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Sediment and Nutrient Loss from Clay Soils as Affected by Tillage

USDA-ARS, 808 East Blackland Road, Temple, TX 76502.

^* Corresponding author.

ABSTRACT

Agricultural source pollution of water resources has been a source of concern in recent years. Research is needed to define mechanisms of chemical and sediment loss in runoff from agricultural land, and to develop management practices that minimize transport of these pollutants. This study was designed to compare the effect of no-till (NT) and conventional chisel-till (CT) soil management on runoff water volumes, sediment loss, and N and P loss from small watersheds on a clay soil. Three NT and three CT watersheds located on Houston Black clay vertisol soil (fine, montmorillonitic, thermic, Udic Pellusterts) in east central Texas were used for the study. Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), corn (Zea mays L.) and sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] were grown rotationally on the watersheds from 1984 to 1989. Runoff amounts, sediment loss, and N and P losses were measured for each rainfall event that produced runoff. Runoff volume was not changed by tillage system and sediment loss and N and P losses in runoff were less, on average, from NT than from CT. Runoff averaged 1.3 ML ha^–1 annually for both CT and NT. Average annual quantities for sediment and nutrient losses were: 160 kg ha^–1 and 1575 kg ha^–1 for sediment, 3.8 kg ha^–1 and 8.1 kg ha^–1 for N, and 0.8 kg ha^–1 and 1.5 kg ha^–1 for P for NT and CT, respectively. These results indicate that the loss of sediment and nutrients from agricultural lands could be minimized by using NT on clay soils.

Contribution from the USDA-ARS.

Received for publication September 27, 1991.

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