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Crop rotations differ in soil carbon stabilization efficiency, but the response to quality of structural plant inputs is ambiguous

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Abstract

Aims

Evaluate crop rotation diversity, perenniality, carbon (C) inputs, and C input quality as predictors of soil organic carbon (SOC) concentration and aggregate mean weight diameter (MWD).

Methods

At a crop rotation trial in its 37th year in Ontario, Canada, species in rotations included corn (C, Zea mays L.), alfalfa (A, Medicago sativa L.), soybean (S, Glycine max (L.) Merr.), winter wheat (W, Triticum aestivum L.), and red clover (rc, Trifolium pratense L.). Rotations were: CC, CCAA, CCSS, CCSW, CCSWrc, AA. Soils (0–20 cm) were analyzed for aggregate MWD, aggregate C, and SOC concentrations. We estimated C inputs from historical yields and C input quality (C:N, lignin: N, or NMR-derived index) from structural plant tissues. C stabilization efficiency was estimated as the ratio of SOC stock per unit total or root C input.

Results

Crop rotation diversity failed to increase SOC concentrations or aggregate MWD. Perennialized rotations (CCSWrc, CCAA, AA) maintained the numerically highest SOC concentrations, and root C input increased SOC concentration. Out of 12 statistical tests relating C input quality to C stabilization efficiency, only 3 indicated a positive effect and 6 tests indicated a negative effect.

Conclusions

Including a perennial forage such as alfalfa and limiting soybean frequency promotes aggregate MWD and SOC concentration more so than optimizing crop rotation diversity. Quality of structural plant inputs does not explain differences in C stabilization efficiency, possibly due to overriding influence of living root inputs.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Alyssa Matheson for assistance with sample processing and Sean Jordan and Kamini Khosla for providing equipment. Meiling Man and Lori vandenEnden provided guidance with solid-state 13C NMR analyses, and Rebecca Johnson and three anonymous reviewers gave helpful feedback on the manuscript. This work was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada with a Strategic Grant [STPGP 494224-16].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada

    Alison E. King, Kari E. Dunfield, R. Paul Voroney & Claudia Wagner-Riddle

  2. Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, 200 West Lake Street, Fort Collins, CO, 80523-1499, USA

    Alison E. King

  3. Department of Plant Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, 51 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N 5A8, Canada

    Katelyn A. Congreves

  4. Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada

    Bill Deen

  5. Department of Physical & Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario, M1C 1A4, Canada

    Myrna J. Simpson

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  1. Alison E. King
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Correspondence to Alison E. King.

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King, A.E., Congreves, K.A., Deen, B. et al. Crop rotations differ in soil carbon stabilization efficiency, but the response to quality of structural plant inputs is ambiguous. Plant Soil 457, 207–224 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-020-04728-5

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