Abstract
Soil organic carbon (SOC) content is a vital indicator for soil health. The use of moldboard (traditional) plowing for many years had led to a prominent decline in the SOC and soil organic matter (SOM) in Southern Russia. Application of no-tillage (NT) is a sustainable alternative to conventional tillage (CT) as it offers an advantage for SOC store. The aim of the study was to assess soil organic carbon dynamics in response to tillage practices in the steppe zone of Southern Russia. The conservation of SOC under different tillage systems (CT and NT) was evaluated in comparison with the soils of the virgin soils (VS) in three different regions of the steppe zone of the Lower Don region (Southern of the European part of Russia). The SOC content under the conditions of CT was significantly lower than that in the VS and demonstrated an inclining trend when using NT technology. We estimate that the transition to NT over an area of 5.5 million hectares will lead to a significant reduction of carbon emissions into the atmosphere (by ~39 × 109 g C/year), thereby SOC deposition will be (~5.1 × 1012 g C) and high economic advantages will be reaped (with cost savings of up to 27%) in the Rostov region of Russia.
Highlights
Soil health and fertility are closely related to the soil organic carbon (SOC) content [1,2,3,4]
As a result of the assessment of SOC content in the soils in Southern Russia under different tillages, a relationship was established with the type of treatment (CT and NT) and agro-climatic conditions
In the upper soil layer, conventional tillage (CT) reduces the SOC content by 25–36% compared to virgin soils (VS)
Summary
Soil health and fertility are closely related to the soil organic carbon (SOC) content [1,2,3,4]. SOC content in agricultural soils has decreased significantly. This is primarily due to the irrational use of hazardous pesticides. Annual greenhouse gas emissions are estimated at 8.9 Gt (8.9 × 1015 g) C and the global estimate of soil carbon reserves at a depth of 2 m is estimated at 2400 × 1015 g C [12]. It is possible to bring the carbon content to the desired levels through the employment of bio-rational and sustainable soil treatment technologies viz. It is possible to bring the carbon content to the desired levels throug hoft1h3e employment of bio-rational and sustainable soil treatment technologies viz. Note: TSUM-Average temperature in July (◦C); TWIN-Average temperature in January (◦C); WW-Precipitation during the growing season (mm); NF-Duration of the frost-free period (days). The shortest frost-free period of 165–175 days was monitored in the region no. 1, while the longest frost-free period was observed in region no. 2 for 180–190 days
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 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.
