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Cited by 42Soil Carbon and Nitrogen DynamicsSoil Management and Crop YieldSoil erosion and sediment transport

Long‐term effect of tillage and straw retention in conservation agriculture systems on soil carbon storage

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Gómez‐Muñoz, Beatriz, Jensen, Lars Stoumann, Munkholm, Lars, Olesen, Jørgen Eivind, Møller Hansen, Elly, Bruun, Sander·2021·Soil Science Society of America Journal
DOI 10.1002/saj2.20312
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Abstract

The main principles of conservationagriculture (CA) are minimal soil disturbance, permanent soil cover, diversification of crop rotations, and retention of crop residues. Tillage has been implicated with increased soil organic C (SOC) mineralization, but recently this has been contested. Residue retention and cover crops result in higher soil C inputs and are therefore expected to increase SOC. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of 17 yr of residue retention (with and without) and tillage (plowing and no‐till) on soil C storage on two Danish sandy loam soils with different clay and SOC content under cool temperate humid climate conditions. Straw retention reduced bulk density at both sites. It also increased the C concentration with 0.47 mg C g –1 dry soil on average from 2002 to 2019, and SOC stocks in 2019 with 23 tonnes C ha –1 , on average, at the site with higher initial SOC content. The effect of straw retention on soil C was higher when the soil was plowed, and no significant effect was observed in no‐till soils. Straw retention did not significantly affect C concentration at the site with low initial SOC. Tillage altered the C distribution in the soil profile, so that the C concentration in the upper layer (0–25 cm) was higher in the no‐till soils, but did not significantly increase total C concentration in deeper layers (0–50 cm). Use of no‐till and straw retention did not consistently affect crop yield across site‐years, but the interannual variability was large, obscuring possible differences in yields.

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  • Researchers from National University B (A7) concluded that data from a national long-term experiment did not show significant differences in soil organic C concentrations in the 0-50 cm soil profile when comparing direct drilling and ploughing and did not fully confirm a positive effect of straw retention on soil organic C content.

    “Researchers from National University B (A7) concluded that data from a national long-term experiment did not show significant differences in soil organic C concentrations in the 0-50 cm soil profile when comparing direct drilling and ploughing and did not fully confirm a positive effect of straw retention on soil organic C content (Gómez-Muñoz et al. 2021).”

    From A heuristic framework to portray agroecological transition initiatives in reflexive arrangements, illustrated with a conservation agriculture network in Denmark (2025) · cites this paper as Gómez-Muñoz et al. 2021

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Authors
Gómez‐Muñoz, B., Jensen, L. S., Munkholm, L., Olesen, J. E., Møller Hansen, E., & Bruun, S.
Affiliations
  • University of Copenhagen (DK)
  • Aarhus University (DK)
  • Dep. of Agroecology Aarhus Univ. Blichers Allé 20, PO Box 50 Tjele 8830 Denmark
Corresponding author
Bruun, Sander
ORCID
Venue
Soil Science Society of America Journal
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2021-09
Volume
85
Issue
5
Pages
1465-1478
ISSN
  • 0361-5995 (ISSN-L)
  • 1435-0661
DOI
10.1002/saj2.20312
OpenAlex
W3183778981
Cited by
42
References
3
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 1
FWCI
2.92
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor, 8 d)
Locations
  • Soil Science Society of America Journal (publishedVersion)
  • Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen) (acceptedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
  • Ministeriet for Fø devarer, Landbrug og Fiskeri
  • Grønt Udviklings- og Demonstrations Program
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Management and Crop Yield
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil erosion and sediment transport
Keywords
conservation agriculture, no-tillage, straw retention, soil organic carbon, soil carbon storage, ploughing, bulk density, crop residue management, sandy loam soil, long-term tillage effects, crop yield

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