Effects of selected conservation management practices on soil quality compared to crop management for claypan soils

Authors: ALAGELE, SALAH - University Of Missouri; ANDERSON, STEVEN - University Of Missouri; UDAWATTA, RANJITH - University Of Missouri; Veum, Kristen; RANKOTH, LALITH - University Of Missouri

Submitted to: ASA-CSSA-SSSA Annual Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/30/2019
Publication Date: 11/10/2019
Citation: Alagele, S.M., Anderson, S.H., Udawatta, R.P., Veum, K.S., Rankoth, L.M. 2019. Effects of selected conservation management practices on soil quality compared to crop management for claypan soils [abstract]. ASA-CSSA-SSA Annual International Conference, November 10-13, 2019, San Antonio, Texas. No. 409-2.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Restoration of degraded lands by adoption of recommended conservation management practices can rehabilitate watersheds and lead to improved soil and water quality. The objective was to assess the influence of grass buffers (GB), biofuel crops (BC), grass waterways (GWW), agroforestry buffers (AB), landscape positions, and distance from tree base for AB treatment on soil quality compared with row crop (RC) management on claypan soils. Soil samples were taken from 10 cm depth increments from the soil surface to 30 cm as well as from summit, middle, and footslope landscape positions for GB, BC, GWW, and RC with three replicates. Samples were also collected at 50 cm (AB50) and 150 cm (AB150) distances from the tree base. The study site located at the Greenley Memorial Research Center in Knox County, Missouri, USA. ß-Glucosidase, ß-glucosaminidase, dehydrogenase, fluorescein diacetate (FDA) hydrolase, soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), active carbon (AC), and water stable aggregates (WSA) were measured. Results showed that ß-glucosidase, ß-glucosaminidase, dehydrogenase, FDA, AC, WSA, and TN values were significantly greater (P<0.01) for the GB, BC, GWW, and AB treatments than for the RC treatment. GB, BC, GWW, AB50, AB150 had 19, 30, 96, 40, and 26 % higher SOC, respectively, than for the RC. AB50 was 19, 10, 17, 24, 11, 7, 8, and 9 % higher than for the AB150 for ß-glucosidase, ß-glucosaminidase, dehydrogenase, FDA, SOC, TN, AC, and WSA, respectively. The 0 – 10 cm depth revealed the highest soil quality parameters relative to the 10 – 20 cm and 20 – 30 cm depths. The footslope landscape position revealed higher values for most soil quality parameters than the summit and middle. Results show that conservation management practices have enhanced soil quality by improving soil microbial activity and organic matter accumulation, thereby contribute significantly to watershed restoration and enhancing water quality.