HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Free Full Text (PDF) Free An erratum has been published Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Kennedy, A. C. Articles by Schillinger, W. F. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Kennedy, A. C. Articles by Schillinger, W. F. Agricola Articles by Kennedy, A. C. Articles by Schillinger, W. F. Related Collections Dryland Cropping Systems

Soil & Water Management & Conservation

Soil Quality and Water Intake in Traditional-Till vs. No-Till Paired Farms in Washington's Palouse Region

^a USDA-ARS, 217 Johnson Hall, Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA 99164-6421
^b Dep. of Crop and Soil Sciences, Washington State Univ., Dryland Res. Stn., Lind, WA 99341

^* Corresponding author (akennedy{at}wsu.edu)

Many farmers in the steeply sloped Palouse region of eastern Washington and northern Idaho practice no-till (NT) farming. Soil quality and water intake parameters were assessed in standing wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) stubble along summit, side, and toe-slope positions in a 2-yr study at three paired-farm sites using traditional tillage (TT) vs. NT management. Paired sites had similar south-facing aspect, slopes ranged from 29 to 45%, and NT fields had not been tilled from 2 to 20 yr. Soil aggregates >1000 µm were 5.4 to 9.8% higher in NT compared with TT. Soil organic carbon (SOC) in NT was 30% greater than in TT at the toe-slope position. Dehydrogenase enzyme activity (DEA) was higher in TT, mainly due to the exposed CaCO₃ layer at the side-slope position and higher pH of TT. Phospholipid fatty acid methyl ester (PLFA) analysis showed that fungal biomarkers were higher and Gram positive and Gram negative biomarkers were lower in NT compared with TT. There were no differences in over-winter soil water storage or ponded water infiltration rate in undisturbed standing wheat stubble between TT and NT, indicating soils that produce high wheat grain yield of 6 Mg ha^–1 or more have similar water intake regardless of tillage history as long as the stubble is left standing over winter. Results show long-term cumulative benefits of NT vs. TT on soil quality, but no differences in soil water intake when stubble is left standing over winter, possibly due to the high quantity of wheat root channels produced in both systems.

Abbreviations: AD, soil aggregate distribution • D_b, bulk density • DEA, dehydrogenase enzyme activity • EC, electrical conductivity • FAME, fatty acid methyl esters • NT, no-till • SOC, soil organic carbon • OWS, over-winter soil water storage • PCA, principal component analysis • PLFA, phospholipid fatty acid methyl esters • PNW, Pacific Northwest • POM, particulate organic matter • PWI, ponded water infiltration rate • TT, traditional tillage