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ARS Home » Plains Area » Sidney, Montana » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #321180
Title: Better long-term management enhances soil C and N stocks

Author
item Sainju, Upendra
item Allen, Brett
item Caesar, Thecan
item LENSSEN, ANDREW - Iowa State University

Submitted to: Popular Publication
Publication Type: Popular Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/30/2015
Publication Date: 9/1/2015
Citation: Sainju, U.M., Allen, B.L., Caesar, T., Lenssen, A.W. 2015. Better long-term management enhances soil C and N stocks. Crop, Soils, and Agronomy News. 60(9):16

Interpretive Summary: Traditional practices, such as conventional tillage with crop–fallow, have reduced dryland soil carbon and nitrogen over the last several decades by 30 to 50% of their original levels in the northern Great Plains. Improved management practices are needed to restore carbon and nitrogen levels and sustain soil quality and productivity. In a study in the September–October 2015 issue of Agronomy Journal, researchers report the 30-year effect of tillage and cropping sequence combinations on dryland soil carbon and nitrogen and crop yield in the northern Great Plains. Specifically, they found that reduced tillage with continuous cropping increased soil carbon and nitrogen storage by 12 to 98% compared with traditional practices after 30 years. Moreover, although soil carbon and nitrogen storage decreased from original levels in all treatments, reduced tillage with continuous cropping resulted in minimal losses. Continuous cropping also increased annualized mean crop grain yield by 23 to 30% compared with crop–fallow. Higher tillage intensity, however, increased available soil nitrogen, such as ammonium- and nitrate-nitrogen. This long-term study in the northern Great Plains shows that improved management practices, such as no-till or reduced tillage with continuous cropping, can sequester soil carbon and nitrogen, enhance crop yields, and sustain longterm soil fertility compared with the traditional practices of the region.

Technical Abstract: Traditional practices, such as conventional tillage with crop–fallow, have reduced dryland soil carbon and nitrogen over the last several decades by 30 to 50% of their original levels in the northern Great Plains. Improved management practices are needed to restore carbon and nitrogen levels and sustain soil quality and productivity. In a study in the September–October 2015 issue of Agronomy Journal, researchers report the 30-year effect of tillage and cropping sequence combinations on dryland soil carbon and nitrogen and crop yield in the northern Great Plains. Specifically, they found that reduced tillage with continuous cropping increased soil carbon and nitrogen storage by 12 to 98% compared with traditional practices after 30 years. Moreover, although soil carbon and nitrogen storage decreased from original levels in all treatments, reduced tillage with continuous cropping resulted in minimal losses. Continuous cropping also increased annualized mean crop grain yield by 23 to 30% compared with crop–fallow. Higher tillage intensity, however, increased available soil nitrogen, such as ammonium- and nitrate-nitrogen. This long-term study in the northern Great Plains shows that improved management practices, such as no-till or reduced tillage with continuous cropping, can sequester soil carbon and nitrogen, enhance crop yields, and sustain longterm soil fertility compared with the traditional practices of the region.