Abstract
Soil aggregation plays an essential role in maintaining soil structure. A three-year field experiment was undertaken to explore the effects of cover crops on soil aggregate stability indices (mean weight diameter, water-stable aggregates greater than 0.25 mm, and soil erodibility factor), size distribution and their correlations with nine soil physical and chemical properties (soil bulk density, pH, organic carbon, total nitrogen, C/N, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and cation exchange capacity) at 0–5 and 5–10 cm depths in a Marietta silt loam soil in a no-till field, Northeastern Mississippi. The cover crop treatments included elbon rye (Secale cereale L.), daikon radish (Raphanus sativus ssp. acanthiformis), Austrian winter field peas (Lathyrus hirsutus), and their mixture. The samples were wet-sieved to five size classes of aggregates (> 2, 2–1, 1–0.5, 0.5–0.25, and < 0.25 mm). Results showed that the < 0.25 mm aggregates dominated (50.95–78.02 %) soil aggregate size distribution at 0–5 and 5–10 cm depths. The rye plot soil displayed the greatest values for mean weight diameter (0.58 mm) in the two soil depths. Soil water-stable aggregates greater than 0.25 mm value under peas was significantly higher by 68.61 % compared to the no cover crop treatment at 0–5 cm depth, while soil erodibility factor did not change significantly. Mean weight diameter, water-stable aggregates greater than 0.25 mm, soil erodibility factor, 1–0.5 mm aggregates, and < 0.25 mm aggregates were significantly correlated with soil organic carbon, pH, bulk density, phosphorus, and potassium. The dominant factors driving changes in three aggregate stability indices and size fractions (excluding 2–1 mm aggregates) were bulk density and pH. Furthermore, high pH restricted soil aggregate stability and size distribution. This study demonstrated the positive impact of cover crops, specifically peas and rye, on soil aggregate stability and size distribution. This study will provide valuable information for future research on soil stabilization in crop production management systems.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
