2011•Caoye kexueRequires access
The evaluation of soil properties under conservation tillage in a maize-wheat-soybean rotation on the Loess Plateau
Yuying Shen
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Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine how soil properties changed when conservation tillage was used in a maize-wheat-soybean rotation on the Loess Plateau,China.The four tillage treatments were: t(conventional tillage),ts(conventional tillage with stubble retention),nt(no tillage) and nts(no tillage with stubble retention).Soil total C,organic C,total N and microbial biomass C and N in the 0-5 cm and the 5-10 cm layer was measured over a seven year period in each treatment.Soil organic C was significantly higher in the ts,nt and nts treatments,compared with that in the t treatment.Soil microbial biomass C and N in 0-5 cm layer was highest in the nts treatment among the treatment..No-till enhanced soil organic C accumulation in the top layer,tillage incorporated stubble distribution along the soil profile.The results showed that soil microbial biomass C was an indicator for short term run effects of conservation tillage,and soil organic C was an indicator for mid term run conservation tillage.