Carbon, nitrogen, and gaseous profiles in a humid, temperate region, maize field soil under no‐tillage

Abstract

Abstract The effect of four consecutive years of tillage method [conventional tillage (CT) or no‐tillage (NT)] and fertilizer N rate (84, 168, 336 kg N·ha‐1·yr) on soil carbon, nitrogen and and gaseous profiles was examined in a Wharton‐Cookport (Aquic Hapludults‐Aquic Fragiudults) silt loam soil in West Virginia cropped to continuous maize (Zea mays L.). At midseason (July) of the last cropping year, soil mineral N profile differences were generally discernible only at the high N (336 kg·ha‐1) rate in the topsoil (0‐ to 30‐cm layer). Ammonium (NH4 +‐N) levels at this time were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher under CT, while NO3 ‐‐N levels were the same under both tillage methods. However, after silage harvest in September NH4 +‐N levels were the same under both tillage systems, while NO3 ‐‐N levels were significantly higher under CT. Although no significant (p ≥ 0.05) tillage effects were found for TC, the level was increased by ∼16% under NT in the surface soil (0 to 15‐cm) layer at the low N (84 kg·ha‐1) rate treatment. Total N (TN) was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increased under NT compared to CT only in the soil surface layer at the high N rate treatment. Soils under both tillage methods after cropping appeared to be equally well aerated to the deepest layer (60 cm) as O2 levels were near atmospheric concentrations, and no gases commonly associated with more anaerobic environments (CH4, C2H4) were detected. Carbon dioxide (CO2) levels increased 30‐ to 40‐times atmospheric levels in the deepest layers, and were generally higher under NT. The incidence of detectable N2O (‐0.36 × 10 ‐2μg·ml‐1) was two‐ to seven‐times more numerous at the high N rate, and twice as numerous under NT compared to CT. These results generally corroborate previous results for soil mineral N changes as related to tillage method, but not for organic C, N and microbial activity, as has usually been reported, especially for more arid region soils.