Effect of 50-year crop rotations on soil organic carbon content

Abstract

Identification and implementation of land use and soil management practices which create a positive agricultural soil/ecosystem carbon budget and restore soil quality is specific challenge worldwide. Moreover, soil carbon sequestration is almost only negative emission technologies which are readily available at a low cost and crop rotation is one of those. The objective of our investigation was to compare effect of 50-year term application of different crop rotations on soil organic carbon. Long-term field experiment was established in 1966 at the Experimental Station of Aleksandras Stulginskis University at 54°52'50 N latitude and 23°49'41 E longitude. 9 different crop rotations were arranged in time and space. In addition Rye monoculture as well as Continuous bare fallow were included as control treatment. Soil - Calc(ar)i-Endohjpogleyic Luvisol. All cereal straw was incorporated as organic residues. Soil organic carbon content was evaluated in 2015 and 2016, after 50 years from the beginning of this long-term field experiment. Winter wheat grown in Cereal, Yield with raw crops and Norfolk crop rotations. In this crop the highest (15.2 g kg4) organic carbon content was found in Norfolk crop rotation. Cereal crop rotation has an organic carbon content of less than 1.1 to 1.2 times, compared to other crop rotations. Winter rye were grown in Intensive, Yield with raw crops, For green manure and Three course crop rotations, as well as in Winter Rye Monoculture. In this case the highest amount of organic carbon was observed in Intensive (15.6 g kg4) and Field with raw crops (14.9 g kg4) crop rotations. The lowest - in crop rotations For green manure (11.3 g kg4) and Three course (12.0 g kg4). ... [et al.]