Soil Nutrient Stratification in Long-term Sustainable Cropping Systems Research Study
A tillage by rotation study evaluated after 11 years to determine if the use of no-till had led to nutrient stratification in the plots. The results of this study indicate that nutrients did become stratified, but the effect was minor.
IPNI-2006-CAN-AB23
27 Nov 2006
Methodology
The study is located on Black Chernozem with a moderately fine clay loam texture. After 12 years of cropping to a Canola-Barley-Peas-Wheat (CBPW) rotation, using both conventional and no-till seeding systems, soil samples at the 0-7.5 and 7.5 – 15 cm depths were collected in the fall of 2006. These samples would be analyzed for N, P, K and S by ALS Labs to determine the impact of tillage on nutrient stratification. Values for pH have already been determined. The study has 3 replicates, and each phase (CBPW) of the rotation was sampled (4 phases, 2 tillage, 2 depths, 3 reps = 48 samples).