Implementation of chiselling and mouldboard ploughing in soil after 8 years of no-till management in SW, Spain: Effect on soil quality

Published source details Melero S., Panettieri M., Madejón E., Macpherson H.G., Moreno F. & Murillo J.M. (2011) Implementation of chiselling and mouldboard ploughing in soil after 8 years of no-till management in SW, Spain: Effect on soil quality. Soil and Tillage Research, 112, 107-113.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Soil: Use no tillage instead of reduced tillage Action Link
	Soil: Use no tillage in arable fields Action Link
	Soil: Use reduced tillage in arable fields Action Link

Soil: Use no tillage instead of reduced tillage

A replicated, randomized, controlled study in 2008–2010 in a rainfed wheat-legume field in southwest Spain (same study as (13)) found similar numbers of soil organisms in soils with no tillage or reduced tillage. Soil organisms: Similar amounts of microbial biomass (measured as carbon or nitrogen) were found in soils with no tillage or reduced tillage (199–1,612 vs 120–2,363 mg C/kg soil; 9–40 vs 9–69 mg N/kg soil). Methods: No tillage or reduced tillage was used on three plots each (30 x 10 m plots). A chisel plough was used for reduced tillage (10–15 cm depth). A seed drill was used for no tillage. All plots were fertilized. Soil samples were collected in January 2009, June 2009, and January 2010 (three samples/plot, nine soil cores/sample, 0–25 cm depth). No tillage was used on all plots in 1999–2008.
Soil: Use no tillage in arable fields

A replicated, randomized, controlled study in 2008–2010 in a rainfed wheat-legume field in southwest Spain (same study as (28)) found more microbial biomass in soils with no tillage, compared to conventional tillage, in two of 18 comparisons. Soil organisms: More microbial biomass (measured as carbon and nitrogen) was found in soils with no tillage, compared to conventional tillage, in two of 18 comparisons (0–5 cm depth, in January 2010: 445 vs 263 mg C/kg soil; 31 vs 17 mg N/kg soil). Methods: No tillage or conventional tillage was used on three plots each (30 x 10 m plots). A mouldboard plough was used for conventional tillage (25 cm depth). Herbicides and a seed drill were used for no tillage. All plots were fertilized. Soil samples were collected in January 2009, June 2009, and January 2010 (three samples/plot, nine soil cores/sample, 0–25 cm depth). No tillage was used on all plots in 1999–2008.
Soil: Use reduced tillage in arable fields

A replicated, randomized, controlled study in 2008–2010 in a wheat-legume field in southwest Spain (same study as (31)) found more soil organisms in soils with reduced tillage, compared to conventional tillage. Soil organisms: More microbial biomass (measured as carbon or nitrogen) was found in soils with reduced tillage, compared to conventional tillage, in four of 18 comparisons (0–5 cm depth, in June 2009 or January 2010: 458–2,363 vs 263–957 mg C/kg soil; 37–69 vs 17–25 mg N/kg soil). Methods: Conventional tillage or reduced tillage was used on three plots each (30 x 10 m plots). A mouldboard plough was used for conventional tillage (25 cm depth). Herbicides and a chisel plough were used for reduced tillage (10–15 cm depth). All plots were fertilized. Soil samples were collected in January 2009, June 2009, and January 2010 (three samples/plot, nine soil cores/sample, 0–25 cm depth). No tillage was used on all plots in 1999–2008.