INDICATORS OF SOIL AGGREGATION AND THEIR CHANGES IN CONSERVATION TILLAGE FOR ONION
Tadeusz Kęsik
University of Life Sciences in LublinMarzena Błażewicz-Woźniak
University of Life Sciences in LublinAbstract
Soil structure depends on several factors, among which are farming system and soil tillage. The state of aggregation determines the water-air relations in soil and influences the thermal conductivity, porosity and density of soil, availability of nutrients, as well as biological processes, etc. In the field experiment with conservation tillage for onion we studied the influence of various methods of conventional tillage, no tillage, and disking as well as the biomass of the inter-harvest plants on the aggregation and structure of soil. Secale cereale and Vicia sativa cultivated as inter-crop cover plants favourably influenced the soil aggregation. It was expressed by greater share of valuable soil aggregates (ø 1–5 mm) and better soil structure index in comparison with conventional tillage (CT), without plant mulches. The leaving of mulches from cover plants on the surface of the soil from fall to spring and direct sowing on onion without tillage (NT) decreased soil
cloddiness index. The positive influence of plant mulches on soil structure was mainly observed after wintering and in the initial period of onion vegetation. The changes in indicators of soil aggregation under the influence of mulching and simplifications of the soil tillage system for vegetables were predominantly recorded in the soil arable layer of 0–20 cm.
Keywords:
soil structure index, soil pulverization index, soil cloddiness index, MWDReferences
Barral M.T., Bujan E., Devesa R., Iglesias M.L., Velasco-Molina M., 2007. Comparison of the structural stability of pasture and cultivated soils. Sc. Total Environm. 378, 174–178.
Beare M.H., Hendrix P.F., Coleman D.C., 1994. Water-stable aggregates and organic matter fractions in conventional and no-tillage soils. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 58, 777–786, cited by Pinheiro et al. 2004.
Błażewicz-Woźniak M., 2002. Residual effect of no-tillage and cover crops in vegetables cultivation on soil aggregates formation and soil structure. Roczn. AR Poznań 341, 35, 59–65 (in Polish with English abstract).
Błażewicz-Woźniak M., Kęsik T., Konopiński M., 2001. Soil aggregates formation under vegetables in soil reduced cultivation system. Acta Agrophysica 45, 5–15 (in Polish with English abstract).
Błażewicz-Woźniak M., Kęsik T., Wach D., Konopiński M., 2008. The influence of conservation tillage on the mineral elements content in soil and chemical composition of onion. Acta Sci. Pol., Hortorum Cultus 7(2), 61–72.
Bouma J., Droogers P., Peters P., 1999. Defining the “ideal” soil structure in surface soil of a Typic Fluvaquent in the Netherlands. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 63, 343–348.
Braunack M.V., 1995. Effect of aggregate size and soil water content on emergence of soybean (Glycine max, L. Merr.) and maize (Zea mays, L.). Soil Tillage Res. 33, 149–161.
Braunack M.V., Dexter A.R., 1989. Soil aggregation in the seedbed: a review. I. Properties of aggregates and beds of aggregates. Soil Tillage Res. 14, 259–279.
Calkins J.B., Swanson B.T., 1998. Comparison of conventional and alternative nursery field management systems: soil physical properties. J. Environmental Hortic. 16(2), 90–97.
Cambardella C.A., Elliott E.T., 1993. Carbon and Nitrogen Distribution in Aggregates from Cultivated and Native Grassland Soils. Soil Sci. Am. J. 57, 1071–1076.
Carter M.R., 1986. Microbial biomass as an index for tillage-induced changes in soil biological properties. Soil Tillage Res. 7, 29–40.
Castro Filho, C., Lourenço A., Guimarães M. de F., Fonseca I.C.B., 2002. Aggregate stability under different soil management systems in a red latosol in the state of Parana, Brazil. Soil Tillage Res. 65, 45–51.
Dąbek-Szreniawska M., 2004. Microbiological aspects of soil structure formation. [In:] Lipiec J., Walczak R., Józefaciuk G., (Ed.), Plant growth in relation to soil physical conditions. Institute of Agrophysics PAS, Lublin, 14–30.
Dexter A.R., 2004. Soil physical quality. Part I: theory, effects of soil texture, density and organic matter, and effect on root growth. Geoderma 120, 201–214.
Ding G., Liu X., Herbert S., Novak J., 2006. Effect of cover crop management on soil organic matter. Geoderma 130, 229–239.
Epperlein J., Martinez-Vilela A., 2001. Development of the biological activity in different tillage systems. First World Congress on conservation agriculture, October 2001, Madrid, Spain. 2, 477–483.
Franzluebbers, A.J., 2002. Water infiltration and soil structure related to organic matter and its stratification with depth. Soil Tillage Res. 66, 197–205.
Guérif J., Richard G., Dürr C., Machet J.M., Recous S., Roger-Estrade J., 2001. A review of tillage effects on crop residue management, seedbed conditions and seedling establishment. Soil Tillage Res. 61, 13–32.
Hermawan B., Bomke A.A., 1997. Effects of winter cover crops and successive spring tillage on soil aggregation. Soil Tillage Res. 44, 109–120.
Hevia G.G., Mendez M., Buschiazzo E., 2007. Tillage affects soil aggregation parameters linked with wind erosion. Geoderma 140, 90–96.
Höflich G., Tauschke M., Kühn G., Werner K., Frielinghaus M., Höhn W., 1999. Influence of longterm conservation tillage on soil and rhizosphere microorganisms. Biol. Fertil. Soils 29, 81–86.
Höppner F., Zach M., Sommer C., 1995. Conservation Tillage – a Contribution to Soil Protection – Effects on Plant Yields. „Direct sowing in theory and practice” Szczecin-Barzkowice, Poland, 151–158.
Kabir Z., Koide R.T., 2002. Effect of autumn and winter mycorrhizal cover crops on soil properties, nutrient uptake and yield of sweet corn in Pennsylvania, USA. Plant and Soil 238(2), 205-215.
Kemper W.D., Rosenau R.C., 1986. Aggregate stability and size distribution. [In:] Klute A. (ed), Methods of soil analysis, part 1. Agron. Monog. 9. ASA, Madison, WI.
Kęsik T., Błażewicz-Woźniak M., Konopiński M., Wach D., Mitura R., 2007. The effect of cover crop mulches and reduced soil tillage in onion cultivation on some features of soil. Rocz. AR Pozn. 383, Ogrodn. 41, 517–521. (in Polish, with English abstract)
Konopiński M., Kęsik T., Błażewicz-Woźniak M., 2001. The effect of mulching with intercrop cover plants and zero cultivation on soil humidity and density. Acta Agrophysica 45, 105–116.
Kuś J., 1995. Systemy gospodarowania w rolnictwie. Rolnictwo integrowane. IUNG Puławy.
Lenart S., 2004. The effect of long-term fertilization, crop rotation and soil tillage on soil microstructure. Annales UMCS Sec. E, Agricultura, 59, 2, 923–930.
Lipiec J., Håkansson I., 2000. Influences of degree of compactness and matric water tension on some important plant growth factors. Soil Tillage Res. 53, 87–94
Lipiec J., Walczak R., Witkowska-Walczak B., Nosalewicz A., Słowińska-Jurkiewicz A., Sławiński C., 2007. The effect of aggregate size on water retention and pore structure of two silt loam soils of different genesis. Soil Tillage Res. 97, 239–246.
Lynch J.M., Bragg E., 1985. Microorganisms and soil aggregate stability. Adv. Soil Sci. 2, 133–171.
Madari B., Machado P.L.O., Torres E., Andrade de A.G., Valencia L.I.O., 2005. No tillage and crop rotation effects on soil aggregation and organic carbon in a Rhodic Ferralsol from southern Brazil. Soil Tillage Res. 80, 185–200.
Motta A.C.V., Reeves D.W., Feng Y., Burmester C.H., Raper R.L., 2001. Management systems to improve soil quality for cotton production in degraded silt loam soil in Alabama (USA).
First World Congress on conservation agriculture, October 2001, Madrid, Spain. 2, 219–222.
Mulumba L.N., Lal R., 2008. Mulching effects on selected soil physical properties. Soil Tillage Res. 98, 106–111.
Nyakatawa E.Z., Reddy K.C., Lemunyon J.L., 2001. Predicting soil erosion in conservation tillage cotton production systems using the revised universal soil loss equation. Soil Tillage Res. 57, 213–224.
Pagliai M., Vignozzi N., Pellegrini S., 2004. Soil structure and the effect of management practices. Soil Tillage Res. 79, 131–143.
Paluszek J., 2004. Influence of Viterra hydrogel on properties of eroded soils. Annales UMCS Sec. E, Agricultura, 59, 1, 149–156.
Parker M.A., Nyakatawa E.Z., Reddy K.C., Reeves D.W., Santen E., 2002. Soil carbon and nitrogen as influenced by tillage and poultry litter inn North Alabama. In “Making conservation tillage conventional: building a future on 25 years of research”. Proceedings of 25th Auburn, USA, 283–287.
Patkowska E., 1998. Effect of plant debris on the health and yield of soybean. Roczn. AR Pozn., Ogrodn. 27, 213–219.
Pięta D., Kęsik T., 2007. The effect of conservation tillage on microorganism communities in the soil under onion cultivation. EJPAU, Horticulture 10, 1, www.ejpau.media.pl
Pinheiro E.F.M., Pereira M.G., Anjos L.H.C., 2004. Aggregate distribution and soil organic matter under different tillage systems for vegetable crops in a Red Latosol from Brazil. Soil Tillage Res. 77, 79–84.
Reganold J.P., Elliott L.F., Unger Y.L., 1987. Long-term effects of organic and conventional farming on soil erosion. Nature, 330, 370–372.
Schaller F.W., Stockinger K.R., 1953. A comparison of five methods for expressing aggregation data. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 17, 310–313.
Schjonning P., Christensen B.T., Carstensen B., 1994. Physical and chemical properties of sandy loam receiving animal manure, mineral fertilizer or no fertilizer for 90 years. Europ. J. Soil Sci. 45, 257–260.
Shein E.V., 2004. Soil aggregates stability in relation to plant growth. [In:] Lipiec J., Walczak R., Józefaciuk G., (Ed.), Plant growth in relation to soil physical conditions. Inst. of Agrophysics PAS, Lublin, 111–117.
Six J., Elliott E.T., Paustian K., 2000. Soil macroaggregate turnover and microaggregate formation: a mechanism for C sequestration under no-tillage agriculture. Soil Biol. Biochem. 32, 2099–2103, cited by Pinheiro et al. 2004.
Walczak R., Witkowska B., 1976. Metody badania i sposoby opisywania agregacji gleby. Problemy Agrofizyki 19.
Weill, A.N., De Kimpe, C.R., Mckyes, E., 1989. Effect of tillage reduction and fertilizer on soil macro- and microaggregation. Can. J. Soil Sci. 69, 489–500.
Witkowska-Walczak B., Walczak R., Sławiński C., 2004. Determination of water potential – moisture charakteristics of soil porous media. Witkowska-Walczak B., Walczak R., (Ed.), Inst. Agrophysics, PAS, Lublin. ISBN 83–87385-93-X.
Wyland L.J., Jackson L.E., Chaney W.E., Klonsky K., Koike S.T., Kimple B., 1996. Winter cover crops in a vegetable cropping system: Impacts on nitrate leaching, soil water, crop yield, pests and management costs. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environm. 59, 1–17.
Yang Z., Singh B.R., Hansen S., 2007. Aggregate associated carbon, nitrogen and sulfur and their ratios in long-term fertilized soils. Soil Tillage Res. 95, 161–171.
Zaller J.G., Köpke U., 2004. Effects of traditional and biodynamic farmyard manure amendment on yields, soil chemical, biochemical and biological properties in a long-term field experiment. Biol. Ferti. Soils 40, 222–229.
Beare M.H., Hendrix P.F., Coleman D.C., 1994. Water-stable aggregates and organic matter fractions in conventional and no-tillage soils. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 58, 777–786, cited by Pinheiro et al. 2004.
Błażewicz-Woźniak M., 2002. Residual effect of no-tillage and cover crops in vegetables cultivation on soil aggregates formation and soil structure. Roczn. AR Poznań 341, 35, 59–65 (in Polish with English abstract).
Błażewicz-Woźniak M., Kęsik T., Konopiński M., 2001. Soil aggregates formation under vegetables in soil reduced cultivation system. Acta Agrophysica 45, 5–15 (in Polish with English abstract).
Błażewicz-Woźniak M., Kęsik T., Wach D., Konopiński M., 2008. The influence of conservation tillage on the mineral elements content in soil and chemical composition of onion. Acta Sci. Pol., Hortorum Cultus 7(2), 61–72.
Bouma J., Droogers P., Peters P., 1999. Defining the “ideal” soil structure in surface soil of a Typic Fluvaquent in the Netherlands. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 63, 343–348.
Braunack M.V., 1995. Effect of aggregate size and soil water content on emergence of soybean (Glycine max, L. Merr.) and maize (Zea mays, L.). Soil Tillage Res. 33, 149–161.
Braunack M.V., Dexter A.R., 1989. Soil aggregation in the seedbed: a review. I. Properties of aggregates and beds of aggregates. Soil Tillage Res. 14, 259–279.
Calkins J.B., Swanson B.T., 1998. Comparison of conventional and alternative nursery field management systems: soil physical properties. J. Environmental Hortic. 16(2), 90–97.
Cambardella C.A., Elliott E.T., 1993. Carbon and Nitrogen Distribution in Aggregates from Cultivated and Native Grassland Soils. Soil Sci. Am. J. 57, 1071–1076.
Carter M.R., 1986. Microbial biomass as an index for tillage-induced changes in soil biological properties. Soil Tillage Res. 7, 29–40.
Castro Filho, C., Lourenço A., Guimarães M. de F., Fonseca I.C.B., 2002. Aggregate stability under different soil management systems in a red latosol in the state of Parana, Brazil. Soil Tillage Res. 65, 45–51.
Dąbek-Szreniawska M., 2004. Microbiological aspects of soil structure formation. [In:] Lipiec J., Walczak R., Józefaciuk G., (Ed.), Plant growth in relation to soil physical conditions. Institute of Agrophysics PAS, Lublin, 14–30.
Dexter A.R., 2004. Soil physical quality. Part I: theory, effects of soil texture, density and organic matter, and effect on root growth. Geoderma 120, 201–214.
Ding G., Liu X., Herbert S., Novak J., 2006. Effect of cover crop management on soil organic matter. Geoderma 130, 229–239.
Epperlein J., Martinez-Vilela A., 2001. Development of the biological activity in different tillage systems. First World Congress on conservation agriculture, October 2001, Madrid, Spain. 2, 477–483.
Franzluebbers, A.J., 2002. Water infiltration and soil structure related to organic matter and its stratification with depth. Soil Tillage Res. 66, 197–205.
Guérif J., Richard G., Dürr C., Machet J.M., Recous S., Roger-Estrade J., 2001. A review of tillage effects on crop residue management, seedbed conditions and seedling establishment. Soil Tillage Res. 61, 13–32.
Hermawan B., Bomke A.A., 1997. Effects of winter cover crops and successive spring tillage on soil aggregation. Soil Tillage Res. 44, 109–120.
Hevia G.G., Mendez M., Buschiazzo E., 2007. Tillage affects soil aggregation parameters linked with wind erosion. Geoderma 140, 90–96.
Höflich G., Tauschke M., Kühn G., Werner K., Frielinghaus M., Höhn W., 1999. Influence of longterm conservation tillage on soil and rhizosphere microorganisms. Biol. Fertil. Soils 29, 81–86.
Höppner F., Zach M., Sommer C., 1995. Conservation Tillage – a Contribution to Soil Protection – Effects on Plant Yields. „Direct sowing in theory and practice” Szczecin-Barzkowice, Poland, 151–158.
Kabir Z., Koide R.T., 2002. Effect of autumn and winter mycorrhizal cover crops on soil properties, nutrient uptake and yield of sweet corn in Pennsylvania, USA. Plant and Soil 238(2), 205-215.
Kemper W.D., Rosenau R.C., 1986. Aggregate stability and size distribution. [In:] Klute A. (ed), Methods of soil analysis, part 1. Agron. Monog. 9. ASA, Madison, WI.
Kęsik T., Błażewicz-Woźniak M., Konopiński M., Wach D., Mitura R., 2007. The effect of cover crop mulches and reduced soil tillage in onion cultivation on some features of soil. Rocz. AR Pozn. 383, Ogrodn. 41, 517–521. (in Polish, with English abstract)
Konopiński M., Kęsik T., Błażewicz-Woźniak M., 2001. The effect of mulching with intercrop cover plants and zero cultivation on soil humidity and density. Acta Agrophysica 45, 105–116.
Kuś J., 1995. Systemy gospodarowania w rolnictwie. Rolnictwo integrowane. IUNG Puławy.
Lenart S., 2004. The effect of long-term fertilization, crop rotation and soil tillage on soil microstructure. Annales UMCS Sec. E, Agricultura, 59, 2, 923–930.
Lipiec J., Håkansson I., 2000. Influences of degree of compactness and matric water tension on some important plant growth factors. Soil Tillage Res. 53, 87–94
Lipiec J., Walczak R., Witkowska-Walczak B., Nosalewicz A., Słowińska-Jurkiewicz A., Sławiński C., 2007. The effect of aggregate size on water retention and pore structure of two silt loam soils of different genesis. Soil Tillage Res. 97, 239–246.
Lynch J.M., Bragg E., 1985. Microorganisms and soil aggregate stability. Adv. Soil Sci. 2, 133–171.
Madari B., Machado P.L.O., Torres E., Andrade de A.G., Valencia L.I.O., 2005. No tillage and crop rotation effects on soil aggregation and organic carbon in a Rhodic Ferralsol from southern Brazil. Soil Tillage Res. 80, 185–200.
Motta A.C.V., Reeves D.W., Feng Y., Burmester C.H., Raper R.L., 2001. Management systems to improve soil quality for cotton production in degraded silt loam soil in Alabama (USA).
First World Congress on conservation agriculture, October 2001, Madrid, Spain. 2, 219–222.
Mulumba L.N., Lal R., 2008. Mulching effects on selected soil physical properties. Soil Tillage Res. 98, 106–111.
Nyakatawa E.Z., Reddy K.C., Lemunyon J.L., 2001. Predicting soil erosion in conservation tillage cotton production systems using the revised universal soil loss equation. Soil Tillage Res. 57, 213–224.
Pagliai M., Vignozzi N., Pellegrini S., 2004. Soil structure and the effect of management practices. Soil Tillage Res. 79, 131–143.
Paluszek J., 2004. Influence of Viterra hydrogel on properties of eroded soils. Annales UMCS Sec. E, Agricultura, 59, 1, 149–156.
Parker M.A., Nyakatawa E.Z., Reddy K.C., Reeves D.W., Santen E., 2002. Soil carbon and nitrogen as influenced by tillage and poultry litter inn North Alabama. In “Making conservation tillage conventional: building a future on 25 years of research”. Proceedings of 25th Auburn, USA, 283–287.
Patkowska E., 1998. Effect of plant debris on the health and yield of soybean. Roczn. AR Pozn., Ogrodn. 27, 213–219.
Pięta D., Kęsik T., 2007. The effect of conservation tillage on microorganism communities in the soil under onion cultivation. EJPAU, Horticulture 10, 1, www.ejpau.media.pl
Pinheiro E.F.M., Pereira M.G., Anjos L.H.C., 2004. Aggregate distribution and soil organic matter under different tillage systems for vegetable crops in a Red Latosol from Brazil. Soil Tillage Res. 77, 79–84.
Reganold J.P., Elliott L.F., Unger Y.L., 1987. Long-term effects of organic and conventional farming on soil erosion. Nature, 330, 370–372.
Schaller F.W., Stockinger K.R., 1953. A comparison of five methods for expressing aggregation data. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 17, 310–313.
Schjonning P., Christensen B.T., Carstensen B., 1994. Physical and chemical properties of sandy loam receiving animal manure, mineral fertilizer or no fertilizer for 90 years. Europ. J. Soil Sci. 45, 257–260.
Shein E.V., 2004. Soil aggregates stability in relation to plant growth. [In:] Lipiec J., Walczak R., Józefaciuk G., (Ed.), Plant growth in relation to soil physical conditions. Inst. of Agrophysics PAS, Lublin, 111–117.
Six J., Elliott E.T., Paustian K., 2000. Soil macroaggregate turnover and microaggregate formation: a mechanism for C sequestration under no-tillage agriculture. Soil Biol. Biochem. 32, 2099–2103, cited by Pinheiro et al. 2004.
Walczak R., Witkowska B., 1976. Metody badania i sposoby opisywania agregacji gleby. Problemy Agrofizyki 19.
Weill, A.N., De Kimpe, C.R., Mckyes, E., 1989. Effect of tillage reduction and fertilizer on soil macro- and microaggregation. Can. J. Soil Sci. 69, 489–500.
Witkowska-Walczak B., Walczak R., Sławiński C., 2004. Determination of water potential – moisture charakteristics of soil porous media. Witkowska-Walczak B., Walczak R., (Ed.), Inst. Agrophysics, PAS, Lublin. ISBN 83–87385-93-X.
Wyland L.J., Jackson L.E., Chaney W.E., Klonsky K., Koike S.T., Kimple B., 1996. Winter cover crops in a vegetable cropping system: Impacts on nitrate leaching, soil water, crop yield, pests and management costs. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environm. 59, 1–17.
Yang Z., Singh B.R., Hansen S., 2007. Aggregate associated carbon, nitrogen and sulfur and their ratios in long-term fertilized soils. Soil Tillage Res. 95, 161–171.
Zaller J.G., Köpke U., 2004. Effects of traditional and biodynamic farmyard manure amendment on yields, soil chemical, biochemical and biological properties in a long-term field experiment. Biol. Ferti. Soils 40, 222–229.
Tadeusz Kęsik
University of Life Sciences in Lublin
University of Life Sciences in Lublin
Marzena Błażewicz-Woźniak
University of Life Sciences in Lublin
University of Life Sciences in Lublin
License
Articles are made available under the conditions CC BY 4.0 (until 2020 under the conditions CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
Submission of the paper implies that it has not been published previously, that it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere.
The author signs a statement of the originality of the work, the contribution of individuals, and source of funding.
