Influence of Long‐Time Fertility Management Practices on Chemical and Physical Properties of a Fargo Clay

Abstract

Laboratory phases of a study to evaluate the effectiveness of various long‐time management practices in maintaining fertility of Fargo clay are reported. Soil samples which had been taken at the beginning of the trial in 1913 and those taken in 1952 and 1953 were used for chemical analyses. Physical measurements were made on samples taken from 1954 to 1956. Analyses included total N, organic C, pH, cation‐exchange capacity, exchangeable cations, extractable and organic P, nitrification capacity, aggregation and aggregate stability by wet‐sieving, porosity, density, and hydraulic conductivity. Soil organic C and N declined 27% in check plots and 20% in residue or manure plots. Phosphorus‐treated plots suffered slightly greater loss than similar plots without P. Lime had no effect. C/N ratio did not change. Nitrification capacity correlated with total N content. Extractable P declined appreciably in check plots, less in residue and manure plots, and increased in P‐treated plots. Organic P losses were similar to those of organic carbon. In all plots, CEC declined slightly. pH increased slightly in nonlimed plots and moderately in limed plots. Physical measurements did not reveal any important differences in structural properties of Fargo clay that could be related to past management practices.

Residue Accumulation and Changes in Soil Organic Matter as Affected by Cropping Intensity in No‐Till Dryland Agroecosystems

“…S ince virgin soils of the Great Plains were put under cultivation, their productivity has decreased as a consequence of organic matter losses associated with extensive tillage and extended summer fallow periods. Research has shown that soil C and N levels decline with years of cultivation (Haas et al, 1957; Young et al, 1960; Tiessen et al, 1982) and that this tendency can be minimized or eliminated by converting to soil conservation practices such as no‐till or stubble mulch (Dick, 1983; Lamb et al, 1985). Conversion to no‐till or stubble mulch practices also greatly influences physical, chemical, and microbiological properties of the soil (Lamb et al, 1985; Mielke and Wilhelm, 1998).…”

Effect of residual and annually applied P on a corn-soybean sequence on a Nicollet-Webster soil complex

“…1980) . Young et al (1960) reported that no P applications for 40 years caused an appreciable loss of P. A relation ship between an increase in the soil P content and the soil P content existing at the beginning of the experiment was detected in plots treated with P every four years (Young et al, 1960). The soil P content increased with any treatment of P for 38 years in comparison with the check in a four-year rotation (Riddley and Hedlin, 1962).…”

Grass component effect on soil physical properties in an organic crop rotation

“…Some researchers (Klute & Jacob, 1949;Young et al, 1960;McIntosh and Varney, 1973) have reported no direct benefit of manure on soil physical properties, and attribute improved crop performance to nutrients in the manure (Aoda et al, 1987). Other authors (Arriaga and Lowery, 2003;Bulluck et al, 2002) attribute significant changes in soil structure to manure application.…”