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Corn Fertility Treatments and the Surface Structure of a Poorly Drained Soil
Author(s) -
Stone J. A.,
Allen N. H. E.,
Grant C. D.
Publication year - 1985
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/sssaj1985.03615995004900040042x
Subject(s) - bulk density , loam , porosity , monoculture , agronomy , soil structure , crop rotation , fertilizer , soil fertility , zoology , chemistry , environmental science , soil water , mathematics , soil science , materials science , crop , biology , composite material
Fertility treatment effects on annual measurements of bulk density, total porosity, and air‐filled porosity taken from the 0.05‐ to 0.15‐m depth of a Brookston clay loam soil (clayey, mixed, mexic Typic Haplaquolls), inclusive from 1957 to 1982, were evaluated. Additional bulk density, porosity, stability, and penetration resistance measurements were made on samples taken from the 0.05‐ to 0.15‐m and 0.15‐ to 0.25‐m depths in 1983. The treatments were (i) continuous corn ( Zea mays L.) with no fertilizer; (ii) continuous corn with 298 kg/ha NH 4 NO 3 annually; (iii) continuous corn as in (ii) plus 672 kg/ha of 5–8.8–16.6 (5–20–20) annually; and (iv) a corn, oats ( Avena sativa L.), and alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) rotation receiving 168 kg/ha of 5–8.8–16.6 (5–20–20) for oats. In general, bulk density increased as total and air‐filled porosities decreased with time for all treatments. However, the rotation treatment had lower bulk densities and higher total porosities than the continuous corn treatments. There were no significant differences in bulk density or porosity among the continuous corn treatments. The 1983 stability and penetration data did not show any meaningful treatment effects. However, the stability data illustrate the weak structure of this soil. Monoculture corn appears to play a minor role in the structural deterioration of this poorly drained, weakly structured soil.