Citation Information

  • Title : Does fertilizer N "burn up" soil organic matter?
  • Source : Better Crops with Plant Food
  • Publisher : International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI)
  • Volume : 93
  • Issue : 4
  • Pages : 6-8
  • Year : 2009
  • Document Type : Journal Article
  • Language : English
  • Authors:
    • Diaz-Zorita, M.
    • Pena-Yewtukhiw, E.
    • Grove, J.
    • Blevins, R.
  • Climates: Humid subtropical (Cwa, Cfa).
  • Cropping Systems: Cereal crops. Continuous cropping. Maize. Cover cropping. No-till cropping systems.
  • Countries: USA.

Summary

This long-term Kentucky study evaluated the impact of tillage and N rates on crop yield and soil organic matter (SOM). After 29 years of continuous corn with a winter cereal cover crop, the combination of no-till cropping and fertilizer N use resulted in SOM levels similar to those in adjacent grass sod. There was no evidence that fertilizer N caused SOM loss.

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