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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Morris, Minnesota » Soil Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #78018
Title: SPATIAL VARIATION IN PRODUCTIVITY DUE TO TILLAGE EROSION

Author
item SCHUMACHER, T - SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIV
item Lindstrom, Michael
item LEMME, GARY - UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/25/1997
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The advent of precision farming practices has heightened interest in managing field variability to optimize profitability. The large variation in yields across many producer fields demonstrated by combine-mounted yield monitors has generated concern about management-induced causes of spatial variation in crop productivity. Soil translocation from tillage can result in variations in soil properties across field landscape positions producing long-term changes in crop productivity. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between soil redistribution by tillage erosion and potential changes in crop productivity. A model developed to estimate tillage erosion was used to evaluate changes expected in the soil profile over a ten to one hundred year period across a typical toposequence found in Eastern South Dakota and Western Minnesota. Soil erosion rates at the top of simulated knolls exceeded 34 Mg ha**-1 yr**-1 in the first 10 years after beginning annual moldboard plowing and dropped to approximately 11 Mg ha**-1 yr**-1 after 100 years of tillage. Corresponding soil deposition rates were found in concave regions of the toposequence. The resulting changes in soil properties of the A horizon were evaluated for changes in productivity using a productivity index type model. Evaluations were made along the toposequence from the summit to foot slope positions. Soil erosion rates resulting from tillage will be compared with estimated soil erosion rates along the toposequence from water erosion.