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Effects of Manure and Cultivation on Carbon Dioxide and Nitrous Oxide Emissions from a Corn Field under Mediterranean Conditions
Author(s) -
Heller Hadar,
BarTal Asher,
Tamir Guy,
Bloom Paul,
Venterea Rodney T.,
Chen Dong,
Zhang Yi,
Clapp C. Edward,
Fine Pinchas
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq2009.0027
Subject(s) - carbon dioxide , tillage , nitrous oxide , agronomy , crop residue , manure , chemistry , manure management , soil carbon , chicken manure , environmental science , zoology , soil water , agriculture , biology , soil science , ecology , organic chemistry
The use of organic residues as soil additives is increasing, but, depending on their composition and application methods, these organic amendments can stimulate the emissions of CO 2 and N 2 O. The objective of this study was to quantify the effects of management practices in irrigated sweet corn ( Zea mays L.) on CO 2 and N 2 O emissions and to relate emissions to environmental factors. In a 3‐yr study, corn residues (CR) and pasteurized chicken manure (PCM) were used as soil amendments compared with no residue (NR) under three management practices: shallow tillage (ST) and no tillage (NT) under consecutive corn crops and ST without crop. Tillage significantly increased ( P < 0.05) CO 2 and N 2 O fluxes in residue‐amended plots and in NR plots. Carbon dioxide and N 2 O fluxes were correlated with soil NH 4 concentrations and with days since tillage and days since seeding. Fluxes of CO 2 were correlated with soil water content, whereas N 2 O fluxes had higher correlation with air temperature. Annual CO 2 emissions were higher with PCM than with CR and NR (9.7, 2.9, and 2.3 Mg C ha −1 , respectively). Fluxes of N 2 O were 34.4, 0.94, and 0.77 kg N ha −1 yr −1 with PCM, CR, and NR, respectively. Annual amounts of CO 2 –C and N 2 O–N emissions from the PCM treatments were 64 and 3% of the applied C and N, respectively. Regardless of cultivation practices, elevated N 2 O emissions were recorded in the PCM treatment. These emissions could negate some of the beneficial effects of PCM on soil properties.