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Salt Status of Glacial Till Soils of North‐Central Montana as Affected by the Crop‐Fallow System of Dryland Farming
Author(s) -
Ferguson Hayden,
Bateridge Tom
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1982.03615995004600040029x
Subject(s) - soil salinity , soil water , leaching (pedology) , agronomy , environmental science , crop , grassland , groundwater , agriculture , geology , soil science , ecology , biology , geotechnical engineering
Paired samples from adjacent dry‐farmed and native grassland areas of glacial till soils of north‐central Montana were analyzed for soluble salts to determine if crop‐fallow farming has caused increased salt leaching. The results indicate that approximately 50 years of crop‐fallow farming has significantly reduced the soluble salt content of some soils. From an edaphological standpoint the salt reduction in the root zone is beneficial. However, up to 90 t/ha of salt have been moved in the soil toward (to) the groundwater table; this is the source of the salts causing groundwater salinization and saline seeps.