Soil health and fertility

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1 Soil health and fertility

2 Two statements: tillage reduces soil productivity conservation agriculture benefits the soil

3 Conventional tillage Advantages Disadvantages Machinery is present Incorporates fertilizers Needs less management Suppresses weeds Eliminates soil compaction Uses more fuel Needs more labour Needs more tractors Provokes more compaction Causes more erosion

4 Conservation Agriculture Advantages Disadvantages Conserves soil humidity Uses less fuel Requires less time Needs less machinery Provokes less compaction Saves money Difficult in clayey soil with bad drainage Requires specialized equipment Requires high management level Possibly increases pests in monocrop

5 Crop yield Soil productivity Following factors need to be in optimum condition: Water retention capacity Soil density Soil porosity Compaction Health

6 Main objectives to conserve soil To reduce soil loss Increase natural fertility Improve soil structure Leave the soil in same or improved condition to next generations

7 Soil basics Space for H2O & air m m Soil particle m m m m m Humic acid m m Microbes m Polysaccharides m m

8 Soil problems that occur in conventional systems Compaction Surface crusting Erosion Low water holding capacity All are caused through a reduction in soil organic matter

9 Effects of conservation agriculture on soil properties Biological properties: organic matter, macro and micro-organisms Physical properties: water, temperature, porosity, density Chemical properties: nutrients and acidity

10 Carbon cycle Crop Crop residues Decomposition Microorganisms and soil biota Nutrients CO 2 + H 2 O Humus Soil tillage activities Mineralization Immobilization Proteins and polysaccharides Soil structure

11 Organic matter Organic matter content (%) Soil depth (cm) Direct seeding Minimum tillage Conventional tillage

12 Micro-organisms Number of P dissolving bacteria (*10 5 ) Conventional tillage Conservation agriculture Harvest Sowing Flowering Harvest Sowing Flowering Harvest

13 Root nodule bacteria Population size Bradyrhizobium (# cells *100) S/W/M S/W M/W S/W/M S/W M/W Conventional tillage Conservation agriculture

14 Mycorrhizal fungi Average root colonization (%) Maize Soya Natural Conventional Conservation Conservation vegetation tillage (1 year) agriculture agriculture (10 years) (20 years)

15 Earthworm activity Number of earthworm burrows per m Conventional tillage Conservation agriculture Soil depth (cm)

16 Nutrient concentration through insect activity Soil depth (cm) Organic matter (%) ph Al (me/100g) Ca (me/100g) Mg (me/100g) P (ppm) K (ppm) > Bothynus sp. chambers > >200

17 Physical properties Aggregate stability Bulk density and macropores Water infiltration Water storage Temperature

18 Higher aggregate stability Mulch layer protects the soil against impact of raindrops No soil disturbance Organic matter induces aggregation Increased soil density Higher concentration of calcium and magnesium

19 Bulk density and macroporosity Conservation agriculture Conventional tillage Bulk density (g/cm3) Macroporosity (% ) Natural grass vegetation Forest

20 Water infiltration Rainwater infiltration (mm) Forest Natural grass vegetation Conventional tillage Conservation agriculture Time (hours)

21 Water storage Water content of the soil (%) Conventional tillage Conserv ation agriculture Soil depth (CM)

22 Soil temperature 60 With cov er Without cov er Soil temperature ( o C) Time of the day (hours)

23 Chemical properties Ability of the soil to exchange nutrients Addition of plant nutrients Increase in organic matter

24 Soil acidity - ph Conventional tillage Conservation agriculture 5.5 ph Soil depth (cm )

25 Phosphorus content P content (mg kg -1 ) Conventional tillage oats/maize Conventional tillage oats/lupine+maize/cowpea Conservation agriculture oats/maize Conservation agriculture oats/lupine+maize/cowpea Soil depth (cm)

26 Calcium and magnesium levels Exchangable Ca+Mg (cmol kg -1 soil) Soil depth (cm) C onv entional tillage oats/maize C onv entional tillage oats/lupine+maize/cowpea C onserv ation agriculture oats/maize C onserv ation agriculture oats/lupine+maize/cowpea

27 Soil fertility management Is different in CA systems, because reduction of land preparation may lead to: accumulation of immobile nutrients reduction of mineralization of nitrogen decomposition of residues may lead to immobilization of nitrogen superficial application of ammonia fertilizers can acidify the soil surface

28 Accumulation of immobile nutrients Nutrient content (mg kg -1 soil) P - Plough P - Direct seeding K - Plough K - Direct seeding Soil depth (cm)

29 Practices to avoid accumulation of nutrients in surface layers Start with correct nutrient levels Apply part of the fertilizer in bands Assess nutrient levels at different soil depths Guard nutrient levels during first 2-3 years Keep surface homogeneously covered with residues

30 Nitrogen management Three factors can hinder the availability of nitrogen for plants: immobilization mineralization volatilization

31 Practices to avoid lack of nitrogen for plant growth Allow some time for organic matter to be decomposed before sowing Application of N-fertilizer before sowing Apply N-fertilizer as band placement during sowing Use nitrate fertilizers, because they dissolve easier

32 Acidification of soil surface through ammonium fertilizers Ammonium fertilizer NH 4 O 2 Mineralization Nitrification Absorbed by crops Immobilization NO 2 - H + + H 2 O Acid formation NO 3 - Nitrification O 2

33 Lime application Usually lime is incorporated into the soil In CA this is not possible and thus lime is broadcast over the soil cover Cover releases organic acids that bring lime to deeper soil layers

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