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

Authors : Mert ACAR, İsmail CELİK, Hikmet GÜNAL

Pages : 51-58

Doi:10.18393/ejss.335329

View : 19 | Download : 7

Publication Date : 2018-01-01

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The stability of aggregates plays a vital role in preserving and long term storing of soil organic carbon insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(SOC);. In this study, the long-term insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(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; c onventional tillage with residue incorporated in the soil insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(CT1);, conventional tillage with residue burned insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(CT2);, reduced tillage with heavy tandem disc-harrow insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(RT1);, reduced tillage with rotary tiller insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(RT2);, reduced tillage with heavy tandem disc harrow fallowed by no-tillage insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(RNT); for the second crop, and no tillage insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(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 insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(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