes in C and N fractions are inadequately quantified. The objective of this study was to determine tillage and crop rotation effects on soil organic C and N fractions from a long-term (27-year) study in eastern Kansas. Cropping systems included continuous and rotation sequences of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench), and soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) on a Muir silt loam (fine-silty, mixed, mesic Cumulic Haplustolls). Tillage included conventional (CT), reduced (RT), and no-till (NT). Total C and N (CT and NT) were determined on all treatments. Mineralizable C and N (Co and No) and microbial biomass C and N were determined for the NT and CT soybean and sorghum rotations. Cropping systems that included wheat contained the greatest amount of CT and NT. Continuous wheat contained 2910 g C m−2 and 287 g N m−2, compared to 2225 g C m−2 and 222 g N m−2 (0–15 cm) for continuous soybean. No-tillage contained 1128 g C m−2 and 109 g N m−2 at 0–5 cm compared to 918 g C m−2 and 87 g N m−2 for CT. Sorghum contained 51% more Co than soybean, and NT accounted for 59% more Co than CT. More crop residue was produced and retained in rotations that included sorghum. No-tillage increased C 2440 kg ha−1, while CT increased C 340 kg ha−1 across all soybean/sorghum rotations. The highest sequestration rate (122 kg C ha−1 y−1) was observed with NT sorghum and was equivalent to ∼3.2% of the plant material (root and shoot, less gain harvest) remaining in the soil annually.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Adam Grant for his endless efforts in the laboratory preparing samples for analysis, as well as for many hours of work with the GC. This research was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Institute for Global Environmental Change (NIGEC) through the NIGEC Great Plains Regional Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. (DOE Cooperative Agreement No. DE-FC03-90ER610100). Financial support does not constitute an endorsement by DOE of the views expressed in this article. Contribution No. 03-262-J of Kansas Agric. Exp. Stn.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graziglands Research Laboratory, USDA-ARS, 7207 El Reno, Oklahoma 73036, USA

    Geoffrey L. Doyle

  2. Department of Agronomy, Throckmorton Plant Sciences Center, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506-5501, USA

    Charles W. Rice & Dallas E. Peterson

  3. Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Seaton Hall, Kansas Stato University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506-5501, USA

    James Steichen

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  1. Geoffrey L. Doyle
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  2. Charles W. Rice
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  4. James Steichen
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Correspondence to Charles W. Rice.

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Doyle, G., Rice, C., Peterson, D. et al. Biologically Defined Soil Organic Matter Pools as Affected by Rotation and Tillage. Environmental Management 33 (Suppl 1), S528–S538 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-003-9160-z

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