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DIVISION S-6—SOIL & WATER MANAGEMENT & CONSERVATION

Long-Term Corn Residue Effects

Harvest Alternatives, Soil Carbon Turnover, and Root-Derived Carbon

^a USDA-ARS, North Central Soil Conservation Research Lab, 803 Iowa Ave., Morris, MN 56267
^b USDA-ARS, Soil and Water Management Research, St. Paul, MN 55108
^c USDA-ARS, Soil and Water Management Research, St. Paul, MN 55108

^* Corresponding author (wilts{at}morris.ars.usda.gov).

A better understanding of C turnover, with estimates of root-derived C, is needed to manage soil C sequestration. The objective was to evaluate the long-term treatment and environmental effects on unharvestable soil C components. Two N fertilizer treatments and a control were imposed during 29 yr of continuous corn (Zea mays L.) with stover removal as silage vs. stover return during grain harvest with moldboard plow (MB) tillage. Soil organic carbon (SOC) declined and natural ¹³C abundance (¹³C) increased during the 29-yr period. Field averages of SOC and ¹³C (0–30 cm) were 96.4 Mg ha^–1 and –17.3 in 1965; respective values in 1995 were 78.9 Mg ha^–1 and –16.6. Loss of SOC was greater with stover removed or no fertilization, but ¹³C increased for all treatments. Stover yield (SY), SOC, and ¹³C data were applied to a model to estimate unharvestable C and predict total source C (SC) input from corn. The SC for 29 yr totaled 172 to 189 Mg ha^–1 when stover was harvested and 268 to 284 Mg ha^–1 when stover was returned. The SC input from unharvestable sources was 1.8 times more than SC from aboveground stover when N was added and 1.7 when N was not added. The root-to-shoot ratio was 1.1 when N was added and 1.2 with no N. Only 5.3% of the SC was retained as SOC. Unharvestable C contributions to rhizodeposition are much larger than suggested from controlled studies including C-enriched CO₂ followed by soil respiration or CO₂ efflux measurements.

Abbreviations: ¹³C, natural ¹³C abundance • _b, bulk density • A_t, relic carbon • ANPP, aboveground net primary production • BNPP, belowground net primary production • cdSOC, corn-derived soil organic carbon • GDU, growing degree units • HF, high fertility • HI, harvest index • h, stover harvested as silage • LF, low fertility • MB, moldboard plow • NPP, net primary production • r, stover returned after grain removal • SC, total source carbon • ^S, stover as a portion of SC, SOC or cdSOC • SOC, soil organic carbon • SY, stover yield • UC, unfertilized check • ^U, unharvestable material as a portion of SC or cdSOC

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