Erosion and Nutrient Losses From Zero Tillage on a Clay Soil

Conventional tillage (CT) and zero tillage (ZT) farming systems were compared in terms of losses of sediment, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in surface runoff from watersheds with heavy clay soils in central Texas, U.S.A. CT included several sequential tillage operations that resulted in burial of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of agricultural engineering research 1995-06, Vol.61 (2), p.81-86
Main Authors: Richardson, C.W., King, K.W.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions
Biological and medical sciences
Cropping systems. Cultivation. Soil tillage
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
General agronomy. Plant production
Soil erosion, conservation, land management and development
Soil science
Soil tillage
Tillage. Tending. Growth control
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Summary:Conventional tillage (CT) and zero tillage (ZT) farming systems were compared in terms of losses of sediment, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in surface runoff from watersheds with heavy clay soils in central Texas, U.S.A. CT included several sequential tillage operations that resulted in burial of most of the plant residue from the previous crop. ZT involved no primary or secondary tillage, and crops were planted through the residue from the previous crop. ZT had no effect on runoff amounts but reduced the loss of sediment, N, and P relative to CT. Similar results were obtained for each of the three crops used in the study. The EPIC (Erosion-Productivity Impact Calculator) model successfully simulated the effect of tillage on runoff, sediment, and nutrient loss with the exception of soluble N and P.
ISSN:0021-8634
1095-9246
DOI:10.1006/jaer.1995.1034