Soil organic and residual carbon under no-tillage system, submitted to different managements

Abstract

The organic carbon is a major component of the soil organic matter, and its stock is influenced by the type of management system used. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of two cropping systems, with and without cover crop rotation, associated to three fertilization sources (mineral, organic and mineral+organic) in the organic and residual carbon contents of an Oxisol, in no-tillage system. Soil samples were collected at 0.0-0.10, 0.10-0.20 and 0.20-0.40 m depth in the first, second and third years of the experiment, installed in 2006. The crops sequence in the rotation system with cover crops was oat + vetch + turnip / corn / wheat / mucuna + brachiaria + crotalaria/corn/soybean, and in the following system it was wheat / corn / wheat / soybean / corn / soybean. The organic and mineral+organic fertilizers consisted in the sole application of organic fertilizers and combined with mineral fertilizer. The organic and residual carbon contents were not affected by the different cropping systems. The organic and mineral+organic fertilizers promoted increases in the organic and residual carbon contents. The system of crop succession fertilized with mineral fertilizer resulted in higher losses of soil carbon.