Changes in soil chemical properties resulting from organic and low-input farming practices

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dc.contributor.authorClark, M. S.en
dc.contributor.authorHorwath, W. R.en
dc.contributor.authorShennan, C.en
dc.contributor.authorScow, K. M.en
dc.contributor.departmentSustainable Agriculture and Natural Resource Management (SANREM) Knowledgebaseen
dc.coverage.spatialSacramento Valleyen
dc.coverage.spatialCaliforniaen
dc.date.accessioned2016-04-19T18:55:40Zen
dc.date.available2016-04-19T18:55:40Zen
dc.date.issued1998en
dc.descriptionMetadata only recorden
dc.description.abstractSoil chemical properties during the transition from conventional to organic and low-input farming practices were studied over 8 yr in California's Sacramento Valley to document changes in soil fertility status and nutrient storage. Four farming systems differing in crop rotation and external inputs were established on land previously managed conventionally. Fertility in the organic system depended on animal manure applications and winter cover crops; the two conventional systems received synthetic fertilizer inputs; the low-input system used cover crops and animal manure during the first 3 yr and cover crops and synthetic fertilizer for the remaining 5 yr. At 4 and 8 yr after establishment, most changes in soil chemical properties were consistent with predictions based on nutrient budgets. Inputs of C, P, K, Ca, and Mg were higher in the organic and low-input systems as a result of manure applications and cover crop incorporations. After 4 yr, soils in the organic and low-input systems had higher soil organic C, soluble P, and exchangeable K. Crop rotation (the presence or absence of corn) also had a significant effect on organic C levels. Differences in total N appeared to be related in part to inputs, but perhaps also to differing efficiency of the farming systems at storing excess N inputs; the low-input system appeared to be most efficient, and the conventional systems were least efficient. Electrical conductivity (EC), soluble Ca, and soluble Mg levels were tightly linked but not consistently different among treatments. Relatively stable EC levels in the organic system indicate that animal manures did not increase salinity. Overall, our findings indicate that organic and low-input farming in the Sacramento Valley result in small but important increases in soil organic C and larger pools of stored nutrients, which are critical for long-term fertility maintenance.en
dc.format.mimetypetext/plainen
dc.identifier1073en
dc.identifier.citationAgronomy Journal 90(5): 662-671en
dc.identifier.issn0002-1962en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/65930en
dc.language.isoen_USen
dc.publisherAmerican Society of Agronomyen
dc.relation.urihttp://agron.scijournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/90/5/662en
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.holderCopyright 1998 American Society of Agronomyen
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectSoil managementen
dc.subjectSoil fertilityen
dc.subjectManureen
dc.subjectLow input agricultureen
dc.subjectOrganic farmingen
dc.subjectFarming systemsen
dc.subjectLow-input farmingen
dc.subjectSoil chemical propertiesen
dc.subjectCropping systemsen
dc.subjectCover cropsen
dc.subjectFarm/Enterprise Scaleen
dc.titleChanges in soil chemical properties resulting from organic and low-input farming practicesen
dc.typeAbstracten
dc.type.dcmitypeTexten

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