The effects of tillage and residue input amounts on soil phosphatase (alkaline phosphomonoesterase ALP, acid phosphomonoesterase ACP, phosphodiesterase PD, and inorganic pyrophosphatase IPP) activities and soil phosphorus (P) forms (total P, organic P, and available P) were evaluated using soils collected from a three-year experiment. The results showed that no-till increased soil total and org...

To determine the relationship between changes in soil physical properties due to tillage and growth of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings, we measured soil moisture and penetration resistance for a range of tillage treatments on two Upper Coastal Plain sites in Georgia and correlated these measurements to the growth of individual seedlings. The five tillage treatments were: no-till (NT), ...

Data from runoff plots operated over a ®ve year period show that signi®cantly less overland ̄ow is generated with a seasonal no-till ridge system than with contour tillage or straight tillage systems. Seasonal no-till ridge is the optimum system for increasing the availability of water for rainfed agriculture on the dryland soils in the hilly area of Sichuan Province, China. # 2000 Published by...

This study evaluated microbial communities of soil (0–10 cm) as affected by dryland cropping systems under different tillage practices after 5 years. The soil type was an Olton sandy loam with an average of 16.4% clay, 67.6% sand and 0.65 g kg of organic matter (OM). The cropping systems evaluated were grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.)— cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) (Srg-Ct), cotton-winter rye (...

Organic agricultural systems are often assumed to be more sustainable than conventional farming, yet there has been little work comparing surface water quality from organic and conventional production, especially under the same cropping sequence. Our objective was to compare nutrient and sediment losses, as well as sweet corn ( L. var. ) yield, from organic and conventional production with conv...

by concerns about nutrient loading. Increased on-site nutrient loading from concentrated animal feeding opApplying organic matter (OM) amendments to cropland reduces erations (CAFOs) have prompted investigations into requirements for synthetic fertilizer and may eliminate yield differalternative uses for manure produced in various liveences between conventional and minimum tillage. The objectiv...