VERTICAL DISTRIBUTION OF CARBON AND NITROGEN DYNAMICS IN BLACK SOIL OF CENTRAL INDIA UNDER LONG-TERM ZERO- TILLAGE WITH DIFFERENT CROPPING SYSTEMS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48165/abr.2025.27.01.31Keywords:
Available nitrogen, carbon sequestration, sequestration, conservation agriculture, organic carbonAbstract
Conservation agriculture (CA) based zero-tillage system has gained prominence for its potential to improve soil health, enhance nutrient cycling, and increase carbon sequestration in soil. Knowledge about the changes in soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics under no-tillage and different cropping systems is necessary to assess the feasibility of adopting conservation agriculture to sustain soil health and productivity. This study compared conventional tillage (CT) and zero-tillage (ZT) systems, and three cropping systems (soybean-wheat, maize-wheat and maize-chickpea) on soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics. The experiment was established in 2010 on a Vertisol in Bhopal, India. After the completion of the 14th cycle of the experiment (2023-24), soil samples were collected from each plot and analysis processes were executed. The soil under ZT had found significantly higher concentrations of soil organic carbon (0.93%), total organic carbon (1.23%), very labile pool (0.55%), labile pool (0.19%), non-labile (0.36%) and total carbon (1.39%) than CT at 0-10 cm depth. Available nitrogen (229.83 kg ha1) and total nitrogen (0.133%) also had significantly higher in ZT than CT at surface soil. Tillage and cropping systems had no significant impact on soil inorganic carbon and mineral nitrogen (ammonium and nitrate nitrogen). Therefore, under Vertisols, 14 years of ZT practices are likely to improve organic carbon concentration and increase the availability of nitrogen in soil, allowing a positive trend for soil preservation and carbon sequestration in soil.
Downloads
References
Aduhene-Chinbuah, J., Sugihara, S., Komatsuzaki, M., Nishizawa, T., & Tanaka, H. (2022). No tillage increases SOM in labile fraction but not stable fraction of andosols from a long-term experiment in Japan. Agronomy, 12(2), 479. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12020479
Avanzi, E., & Marina, V.V.D. (2011). Long term effect of tillage, nitrogen fertilization and cover crops on soil organic carbon and total nitrogen contently. Soil and Tillage Research, 114, 165–174.
Bayer, C., Martin-Neto, L., Mielniczuk, J., Pavinato, A., & Dieckow, J. (2006). Carbon sequestration in two Brazilian Cerrado soils under no-till. Soil and Tillage Research, 86, 237–245.
Bohoussou, Y.N., Kou, Y.H., Yu, W.B., Lin, B.J., Virk, A.L., Zhao, X., et al. (2022). Impacts of the components of conservation agriculture on soil organic carbon and total nitrogen storage: A global meta-analysis. Science of the Total Environment, 842, 156822. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156822
Bono, A., Alvarez, R., Buschiazzo, D.E., & Cantet, R.J.C. (2007). Tillage effects on soil carbon balance in a semiarid agroecosystem. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 72, 1140–1149.
Chan, K.Y., Bowman, A., & Oates, A. (2001). Oxidizable organic carbon fractions and soil quality changes in an Oxic Paleustalf under different pasture leys. Soil Science, 166, 61–67.
Chen, H., Hou, R., Gong, Y., Li, H., Fan, M., & Kuzyakov, Y. (2009). Effects of 11 years of conservation tillage on soil organic matter fractions in wheat monoculture in the Loess Plateau of China. Soil and Tillage Research, 106, 85–94.
Chivenge, P.P., Murwira, H.K., Giller, K.E., Mapfumo, P., & Six, J. (2007). Long-term impact of reduced tillage and residue management on soil carbon stabilization: Implications for conservation agriculture on contrasting soils. Soil and Tillage Research, 94(2), 328–337.
Choudhary, M., Datta, A., Jat, H.S., Yadav, A.K., Gathala, M.K., Sapkota, T.B., et al. (2018). Changes in soil biology under conservation agriculture-based sustainable intensification of cereal systems in the Indo-Gangetic plains. Geoderma, 313, 193–204.
Dikgwatlhe, S.B., Chen, Z.D., Lal, R., Zhang, H.L., & Chen, F. (2014). Changes in soil organic carbon and nitrogen as affected by tillage and residue management under wheat-maize cropping system in the North China Plain. Soil and Tillage Research, 144, 110–118.
Gomez, K.A., & Gomez, A.A. (1984). Statistical Procedures for Agricultural Research (2nd ed.). An International Rice Research Institute Book, Wiley, New York, USA.
Gonzalez-Sanchez, E.J., Ordonez-Fernandez, R., Carbonell-Bojollo, R., Veroz-Gonzalez, O., & Gil-Ribes, J.A. (2012). Meta-analysis on atmospheric carbon capture in Spain through the use of conservation agriculture. Soil and Tillage Research, 122, 52–60.
Jat, H.S., Datta, A., Sharma, P.C., Kumar, V., Yadav, A.K., Choudhary, M., et al. (2018). Assessing soil properties and nutrient availability under conservation agriculture practices in a reclaimed sodic soil in cereal-based systems of North-West India. Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science, 64, 531–545.
Jiang, X.D., Li, Z.J., Hou, L.T., Wang, Y., Wang, X., & Yan, H. (2005). Impacts of minimum tillage and no-tillage systems on soil NO3-N content and water use efficiency of winter wheat/summer corn cultivation. Transactions of the Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering, 21(7), 20–24.
Keeney, D.R., & Nelson, D.W. (1983). Nitrogen – Inorganic forms. In: Methods of Soil Analysis, Agronomy Monograph, 9(2), 643–698.
Khan, A., Wichern, F., Uporova, M., & Kuzyakov, Y. (2024). Mineralization and temperature sensitivity of soil organic matter pools of contrasting lability. European Journal of Soil Science, 75(1), e13451. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.13451
Khosa, M.K., Barik, K., Aksakal, E., Jahangir, M.M., Didenko, N.O., & Islam, K.R. (2025). Long-term continuous no-till corn-soybean systems: Examining soil carbon sequestration and nitrogen accumulation across various pools. PLoS One, 20(5), e0322891. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0322891
Kumar, R., Rawat, S.K., & Yadav, B. (2012). Vertical distribution of physicochemical properties under different topo-sequence in soils of Jharkhand. Journal of Agricultural Physics, 12, 63–69.
Lehmann, J., & Kleber, M. (2015). The contentious nature of soil organic matter. Nature, 528, 60–68.
López-Bellido, L., Muñoz-Romero, V., Fernández-García, P., & López-Bellido, R.J. (2014). Ammonium accumulation in soil: The long-term effects of tillage, rotation and N rate in a Mediterranean Vertisol. Soil Use and Management, 30, 471–479.
Luo, Z., Wang, E., & Sun, O.J. (2010). Can no-tillage stimulate carbon sequestration in agricultural soils? A meta-analysis of paired experiments. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 139, 224–231.
Meng, X., Meng, F., Chen, P., Hou, D., Zheng, E., & Xu, T. (2024). A meta-analysis of conservation tillage management effects on soil organic carbon sequestration and soil greenhouse gas flux. Science of the Total Environment, 954, 176315. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176315
Marahatta, S., Sah, S.K., Donald, A.M., Timilnisa, J., & Devkota, K.P. (2014). Influence of conservation agriculture practices on physical and chemical properties of soil. International Journal of Advanced Research, 2, 43–52.
Mishra, U., Ussiri, D.A.N., & Lal, R. (2010). Tillage effects on soil organic carbon storage and dynamics in corn belt of Ohio USA. Soil and Tillage Research, 107, 88–96.
Nicoloso, R.S., & Rice, C.W. (2021). Intensification of no-till agricultural systems: An opportunity for carbon sequestration. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 85(5), 1395–1409.
Parihar, C.M., Yadav, M.R., Jat, S.L., Singh, A.K., Kumar, B., Pradhan, S., et al. (2016). Long term effect of conservation agriculture in maize rotations on total organic carbon, physical and biological properties of a sandy loam soil in North-Western Indo-Gangetic plains. Soil and Tillage Research, 161, 116–128.
Powlson, D.S., Whitmore, A.P., & Goulding, K.W.T. (2011). Soil carbon sequestration to mitigate climate change: A critical re-examination to identify the true and the false. European Journal of Soil Science, 62(1), 42–55.
Rangel, O.J.P., Silva, C.A., Guimaraes, P.T.G., & Guimaraes, R.G. (2008). Frações oxidáveis do carbono orgânico de Latossolo cultivado com cafeeiro em diferentes espaçamentos de plantio. Ciência e Agrotecnologia, 32, 429–437.
Rani, A., Bandyopadhyay, K.K., Krishnan, P., Sarangi, A., & Datta, S.P. (2017). Effect of tillage, residue and nitrogen management on soil mineral nitrogen dynamics and nitrogen use efficiency of wheat crop in an Inceptisol. Journal of Agricultural Physics, 17, 16–30.
Sadiq, M., Li, G., Rahim, N., & Tahir, M.M. (2021). Effect of conservation tillage on yield of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and soil mineral nitrogen and carbon content. International Agrophysics, 35(1), 83–95.
Sarker, R.R., Rashid, M.H., Islam, M.A., Jahiruddin, M., Islam, K.R., & Jahangir, M.M.R. (2023). Conservation agriculture's impact on total and labile organic carbon pools in calcareous and non-calcareous floodplain soils under a sub-tropical rice-based system. PLoS One, 18(11), e0293257. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0293257
Schomberg, H.H., & Jones, O.R. (1999). Carbon and nitrogen conservation in dryland tillage and cropping systems. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 63, 1359–1366.
Sharifi, M., Zebarth, B.J., Burton, D.L., Grant, C.A., Bittman, S., Drury, C.F., et al. (2008). Response of potentially mineralizable soil nitrogen and indices of nitrogen availability to tillage system. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 72, 1124–1131.
Smith, P., Soussana, J.F., Angers, D., Schipper, L., Chenu, C., Rasse, D.P., et al. (2020). How to measure, report, and verify soil carbon change to realize the potential of soil carbon sequestration for atmospheric greenhouse gas removal. Global Change Biology, 26(1), 219–241.
Solorzano, L. (1969). Determination of ammonia in natural waters by the phenol-hypochlorite method. Limnology and Oceanography, 14, 799–801.
Sun, L., Chang, S.X., Feng, Y.S., Dyck, M.F., & Puurveen, D. (2015). Nitrogen fertilization and tillage reversal affected water-extractable organic carbon and nitrogen differentially in a Black Chernozem and a Gray Luvisol. Soil and Tillage Research, 146, 253–260.
Thammaiah, M.K., Sharma, V.K., Parihar, C.M., Barman, M., Dey, A., & Chakraborty, D. (2023). Long term conservation agriculture impact on soil nitrogen fractions and wheat (Triticum aestivum) yield in subtropical Inceptisol. Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 93(8), 930–935.
UNDESA. (2024). World Population Prospects 2024: Summary of Results. United Nations Department of Economic & Social Affairs, Population Division. https://population.un.org/wpp
Walkley, A., & Black, I.A. (1934). An examination of Degtjareff method for determining soil organic matter and a proposed modification of the chromic acid titration method. Soil Science, 37, 29–37.
Yadav, S.P., Kumar, S., Das, T.K., Purakayastha, T.J., Sharma, V.K., Bhattacharyya, R., et al. (2021). Distribution of mineral nitrogen in long-term conservation agriculture under semi-arid condition. Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 91(7), 1077–1081.
Zheng, H., Liu, W., Zheng, J., Luo, Y., Li, R., Wang, H., & Qi, H. (2018). Effect of long-term tillage on soil aggregates and aggregate-associated carbon in black soil of Northeast China. PLoS One, 13(6), e0199523. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0199523
