Soil organic carbon increment sources and crop yields under long-term conservation tillage practices in wheat-maize systems
Zhen Liu
State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Key Laboratory of Crop Water Physiology and Drought-tolerance Germplasm Improvement of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, PR China
Search for more papers by this authorTianping Gao
State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Key Laboratory of Crop Water Physiology and Drought-tolerance Germplasm Improvement of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, PR China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Shenzhong Tian
Key Laboratory of Agro-Environment of Huang-Huai-Hai Plain, Ministry of Agriculture, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilizer, Shandong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Environmental Protection Fertilizers, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, PR China
Correspondence
Tangyuan Ning, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, No. 61 Daizong Road, Taian, Shandong 271018, China.
Email: ningty@163.com
Shenzhong Tian, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, PR China.
Email: tiansz1616@163.com
Search for more papers by this authorHengyu Hu
Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Soil, Water and Environmental Conservation, College of Resources and Environment, Linyi University, Linyi, PR China
Search for more papers by this authorGeng Li
State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Key Laboratory of Crop Water Physiology and Drought-tolerance Germplasm Improvement of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, PR China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Tangyuan Ning
State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Key Laboratory of Crop Water Physiology and Drought-tolerance Germplasm Improvement of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, PR China
Correspondence
Tangyuan Ning, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, No. 61 Daizong Road, Taian, Shandong 271018, China.
Email: ningty@163.com
Shenzhong Tian, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, PR China.
Email: tiansz1616@163.com
Search for more papers by this authorZhen Liu
State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Key Laboratory of Crop Water Physiology and Drought-tolerance Germplasm Improvement of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, PR China
Search for more papers by this authorTianping Gao
State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Key Laboratory of Crop Water Physiology and Drought-tolerance Germplasm Improvement of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, PR China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Shenzhong Tian
Key Laboratory of Agro-Environment of Huang-Huai-Hai Plain, Ministry of Agriculture, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilizer, Shandong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Environmental Protection Fertilizers, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, PR China
Correspondence
Tangyuan Ning, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, No. 61 Daizong Road, Taian, Shandong 271018, China.
Email: ningty@163.com
Shenzhong Tian, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, PR China.
Email: tiansz1616@163.com
Search for more papers by this authorHengyu Hu
Shandong Province Key Laboratory of Soil, Water and Environmental Conservation, College of Resources and Environment, Linyi University, Linyi, PR China
Search for more papers by this authorGeng Li
State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Key Laboratory of Crop Water Physiology and Drought-tolerance Germplasm Improvement of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, PR China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Tangyuan Ning
State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, Key Laboratory of Crop Water Physiology and Drought-tolerance Germplasm Improvement of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, PR China
Correspondence
Tangyuan Ning, College of Agronomy, Shandong Agricultural University, No. 61 Daizong Road, Taian, Shandong 271018, China.
Email: ningty@163.com
Shenzhong Tian, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan 250100, PR China.
Email: tiansz1616@163.com
Search for more papers by this authorFunding information: Funds of Shandong {Double Tops} Program; Shandong “Double Tops” Program; Shandong Major Agricultural Technology Innovation Projects, Grant/Award Number: 2017310130; National Natural Science Foundation of China, Grant/Award Number: 41701337; Special Research Funding for Public Benefit Industries (Agriculture) of China, Grant/Award Number: 201503121-05
Abstract
Long-term tillage and straw incorporation significantly affect soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration and crop yield. However, the studies on the SOC sources under multicropping system are relatively few. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of conservation tillage on SOC and crop yields and distinguish the SOC sources from wheat (C3) and maize (C4). Therefore, the dynamics of SOC, SOC sequestration, and crop yield were evaluated during 15 years of conservation agriculture under conventional tillage (CT), subsoiling (ST), rotary tillage (RT), and zero tillage (ZT) without or with straw incorporation (CTS, STS, RTS, and ZTS, respectively). The results indicated that the highest mean SOC concentration in the 0- to 30-cm soil was found under STS (11.80 g kg−1), which increased by 2.29 g kg−1 than that under CT, whereas RT had the lowest mean SOC concentration (8.10 g kg−1). The increases in annual yield ranged from 0.58 (ZT) to 4.93 (ST) Mg ha−1 during 2005–2017. In comparison with the annual yield of CT, that of STS increased by 2 Mg ha−1 and was significantly higher than other treatments (p < .05) except ZTS and CTS. In comparison with CT, the SOC stock and carbon sequestration rate of STS were the highest and increased by 15.64 Mg ha−1 and 1.05 Mg ha−1 yr−1, respectively, in the 0- to 30-cm soil. Moreover, the relative contribution of wheat residues to SOC was higher than maize residues under all treatments. Thus, subsoiling combined with C3 straw incorporation was more suitable for restoring degraded land and increasing yields.
Supporting Information
| Filename | Description |
|---|---|
| ldr3531-sup-0001-supinfo.docxWord 2007 document , 24.8 KB | Table A1. For the regression analysis, the ANOVA is: Table A2. Levene's Test for Homogeneity of Variance (center = median) Figure A1. Normality check: Q-Q plot |
Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.
REFERENCES
- Angers, D. A., & Eriksen-Hamel, N. S. (2008). Full-inversion tillage and organic carbon distribution in soil profiles: A meta-analysis. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 72, 1370. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2007.0342
- Bai, Z. G., Dent, D. L., Olsson, L., & Schaepman, M. E. (2008). Global assessment of land degradation and improvement identification by remote sensing. Wageningen: International Soil Reference and Information Centre (ISRIC). https://doi.org/10.5167/uzh-76769
- Bakr, N., Weindorf, D. C., Bahnassy, M. H., & El-Badawi, M. M. (2012). Multi-temporal assessment of land sensitivity to desertification in a fragile agroecosystem: Environmental indicators. Ecological Indicators, 15, 271–280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2011.09.034
- Balesdent, J., Mariotti, A., & Boisgontier, D. (1990). Effect of tillage on soil organic carbon mineralization estimated from 13C abundance in maize fields. European Journal of Soil Science, 41, 587–596. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2389.1990.tb00228.x
- Balesdent, J., Mariotti, A., & Guillet, B. (1987). Natural 13C abundance as a tracer for studies of soil organic matter dynamics. Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 19, 25–30. https://doi.org/10.1016/0038-0717(87)90120-9
- Bolinder, M. A., Janzen, H. H., Gregorich, E. G., Angers, D. A., & VandenBygaart, A. J. (2007). An approach for estimating net primary productivity and annual carbon inputs to soil for common agricultural crops in Canada. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, 118, 29–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2006.05.013
- Boomsma, C. R., Santini, J. B., West, T. D., Brewer, J. C., Mc-Intyre, L. M., & Vyn, T. J. (2010). Maize grain yield responses to plant height variability resulting from crop rotation and tillage system in a long-term experiment. Soil & Tillage Research, 106, 227–240. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2009.12.006
- Buranov, A. U., & Mazza, G. (2008). Lignin in straw of herbaceous crops. Industrial Crops and Products, 28, 237–259. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2008.03.008
- Chan, K. Y., & Heenan, D. P. (2005). The effects of stubble burning and tillage on soil carbon sequestration and crop productivity in southeastern Australia. Soil use & Management, 21, 427–431. https://doi.org/10.1079/SUM2005357
- Christensen, B. T., Olesen, J. E., Hansen, E. M., & Thomsen, I. K. (2011). Annual variation in δ13C values of maize and wheat: Effect on estimates of decadal scale soil carbon turnover. Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 43, 1961–1967. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2011.06.008
- Clapp, C. E., Allmaras, R. R., Layese, M. F., Linden, D. R., & Dowdy, R. H. (2000). Soil organic carbon and 13C abundance as related to tillage, crop residue, and nitrogen fertilization under continuous corn management in Minnesota. Soil & Tillage Research, 55, 127–142. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-1987(00)00110-0
- Corti, G., Ugolini, F. C., & Agnelli, A. (1998). Classing the soil skeleton (greater than two millimeters): Proposed approach and procedure. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 62, 1620–1629. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1998.03615995006200060020x
- Das, B., Chakraborty, D., Singh, V. K., Aggarwal, P., Singh, R., Dwivedi, B. S., … Mishra, R. P. (2014). Effect of integrated nutrient management practice on soil aggregate properties, its stability and aggregate-associated carbon content in an intensive rice-wheat system. Soil & Tillage Research, 136(9–18), 009–018. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2013.09
- Dlamini, P., Chivenge, P., Manson, A., & Chaplot, V. (2014). Land degradation impact on soil organic carbon and nitrogen stocks of sub-tropical humid grasslands in South Africa. Geoderma, 235-236, 372–381. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2014.07.016
- Ellert, B. H., & Bettany, J. R. (1995). Calculation of organic matter and nutrients stored in soils under contrasting management regimes. Canadian Journal of Soil Science, 75, 529–538. https://doi.org/10.4141/cjss95-075
- Ellert, B. H., & Janzen, H. H. (2006). Long-term biogeochemical cycling in agroecosystems inferred from 13C, 14C and 15N. Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 88, 198–201. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gexplo.2005.08.038
- Ellert, B. H., Janzen, H. H., & Entz, T. (2002). Assessment of a method to measure temporal change in soil carbon storage. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 66, 1687–1695. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2002.1687
- European Commission (2006). Thematic strategy for the protection of soil. In COM (2006) 231 final. Brussels: Commission of the European Communities.
- Foley, J. A., DeFries, R., Asner, G. P., Barford, C., Bonan, G., Carpenter, S. R., … Snyder, P. K. (2005). Global consequences of land use. Science, 309, 570–574. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1111772
- Follett, R. (2001). Soil management concepts and carbon sequestration in cropland soils. Soil & Tillage Research, 61, 77–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0167-1987(01)00180-5
- Fortin, M. C. (1993). Soil temperature, soil water, and no-till corn development following in-row residue removal. Agronomy Journal, 85, 571–576. https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj1993.00021962008500030010x
- Fuentes, M., Govaerts, B., Hidalgo, C., Etchevers, J., González-Martín, I., Hernández-Hierro, J., … Dendooven, L. (2010). Organic carbon and stable 13C isotope in conservation agriculture and conventional systems. Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 42, 551–557. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2009.11.020
- Ghimire, R., Adhikari, K. R., Chen, Z. S., Shah, S. C., & Dahal, K. R. (2012). Soil organic carbon sequestration as affected by tillage, crop residue, and nitrogen application in rice-wheat rotation system. Paddy & Water Environment, 10, 95–102. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10333-011-0268-0
- Hernanz, J., López, R., Navarrete, L., & Sánchez-Grón, V. (2002). Long-term effects of tillage systems and rotations on soil structural stability and organic carbon stratification in semiarid Central Spain. Soil & Tillage Research, 66, 129–141. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-1987(02)00021-1
- Hou, X. Q., Li, R., Jia, Z. K., Han, Q. F., & Wang, W. (2012). Effects of rotational tillage practices on soil properties: Winter wheat yields and water-use efficiency in semi-arid areas of north-West China. Field Crops Research, 129, 7–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2011.12.021
- Känkänen, H., Alakukku, L., Salo, Y., & Pitkänen, T. (2011). Growth and yield of spring cereals during transition to zero tillage on clay soils. European Journal of Agronomy, 34, 35–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2010.10.002
- Kendall, H. W., & Pimentel, D. (1994). Constraints on the expansion of the global food supply. Ambio, 23, 198–205. https://doi:org/stable/4314199
- Kristiansen, S. M., Hansen, E. M., Jensen, L. S., & Christensen, B. T. (2005). Natural 13C abundance and carbon storage in Danish soils under continuous silage maize. European Journal of Agronomy, 22, 107–117. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2004.01.002
- Lal, R. (2006). Enhancing crop yields in the developing countries through restoration of the soil organic carbon pool in agricultural lands. Land Degradation & Development, 17, 197–209. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.696
- Lenka, N. K., & Lal, R. (2013). Soil aggregation and greenhouse gas flux after 15 years of wheat straw and fertilizer management in a no-till system. Soil & Tillage Research, 126, 78–89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2012.08.011
- Liu, E. K., Teclemariam, S. G., Yan, C. R., Yu, J. M., Gu, R. S., Liu, S., … Liu, Q. (2014). Long-term effects of no-tillage management practice on soil organic carbon and its fractions in the northern China. Geoderma, 213, 379–384. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2013.08.021
- Małecka, I., Blecharczyk, A., Sawińska, Z., Swędrzyńska, D., & Piechota, T. (2015). Winter wheat yield and soil properties response to long-term non-inversion tillage. Journal of Agricultural Science & Technology, 17, 1571–1584. http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/3817
- Martinez, E., Fuentes, J. P., Pino, V., Silva, P., & Acevedo, E. (2013). Chemical and biological properties as affected by no-tillage and conventional tillage systems in an irrigated haploxeroll of Central Chile. Soil & Tillage Research, 126, 238–245. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2012.07.014
- Mrabet, R., Saber, N., El-Brahli, A., Lahlou, S., & Bessam, F. (2001). Total particulate organic matter and structural stability of a Calcixeroll soil under different wheat rotation and tillage systems in a semiarid area of Morocco. Soil & Tillage Research, 57, 225–235. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-1987(00)00180-X
- Pan, J., Zhang, L., He, X., Chen, X., & Cui, Z. (2019). Long-term optimization of crop yield while concurrently improving soil quality. Land Degradation & Development, 30, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.3276
- Perminova, T., Laratte, B., Sirina, N., Baranovskaya, N., & Rikhvanov, L. (2016). Methods for land use impact assessment: A review. Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 60, 64–74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eiar.2016.02.002
- Pittelkow, C. M., Linquist, B. A., Lundy, M. E., Liang, X., van Groenigen, K. J., Lee, J., … van Kessel, C. (2015). When does no-till yield more? A global meta-analysis. Field Crops Research, 183, 156–168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2015.07.020
- Poeplau, C., Vos, C., & Don, A. (2017). Soil organic carbon stocks are systematically overestimated by misuse of the parameters bulk density and rock fragment content. The Soil, 4, 169–171.
- Qin, H. L., Gao, W. S., Ma, Y. C., Ma, L., & Yin, C. M. (2008). Effects of subsoiling on soil moisture under no-tillage 2 years later. Scientia Agricultura Sinica, 41, 78–85 (in Chinese).
- Salvati, L., Karamesouti, M., & Kosmas, K. (2014). Soil degradation in environmentally sensitive areas driven by urbanization: An example from Southeast Europe. Soil Use & Management, 30, 382–393. https://doi.org/10.1111/sum.12133
- Salvati, L., & Zitti, M. (2009). The environmental “risky” region: Identifying land degradation processes through integration of socio-economic and ecological indicators in a multivariate regionalization model. Environmental Management, 44, 888–898. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267–009–9378-5
- Sang, X. G., Wang, D., & Lin, X. (2016). Effects of tillage practices on water consumption characteristics and grain yield of winter wheat under different soil moisture conditions. Soil & Tillage Research, 163, 185–194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2016.06.003
- Stocking, M. A. (2003). Tropical soils and food security: The next 50 years. Science, 302, 1356–1359. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1088579
- Su, Z. Y., Zhang, J. S., Wu, W. L., Cai, D. X., Lv, J. J., Jiang, G. H., … Gabriels, D. (2007). Effects of conservation tillage practices on winter wheat water-use efficiency and crop yield on the loess plateau, China. Agricultural Water Management, 87, 307–314. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2006.08.005
- Tharayil, N., Suseela, V., Triebwasser, D. J., Preston, C. M., Gerard, P. D., & Dukes, J. S. (2011). Changes in the structural composition and reactively of Acer rubrum leaf litter tannins exposed to warming and altered precipitation: Climatic stress induced tannins are more reactive. New Phytologist, 191, 132–145. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8137.2011.03667.x
- Thiombiano, L., & Tourino-Soto, I. (2007). Status and trends in land degradation in Africa. In N. Ndang'ui (Ed.), Sivakumar MVK (pp. 39–53). Berlin: Climate and Land Degradation. Springer.
10.1007/978-3-540-72438-4_2 Google Scholar
- Ussiri, D. A. N., & Lal, R. (2009). Long-term tillage effects on soil carbon storage and carbon dioxide emissions in continuous corn cropping system from an alfisol in Ohio. Soil & Tillage Research, 104, 39–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2008.11.008
- Virto, I., Barré, P., Burlot, A., & Chenu, C. (2012). Carbon input differences as the main factor explaining the variability in soil organic C storage in no-tilled compared to inversion tilled agrosystems. Biogeochemistry, 108, 17–26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10533-011-9600-4
- Wang, J., Lu, C., Xu, M., Zhu, P., Huang, S., Zhang, W., … Wu, L. (2013). Soil organic carbon sequestration under different fertilizer regimes in north and Northeast China: RothC simulation. Soil Use & Management, 29, 182–190 10.1111/sum.12032.
- Wang, J. Z., Wang, X. J., Xu, M. G., Feng, G., Zhang, W. J., Yang, X. Y., & Huang, S. M. (2015). Contributions of wheat and maize residues to soil organic carbon under long-term rotation in North China. Scientific Reports, 5, 11409. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep11409
- Wang, X., Sun, B., Mao, J., Sui, Y., & Cao, X. (2012). Structural convergence of maize and wheat straw during two-year decomposition under different climate conditions. Environmental Science &Technology, 46, 7159–7165. https://doi.org/10.1021/es300522x
- West, T. O., & Marland, G. (2002). A synthesis of carbon sequestration, carbon emissions, and net carbon flux in agriculture: Comparing tillage practices in the United States. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 91, 217–232. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0167-8809(01)00233-x
- Wiesmeier, M., Lungu, M., Cerbari, V., Boincean, B., Hübner, R., & Kögel-Knabner, I. (2018). Rebuilding soil carbon in degraded steppe soils of Eastern Europe: The importance of windbreaks and improved cropland management. Land Degradation & Development, 29, 875–883. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.2902
- Xue, J. F., Pu, C., Zhao, X., Wei, Y. H., Zhai, Y. L., Zhang, X. Q., … Zhang, H. L. (2018). Changes in soil organic carbon fractions in response to different tillage practices under a wheat-maize double cropping system. Land Degradation & Development, 29, 1555–1564. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.2950
- Yao, H. Y., & Shi, W. (2010). Soil organic matter stabilization in turfgrass ecosystems: Importance of microbial processing. Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 42, 642–648. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2010.01.003
- Zhang, W. J., Wang, X. J., Xu, M. G., Huang, S. M., Liu, H., & Peng, C. (2010). Soil organic carbon dynamics under long-term fertilizations in arable land of northern China. Biogeosciences, 7, 409–425. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-7-409-2010
- Zhang, Y., Wang, R., Wang, S., Wang, H., Xu, Z., Jia, G., … Li, J. (2017). Effects of different sub-soiling frequencies incorporated into no-tillage systems on soil properties and crop yield in dryland wheat-maize rotation system. Field Crops Research, 209, 151–158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2017.05.002
