Study

Effect of crop rotations and rotation phase on characteristics of soil organic matter in a dark brown chenozemic soil

  • Published source details Campbell C.A., Brandt S.A., Biederbeck V.O., Zentner R.P. & Schnitzer M. (1992) Effect of crop rotations and rotation phase on characteristics of soil organic matter in a dark brown chenozemic soil. Canadian Journal of Soil Science, 72, 403-416.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Use crop rotation

Action Link
Soil Fertility
  1. Use crop rotation

    A replicated, randomized, controlled experiment in 1988 on a loam/clay loam soil in Saskatchewan, Canada (Campbell et al. 1992) found that crop rotations including grain crops and alfalfa Medicago sativa decreased soil organic matter in fallow and grain crop phases, but increased soil organic nitrogen in 4- (37.7 kg/ha/yr) and 6-year (43.9 kg/ha/yr) barley rotations in comparison to continuous wheat (31.1 kg/ha/yr). Microbial biomass was increased by including alfalfa in the rotation (by 26.6 mg C/kg and 10 mg N/kg), as was carbon release into the soil (by 6 mg C/kg). The experiment was part of a long term crop rotation study started in 1964, and over the course of the trial included wheat Triticum aestivum (replaced with canola Brassica campestris), barley Hordeum vulgare (replaced with oats Avena sativa) and alfalfa. There were 10 rotations of 2-5 crop types for four or six years, replicated four times in plots of 7.3 x 30.4 m. There were two, three, four, and six year rotations. Crop management followed recommended field practice. Soil samples were taken to 15 cm depth. Organic carbon and nitrogen, carbon release, and microbial biomass were measured.

     

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