Effects of long-term tillage systems on aggregate-associated organic carbon in the eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey

Year 2018, Volume: 7 Issue: 1, 51 - 58, 01.01.2018

Mert Acar , İsmail Celik Hikmet Günal

https://doi.org/10.18393/ejss.335329

Cited By: 10

Abstract

The stability of
aggregates plays a vital role in preserving and long term storing of soil
organic carbon (SOC). In this study, the long-term (2006-2014) effects of six
tillage systems on aggregate-associated SOC were investigated in a field
experiment conducted under Mediterranean conditions. The tillage treatments
were; conventional
tillage with residue incorporated in the soil (CT1), conventional tillage with residue burned (CT2), reduced tillage with heavy tandem
disc-harrow (RT1), reduced tillage with rotary tiller (RT2), reduced tillage
with heavy tandem disc harrow fallowed by no-tillage (RNT) for the second crop,
and no tillage (NT). The most
frequently encountered aggregates in all tillage systems were at 4.0-2.0 mm
size and the least frequently found aggregates were 1.0-0.5 mm. The mean weight
diameter (MWD) value increased in the NT compared to the conventional tillage
practices at the rates of 137% and 204%, respectively at 0-15 cm soil depth.
Aggregate-associated SOC contents in 0-15 cm depth were higher under
conservation tillage systems. However, the highest SOC at 15-30 cm depth were
greater mainly in conventional tillage systems as 9.4% for both CT1 and CT2.
The results indicated that conservation tillage systems had greater aggregation
and carbon storage at the soil surface.

Keywords

Aggregation, Mediterranean, soil organic carbon, soil tillage

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